S01.E05: By Any Chance

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

Nova's romantic relationship with Calvin, a local cop, becomes strained in her pursuit of justice; Charley faces her husband's accuser; Aunt Violet receives unwelcome feedback at work

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[wanderingstar]

So, I guess that's the end of Nova and Calvin. Does this mean no more shirtless Greg Vaughn scenes? *sad face*

The auction scenes were very pivotal in the book, so I'm glad they kept them in this adaptation. Remy is a gem. And I hope that Prosper Denton gets a more prominent role in the next few episodes, since he was one of my favorite parts of the book.

Erika Alexander - YAY! She looks incredible. I was surprised to see Hollywood's surprise wife, though I should have guessed he had some secret after they made such a big deal last week about him being away from Violet.

Charley was bold af to go to Melana's house and threaten her. I wonder if Charley and Davis will end up paying her the $3 million.

Their lawyer (I don't know her name, only that she's played by Roma Maffia, who is a fave of mine) served up some realness with this line:

Charley: Melana's not white.
Lawyer: She's not black. And by the time the press is through, she'll be white.

Just...lots to unpack there.

Next week looks good.

[Dee]

The Bordelon siblings are SO hardheaded.

It's frustrating watching them make such shortsighted decisions all based on their immature ass egos.

Auntie Vi telling off the pain in the ass manager at the diner? LOVE.

Also LOVE? Charley and Nova hugging and bonding, then getting high with Auntie Vi.

Micah hates living in a fishbowl even though he CHOSE to stay in LA with his dad? Whatever.

Prosper and Remy's halfhearted attempts at helping the Bordelons are frustrating. If you're going to help, then help.

Hollywood is a sweetheart. Violet, however, is gonna flip when she learns what he's hiding.

I'm loving having Erika Alexander back on my screen. She's such a fantastic actress. Hopefully this role gives her some much deserved shine.

Edited September 29, 2016 by Dee

[NowVoyager]

Wasn't there a suggestion in a previous episode that Aunt Vi was having health problems? Now she's quit her job and Hollywood's keeping a secret from her? Plus, she felt humiliated in front of her old girlfriends? Damn! Can Aunt Vi live?! Can she just be?!? I was really enjoying watching her happiness. It was like a palate cleanser for all the other Sturm und Drang.

When the rape accuser said she wanted to tell Davis what he did to her--- I thought: "Uh, oh! Maybe the allegations are true."

Ralph Angel's bandolero co-worker is trouble. I do enjoy hearing him speak, though. He's the only character whose accent sounds right to my (outsider's) ear. I was confused by the shorted paycheck; RA did leave work early that one time to go get the seed & the co-worker covered for him.

Um. Sooo---Micah's girlfriend just sat there & let him get expelled without speaking up for him? I mean, there are phone records to verify her story & everything. 

[Drumpf1737]

Charley was ugly in her speech about sex workers. 

I was yelling at the TV watching Nova and her cop. For him to keep harping on weed being illegal but refuse to admit that white kids don't get jail time for possession was infuriating. Couple that with the historic corruption of the NOPD and his being offended on behalf of police made my blood boil.

If Charley makes the farm an LLP, can't she pay RA? It would give him the stub he needs for his parole officer and get him away from the corruption and temptation.

Edited September 29, 2016 by Drumpf1737

[Dee]

 QS dealing with Nova's bisexuality in such a matter of fact fashion was so very refreshing.

No closets, no stigma, no drama.

Just a tacit admission from Nova that what attracts her to romantic partners is their innate spirit, not their sex and/or gender(s).

[Empress1]

Erika Alexander! Maxine Shaw is one of my favorite characters of all time, so it's so good to see her on the screen again. And she looked terrific. Vi is going to go off when she finds out though. And ... "another baby?" What happened to the first one?

The best scene was the sisters getting high with Auntie Vi.

There's a lot to unpack with Nova and Calvin. I'm totally on her side when it comes to exposing the corruption of the police force. I'm still curious about how their relationship began. It's clearly a deep one - he has a key, he talks about her choosing him. But he's probably not wrong that there's some self-sabotage happening when she chooses a man she can't be with for real.

Charley was bold as hell showing up at the sex worker's house. And she definitely needs to involve the lawyer; what's stopping the sex worker from taking the $3M and then going after Davis and the team anyway?

