S05.E07: June 1, 2020

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Quote

Violet grows concerned about Hollywood, Nova plans a children's march, and Ralph Angel, Blue and Darla confront a troubling encounter as a family. Plus, Micah wants to get out and be a voice of change.

Original air date 2021.03.30

[TVForever]

So is that it for Micah? Was that his last scene?

Charley: Uh-oh. 

How many episodes are there in this final season? I had to look and make sure that there was an episode next week (Whew!) Because for a minute there towards the end (as they were sort of reliving the history of some of the couples and characters), it was starting to feel like a finale episode.

 

Edited March 31, 2021 by TVForever

[MBayGal]

Does Charley have no sense at all?  It appears she is having a heart sttack, and she keeps trying to think of a relative she can call, but it never occurs to her to dial 911? Writing stupidity in service to some plot point!!  I guess this will bring Charley and Davis back together, just in time for them to be united in grief and/or outrage when Micah is arrested or worse in Minneapolis. 

[Empress1]

1 hour ago, MBayGal said:

It appears she is having a heart sttack

I think she has COVID. If I'm right, odds are good that a hospital would have turned her away since she's not sick-sick and she's not high risk. There was a period where hospitals were turning people away not because they were OK but because there was no room for them. (I read an article about an NYC EMS driver - kind of a day in the life thing in the Times. He responded to a call where the woman was having COVID symptoms and had been in the ER but they sent her home. Of course she got worse, so someone in her life called 911. She asked "Why didn't the hospital keep me?" I think about that article a lot.)

I think Hollywood is really struggling. Between the George Floyd case, him not being able to open his dream business, and him losing his mother, I think he's slipping into a deep depression.

Edited March 31, 2021 by Empress1

[tennisgurl]

Its surprising Charley had gone this long without having a heart attack, she has had so much crap dumped on her in a somewhat short amount of time since episode one, she has now been locked in a furious battle to save St. Jo's practically single handedly for years and now with everything else, no wonder her poor heart is giving out. I appreciate when Davis and Charlie can get along, usually for Micah's sake, but I hope that she doesn't end up falling back into his nonsense out of loneliness. I think its a heart attack at least, it could be COVID but it seems more like a stress induced heart attack to me, the armchair doctor who Googled heart attack symptoms. Its wild how long people can have heart attacks before realizing that something is wrong. 

I know that the show had to drop a lot of threads from last season to deal with COVID and the protests, which is understandable, but it sucks that they have basically forgotten about Nova's book and its fallout. I like to imagine that without COVID they would have had Nova actually working to earn her families forgiveness and have it really hit her that what she did was horrible, but its fully possible that they never would have done that considering they already had everyone moving to forgive her by the end of last season. I spent all last season waiting for some reporter to follow up with the family about the book and have the story break that Nova's family was furious about the book and their lives had been torn apart, especially Vi and Blue, or have Nova really understand that what she did was wrong, but now that will never happen. I am sure that Nova is still convinced that her book was a wonderful "healing tool" that will "help people" and that one day everyone will admit that she was right all along. That combined with her weird affected way of speaking just makes it so hard for me to appreciate Nova, even when she says things that I agree with. Even when she is just chatting with Charlie or her friend packing boxes, its like she's reading a prepared speech for a rally coming up, it sounds so unnatural. 

Poor Hollywood is really struggling with everything, you can see him falling further and further into a depression. Maybe his support group he was starting pre COVID can start doing Zoom meetings? He really needs an outlet. I am glad that at least Vi's Pie's seems to be doing alright with take out orders. 

What was with the ending clip show, I actually checked to see if this was the season finale because it felt like a finale ending. Did they just run out of scenes? 

[Empress1]

4 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

[Nova's] weird affected way of speaking

So I found a clip from one of the earlier seasons and Nova's affectation is new. She had a much more relaxed cadence before - "you smoke that weed wit' me"/ "you know dat right?"  It feels like her southern accent was stronger, which gave her speech a more relaxed drawl. She also used slang - I can't imagine her calling anyone a "bougie bitch" now, but she did in that clip. She sounds much more conversational than she does now and I wish Rutina were playing her differently and she were written more conversationally.

