Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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As Star and Noah worth through their daddy issues, Cassie and Carlotta’s beef reaches a boiling point. Also, Miss Bruce may get a man.
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| Network | ||
| Fox | ||
| Director(s) | Ruben Garcia | |
| Writer(s) | Randy Huggins, Jewel McPherson | |
| Air Date | 10/10/2018 | |
| Characters Introduced | ||
| Xander | Chad Michael Murray | |
| Olivia | Kayla Smith | |
| Mike Mike | Furly Mac | |
| Blaire | Melissa Saint-Amand | |
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Guilty Feelings: Bobby, Noah, Alex, Olivia, Mike Mike, Derek, Miss Bruce, Cassie, Andy, Ruby
Bianca’s death still haunts Alex and while liking stuff on her page, she runs into Olivia. Someone who says she is Bianca’s sister but there might need to be a background check on that. Especially since homegirl comes off like Jahil’s niece from back in season 1, Eva, with her version of crazy. Though, considering she gives a picture of Bianca with a camera in it, she might be beyond crazy. I mean, Olivia takes it upon herself to hug Alex’s man real close and be flirtatious. Pushing the idea she trying to not be like Alex, but take everything she has.
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But that’s just a theory for now. Let’s talk facts. One fact is that Mike Mike, who works for Cassie, and brings her Andy, is Ruby’s rapist. Another fact is Bobby used to go by the name of Rusty, for reasons unknown, and back then he knew Miss Bruce. In fact, he and Miss Bruce seemingly are going to get reacquainted. Maybe more.
Though, that isn’t the only relationship Bobby will be working on. Bobby reveals this episode that the death of his partner, Paul, is what led to him seeking out his son. Also, the death of Paul is why Bobby was homeless and broke. But, despite it seeming like Bobby has only come to see Noah because he hit rock bottom, he tries to push the idea that isn’t true. Which, as when Noah let Bobby into his house, you can see this desire to believe, yet know there is a lie somewhere. Hence Noah, every time Bobby says something which even drifts a little left, Noah is ready to call him out.
Commentary
Miss Bruce may get a man, Miss Bruce may get a man – I’m so excited. For I’ve been waiting for something to be done with Miss Bruce and while they seemingly are Take 3’s manager, that isn’t enough. We need to see past that sassy attitude and get to know who Miss Bruce is. Hell, maybe all the way back to when Miss Bruce was just (think manly voice) Bruce. For with Bobby talking about Miss Bruce taking care of people back in the day, paired with Miss Bruce maybe being an old friend or flame, there is history to be explored. Also, a future to build *fingers crossed*
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As for this Olivia thing? Anyone else feel Alex’s storylines are always so extra to compete with the personality of Star and the heartbreaking drama Simone goes through? I love the show for putting an effort into making sure she isn’t forgotten but it’s like, we’ve never gotten past her issues with her dad. Why are we going through all of this? Shouldn’t he, despite us not seeing him since, maybe season 1, be around, trying to reconcile and all that? Maybe her mother taking care of her?
Not to say this psycho storyline might not be better than it appears, but it just feels like a mid-season cliffhanger waiting to happen. And honestly, I’d rather they just attach Alex to Ruby and deal with that storyline. I mean, taking note Ruby took Alex in and has grown rather close to her, couldn’t they just showed two Black women learning to heal through one another. Maybe attending therapy together, after Alex convinces Ruby it isn’t just for white folk and the rich?
Oh, and can we just kill Andy off? I mean, I’m sure Angel just went poof so unless Cassie is going to own Andy like a slave for her streaming platform and club, what is left for the character?
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Battle For Supremacy: Mateo, Cassie, Noah, Bobby, Carlotta, Blaire
Despite Noah being made an opening act for Take 3’s performance at Cassie’s club, Karma, apparently, he is still a hot property. One which even Mateo sees the value of. Though, with Carlotta forcing his hand and bringing her music business under his umbrella, he can’t let it fail. His insecurities from being a poor Cuban immigrant who reached the top of his class at Duke? They haven’t gone away. In fact, he seemingly is still trying to compensate for what he didn’t have growing up. Hence why Blaire, the reporter, is able to play him into giving her a scoop and possibly some D.
