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It’s time for the big charity event Joe wanted, and between Seren, Marissa, Shella, JG, Trish, and so many other people and factors involved, will David’s plan work?
| Episode Title | Vizcaya |
| Aired | 7/27/2021 |
| Network | OWN |
| Directed By | Erica A. Watson |
| Written By | Tarell Alvin McCraney |
| Newly Noted Characters | |
| Commissioner Corey Roberts | Rodney Gardiner |
| Older Seren | Kyle Beltran |
Recap
Hello To Old & Familiar Faces – Seren, Marissa, David
SEREN LIVES! He is alive, well, apparently a lobbyist that works for or has worked for Joe, and while David hasn’t seen him since Seren was 15, they catch up quickly. Now, is this to say things are perfectly cool? Not really. Seren and Marissa have long reconnected, and David was left out of the loop. Which he isn’t pissed about but is a bit shocked and disappointed since Seren was his best friend. Heck, maybe the only good one he has ever had – that didn’t get tainted by romantic or sexual entanglements.
The Drama Has Only Begun – Marissa, David, Joe, Commissioner Roberts, Elan, JG, Shella, Trish, Seren
No sooner than David experiences a nice high from seeing Seren, so comes a slew of problems. If it isn’t the staff at the gala, it is Marissa showing up with an iguana just to stir things up. Following that is Elan’s usual mess, the police officers for JG having their feathers riled, Shella feeling underdressed, Trish showing up, and the list is never-ending. But David’s big issue is making Joe and Commissioner Roberts happy, which will be a challenge.
Why? Well, Commissioner Roberts wants Black-owned companies to be involved in Joe building his complex, and Joe? Honestly, he is just tired of David’s need for control and getting everything perfect and just wants this done already. That and for his nephew, who he definitely doesn’t have a good relationship with, to get his s*** together. For Elan messing around with Seren in the bathroom? Yeah, it seems Joe is aware of what his nephew is into and may not support it.
However, Joe loves Seren, and though JG went off script and didn’t speak out against the Ville and even talked about donating the money given to him to the kid who nearly killed him, David turned things around during his speech. Thus redirected the night back to what David planned, which was to scrap the mall, go into building housing, and with Joe giving approval, Joe looking like a hero.
Nevermind Biting The Hand That Feeds You, Don’t Push Away The Only Friend You Had – Seren, David, Marissa, JG
As the night winds down, Marissa makes it clear to David she won’t stop fighting and seemingly has seduced some journalist to help push her agenda. Now, in terms of how things end for Seren and David? Well, you know David. Anytime someone tries to get close to him and not on his terms, he pushes them back and gets very snippy. He does this with Seren since Seren doesn’t want to divulge what may have happened with Elan. So, David notes he doesn’t appreciate Seren in his personal business either.
However, it seems as David accounts for how few friends he has, and people who can be consistently relied on, he backtracks. For while JG and he reconcile after JG’s speech, and David has a moment that veers less towards manipulation and more towards him seriously being worried about his brother’s safety, JG will always be David’s little brother. Their relationship, their history, will always be complicated since David exists somewhere between being glad he was invited to wanting control over the situation when it comes to family.
With Seren, and perhaps this is why we see his younger self come out, David doesn’t have to be this persona he made to make himself feel safe. He can be vulnerable around Seren and still feel safe. Which is all Seren wants him to do. After all, because of David and his family, Seren escaped an abusive situation. So between helping David with his business dealings and encouraging him to enjoy his free time and personal life, Seren couldn’t have comeback at a more opportune time.
Things To Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- So, what happened to Starry?
- Did David and Gloria ever have issues with Seren’s mom and stepdad over him leaving?
- Do Marissa and David ever talk when he isn’t working on something which could affect the environment? Considering she had sex with him in the other episode, I would assume they share something beyond tension?
- Considering we saw JG as a kid, then a full adult, will they cast a teen version to fill that gap and establish his relationship with Shella and Trish further?
- While this season isn’t built to explore that, are we going to see JG with his father’s people?
Review
Highlights
The Return of Seren
First off, I’m glad Seren is alive and seemingly doing well. Granted, it seems things didn’t work with his biological dad, and he feels the need to lay low, but he is alive. Secondly, one of the things I’m glad that has come with Seren’s return is David talking to someone purely through eye contact, body language, and gestures. That was one of the things which instantly stood out in the first season, and that returning with Seren only reinforces the importance he has in David’s life.
Now, whether Seren will be like most this season whose lives seem to revolve around David and his work, that’s hard to say. But I do hope with Seren being a fan favorite, and how long they dragged out his status, if this season has a David-less episode, Seren is put front and center. It would be cool to see his and Marissa’s relationship when David isn’t around.
Understanding Seeing Season 1’s Actors Is About Reminding Us Who Everyone Is At Their Core – Especially David
The frustration of seeing the David we knew, Seren we knew, and the rest, and being robbed of maybe a decade or more of storylines will never go away. However, the perspective can shift, and I’m trying to see us looking at the teen or kid version of characters as a reminder of who they are at heart. David shows himself as still being that stuttering mess who tries to put on a brave face for no one is coming to his rescue. After all, that’s his inner child, and as an adult, David is fiercely protective of him, hence why we don’t see teen David pop up too much. If you never met him, his inner child won’t play with yours or, in the case of Marissa, argue with you.
But as shown in this episode’s lack of a younger Marissa, there has to be a familiarity and sense of being safe for David to set aside his need for control and allow a certain level of chaos. Hence the extended scene of David being with Seren and probably the most vulnerable we’ve seen him all season, and even revealing he wants an escape from this life he built for himself.
Commissioner Roberts Is A Character
While the new actors playing familiar characters are still growing on us, the characters new to this season are quite knocking it out of the park. We previously noted how much we enjoy Shella and now Commissioner Roberts? Something about him reminds us of Basie Skanks from Greenleaf. From his style to presence, the way he talks and dresses people like David down, while some characters simply have a title, Commissioner Roberts shows how he got that title.
JG and David
It’s always good to see the younger version of David and be reminded how his development has been stunted in some ways, but it is just as important to see his adult counterpart push beyond that. As noted by Marissa, David has this tendency to use people’s pity to gain support, which can often come off manipulative. However, with JG, there is this vibe of him seeing through David and loving him as he was and as he is in the present day. Which, similar to Seren, because David isn’t seem through the lens of a former significant other, allows JG to see his brother as a whole.
Granted, is it consistently? No, because David will run the same game on JG as he will everyone else. However, when he opens up and drops the act of being put together, you see David’s potential.
On The Fence
How Marissa Developed
I can accept Marissa pulling a stunt like bringing an iguana to a swanky charity event. However, the push to make it seem she’d sleep with a guy to get an article about the environmental effects of Joe’s property? I don’t know how to feel about that. Heck, even if it is an act to make David jealous, maybe throw him off his game? It’s like David said, the act is childish.
Now, can she and should she sleep with whoever she wants? Yes. But even if you want to push how she will literally put her body on the line for the environment and do whatever it takes, it makes you wonder if she has done this before? Heck, maybe even what are Marissa’s opinions on sex? Remember, she was raised in a strict household, so could it be that her world changed once she was free?
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