(I also like her locs better than her current 'fro hawk.)

[marceline]

6 hours ago, MBayGal said:

Does Charley have no sense at all?  It appears she is having a heart attack, and she keeps trying to think of a relative she can call, but it never occurs to her to dial 911? 

I'm always happy to drag Charley but I did exactly the same thing years ago when I had food poisoning/esophageal reflux and thought it was a heart attack. I called a coworker I trusted (I'd collapsed in the parking garage) instead of 911 because she was a marathon runner and I knew she would get to me fast.

It's easy to make bad decisions when you're low on oxygen, terrified, and alone.

I'll be interested to see what Charley's affliction is. It's obvs not COVID so what fits the symptoms?

Edited April 1, 2021 by marceline

[tldryolo]

11 hours ago, TVForever said:

So is that it for Micah? Was that his last scene?

Charley: Uh-oh. 

How many episodes are there in this final season? I had to look and make sure that there was an episode next week (Whew!) Because for a minute there towards the end (as they were sort of reliving the history of some of the couples and characters), it was starting to feel like a finale episode.

 

It was already renewed for season 6, this isn't the end.

 

But you could definitely see the writers moving the chess pieces to account for their budget.

1) No way could Queen Sugar afford the extras and staging of a mass march, so it's cancelled on account of a permit issue.

2) Characters are having nightmares/reminiscing, so great reason to use clips from earlier episodes.

3) If Micah is gone for a few episodes-- or, heck, the rest of the season-- we don't have to pay the actor. Enjoy Minneapolis!

4) Also Calvin's daughter is a guest star expense we don't need, bye!

5) They don't actually show Davis answering the call, just showing us his picture on Charlie's phone is basically free.

This wasn't a great episode, but I am impressed by the MacGyver ingenuity on shooting it on what must be close to zero dollars, then saving money in future episodes. 

[AgentRXS]

10 hours ago, tldryolo said:

5) They don't actually show Davis answering the call, just showing us his picture on Charlie's phone is basically free.

And they never showed Calvin either, except through flashbacks.

[tldryolo]

4 hours ago, AgentRXS said:

And they never showed Calvin either, except through flashbacks.

Oh right, I noticed that while watching but forgot by the time I commented.  Very thrifty.  The show has had its ups and downs, but I would definitely read the book about the making of-- if these are just the things we notice, they must do all sorts of crazy stuff to stretch their budget and I'd be very interested.  As it is, up until this year they used the High Yellow/Vi's Pies as a set for almost everything... which the pandemic makes infeasible, but instead they're just recycling the same three sets over and over anyway.  

[marceline]

Nova is working my last nerve and not for any particular reason. She just sucks up all the oxygen in the room. Even when she isn't causing drama she's still so dramatic. The show really wants us to see her as wise griot but she's just so performative. I find her insufferable.

I really feel for Vi and Hollywood. They each need support from the other but that means that they don't necessarily have the bandwidth to fill the other's needs. It's like two people who have the flu. Who is going to get out of bed and take care of the other?

 

16 hours ago, tldryolo said:

It was already renewed for season 6, this isn't the end.

 

But you could definitely see the writers moving the chess pieces to account for their budget.

1) No way could Queen Sugar afford the extras and staging of a mass march, so it's cancelled on account of a permit issue.

2) Characters are having nightmares/reminiscing, so great reason to use clips from earlier episodes.

3) If Micah is gone for a few episodes-- or, heck, the rest of the season-- we don't have to pay the actor. Enjoy Minneapolis!

4) Also Calvin's daughter is a guest star expense we don't need, bye!

5) They don't actually show Davis answering the call, just showing us his picture on Charlie's phone is basically free.

This wasn't a great episode, but I am impressed by the MacGyver ingenuity on shooting it on what must be close to zero dollars, then saving money in future episodes. 

I give the show credit for all of these decisions. So many shows I love have obviously worked like hell to bring us new episodes. I have nothing but respect for the cast and crew.

