The Quad: Season 2/ Episode 3 “My Bondage And My Freedom” – Recap/Review (with Spoilers)
As Coach Hardwick’s ex shows why she is an ex, Eva finds herself more and more with her back against the wall and she officially breaks. Network BET Director(s) Rashaad Ernesto Green Writer(s) Kevin Arkadie Air Date 2/6/2018 Characters Introduced Venus Joyful Drake Lenny Jenkins Antwan ‘Big Boi’ Patton Sr. Dwight Jenkins Patrick R. Walker…
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As Coach Hardwick’s ex shows why she is an ex, Eva finds herself more and more with her back against the wall and she officially breaks.
| Network | ||
| BET | ||
| Director(s) | Rashaad Ernesto Green | |
| Writer(s) | Kevin Arkadie | |
| Air Date | 2/6/2018 | |
| Characters Introduced | ||
| Venus | Joyful Drake | |
| Lenny Jenkins | Antwan ‘Big Boi’ Patton Sr. | |
| Dwight Jenkins | Patrick R. Walker | |
| James Green | Jim R. Coleman | |
| Ramil | Robert Crayton | |
| J’vae | J.J. Green | |
How Can You Be So Stupid?: Cedric, Bryce, Sydney, Madison, Tiesha, BoJohn
It finally becomes clear to Cedric, after Bryce catches an attitude with Bronwyn shacking up, that something is up. What he comes to find out is that Bryce is being hazed by the Sigma Mu Kappa – Beta Nu Chapter. This includes being paddled, among a whole bunch of stuff. However, that is over this episode. Cedric, showing why he had to leave Chicago since this man knows nothing about discretion, gets caught watching the hazing and Bryce is promptly taking off the line. Thus ruining his chances of getting in.
But anger between friends doesn’t end there. With this up and coming talent named Dwight touring the school, with his father Lenny, and Lenny shouting out how Dwight is going to take BoJohn’s spot, he gets real agitated. For even though the coach says that isn’t going to happen, he needs BoJohn’s leadership, the problem here is that Dwight is Carlton’s nephew in law and his star power would bring money.
I mean, Tiesha, to get an interview, basically steamrolls BoJohn to talk to the kid. Of course, things aren’t made better by Dwight’s unofficial bouncer, J’vae, who clearly does not like BoJohn for whatever reason, deciding to take a swing on him at a frat party. Now, I won’t pretend like BoJohn wasn’t drunk, upset, and talking some mess, but J’ave was a guest so he should have watched himself. BoJohn could have had old boy jumped if the situation was different. Let’s not forget Coach Hardwick is pushing this brotherhood idea and that could have meant the brothers coming to help their boy.
Speaking of that frat party, after being down about her ex for a while, Tiesha gets Madison to come out and she enjoys herself. In fact, we’re going to learn if it is true that once you go Black, you never go back – for she spends the night, and take that as a euphemism, with some boy. Which of course freaks Sydney out because of what happened to her. But while Madison, in one episode, wants Sydney’s attention and her being worried about her like a second mom, when Sydney gets in her face about where she was, who she slept with, and all that, Madison decides to just hang out Tiesha. She can’t deal with Madison right now.
Trust Is Hard To Gain & Easy To Lose: Coach Hardwick, Noni, Cecil, Danny
Coach Hardwick’s family is finally seen, both his girls and ex-wife Venus, and we learn why his ex-wife is his ex-wife. The answer? She has a gambling problem. One which is now at a debt of $20,000? Something that Coach Hardwick has been paying down but with Venus not knowing when to quit, now this dude name Ramil is showing up at GAMU looking for his money. Even threatening Hardwick’s girls. So you know he is all the way pissed and a bit anxious. Making that gun in his nightstand something he may want to be easy with.
Switching to Cecil, he has Noni using hacking skills I did not know she had in order to find something to destroy Clive Taylor. Of which, the only thing she has thus far found is he is likely using university funds to pay for sex. That’s embarrassing, but won’t end his career and destroy him. He needs something more and sends Noni on the case. Meanwhile, Danny watches this BS goes down and confronts Cecil. It has finally dawned on him that Noni screwed him over, ruined his reputation and led to a very public embarrassment. Yet, at worse, she gets kicked off the team with a quick turnaround to possibly get back on? Meanwhile, no sorry has been conveyed to Danny at all?
As you can imagine, Danny is pissed and Cecil, at first agitated, reveals himself to actually be embarrassed. To the point, he gives a heartfelt apology. Now, what may that mean for Noni, as well as Cecil and Danny’s relationship when not taking her into consideration? Who knows?
