While we already knew certain characters wouldn’t make it past this season, additional names get added, and it becomes clear there is a lot of change on the horizon.
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While we already knew certain characters wouldn’t make it past this season, additional names get added, and it becomes clear there is a lot of change on the horizon.
| Network | ||
| Showtime | ||
| Director(s) | Jet Wilkinson | |
| Writer(s) | Ayanna Floyd Davis | |
| Air Date | 6/16/2019 | |
| Introduced This Episode | ||
| Mr. Bennett | Richard Gant | |
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Making Time To Heal: Ronnie, Brandon, Mr. Bennett, Tracy, Jada, Miss Ethel
It’s an odd few days for Ronnie. He is forced to reckon with what he almost did to Jada as she decides to stop assisting Miss Ethel. Also, Brandon decides to forgive him after Detective Cruz revealed how he messed up and pretty much set Ronnie on the path he is on. But in all this, alongside Tracy opening the door to come back into the life of Jason’s child, there is healing.
However, the healing is never complete until you deal with the source. So, while going to Jason’s child’s baptism, he makes a visit to his father, Mr. Bennett. Someone who, naturally, is surprised to see him, but it seems Miss Ethel has been keeping track of that man for years. Why? Well, maybe so this moment could happen one day.
What moment? Mr. Bennett maybe not apologizing with the words “I’m sorry” but at least trying to make up for lost time. Which he does by not refuting Ronnie talking about how much Mr. Bennett’s absence affected him and maybe not welcoming the man with open arms but offering to work on his former car with him. Seeing if he is hungry and seemingly, in his own head, acknowledging what happened and what was said, and apologizing the best way anyone can – a change of action.
Sometimes Apologies Work, Other Times They Don’t: Jada, Emmett, Darnell, Jerrika, Brandon, Maisha, Kevin, Papa, Tiffany
With Emmett having another kid, and Darnell finding out about it, he tries to help by offering some of Emmett’s younger siblings’ clothes. However, Emmett is in his feelings about being asked for rent, as well as Darnell trying to get some of his child support money back. Likely how much better of a father he is now compared to how he was to him too. But it doesn’t end there. Darnell also hits up Jada, and they have a moment. One which appeared to be about having Jada be like the rest of Darnell’s family where there might be history, but the bad blood is settled.
However, as they reconcile, they nearly have sex, and if it wasn’t for Emmett, the deed would have been done. Leading to Jada approaching Emmett to explain a few things. One thing being that Jada is lonely and the other that she is imperfect. An idea Emmett struggles a bit to believe, since he has long been a huge part of her world and sees her as perfect, but things have changed. Hell, they got to change for them to reach a new stage in their relationship. So he accepts what she says, even when it comes to coming at his neck about Tiffany. Someone he has been dodging since the whole pregnancy was revealed, but it seems he isn’t trying to repeat the drama with EJ so he will now show his support. Maybe not get back with her, relationship-wise, but won’t be trash and question if it is his and all that drama. Especially since he is in a better place now, with benefits, a job, and his own place, so going backwards isn’t a good look.
This is something Kevin is realizing as he deals with the fallout of hurting Maisha’s feelings. While he may get teased about his relationship with her, she is as good to him as he has been to her as of late. Not to disregard how weird things were in the beginning, but they worked those kinks out. So during his weekly haircut with Brandon, he decides it is time for a change. The first is cutting off all his hair until it is as low as Brandon. From there, he decides he will go to North Side, and while he doesn’t get to apologize more to Maisha, until she forgives him, Papa does apologize and say what Kevin likes he loves for that’s what kind of friends they are.
You Gotta Prep For What’s Coming: Detective Toussaint, Brandon, Douda, Reg, Jake, Jerrika
Thanks to Brandon getting arrested and all the secrets, Jerrika leaves him. I’m talking about taking all her stuff and leaving him in a nearly bare apartment. Which pretty much pushes him to feel like he doesn’t have much and makes him an easy person to work with for Detective Toussaint. Someone who really wants to take down Otis Perry who is already making future plans. Specifically, he is looking at Jake as a possible successor in some ways. Something Reg is surprisingly okay with, though he also doesn’t want to be passed up. Yet, with Reg getting shot, and Jake being taken by social services, it seems Reg’s dreams are dead, and Jake is going to end up in the one place Reg never wanted him to be – the system.
That is unless Otis ends up adopting him and grooming him personally.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- So with Brandon flipping on Douda, how will they write him off? They going to have him get caught and killed?
Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs
Not following the crowd ain’t easy.
