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It’s time for Clo’s art showcase and it leads to one awkward moment after another for Nola. Also, Shemekka makes her debut on Win’s stage.
Previous Recap: Episode 5 “#4MyNegusAndMyBishes (All Words Matter)”
| Network | |
| Netflix | |
| Director(s) | Spike Lee |
| Writer(s) | Cinqué Lee |
| Characters Introduced | |
| Dean | Danny Hoch |
| Ebony | Sammy Joe Temple |
| Danton Phillips | James McCaffrey |
| Ms. Brenda | Gameela Wright |
Am I Special or Special Am I?: Mars, Nola
In a similar fashion to Jamie’s episode, but with less of a punch, Mars takes center focus this episode. Primarily in showing how much Nola means to him. You see, with his father passing, and seemingly not much in the way of friends, Nola is the only one who not only puts up with Mars but gets him. Unlike when he was with Clo, he didn’t have to deal with the constant corrections and maybe feel like he was being laughed at. Instead, with Nola, he is being laughed with.
Something that is important to Mars since he has dyslexia and that is why he rhymes the way he does and says certain things the way he does. And he thought since Nola accepted that part of him, she’d have no problem with him not just helping to move her art but come to her show. However, this show is apparently too important to have any of her guys be invited to it – despite how they are slowly reentering her good graces. Yet, Opal and Sky get invited.
One Awkward Moment After The Next: Jamie, Mars, Nola
So, biggest night of Nola’s career, a turning point which could further legitimize her as an artist. Problem is, her peers just see her as Clo’s friend. Then her father, talking like he is drunk, embarrasses her. On top of that, Greer, Jamie, and Mars show up. Now, luckily, Greer looks and doesn’t approach Nola. However, Jamie takes some offense to not being invited and Mars? Well, he encounters Dean. This white man who is sipping on some kool-aid that was not meant for him.
Yet, somehow he got invited. Despite how weird he is, especially with his wife Ebony, he got in while Mars, Greer, and Jamie didn’t get an invite. Hmm. But what makes matters worse is that Mars is pretty sure Dean is the guy who was defacing Nola’s art. Something he tells her in the middle of the show and it hypes her into action, but then he pulls her back. Thus frustrating the hell out of her on top of her nerves making the night more and more of a low-key catastrophe.
My Ass Exploded: Shemekka, Nola
But what Nola is going through does not compare to Shemekka. After getting additional injections, her behind gets comically huge. To the point, the prosthetics they put on the actress look fake as all hell. But, Shemekka feels pretty and sexy right? She is making that shmoney! Certainly more than she got as some kind of hostess. But, while she can dance and bust a split, when she falls on her behind her ass explodes. I’m talking, taken to the ICU, “CALL MY MOMMA BRENDA!” type of explodes. Leaving Nola to console Shemekka’s mom and hide she knew about some of what Shemekka was planning to do.
Other Noteworthy Facts & Moments
- The original Nola Darling, Tracy Camila Johns, appears in the episode.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- So, did Dr. Jamison really accept bartering for her services?
- Is Jamie an investor in Win’s business?
Collected Quote(s)
Protect your neck when you sticking it out for other people
On The Fence
It Was Kind of an Underwhelming Episode
I think after having so many episodes with a statement, it made this episode focusing on Clo’s gallery opening underwhelming. Especially since it opens with Mars talking about his dad and getting a signed pair of Jordans. In my mind, it would be one thing if he was telling Nola all this and he was trying to connect with her. But him telling us that, it didn’t pack a punch.
Neither did him revealing his dyslexia. For, again, unlike what we have seen in the past, it didn’t seem like there was an attempt to show depth behind the laughter. Him talking about the way dyslexia affects his life, like the way he speaks, sort of came off part of his routine. Especially as they had him tripping and misusing words with Clo. Something that he hasn’t really done with Nola so the fact he is doing it now seemed really off.
Kind of making it seem a lot of what we got presented with Mars was forced. I mean, for comparison sakes, Jamie’s episode, the last one, we knew about Cheryl and introducing his son was the icing on the cake. But with Mars? He has been presented as nothing but this eccentric Puerto Rican and Black dude.
But at the same time, look at Shemekka. There have been reminders about her butt insecurity since it was revealed to us in the first episode yet her behind exploding didn’t seem like any sort of climax. It was made to low-key be funny, even if it led her to have blood poisoning and sent her to the hospital.
Making me wonder, when it comes to Mars and Shemekka, how come two of the most hood characters on here aren’t allowed the same complexities as everyone else? Why they both low-key got to be comic relief and not get to evolve into much more? Or, when they do get serious, there is this interlaced comedy still there and they aren’t engaging with Nola or someone else? I get that not a lot of people want to hang around clowns when they are feeling down but, urgh. Even the title of the episode gives me pause.
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