[TVForever]

16 hours ago, tldryolo said:

It was already renewed for season 6, this isn't the end.

Thanks for the correct info. I've been bracing for "the end" since these new episodes started. Glad to see there's another season coming!

[gesundheit]

On 3/31/2021 at 6:02 PM, Empress1 said:

So I found a clip from one of the earlier seasons and Nova's affectation is new. She had a much more relaxed cadence before - "you smoke that weed wit' me"/ "you know dat right?"  It feels like her southern accent was stronger, which gave her speech a more relaxed drawl. She also used slang - I can't imagine her calling anyone a "bougie bitch" now, but she did in that clip. She sounds much more conversational than she does now and I wish Rutina were playing her differently and she were written more conversationally.

(I also like her locs better than her current 'fro hawk.)

In addition to this -- or rather a component of exactly this -- she has become utterly humorless. It was alarming to see the flashback montage with her smiling and laughing. It doesn't even feel like the same person. And while it's true that the world can sometimes strip someone of their light and turn them overly strident, people usually stop wanting to be around them. She's exhausting.

And yet people are working so hard for her approval, including young college students who might not be so psyched to impress the woman their father had a long-term extramarital affair with. Most teenagers are not quite that accepting of their dad's mistress! (It's fine that she was, though, I didn't really want to watch that conflict. There's built-in conflict for anyone in a scene with Nova, so we didn't need any extra.)

On 4/1/2021 at 8:34 AM, AgentRXS said:

And they never showed Calvin either, except through flashbacks.

I did kind of crack up at the Calvin stand-in in the distance at the gas station. 

It didn't occur to me that Charley was experiencing anything other than COVID, but sounds like I might've been quite wrong!

[izabella]

3 hours ago, gesundheit said:

It didn't occur to me that Charley was experiencing anything other than COVID, but sounds like I might've been quite wrong!

I didn't think of it being anything but COVID, either.  It seemed she was really tired, she had muscle aches, and was having trouble breathing. 

[bichonblitz]

On 3/31/2021 at 6:02 PM, Empress1 said:

So I found a clip from one of the earlier seasons and Nova's affectation is new.

Wow, that was a reminder of when this show was good. 

[Empress1]

16 hours ago, izabella said:

I didn't think of it being anything but COVID, either.  It seemed she was really tired, she had muscle aches, and was having trouble breathing. 

Me too.

[Joimiaroxeu]

So Blue is a certified genius. I loved how proud RA was.

Ehh, I'm thinking Nova needs to keep Blue's name out of her mouth. Even if he is her nephew. Watch her try to take some of the credit for his super intelligence.

Hmm, wonder if Nova's ever driven through East Texas before? At least she was with a White ex-cop, because that drive could definitely go sideways--especially the "scenic route," and during that time frame.

I hate to say it but the presence of Blue probably kept the racist sheriff from getting physical or worse with RA. And RA from doing something stupid and dangerous.

It occurred to me Charley might have COVID but I figured was she having panic attacks due to worrying about Micah. She must be really scared if she resorted to calling Davis.

Edited April 4, 2021 by Joimiaroxeu

[Artsda]

I thought she had Covid and it's from Micah bringing it in the house from his partying.

Nova's just the worst. No clue why Calvin or anyone puts up with her. 

[Kirkydee]

On 3/31/2021 at 2:42 PM, MBayGal said:

Does Charley have no sense at all?  It appears she is having a heart sttack, and she keeps trying to think of a relative she can call, but it never occurs to her to dial 911? Writing stupidity in service to some plot point!!  I guess this will bring Charley and Davis back together, just in time for them to be united in grief and/or outrage when Micah is arrested or worse in Minneapolis. 

It just doesn't make sense to write Charley as this strong intelligent independent woman- just to make her as this meek frail " Oh my God what am I gonna do?" when there is a potential medical emergency.  Micah is halfway to Minnesota, Nova is going to Texas, and Vi has got her own stuff cooking. So she turns to Davis?  Cmon.  I doubt that Charley would even tell Davis unless she had a serious diagnosis