Season 2 Discussion

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S02.E01: The French Connection

Quote

After 3 months in hiding from Chin Gigante and the Italians, Bumpy Johnson takes action to lift the sanctions off his head. By forging new alliances with European suppliers, Bumpy aims to reunite with his family safely back in Harlem.

Original air date: 4/18/21

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S2.E2: Sting Like a Bee

Quote

Bumpy Johnson wants to use his new French supplier to distribute to the “Harlems” of other major American cities. Malcolm X uses Cassius Clay to leverage himself back into favor with the Nation of Islam before Clay’s famous fight versus Sonny Liston.

Original air date: 4/25/21

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I guess I should give Bumpy credit for trying to make some bold moves but it feels like he's getting desperate and reckless, first by stealing that shipment and then trying to get an Italian partner so he can get shipments without dealing with the five families.

I really felt for Betty. She got dragged down to Florida under the guise of "hey, let's go on a fun family vacation!" even though she and Malcolm both knew the real reason he was going to Miami. But when Malcolm finally relented and said he would spend some time with her and the kids, she told him to do his work and she would go home with the girls. What? Your husband finally agreed to pay some attention to you and your children so why not spend a few hours together and then you can go home?

I wanted to high five Stella when she managed to get the gun from her dumb ex so easily. I was kind of hoping she would shoot him and then leave. I get that her parents are concerned about her but keeping her a prisoner locked up in her bedroom is not going to improve matters.

[TV Diva Queen]

I recently watched One Night In Miami and was surprised to learn that Betty was actually in Florida during the fight.  Malcolm really does her wrong.  

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

12 hours ago, TV Diva Queen said:

I recently watched One Night In Miami and was surprised to learn that Betty was actually in Florida during the fight.  Malcolm really does her wrong.  

 

I watched One Night in Miami before S2 started, so it was an interesting contrast to see how it was depicted in the movie vs the show.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S2.E3: The Fruit Stand Riot

Quote

When innocent black teenagers and bystanders are savagely beaten and arrested by police, the Harlem community rallies to free them. Adam Clayton Powell and Mayme Johnson use peaceful protest, but Bumpy Johnson and Malcolm X prefer street justice.

Clip:

Original air date: 5/2/21

Edited May 2, 2021 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The more things change, the more they stay the same. The biggest surprise in the riot situation was that Bumpy let Powell believe it was the peaceful protest that finally got the police to let the shoeshine guy see a doctor.

Oh, Stella. You were THAT close and you shot the guy in the knee? His nice demeanor vanished pretty quickly and he went from cooing "honey" and "sweetie" at her to "YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Even if he's a made man, he should have known that he couldn't order an underling to shoot the boss's daughter.

[Joimiaroxeu]

On 4/18/2021 at 2:05 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

S02.E01: The French Connection

Original air date: 4/18/21

"Buffy Johnson's gonna be dead by the end of the day." But, but there's still nine episodes left to go, Vincent! Sure hope the whole season isn't going to about the Italians' inability to take Bumpy out. 🙄

Method Man is getting around. He was in Power Book II also. At least here his character doesn't have to deal with that douchebag Tariq.

I'm surprised they were so obvious about delivering Bumpy's meals. It's the recognizable patterns that'll trip you up every time.

Eh, I don't know how stealing the Italians' cache of drugs was guaranteed to help smooth the waters for Bumpy. Surely that wasn't the Five Families' only supply source. Seemed to me like an unrealistic vulnerability for them to have.

Edited May 8, 2021 by Joimiaroxeu

[ElectricBoogaloo]

On 5/6/2021 at 7:41 PM, Joimiaroxeu said:

I'm surprised they were so obvious about delivering Bumpy's meals. It's the recognizable patterns that'll trip you up every time.

That seemed like a totally obvious give away. I get that Bumpy trusts his daughter but having her deliver his meals to his secret hideout in that bright white outfit every day seemed like he was just asking to be found! Same person + same outfit + same location + same time every day = not a good choice if you're trying to stay hidden.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S2.E4: The Geechee

Quote

An unlikely partnership proves to be extremely lucrative for Bumpy Johnson and Chin Gigante, but their success puts targets on their backs. Malcolm X fights off attacks on his character and his life.

Original air date: 5/9/21

[lmdreamer]

Can we all agree that Stella is one of the least intelligent characters on this show? That scene between that mob kid and Teddy's mom was tense and I demand to see her and her child on a travel bus in the next episode.  I hate it when shows write characters that are so blatantly stupid. I had no respect for Stella's cunning or intelligence ever since last season when she carried a plate of cookies down the main street of harlem right up to Teddy's apartment door when they were supposed to be hiding their relationship.