[topanga]

10 hours ago, Gillian Rosh said:

Erika Alexander - YAY! She looks incredible. I was surprised to see Hollywood's surprise wife, though I should have guessed he had some secret after they made such a big deal last week about him being away from Violet.

Charley was bold af to go to Melana's house and threaten her. I wonder if Charley and Davis will end up paying her the $3 million.

Their lawyer (I don't know her name, only that she's played by Roma Maffia, who is a fave of mine) served up some realness with this line:

Charley: Melana's not white.
Lawyer: She's not black. And by the time the press is through, she'll be white.

Just...lots to unpack there.

Next week looks good.

Yes, it was nice to see Erika Alexander. I yelled "Erika Alexander! Maxine Shaw!" at the TV when I saw her. She's a great actress who should be way more famous than she is. Ah, Hollywood. And with her hairstyle, she looked like a younger version of Aunt Vi. And Erika did a good job of portraying someone with mental illness. She wasn't over-the-top loony, which is the choice some actors make.

I thought she said that she and Hollywood had at least one child together? If so, where are the kids? And why would Hollywood lie about her. He seems so open and honest with Vi.

I'm trying to figure out the scenario behind the rape--alleged rape. Melana was hanging out with the teammates in the hotel room (including Davis) but wasn't there as a prostitute and never planned to have sex with them, so they raped her?  Or is she saying that Davis is the only one who raped her? Or they paid her, had sex with her, and later on they raped her?  Don't get me wrong--I think all rape allegations are serious, and the accuser is usually telling the truth. Just trying to understand the logistics of it all.  

 

7 hours ago, Drumpf1737 said:

I was yelling at the TV watching Nova and her cop. For him to keep harping on weed being illegal but refuse to admit that white kids don't get jail time for possession was infuriating. Couple that with the historic corruption of the NOPD and his being offended on behalf of police made my blood boil.

I agree that there is a definite racial disparity between how white and black offenders are treated by the criminal justice system.  And yes, Calvin should have copped to that (no pun intended). 

But he was also right--Nova is being a huge hypocrite by selling drugs. There's no way to control who the drugs get sold to once they're out there. Sure, it's just weed, but wasn't the main point of her article that a young black man gets hard jail time when he's caught with a joint in his pocket? Yes, that's wrong, but stop contributing to the problem, Nova. 

[Empress1]

20 minutes ago, topanga said:

I agree that there is a definite racial disparity between how white and black offenders are treated by the criminal justice system.  And yes, Calvin should have copped to that (no pun intended). 

But he was also right--Nova is being a huge hypocrite by selling drugs. There's no way to control who the drugs get sold to once they're out there. Sure, it's just weed, but wasn't the main point of her article that a young black man gets hard jail time when he's caught with a joint in his pocket? Yes, that's wrong, but stop contributing to the problem, Nova. 

Agree - that was another thing to unpack. And mind you, I'm 100% in the "legalize it!" camp when it comes to weed (and I haven't smoked in at least a decade). And then on the flip side, it's also short-sighted of him to note how hard Nova's article has made his job, when his job makes life hard for huge swaths of people. Their relationship is very tangled - very human. No one is 100% right or wrong, good or bad.

[Dee]

And to top it off, poor Nova looked absolutely shell-shocked when she realized it was one of her joints that inadvertently led to Two Sweet's current situation.

[TVForever]

8 hours ago, NowVoyager said:

Ralph Angel's bandolero co-worker is trouble. I do enjoy hearing him speak, though. He's the only character whose accent sounds right to my (outsider's) ear. I was confused by the shorted paycheck; RA did leave work early that one time to go get the seed & the co-worker covered for him.

    No, I think the point of that was to show just why this guy is so willing to hire parolees. He got 40 hours of work out of RalphAngel (and presumably the others), but only paid for 32. Who can they (the parolees) complain to? They have to work or they go back to jail; almost no one will give them a job. The employer knows he has them over a barrel and exploits them accordingly. It's the justification that the "friend" is using for ripping the company off. I was glad when I thought RA turned him down, and then there was the contraband in his backpack, and he kept it. That wont end well I fear.

[Dee]

I wish QS had cast a stronger actor to play Davis.

Timon Durrett is handsome, but he has yet to convince me that Davis feels anything except regret that he got caught.

