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The beginning of the end for Molly and Issa arrives, and maybe for Condola’s relationships with Issa and Lawrence as well.
| Directed By | Mark Sadlek | |
| Written By | Phil Augusta Jackson | |
| Aired (HBO) | 4/26/2020 | |
| Introduced This Episode | ||
| Delilah | Wendy Raquel Robinson | |
| Celia | L. Scott Caldwell | |
| David | Gregg Daniel | |
| Jerome | Malcolm David Kelley | |
| Curtis | Richard Nevels | |
| Nikki | Robin Thede | |
This content contains pertinent spoilers.
Just When You Think Things Are Good – Issa, Lawrence, Condola
Condola is in an odd place. Based off her friend Nikki, who seems to be her Kelli, she just got divorced, and Lawrence originally was supposed to be something casual. Which, in Lawrence’s mind, means he was supposed to be a F— buddy. After all, you know that man sensitive. However, the truth is, Condola got divorced a year and a half ago, and while enjoying Lawrence, like Molly with Andrew, she isn’t trying to put him on some express train. He’s a good man, but good men falter when put under pressure.
Plus, if we’re being honest, or Condola rather, she is still trying to get a grip on how things are between Lawrence and Issa. After all, most people operate on the idea that when you break up, that’s it. But with Lawrence and Issa running into each other, and thus far not because of mutual friends, but on their own, it’s weird. Leaving Condola a little insecure about her place more than Lawrence can or should be about his.
A Drama-Free Thanksgiving – Ahmal, Delilah, Issa
Originally, the plan was Issa was going to go to her mom’s Thanksgiving with Ahmal, but then their mom, Delilah, had to go to the hospital because of her man slipping. So, with no interest in spending time with the step-siblings, Ahmal and Issa go to a Mexican spot for Thanksgiving and kick it. Leading to them talking about their past relationships, and Ahmal letting down that sassy side and quick comeback and getting real with Issa. Heck, being more supportive than he sometimes allows himself to be.
Thus leaving Issa knowing, while he got a slick mouth, Ahmal is in her corner, and he does truly love her.
Some Conversations Need To Be Had or Else They Get Permanently Put Off – Issa, Celia, David, Jerome, Curtis, Molly
Things are coming to a head between Molly and Issa as they snip at each other over Molly wanting to invite Andrew to her family’s Thanksgiving and Issa trying to make things seem cool between her, Condola, and Lawrence. This leads to a recognition that they need to have a conversation, but it gets put off more and more. However, for Molly, when it comes to her family, she isn’t allowed to kick the can down the road so that she won’t have to deal with how awkward things are between her and David, her dad.
You see, Curtis, with being tired of Molly creating a fracture in the family, he pulls her aside and has a come to Jesus moment with her. He noted David might have cheated, but he cheated on Celia, not her, and if their mom could move past, so can she. Which, with hearing it out loud, and being told to get her act together, Molly decides to be nice. Mind you, not to Jerome, her other brother, and peace with her dad is just handing him pie, but it is the little things that count.
Highlights
Properly Getting To Meet Molly’s Family
While we met Molly’s family in season 2, between her dating Lionel and then the Dro situation, meeting Celia, David, Jerome, and Curtis was a back burner thing. Yet, considering how much Molly seemed to be about family, at the very least having one, you’d think we would have gotten more time with her folks. Especially considering she seems to be the only one without kids at this point.
Plus, it seemed like her father’s cheating was a turning point for Molly and what she expected or thought she deserved in a relationship. So for that to not be revisited and handled, it seemed like a missed opportunity. But, with them quickly wrapping that up, maybe Molly and Andrew just might have a chance.
Understanding Some Friendship Don’t Last Forever
In the friend group, Molly and the rest have all taken shots at Issa and one another, sometimes publicly, other times privately, but one could submit they kept it fair. If not the idea was to help their friend see the light because they were being foolish. In the case of Molly and Issa, that doesn’t seem the case. Molly’s jabs at Condola is jealousy and, let’s be frank, Issa being single for the first time in who knows how long is probably getting to her.
Think about it, the balance of Issa and Molly’s relationship was Molly was the one doing good at work, and Issa had the relationship. However, as Lawrence exited and Molly was starting to do a little something in the relationship world, it disrupted things. So with Issa now having a career in progress and Molly may be having a long term bae, they have to find a new normal.
It’s like what is talked about on “Black Love” on OWN, neither seemingly prepped for the other to grow. So with being confronted with this new person in front of them, it seems both want the other to go back to how they used to be. Hence the lack of guiding them to be new and better people but more so insults to make them fearful of who they are on the path to becoming. And really, what friendship can last when they instill fear rather than provide support?
Getting To Know Condola
With meeting the friends, that means Condola is potentially long term. Also, considering we now know she just got divorced a year and a half ago and was looking for something casual, it really helps Condola be more than a chilled out version of Tiffany. Now we see history, potential flaws, and can say she and Lawrence are exiting the honeymoon period, and things are getting real. Also, considering how she talks about Issa, it pushes us to wonder if things might get real between them as well.
Ahmal and Issa’s Relationship Getting Focused On
This episode was strongly about family, and just as much as we haven’t seen enough of Molly’s people, we haven’t seen much of Issa’s either. Ahmel, for example, has sort of been stuck in that sassy gay stereotype role. But with talking about his ex, where he is now, and showing support for Issa as he did, he breaks out of that shell a bit. Leading you to wonder, like with Molly’s family, are we just going to be shown the potential of what they can be, or will it be realized on screen?
Low Point
Not Getting To Be Around Kelli’s Folks
I ask this since we against only got the comic relief side of Kelli and bypassed the realness which could have been her situation. Which is getting increasingly frustrating for while we know Kelli wasn’t a series regular originally, the more we see, the more there is this desire to get to know her. Especially in a way that can’t easily be forgotten for it was masked in a joke. There is an honest need and desire to truly know who Kelli is when she isn’t performing, and I hope we’ll get that before the season is over, never mind the show.
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