Edited May 9, 2021 by lmdreamer

[ElectricBoogaloo]

As much as I enjoyed the Bumpy/Chin double cross on the other Bonano and the other guy, it seemed kind of unbelievable that just a week ago Chin was ready to kill Bumpy and now he's siding with him. I guess money really talks.

It seemed odd that whoever sent that letter to Betty signed it from Elise. I get trying to cause a rift between Betty and Malcolm, but using Elise to do it didn't seem like the best choice.

I don't know why Stella bothered telling her ex that she'd told Teddy's mom she was going to murder that other guy. If she had kept her mouth shut, Teddy's mom and brother could have kept quietly living in Harlem. Instead they got threatened and forced to move to Ohio.

Edited May 10, 2021 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Joimiaroxeu]

On 4/25/2021 at 12:25 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

S2.E2: Sting Like a Bee

Original air date: 4/25/21

I liked the guy playing Cassius Clay. He seemed to me kind of small however.

Did Annabella Sciorra gain weight for this role? I almost didn't recognize her. (Bonanno's opera-loving wife.)

What does Bumpy's wife not understand about being married to a notorious drug dealer? There's always going to be some things she can't do to try to give herself a veil of respectability.

Did Robert Morgenthau actually offer Bumpy that kind of deal? How was that even legal? The government was basically going to be a partner in a huge, international criminal enterprise. That seems to me unlikely in the 60s. (The CIA starting the crack epidemic in LA in the 80s tho 😒.)

Vincent and Bumpy street boxing as a parallel to the Clay and Liston fight. Seriously? Vincent and Bumpy were both probably heart attack candidates. But, Bumpy got his 50% share and Vinny got some salve for his long-bruised ego.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Cassius X? I never heard that before. Was that really ever a thing?

Oy, looks like Stella's gonna kill a made guy. That'll get Vincent in some hot water. I am not mad at her though. She's not insane just because she loved a Black man.

The Godfather of Harlem meets The Deuce and walks away defeated. But maybe the porn Vincent's guys were trying to film was supposed to look cheap and amateurish.

Yikes, that cop who accosted Bumpy in front of his daughter was asking to be killed, or worse. But I guess this show wasn't going to go there given things happening IRL now.

Whoa, Malcolm got shown up by something as seemingly trivial as the name Elijah Muhammad bestowed upon Clay. He actually winced when he heard it. It was like Ali became a made guy while Malcolm was still begging to be restored as an associate.

Kneecapped? Did Stella pull her shot? Whatever, now she owes Ernie big. She'll have to marry him or something equally dire. At least Vincent and her mother will be happy.

[Joimiaroxeu]

What was Powell up to introducing the Vanderbilt woman to Bumpy's wife? What was in it for him to stir up that potential hornet's nest?

"...a smart guy for a colored." Was that supposed to be a compliment, Bonanno?

"...between your husband and I." Yeesh, you'd think a Vanderbilt would have better grammar.

Bumpy should've known that push comes to shove the Italians would stick together over all else, especially against a Black man. Until they turned on each other, anyway. Vincent was quite an outlier, at least in the show's universe.

Ehh, not sure this is the show that should've tried to address intersectionality. It seemed to be speaking more to the current day than the 60s, I think. (And would 60 Minutes actually have used the wife of a notorious gangster to make a sociopolitical statement? Did Mayme have more credibility with them because she was practically the same skin tone as Amy?)

Man, Malcolm X was getting it going and coming between the NOI and the FBI.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S2.E5: It's a Small World After All

Quote

An incident at the Geechee Club threatens to break up Bumpy and Chin's partnership. Adam Clayton Powell looks to end the filibuster on the Civil Rights Bill, even if it means playing dirty

Original air date: 5/16/21

[lmdreamer]

You know maybe stella and benny should have went to chin. It would have avoided a war and at worst stella would have been committed and benny killed at best he would have given them both a pass because chin loves his daughter and benny was just trying to protect her. Now when this comes out its certain death for both. Also did they say teddy's mother was killed without saying it happened?

Edited May 16, 2021 by lmdreamer

[ElectricBoogaloo]

12 hours ago, lmdreamer said:

You know maybe stella and benny should have went to chin. It would have avoided a war and at worst stella would have been committed and benny killed at best he would have given them both a pass because chin loves his daughter and benny was just trying to protect her. Now when this comes out its certain death for both. Also did they say teddy's mother was killed without saying it happened?