All the while, Noah wants to commit to Carlotta but Mateo is playing games. He doesn’t want to let Noah have creative control but rather drop him a fancy car. Add in Bobby questioning the point of being loyal to Mateo when Cassie is offering him freedom and he eventually turns coat. Leading to Cassie gloating and Carlotta whooping her ass – with Blaire recording it all on her phone.
Commentary
Noah must have really matured, huh? He opened for Take 3 without a pip coming out of his mouth. But, then again, maybe that was one of the reasons he left, on top of creative freedom. Yeah, Carlotta might go to bat for you but Take 3, those will forever be her babies. With her, you gotta accept she is going to finagle a way, whenever possible to make sure they get on that hot track, one of their stars gets that big deal, so if you don’t play nice, you may get the cold shoulder. Who wants to deal with that?
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Especially since Star comes out of pocket depending on her mood. Then her sister Simone? Sometimes she is on some Nicki Minaj stuff with the way she jumps from calm, cool, and sweet, to like she’d slice your tires. As for Alex? Well, at this point, it seems she shows up to work then takes her behind to Derek’s. She has long learned her lesson when it comes to dealing with those two.
Pushing the need to talk about Mateo. I so badly wanna say he is a reinvented Ayanna but I just don’t have enough to back up that claim. I can say nearly everything he says, not involved with being Cuban, sounds like it could have been written for Ayanna. I can even bring up his way of dealing with Carlotta and the goal of proving people wrong sounds like Ayanna. However, I think to keep people from saying this is a cheap reboot of her they are going to dive into his story a bit more. For with a wife who, I assume, married him when he was on the come up, with this sob story, he might be something better. I can’t say I have full faith in the idea he is, but you never know?
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A New Kind of Family: Star, Simone, Jackson
With a month going by since the last episode, Star and Jackson’s son will be live and in person soon. This makes it so Star is really trying to heal things with Simone, for real, and even wants to look up Brody. If possible, she wants to give this child as much as possible.
Problem is, Brody is dead. A recent discovery she tries to power through, as she does most of the trauma in her life, but with realizing he called to say goodbye before he was electrocuted, that hits hard. It hits so hard Star takes Simone’s words to heart and learns to let others take care of her – specifically Jackson. Someone who has been pushing to take a more active role and damn if he doesn’t knock it out the park. He not only removes her from that situation when asked but makes her laugh in the studio later on. Showing he is deserving of the title of her first child’s dad.
Commentary
You ever take a moment and realize, in nearly all the shows you watch, if each one had one good therapist, the show would likely be over? I get that feeling sometimes. Jokes aside, I’m joyous about this more mature Star. I’m happy to see her willing to grow and let go. Also, Simone getting that movie role is big. Not too many happy things happen to her and Alex had her breakout moment, Star did too, so let’s see Simone get it! That is, assuming Mateo doesn’t retaliate for her snitching on him. Much less, her realizing she has to play a love interest to Noah not making her want to drop the project.
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Question(s) Left Unanswered
- How did Xander and Cassie find each other back in the day? I get they both were into illegitmate business, Xander is even funding Cassie’s club to launder money for him, but they seem of such different lives. Was Christine involved?
Highlights
- Noah and his father’s rocky relationship ending this episode peacefully.
- Star showing growth as a character and Simone having growth in her career.
- Carlotta and Cassie’s fight.
Low Points
- The music this episode I hope to never hear again. The Noah cover and the duet between Cassie and Carlotta was just blah.
- This Cassie and Xander storyline seems like it is meant to cause you to feel for Cassie, but I’m still quite over her. I don’t love to hate her, I just am waiting for her to be killed off.
On The Fence
- This Olivia storyline seems like nothing but drama and I don’t know if I want it.
- How Mateo is being handled as a character gives me way too many Ayanna vibes. Though, considering how abruptly she left, maybe these were ideas that got rejected in forming that character.
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