[Joimiaroxeu]

That was a brutal moment when Violet's high-flying friend realized she was a waitress and not the diner's owner. You could feel how much both her and Violet wanted to become invisible right then and there.

Did we know before now that Nova was a drug dealer? So Calvin was risking both his career and his marriage to be with her. Hmm, not sure how I feel about that.

Of course Charley would compare the cost of a tractor to the price of a Tesla.

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what's stopping the sex worker from taking the $3M and then going after Davis and the team anyway?

Yep. Charley better make sure that the woman is checked for recording devices before the meeting. Better have the meeting in a secure location too.

It's been announced that Greg Vaughan (who plays Calvin)

Spoiler

is returning to Days of Our Lives. With Calvin and Nova breaking up in this episode it looks like that may be it for Greg. Hate to see him go if it is indeed permanent. That opening scene in the premiere with Nova and Calvin set a new standard for unexpected hotness.

Edited September 29, 2016 by Joimiaroxeu

[Empress1]

8 minutes ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

That was a brutal moment when Violet's high-flying friend realized she was a waitress and not the diner's owner. You could feel how much both her and Violet wanted to become invisible right then and there.

Did we know before now that Nova was a drug dealer? So Calvin was risking both his career and his marriage to be with her. Hmm, not sure how I feel about that.

Yeah. In the pilot she sells weed to an elderly woman and she also tells some young man that if she doesn't see him at a particular event (a rally? I forget) that she'll cut off his supply. As she said in this episode, she only sells weed, but she does seem to do so pretty actively.

[TVForever]

4 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

Yeah. In the pilot she sells weed to an elderly woman and she also tells some young man that if she doesn't see him at a particular event (a rally? I forget) that she'll cut off his supply. As she said in this episode, she only sells weed, but she does seem to do so pretty actively.

In fact, I believe that's the same guy that was at her door in this episode. It was clear in that first episode that this was at the very least, her side business. Which makes it so strange that Nova would be so shocked(!) that it was her weed that Too Sweet was caught with. Where did she think her product was going? That kid and a bunch of other teens that she may or may not know personally.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Okay though I guess I was under the impression that it was more of an informal thing. Now it sounds to me like she's The drug dealer versus A drug dealer.

[ribboninthesky1]

There wasn't much Ralph Angel in this episode, so it's my favorite to date. Agreed that the best scene was the three women bonding. And while I loved Living Single, my first thought upon seeing Erika Alexander was, "Hey, Pam."

Charley is learning the hard way that she can't half-step with the farm.  Still, the auction fallout is a nice setup for Remy to hopefully become farm manager (among other things). The meeting with the prostitute may be a MacGuffin, we'll see. I wasn't surprised by her attitude with the prostitute - it's sadly common. Plus, she desperately wants to believe that her husband wouldn't rape a woman. 

I thought it was short-sighted (an inherent family trait) of Aunt Vi to quit her job. I assume she knows the owner - why not talk to him about setting his nephew straight? I did feel for her with her friends - they've gone on to prominent careers, and she's a waitress.  And most importantly - she's uncomfortable with that.  But hey, maybe she'll eventually open her own place...   

Hot as they are, I'm kind of glad Calvin and Nova may be over.  I always thought it was a huge writing misstep for him to be married - the complications of their personal and professional lives could have stood as is without it. And yes, Nova is a hypocrite. Still, I think the real-life parallels of black women risking their livelihood and actual lives for a cause that disproportionately impacts black men is sad.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if Nova loses her job and/or has her life threatened over that article. She's exposed herself in a major way without much thought to her own protection.       

2 hours ago, TVForever said:

    No, I think the point of that was to show just why this guy is so willing to hire parolees. He got 40 hours of work out of RalphAngel (and presumably the others), but only paid for 32. Who can they (the parolees) complain to? They have to work or they go back to jail; almost no one will give them a job. The employer knows he has them over a barrel and exploits them accordingly. It's the justification that the "friend" is using for ripping the company off. I was glad when I thought RA turned him down, and then there was the contraband in his backpack, and he kept it. That wont end well I fear.

Ah, thanks for this.  I thought his co-worker ratted him out about leaving work early, but that makes much more sense. Especially since the boss didn't explain himself.  

