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| Originally Aired | October 10, 2024 |
| Network | Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, HBO/ Max, Film Festival, Showtime, STARZ |
| Director(s) | Geary Mcleod |
| Writer(s) | Resheida Brady |
| Character | ACTOR’S NAME |
| Mavis | Donna Biscoe |
| Eboni | Kandi Burruss |
| Jax | Emayatzy Corinealdi |
| Corey | Morris Chestnut |
| Shanelle | Shannon Kane |
| Peter | Michael Scialabba |
| John | Corin Scialabba |
| Mike | Victor Rasuk |
| Lucy | Melissa Ponzio |
| Spenser | Thaddeus J. Mixson |
| Autumn | Tiffany Yvonne Cox |
| Sally | Nefetari Spencer |
Storyline Recap
Eboni’s Ballad – Mavis, Eboni, Jax, Corey, Shanelle
While Eboni’s name may not feel familiar before this episode, as she talks about how badly not only JT, but his mother Mavis treated her, you’ll feel for her and hope this isn’t the last time you see her. To shorten a long story, JT and Eboni were together before JT got big and their relationship was fine until he got drafted and she got pregnant. Her refusal to abort Natasha, JT’s eldest, is what triggered the abuse.
Mind you, Mavis, as she likely was for Shanelle, was aware of what was happening but she focused more on her blood relations than whoever JT slept with. Hence her not caring or willfully ignoring Eboni having black eyes or her own sons use and potential addiction to pills, which Eboni picked up since the painkillers were needed because of the damage JT did.
The kicker here is that, as Jax and Corey learn the story, it seems Shanelle, despite all JT did to her and lied about, believed him that Eboni was just a junkie. Yet, now three and a half years clean, she is doing better and would like to be part of her daughter’s life. Especially after Mavis and JT made for damn sure the courts wouldn’t see her as fit and clip her at the knees when she did try to go to rehab early on.
Shanelle, with hearing the truth, like Jax and Corey, are touched, and add in Eboni wants to testify? It seems like she is giving a major gift. However, Mavis gets into Eboni’s head and makes her relapse, thus putting a end to a much needed witness for Shanelle’s trial.
Knowing Their Tricks – Peter, John, Jax, Corey, Mike, Lucy
Lucy and the DA’s office are on the ropes after all that has been done. It’s even to the point of Mike advising Lucy to offer a plea deal but with thinking they could win, Jax and Corey don’t pursue the deal. However, with knowing how Lucy operates, Jax knows Shanelle has to be properly prepped for the niceties to become a six inch blade.
As this happens, Lucy is dealing with her son John being with her ex Peter, and the worry that causes. Note, John is having the time of his life with his dad, but the only thing keeping Lucy from falling apart is she put a airtag in John’s jacket. Unfortunately, Peter finds it, but whether or not he deviated from where he said he was going to go or if there will be any punishment from what Lucy did is hard to say.
Shanelle On The Stand – Corey, Lucy, Shanelle, Jax
Prepping Shanelle is hard for Jax since, as much as Shanelle wants Jax on her team, there appears to be some kind of animosity there. In helping Shanelle prep for Lucy, Jax goes hard and Shanelle takes them as personal attacks. Seeing this, it seems Corey decides it would be best for him to cross examine Shanelle and add in his investment to help Isabel and you can see he has a bit more drive.
However, while Shanelle isn’t terrible on the stand, Lucy does get to her and it is hard to say to what degree has Shanelle lost potential jurors.
Addiction Runs In The Family And There Are Secrets In Our Community – Spenser, Jax, Shanelle, Autumn, Sally
While Jax and Lewis tag teamed talking to Spenser about smoking before, Jax decides to have a one on one and be upfront about their family history being one of the reasons she personally doesn’t want him to do anything addictive. Spenser gets it and they share a moment, and that might be the only form of peace in the episode. For whether it is Autumn losing her baby or Sally continuing to have issues wth her husband, no one else seems to have peace in their household. But, maybe they might soon for Jax seems to have realized Shanelle’s secret.
New Character Descriptions
Eboni
Eboni is JT’s ex and the mother of his first born, Natasha. He dated her at the start of his career and she is the first one we know of that he abused, and the abuse started when she was pregnant and refused an abortion. From there things escalated to aiding and enabling her drug addiction and cutting ties with her when she was at the point of going to rehab just to make sure she would lose custody.
John
John is Lucy’s son with Peter who doesn’t know how much his father scares his mother.
Review
Highlights
Jax’s Talk With Spenser About Addiction
When it comes to how Jax presents herself, often the praise is that she doesn’t operate like the classic Black professionals we’ve become used to thanks to Shondaland. Does Jax follow in Annalise and Olivia’s footsteps in being one of the best at her job but also being messy? Yes. However, what helps Jax stand out is partly what helped Gabrielle Union stand out when “Being Mary Jane” was on, and that is getting a sense that Jax can code switch and her default isn’t necessarily prim, proper, keep up that working twice as hard persona in all parts of your life.
At home, or at least when she is around people she is comfortable with, we get the Jax who is from a urban area and will drop the N word like it is nothing and sound like her character isn’t molded in the respectability of Claire Huxtable. But, as shown with Spenser, it isn’t just about the verbiage and personality, it is also a sense of realness.
With her talking to Spenser about her family history via her dad, it didn’t feel like an afterschool special moment or a reminder that Jax isn’t as perfect as she seems or she didn’t grow up in a home with a crystal staircase. It was just a straight up conversation about how addiction is in their family, and how Spenser has to take note of that when he makes decisions to use potentially addictive substances. It truly was the type of moment that made me wish that when it comes to cultural award shows, those under the Onyx umbrella didn’t get ignored as much as OWN’s scripted shows did when they were consistently putting them out.
Eboni
If you went by “The Chi,” you would assume Kandi Buress’ acting career was based on name recognition and her singing credentials, not her acting abilities. However, as Eboni, now it seems it is just the tone and writing of “The Chi” that is holding her back more than she can’t put on a performance. During that cross examine prep scene, when she was telling Eboni’s story, that got to me. That proved there was something there than someone who wanted to diversify their income by going into acting.
Lucy’s Ability To Process A Domestic Violence Case Despite What She’s Been Through
I’m listing this as a highlight despite it likely deserving to be a on the fence topic. In one frame of mind, Lucy listening to Shanelle talk about abuse, considering her own abuser is back in her life, and Lucy picking apart Shanelle’s testimony must be tough. Yet, she has a job to do and this is a high profile case. So, on one side, you could see this as Lucy suppressing so much to keep her job.
Yet, on the other hand, it isn’t like Lucy is expressing the challenge of the case beyond feeling like she is losing the court of public opinion. On top of that, things still are a bit vague about her relationship with her ex. We know she is scared of him and the relationship was toxic, but Lucy isn’t being tapped in such a way to really allow her to show up and show off.
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