Y’all Are Trying To Kill Me: Eva
Just when Eva thinks she has found a way to solve the school’s money issues with a check from Mr. James Green to the tune of $5 million, Carlton AND Ella Grace screw her over. You see, GAMU was found by freed slaves within the civil war era. One of the founders, EW Smith, has a building dedicated to him on campus. However, that building is in such disrepair that it isn’t used nor the land around it. The idea was to sell to Mr. Green the land, use the buyback option to get the land back before the building is torn down, and all would be well.
As if things could ever be that easy. Never mind Mr. Green’s people having an issue with the buyback option but then, to seal the deal, Eva has to role play being this grown ass man’s momma. Only to find out that Carlton and Ella Grace has made that hall a landmark – which cannot be sold. Meaning Carlton has screwed over Eva and put her into such a legal issue. And with finding this out, the stress overwhelms Eva to the point of a heart attack.
Other Noteworthy Facts & Moments
- Fletcher and Cedric make peace over what he did at her dinner party. If just because she needed his influence for the student body to agree to land that EW Smith Hall is on to be sold. Though, considering that isn’t an option, at least they cool.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- What is Noni’s major again?
Highlights
Coach Hardwick’s Family Drama
Coach Hardwick mentioned in the first season his family wasn’t at its best at the time, but we didn’t get the full details. Between him supporting Eva, then the Terrence thing, alongside some BoJohn drama, his own life got put to the side. But now with his girls being shown and Venus introduced, he is being rewarded for being there for other people. Though I gotta admit, I do slightly worry about any time this show decides to get too dramatic. When it shows things which are somewhat grounded, and don’t veer into what is familiar in network TV drama, it’s awesome. To the point it can make you question why this doesn’t get that A Different World pop or comparison. But then stuff like this and Eva’s heart attack happen.
The Return of Danny
Danny was Cecil’s right-hand man and, in some ways, like the Terrence to Cecil’s Eugene Hardwick. So with it being made clear he was innocent, it is kind of messed up Cecil didn’t reach out and it got worse when he saw him and was acting like he didn’t know the truth. But, seemingly with going into remission, Cecil has become a bit introspective. Catching himself, you could say, when it comes to who he shows his attitude to and who he shows his more soft side.
And that is the beauty of Danny coming back. We don’t get to see a huge amount of the staff interacting with the students on a personal level. Even in terms of Coach Hardwick, he may give speeches and kids may come into his office, but it is all very much football related. Be it Junior getting put off the team or BoJohn worried about his spot. It isn’t like Cecil and Danny’s relationship which you can tell had the type of support and comradery outside of was is the foundation of their relationship.
The BS Only Women Go Through
I wanna say on the Curve episode of Amanda Seales “Small Doses”, there is a conversation about being a woman in the workplace. Especially in terms of doing business. Now, with Mr. Green, I won’t pretend with the way Eva was talking it didn’t seem suggestive as hell. Yet, there is still the issue of Mr. Green not being professional. I mean, COME ON MAN – BABY ROLEPLAY?
And I go in on this show seeming unrealistic – a lot, yet something about that just came off as a real possibility. Especially knowing the predicament Eva is in and Mr. Green taking advantage of her being a woman who needs results and has something to prove. For let’s be real, there is no way in hell most men would be put in this situation to close a business deal. $5 million on the table or not.
On The Fence
What Are These Kids Majors Again?
Outside of Tiesha, I honestly can’t tell you what anyone’s major is. Does anyone else think that is a problem? We are so consumed with everyone’s daily drama that it isn’t clear what they are even going to college for. And while some of the drama, like Madison and Sydney’s, makes sense, a lot of it seems to deal so little with their actual education that you have to wonder what the pitch was for this show.
And I bring this up because Noni being a hacker, that kind of came out of nowhere. Especially since she is cloning phones through cell towers and things of that nature. Something she could have learned on her own but it also makes you wonder if she is in one of GAMU’s IT programs and whether she is learning that from her instructor. Something which, considering we haven’t seen much in terms of white staff members, it would be cool to see a Blerd talking with her about cybersecurity and things like that.
Eva’s Heart Attack
I want to say I’m hard on the show because, even with the premiere of Grown-ish, which got better with time, you can see the different markets the two shows aim for. Grown-ish presents way more privileged students, even when it is noted they come from nothing. Plus, it is a comedy with dramatic elements. The Quad is a drama which leans towards network soap opera nonsense. Like Eva’s heart attack.
Now, don’t get me wrong, they can spin this. Especially in terms of Black women’s health. For whether it is women recognizing heart attacks, the terrible history Black women have endured with doctors, and things of that nature, this can be a teachable arc. However, there is also the possibility that this is purely to make things dramatic. Which I so hope isn’t the case.
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Previous Episode’s Recap
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Whole Season’s Recaps
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