Star: Season 1/ Episode 8 “Mama’s Boy” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbOz5i_uPts

Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

As usual with the series, while there is quite a bit of drama ranging from physical violence to watching an emotionally traumatic scene, the moments are watered down and given a swift comic relief moment – thus killing the power and meaning.

Topic 1: Free Derek (Alexandra, Derek, and Rose)

With Derek having serious charges against him, his bail is set to 250,000. Meaning, he needs at least 25,000 in order to get out through a bail bondsman. Leading to all fundraising methods being put on the table. The first being Star asking Hunter, which doesn’t go well, a block party benefit, which raises 15,000 of it, and then Alex gets the rest. She gets the rest by playing her mother Rose for the remaining 10,000.

Commentary

The best thing to come from this won’t be more Alexandra and Derek scenes, but more Naomi Campbell. For while Naomi has shown us she can nail Dynasty-era Diahann Carroll, now she has to show vulnerability. An alcoholic and insecure woman, whose ex-husband and life, is part of the reason she has issues. Yet, then there is her daughter. Her crutch, her second chance at love and life, betray her for some boy. So, with it already seeming Rose is desperate for her sober companion, it will be interesting to see if while Alex flourishes in her personal and professional life, we may watch as Rose drowns.

Topic 2: Not Easily Forgiven (Star, Hunter, and Jahil)

While in pursuit of trying to see if Hunter could help get Derek out of jail, Hunter takes Star asking for money like she is just another gold digger. This, of course, sets off Star’s smart mouth and being that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, Hunter smacks her. Leading to her leaving and him trying to apologize by bringing Pumkin (Missy Elliot) to the fundraiser and him apologizing. But with it being established how Star has been in relationships like this, it doesn’t seem he will be forgiven quickly or easily.

As for Jahil, in this episode, he learns the video with Eva singing with Big Trouble has over 30,000 likes so he wants to add her to the group. Now, Star, once she hears about the video, wants it taken down. So, when Jahil just says he is adding Eva, she announces she quits and that ends the episode.

Commentary

The whole Hunter smacking Star thing, while certainly horrible, doesn’t come as a surprise. Not due to Hunter’s dad being abusive, and this show trying to exhibit how the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. No, it seems to me that slap was made more so to turn Star’s character back into someone you felt sympathetic for than that. For, let’s be honest, that loveable around the way girl got lost amongst as the show made it seem everyone either wanted her or was jealous of her. So with this slap, it reminds you that as good as things are for her now, they weren’t always like that. She notes to Simone there were times she went to jail, it seems clear Star has been in abusive situations before by how quickly she left without saying a word. Much less, how she let herself have a moment before moving on and avoiding talking about the situation entirely. With that, mentally you get a reminder that Star has always done what she has had to and likely stumbled, or used the wrong people, to get to where she has now.

As for Eva, with her being undocumented and supposed to be in hiding, her days are numbered. To the point that I barely find a reason to take note of her. For, like Jahil, she is just unnecessary drama. However, with Alex, the co-founder of this group, not exactly protesting when Jahil says Eva is in, it should be interesting to see if Star quitting isn’t just posturing.

Topic 3: Mommie Dearest (Cotton, Carlotta, Star, and Pastor Harris)

With Elliot (Jack Yang) proving he really loves Cotton for who she is, Cotton is just looking for her mom to do the same. However, with her inviting the Pastor over and him trying to pray Cotton away and bring Arnold back, their relationship may never be the same. For while that may not have been Carlotta’s intentions of having him over, she didn’t stop him either.

Thankfully, though, as Cotton held a gun to her head, Star stopped her. First with some tough love then some jokes. Leading to, once again, us being reminded why we loved Star in the first place.

Commentary

Why is it this show feels the need to lighten up the moment with a song and dance after something heavy happens? The Pastor gets done trying to pray the trans thoughts away then we get a music video… Like with last week, us seeing the woman who got shot by cops dancing with Big Trouble, it makes it seem this show doesn’t want you to take it too seriously. It just wants to highlight serious issues but then quickly lighten things up and retreat back to the usual network TV drama we’ve seen for decades. Which sucks to me since some of the best moments of this show came from setting aside the comic relief scenes and getting real. Something we have often seen in the moments Carlotta has shared with many of the characters on this show. But I guess there is fear of scaring off viewers if this show keeps it real too much for too long.

Things to Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. Otis’ body has been identified and connected to his car.
2. Apparently, Pumkin and Mixed Harmony, back in the day, worked at the same venue. Leading you to wonder, how long was it before that group crashed and burned?