— Brandon
Commentary
Like Father, Like Son
There have been clear correlations in terms of who Darnell is as a man, at around 43, compared to Emmett who probably isn’t even 20 yet. The big one being having multiple baby mamas, but as things went on, we saw how much Darnell matured and found a way to make things work. Something that inspired Emmett to do better and make it so he and the children, alongside their mothers, knew about one another, talked, and maybe could rely on one another.
However, another thing is that Jada and Tiff have the same relationship with their child’s father. One which pushes the idea that if we’re just talking about sex, things were perfect. It is just when emotions get involved, that’s when things get screwy, and someone ends up messing up. Pushing you to wonder if neither men are truly capable of being in a relationship with a woman that is healthy and functional? That, when it comes to their kids, they both can and do grow up, but when it comes to monogamy? Some things just can’t be surmounted?
I mean, Darnell was ready to cheat and risk it all for Jada, and she hated his guts for years. Hell, probably hates it even more since she likely does, and perhaps should, feel taken advantage of. After all, it wasn’t like she was sober when talking to Darnell and expressing her woes.
Highlights
Emmett & Darnell
I’m not 100% sure how old Emmett is right now, but what is clear is that his relationship with Darnell isn’t going to heal overnight. Especially since, despite not being raised around him, he is following his footsteps. This both men can see and at least Darnell is acknowledging. However, the fact Darnell is continuing to push having something with Emmett, and even help him out, I think it could lead to a breakthrough. After all, compared to the work of his blended family, it shouldn’t be as hard to get Emmett into the fold.
With that said, Darnell is still trash. Flawed, understandable to a point, but low-key trash.
Jada Telling Emmett She Ain’t Perfect
With the exit of Laverne, Kevin’s moms barely being around, and Tracy being per diem, Jada has been holding it down representing for the mothers of the first season. Arguably swallowing up all the time the other women formerly shared and really doing well with it. But, her chat with Emmett was probably the icing on the cake for it represented a shift from her talking to dependent son to a young man she raised. That is a major shift and while a big win for Emmett, you can’t downplay Jada speaking for many a mom in the form of being upfront with her kids.
For, let’s be real, there are probably a lot of single mothers who, whether their kids are grown or not, need or have done that conversation. One which reminds their child they may have raised them in an environment where they were shielded from their mother’s faults, but she ain’t perfect. She may have played supermom, but many things could pierce her armor. Also, at the end of the day, her kids can’t be everything, and she wants, needs, intimacy with another person. It’s not like the libido got thrown out with the placenta or is in some jar somewhere. Jada has probably long wanted to get back out there, but between Darnell, and now Ronnie, there has been so many things redirecting her away from that.
So, at this point, with Emmett no longer being one of her primary reasons, she has to push herself back out there and have Emmett recognize that while his care is appreciated, she is going to make mistakes. She paused her journey for a long time, and getting back on that road won’t be quick and easy. Making it so, he has to let her stumble and not judge her for she has long judged herself enough.
Ronnie Facing His Demons – Face To Face
Ronnie has been troubled since the show began and it seems whenever he hit rock bottom or finally climbed out of his rut, we were mistaken. But, with Brandon forgiving him and him forgiving his dad, one could only hope the man may find consistent happiness and not be the show’s consistent downer.
Papa’s Apology
Not to be outdone by the adults, while it is a minor apology and request for forgiveness, you have to appreciate Papa noting to Jake, and Kevin, his teasing shouldn’t be seen as him trying to dissuade. As he said, if Kevin likes it he loves it, and I honestly believe that. Even to the point of Papa maybe helping Kevin win Maisha back. Assuming the two are still close when he leaves their school.
On The Fence
What’s Going To Happen With The Kids?
With Kevin going to North Side Academy, Jake maybe getting adopted by Otis, or written off, and Papa at the old school, how are they going to handle things? For Kevin, that’s easy since they can present culture shock and being a south side kid amongst the rich. However, Papa hasn’t really had a real storyline before. At least one that was given proper time and depth. Then with Jake, yes he could get adopted by Otis but would that mean him joining North Side, still being in his old school, or maybe in a third school?
The reason I ask this is because we don’t get a lot of representation of Black kids to this degree so there is a need to wonder how much, if at all, this will affect each character. Never mind Maisha who, when I think about it, I wonder why she was never pushed to join North Side? Unless her attendance is part of the reason.
How They Going To Handle Brandon Being Written Off
While Jerrika’s exit was abrupt, it works. Brandon, on the other hand, there is a need to question how will they write him off? The show could use a time jump, especially considering how fast the young actors are growing, thus leading to Brandon dying or going off to live near his mom. But while an option, it also is kind of the easy way out. Yet, what can they really do now that Jason Mitchell has made himself toxic?
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