16 minutes ago, TVForever said:

In fact, I believe that's the same guy that was at her door in this episode. It was clear in that first episode that this was at the very least, her side business. Which makes it so strange that Nova would be so shocked(!) that it was her weed that Too Sweet was caught with. Where did she think her product was going? That kid and a bunch of other teens that she may or may not know personally.

Cognitive dissonance - it's easy (and accurate) to talk about the system that disenfranchises and hamstrings blacks.  It's a lot harder to see and admit how one's individual, and most importantly ILLEGAL, actions might perpetuate said disenfranchisement.     

I can't put my finger on it, as I overall enjoy the show. But something about the writing doesn't quite square for me. The acting is on point, though.

[TVForever]

It was hard to watch, but it was kinda nice to see Charley taken down a peg at the auction. In fact, it reminded me of RA's hard lesson from last week. Ultimately, they were both undone by their pride, arrogance, and unwillingness to listen to those who knew better. Despite their different lives and personalities, the Bordelon siblings apparently have more in common than they may realize.

[colorbars]

4 hours ago, topanga said:

I'm trying to figure out the scenario behind the rape--alleged rape. Melana was hanging out with the teammates in the hotel room (including Davis) but wasn't there as a prostitute and never planned to have sex with them, so they raped her?  Or is she saying that Davis is the only one who raped her? Or they paid her, had sex with her, and later on they raped her?  Don't get me wrong--I think all rape allegations are serious, and the accuser is usually telling the truth. Just trying to understand the logistics of it all. 

Right now, I'm thinking it's something along the lines of them hiring her, but once she's there, she's not comfortable doing something or other, or wants to stop doing something, and they/he think that because they paid for her, they don't need further consent. There's just been this kind of air of "Oh, she was a prostitute, so she couldn't have been raped" in some of the scenes that's making me think they might be going in that direction. Just the way Charley seemed to believe he didn't rape her after he admitted she was a prostitute and then this episode as well. I definitely wouldn't be surprised if he did in fact rape her, but he doesn't think he did. There was stuff released recently about the Derrick Rose case and his totally nonchalant quotes about it and how he doesn't think he did anything wrong, immediately made me think of this storyline.

[topanga]

11 minutes ago, colorbars said:

Right now, I'm thinking it's something along the lines of them hiring her, but once she's there, she's not comfortable doing something or other, or wants to stop doing something, and they/he think that because they paid for her, they don't need further consent. There's just been this kind of air of "Oh, she was a prostitute, so she couldn't have been raped" in some of the scenes that's making me think they might be going in that direction. Just the way Charley seemed to believe he didn't rape her after he admitted she was a prostitute and then this episode as well. I definitely wouldn't be surprised if he did in fact rape her, but he doesn't think he did. There was stuff released recently about the Derrick Rose case and his totally nonchalant quotes about it and how he doesn't think he did anything wrong, immediately made me think of this storyline.

Thanks for the explanation. I guess this is another truth that the show will reveal in time. But did Davis tell Charley he had sex with her? Or did simply say that she's a prostitute and never answered Charley's question about sleeping with her? Did he ever explain carrying her and slapping her butt in the video? 

[ribboninthesky1]

Davis admitted to sleeping with Goldie, though he has insisted that he never raped her.  

I'm interested in the results of the rape kit.  Assuming she did willingly have sex at some point with one or more of the men, how do you distinguish when she was raped? I can't recall if she was drunk or using drugs, if so, even more complicated because of impaired ability to consent, if there was any at all.  I hope the show is precise with this, and not just some PSA about how black athletes are unfairly targeted.  After all, there would be no rape allegations against Davis if his insipid ass hadn't been there. 

[bichonblitz]

I hope this isn't a stupid question but I'm genuinely in the dark on this: How does a rape kit determine if you were raped or had consentual sex? 

[colorbars]

1 hour ago, topanga said:

Thanks for the explanation. I guess this is another truth that the show will reveal in time. But did Davis tell Charley he had sex with her? Or did simply say that she's a prostitute and never answered Charley's question about sleeping with her? Did he ever explain carrying her and slapping her butt in the video? 

