She’s Gotta Have It: Season 1/ Episode 8 “#LoveDontPayDaRent (If You Don’t Know Me By Now)” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)
Jamie gets full on exposed and feels not just the wrath of Nola, but Cheryl and… Winny? Previous Recap: Episode 7 “#HowToMakeLoveToANegroWithoutGettingTired” Network Netflix Director(s) Spike Lee Writer(s) Barry Michael Cooper Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater: Cheryl, Jamie Jamie has been made into utter trash in this series. I’m talking, him cheating on Cheryl while…
Jamie gets full on exposed and feels not just the wrath of Nola, but Cheryl and… Winny?
Previous Recap: Episode 7 “#HowToMakeLoveToANegroWithoutGettingTired”
| Network | |
| Netflix | |
| Director(s) | Spike Lee |
| Writer(s) | Barry Michael Cooper |
Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater: Cheryl, Jamie
Jamie has been made into utter trash in this series. I’m talking, him cheating on Cheryl while they are “separated” seemingly every two years when he suddenly falls in love. Which, she is getting increasingly tired of. Especially because she feels, with the way their relationship is, or rather was, as a whole, she got used. Yes, she may have gotten a son, but what he got was someone to hold the ladder for him to climb up on.
I mean, the Brownstone they live in, her parents helped pay for that and who knows how much else they may have invested in Jamie. Be it college, his current job, maybe his car? And yet, here Cheryl is, with a man who is trying to have some huge picture of another woman in her home. Never mind the $10,000 he planned to pay. Let’s not even go there.
You Better Have My Money: Jamie, Nola, Mars, Miss Ella, Raqueletta Moss
“Planned to pay.” Keys words used in that last paragraph. For that money doesn’t transfer over before Nola starts to seek out paying people – like Miss Ella, who gets a bounced check. Which leads her to think maybe Nola needs to bounce her ass out of her Brownstone so she can make some serious money off some white people. But, after laying Jamie out, Nola comes up with at least one month’s rent working mad jobs.
Leading to her being a bit tired, and in need of sympathy. Hence why she goes to Mars for while Greer giving the D helps, it is but a placebo, a cathartic release, a distraction. Mars, on the other hand, has his sister cleanse her and that helps. Also, Nola takes a page out of Raqueletta Moss’ playbook and uses speaking in third person to help her deal. On top of that, she takes some advice from her about not being overwhelmed by the hustle and getting a hat tip because you know, Raqueletta Moss understands the struggle.
Remember Who You’re Talking To: Clo, Mars, Willy, Jamie
A few things beyond Jamie being a serial cheater gets revealed, such as Willy going down for 8 years thanks to Jamie. That’s why Jamie got a call from Willy a few episodes back – he is Willy’s silent partner. But the silent partner needs $10,000 and talks about being out of Willy’s business. This gets Willy emotional. He put Jamie onto the game and kept him out of jail and he wants out and 10 grand? That’s too disrespectful. Not to the point Willy seems like he is about to pop Jamie, but he definitely feels the need to put him in his place. Which he does, and then when Jamie asks for the money nicely, it is given to him and later, Jamie sends Nola’s portrait and the $10,000 to her.
As for Mars and Clo? Really, all that needs to be noted here is how far Mars goes to make sure Nola is cool. Be it calling a favor with his sis to have Nola purified or pushing Clo to help. Showing that, even though Mars may not have a whole lot to offer but what he does? He seems willing to give Nola his all. If not speak to someone like Clo, who he got major issues with, if it may make Nola’s life easier.
Other Noteworthy Facts & Moments
- Jamie is 40 and Nola 27.
Highlights
Do What It Takes to Survive
You have to respect Nola’s hustle. She is someone who wants the balance of familiarity in her environment with getting to live a certain lifestyle. So, whether it is walking dogs, doing art classes, teaching, low key embarrassing stoop sales or what have you, she’ll do what it takes. And that effort is what made Miss Ella cool with Nola being $20 off from the rent.
And as a viewer, it helps to remind you that Nola, as much as she may have Greer and Jamie’s attention, and Jamie seems to play sugar daddy sometimes, they don’t take care of her. Also, she doesn’t really want them too. Yes, Nola may have certain privileges but she isn’t spoiled nor wants to lead you to believe she could be. After all, the title of the episode “Love Don’t Pay Da Rent (If You Don’t Know Me By Now)” wasn’t chosen for nothing. It was a reminder.
On The Fence
Jamie is Trash
And I don’t know why Jamie is such trash. I mean, as much as I wanna side eye Cheryl and her bougie self, Jamie really did her dirty. For even if she was talking like this before they got married, you knew what you was getting into and I’m at the point where I too think he probably climbed that ladder using her back. I mean, look at the way he tried to play Willy! He got all tough with him and then he got checked. So imagine some of the sly stuff we probably haven’t seen Jamie say that Cheryl sure as hell remembers.
It makes me surprised she went back to saying “our,” when referring to Virgil, versus using “my.”