Benny is the one who was sent to Florida. Ernie is the one who shot Benny.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I just rolled my eyes when Powell tore up the pictures and decided he didn't want to win via blackmail. You already showed him the pictures and threatened him and NOW you don't want to go through with it? He should have listened to Maymie. I was worried for her when that guy started hitting on her. I was afraid he was going to insist that she be the one to go upstairs with him.

Sad to see Renee go because I liked her from the little we saw of her, but at least she got a dramatic death?

The doll's song reminded me of It's a Small World without being an exact duplicate so I assume they didn't get the rights to use the actual song on the show (the exhibit was created by Disney for the New York World's Fair and was then moved to Disneyland).

[TV Diva Queen]

4 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I just rolled my eyes when Powell tore up the pictures and decided he didn't want to win via blackmail. You already showed him the pictures and threatened him and NOW you don't want to go through with it? He should have listened to Maymie. I was worried for her when that guy started hitting on her. I was afraid he was going to insist that she be the one to go upstairs with him.

Sad to see Renee go because I liked her from the little we saw of her, but at least she got a dramatic death?

The doll's song reminded me of It's a Small World without being an exact duplicate so I assume they didn't get the rights to use the actual song on the show (the exhibit was created by Disney for the New York World's Fair and was then moved to Disneyland).

Never knew this - when I saw the pavilion I was like "that looks like a small world" and then the song - I said "this HAD to be designed by Disney.  

Can Mayme be any more beautiful?  DANG.  She was more stunning that usual in the Geeshee Club with McCarron.  

[ElectricBoogaloo]

26 minutes ago, TV Diva Queen said:

Can Mayme be any more beautiful?  DANG.  She was more stunning that usual in the Geeshee Club with McCarron.  

Her face is so perfect! It's mesmerizing. Of course, when she was in that scene with the guy they were setting up, I was like ugh, you don't deserve to look upon that beautiful face!

[TV Diva Queen]

I hate that there isn't more movement on here with the show.  Its really really good and people are missing out.  

[ElectricBoogaloo]

3 hours ago, TV Diva Queen said:

I hate that there isn't more movement on here with the show.  Its really really good and people are missing out.  

I think being on Starz is a deterrent for a lot of people. If they don't already have a subscription, they're not likely to get one just to watch a show that they don't know anything about.

[TV Diva Queen]

20 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I think being on Starz is a deterrent for a lot of people. If they don't already have a subscription, they're not likely to get one just to watch a show that they don't know anything about.

I feel that mine is free on the Fire stick, but who knows.  I stream it, I don't watch from the cable.  I have no idea where I get stuff from and I don't want to know how much I'm paying for all this.  LOL 

But I do agree with you - its not readily available.  

[lmdreamer]

On 5/16/2021 at 11:17 PM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Benny is the one who was sent to Florida. Ernie is the one who shot Benny.

Whoops do you guys think they should have went to chin in this episode?

 

[Joimiaroxeu]

Yikes, I would've never guessed that guy was supposed to be LBJ. LBJ was known to strike an imposing figure, both in physique and in behavior. This version, not so much IMO.

Was honeytrap a commonly used term in the 60s?

Had to laugh at the senator wanting to screw Bumpy's wife. Did he not know who she was married to? Powell was wrong for instigating that. Lucky for him Mayme had a good sense of humor about it.

It wasn't believable to me that the senator was so gullible even if he was an unmitigated racist.

UO I guess but I think Mayme seemed to take her light-skinned privilege for granted, as if her skin tone automatically gave her moral high ground. Interesting little "both sides" swerve she did at the end.

Red rover, red rover, send Chance right over! Aw, Bumpy, you have done it now. Vincent won't be able to let this latest debacle slide.

Edited May 22, 2021 by Joimiaroxeu

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S2.E6: The Ballot or the Bullet

Quote

Three Freedom Riders are murdered in Mississippi, and Bumpy Johnson wants justice, as well as a hedge against Federal investigation. Chin Gigante evades imprisonment with an "insanity" defense, and Malcolm X delivers his most fervent call to action.

Original air date: 5/23/21

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ooh, Stella snitched on Chin?

