Greenleaf: Season 5 Episode 5 “The Fifth Day” – Recap/ Review with Spoilers

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As we come upon Sunday, days before the Cavalry is destroyed, yet another familiar face returns. One known for causing trouble.

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Director(s)	Crystle Roberson
Writer(s)	Jenna Wycoff, Steven Fulcher
Aired (OWN)	7/21/2020

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Zora Learns Of Her Parents Divorce – Zora, AJ, Sophia, Jacob, Kerissa

Despite Kerissa wanting to give Jacob an out, he begins to pull the plug on their relationship by telling Zora the divorce is happening. Which, while she joked about it before, it being real now hits different. In fact, it makes her emotional to the point of you possibly being affected. For while we don’t focus much on how Sophia and Zora are dealing with possibly losing the house and the changes within the family, it doesn’t mean in their silence, or not being focused on, there is no pain or fear.

Speaking of fear, Sophia fears going back to Hampton now that her nudes have gone viral. However, AJ, being an outsider, he reminds his little sister there is so much worse to fear out there. Also, taking note of Jacob and Kerissa, does she really want to be their age and living at home just because it is comfortable and familiar?

A Last Ditch Effort To Save The Church – Charity, Mae, Tara, James, Grace, Yusef

Nearly everyone makes a last-ditch effort to either save the church or the mansion. Charity talks to Yusef, who still isn’t necessarily volunteering any helpful information. Mae goes to see Tara, and after that conversation, she is ready to give up the house and James? Well, he is ready to go to Grace to pay off Tara if need be. Especially considering Tara clearly could use an influx of funds.

But, with this not being an idea Mae likes, eventually she sways James to see her point of view. This is helped by her noting how she feels guided to this decision by God, and after his ego is removed, James reaches the same conclusion. They don’t need the mansion, just like they didn’t need the church.

However, it should be noted, the woman who left the mansion to James, Ms. Davis, who apparently was a white woman, had a caretaker who thought he’d be given the house. So now, there could very someone beyond Mac who killed Daryl.

The Return of Rochelle – Rochelle, Tara, James, Mae

With James and Mae on the same page about giving up the mansion, they go see Tara, and who happens to be at the door but Rochelle? Now, note, we were never told anything happened to her, just Basie. So her appearing, counseling her sister, makes sense. But as for how her appearance may influence Mae and James’ decision? Mae’s in particular? Oh, only the next episode could reveal that. Hope to see you there!

Highlights

Zora’s Emotional State After Her Parents Revealed Their Divorce

When it comes to big-time emotional moments on “Greenleaf,” strangely, the first that comes to mind is the saga in which Sophia lost her faith and when Zora was at her lowest with her ex. It isn’t Charity getting dumped and the downfall that has dominated her character’s story. It isn’t Grace dealing with AJ, her battles with Mac, or any of that. It was the rare moments the two Greenleaf girls were allowed to shine.

In “The Fifth Day,” as Zora was reacting to her parents’ divorce, her noting how she has always watched and has seen her mother suffer, it hits you. For often, the girls are so wrapped up in their own drama, or each other, they can seem like they are in a bubble. But with Zora breaking down like that, you can almost see her crying not just because of her parents’ marriage ending, but all that we haven’t gotten to see her react to.

Thus giving us one last reminder of why Lovie Simone will be just fine when this show ends.

AJ Calling Out Jacob & Kerissa For Living At Home

Can we be real for a second? AJ calling out Jacob, Kerissa, and he probably would have Charity too if he could remember her name, was hilarious. Yet, also a real thing to ask and talk about. Granted, that mansion is big enough for everybody but who is really trying to live with their parents at that age? Never mind, not have a job, barely, if ever, look for one, and live with their parents?

When you really think about the Greenleaf kids, there is a serious need to question why there isn’t more of an effort to have privacy and their own space? Also, there is a need to wonder if the issues they have with each other stayed as bad as they did, for as long as they did, since they didn’t give one another space?

Charity’s Gospel

Do you remember a time when “Greenleaf” would occasionally have gospel and sermons? I know that was a long time ago, wasn’t it? Back before Rochelle, Bob, and the show made the church a place to battle over rather than praise within. But, the treat of Charity singing and Mae having a moment, it was a nice reminder of what this show once was.

James Realizing How Vain He Has Long Been

While Mac deserves a tremendous amount of credit for the downfall of the Greenleaf family, James’ ego deserves to be placed in second. You see, it’s because of James wanting money, power, influence, and material items that he ended up getting his taxes looked into. It’s because of the blind eye he had when it came to Jacob he never saw what a philander he was.

Heck, the list is so long that it could be a list article, if we ever did things like that. However, the point is, James has often tried to impede anyone’s progress and stop anything which could hold him accountable. So him finally listening to Mae and letting go of the last remnant of his empire, that’s growth. Granted, he had to do some comparisons to Jesus to get the point but, be it one means or another, all that matters is getting the point, right?

With A Rochelle Sighting, Could Basie Appear As Well?

I’m happy to see Rochelle, but don’t need to see her for a long time. All I really want is Basie. When he was the villain, if you want to call him that, this show was at its best. Heck, Basie was one of the few consistent characters on this entire show that made nearly every scene he showed up in a moment! So since we are doing a walk down memory lane, especially when it comes to people Jacob associated with, we better get Basie. I don’t care if his wife said she was dead, what the hell does she know!

Basie Skanks better make an appearance.

Summary

Trajectory – Ascending

I’m excited. Granted, most of my excitement stems from the possibility of Basie Skanks showing up. However, between that, a Rochelle pop, and Zora giving us the kind of performance this show doesn’t often have, “The Fifth Day” has me excited about the sixth one and the seventh, which is demolition day.

Where To Watch

TV Shows We’re Covering This Season

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