Fun fact about the real Vincent Gigante:

Quote

He maintained a residence in Old Tappan, New Jersey, with his wife Olympia Grippa, whom he married in 1950, and their five children, Andrew, Salvatore, Yolanda, Roseanne, and Rita. He maintained his second family at a townhouse in the Upper East Side, Manhattan with his longtime mistress and common-law wife, Olympia Esposito and their three children, Vincent, Lucia and Carmella.

 

[Joimiaroxeu]

^^^Heh, guess Vincent really liked the name Olympia. Did the two women know about each other? It's hard to imagine that they didn't, especially as their kids got older. Wonder why this show is choosing to portray Gigante as only having the one child?

[GodsBeloved]

I just caught up with season 2. I have enjoyed the show but episode 6 had me saying really show? So Bumpy is the reason Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner were found? Really? 

Also, the show doesn’t seem to miss the chance to tell the audience how black people are oppressed by white police yet Bumpy threatens the while policeman’s family and he doesn’t get payback for that? That was so weird to me. 

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S2.E7: Man of the Year

Quote

Before accepting a prestigious award, Bumpy Johnson contemplates the many contradictions in his life, and struggles to do what's best for his family; Chin Gigante learns a difficult truth about his daughter, Stella.

Original air date: 8/7/21

Edited June 6, 2021 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

For some reason, it looks like the rest of the season won't be airing until August.

Edited June 6, 2021 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Joimiaroxeu]

Apparently Morgenthau didn't quite understand the concept of outlaw. Citing Jewish law or any other kind of law to Bumpy was a waste of time.

So are we to assume Vincent actually went nuts trying to pretend like he was insane?

Were the Italians really against the KKK or was that just more leeway the show was taking with reality?

I thought Malcolm's speech was given before an audience? Maybe COVID restrictions made that impossible to film.

Quote

For some reason, it looks like the rest of the season won't be airing until August.

The showrunner posted on his Twitter that Epix made the decision and didn't tell him why.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Was the Lennox Hill Society actually a thing? What kind of weirdness was that? It sounded like a shakedown organization to me, except you entered it voluntarily.

Meanwhile, I kept waiting for the mafia ceremony to go like the one in Goodfellas where the guy about to be initiated ended up dead. Here Ernie might have a few days before Vincent kills him.

It's hard to imagine those movers and shakers doing business with a known gangster, especially when they had legitimate positions in government and business. Why would they risk being found out to be taking payments from someone like Bumpy?

Whoopi Goldberg. That was unexpected. Even the duji accounts have to be audited, lol.

Stella is a stone psycho but she's badass. Out here threatening made guys left and right. The FBI should've hired her because at the rate she's going she'll take out the five families all by herself.

Yeah, no, you're not calling Vincent's daughter a butana (or is it puttana?) right in front of her father. So now you're dead.

Edited August 15, 2021 by Joimiaroxeu

[Joimiaroxeu]

Aw man, Method Man was playing a snake.

Dang, Malcolm was trying to die, putting his boss' nasty business in the street like that.

So is Monsieur 98 working with Bumpy as a double agent against the five families? He's probably the one who'll end up dead and then everyone will lose their connect to the dope.

[AntFTW]

I'm not a legal expert at all, but regardless of marital status, it doesn't seem wise to show up to a prosecutor's office and confess in person to a crime that he's trying to use to gain leverage on you.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Bumpy going deep into the booze bottles probably won't end well. He better pull it together.

That judge had the nerve to take umbrage at Bumpy threatening him. He knew what Bumpy was when he accepted Bumpy into that fancy schmancy shakedown organization.

Stella was stylin' in her fur car coat.

Wait, I thought spousal privilege only applied to things which happened after they got married?

French mulignan. Yikes.

Oh good, Bumpy's only drinking ginger ale. For now, anyway.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Lol, Stella's like, "I only married you to protect my daddy." Poor Ernie.

Loose lips sink ships, Father Lewis.

Wow, Vincent really, really didn't want Ernie as a son-in-law. Poor Ernie.

Bumpy's guys should've moved the duji to an underground area if they couldn't get it out of Harlem. Oh well. Monsieur 98 got the last laugh. 🙄

Vincent driving into Harlem during that riot wasn't his smartest move. But at least he tried to save Ernie. And then of course the new widow Stella went directly to Morgenthau. Oy.

Looking forward to the third season though I guess there's been no renewal announcement yet. Production must be extremely difficult and expensive with the COVID protocols so maybe it'll be delayed a while.

Edited August 31, 2021 by Joimiaroxeu

[letter8358]

That was a strange finale.