Yes, as said above, I think it was in the third episode that Davis admitted she was a prostitute and then copped to sleeping with her, only once (sureeee). That was part of the reason that made me think they'd eventually go in that direction, since that was the scene that convinced Charley he didn't rape her. And while it could be her simply thinking that since he was truthful about something as bad as cheating, he wouldn't lie about raping her, but still. Something about the way his answer to if he raped her was that she was a prostitute gave me that kinda vibe. Time will tell, I suppose.

50 minutes ago, bichonblitz said:

I hope this isn't a stupid question but I'm genuinely in the dark on this: How does a rape kit determine if you were raped or had consentual sex? 

There isn't really, except, I guess, if there are t hings like tearing or other evidence of trauma, but one would expect things like that if there was consensual group sex, too, like they're claiming. Really, all the rape kit is likely to prove is that they did indeed have sex, and it'll still be he said/she said.

Edited September 29, 2016 by colorbars

[Timetoread]

I know that everybody is mad at Charley, but I kind of laughed/felt bad for her.  Charley is used to running things, not waiting to be told what to do.  She learned the hard way, but I'm fairly certain that she learned.  Besides, there is only so much fault I will throw at the ONLY sibling bankrolling this entire operation.  When money is lost, it is her money.

I am wondering what this rape thing is about.  I am beginning to have a hunch that the ho is really a mistress and that maybe in a pinch, he offered her up to his team.  She is acting more like a woman scorned than a woman raped.  While Charley needs to slow her roll (and I totally get it, because she is a control freak who is feeling trapped in a situation she can't "fix"), I have never understood the shade that the other woman throws at the wife.  Charley is the wronged one, when all is said and done.

Vi seems to be having a midlife crisis of sorts.  Having her brother die is making her evaluate her life and not like what she sees.  I am curious to see where this is headed.

Re Nova and Calvin.  They're both right.  They're both wrong.  Although I give the edge to Calvin in the sense that Nova really could have given him a heads up that she was going to print something that will turn his career upside down.  Not permission, just a heads up.

Erika!!!!

How did Micah get such jacked up feet at such a young age?

Edited September 29, 2016 by Timetoread

[topanga]

1 minute ago, Timetoread said:

I know that everybody is mad at Charley, but I kind of laughed/felt bad for her.  Charley is used to running things, not waiting to be told what to do.  She learned the hard way, but I'm fairly certain that she learned.  Besides, there is only so much fault I will throw at the ONLY sibling bankrolling this entire operation.  When money is lost, it is her money.

I am wondering what this rape thing is about.  I am beginning to have a hunch that the ho is really a mistress and that maybe in a pinch, he offered her up to his team.  She is acting more like a woman scorned than a woman raped.  While Charley needs to slow her roll (and I totally get it, because she is a control freak who is feeling trapped in a situation she can't "fix"), I have never understood the shade that the other woman throws at the wife.  Charley is the wronged one, when all is said and done.

Vi seems to be having a midlife crisis of sort.  Having her brother die is making her evaluate her life and not like what she sees.  I am curious to see where this is headed.

Re Nova and Calvin.  They're both right.  They're both wrong.  Although I give the edge to Calvin in the sense that Nova really could have given him a heads up that she was going to print something that will turn his career upside down.  Not permission, just a heads up.

How did Micah get such jacked up feet at such a young age?

Ha. I didn't notice Micah's feet. Will have to go back and watch. 

RE: Charley, I agree that she's learning, and yes, she's paying for everything. But people have no problem admonishing her--quite bluntly --f she messes up or makes a mistake. 

I'm also curious about Vi's story. Especially now that we know about Hollywood's wife--and the fact that he's lying to Vi.

[riverheightsnancy]

28 minutes ago, Timetoread said:

I know that everybody is mad at Charley, but I kind of laughed/felt bad for her.  Charley is used to running things, not waiting to be told what to do.  She learned the hard way, but I'm fairly certain that she learned.  Besides, there is only so much fault I will throw at the ONLY sibling bankrolling this entire operation.  When money is lost, it is her money.

I am wondering what this rape thing is about.  I am beginning to have a hunch that the ho is really a mistress and that maybe in a pinch, he offered her up to his team.  She is acting more like a woman scorned than a woman raped.  While Charley needs to slow her roll (and I totally get it, because she is a control freak who is feeling trapped in a situation she can't "fix"), I have never understood the shade that the other woman throws at the wife.  Charley is the wronged one, when all is said and done.

Vi seems to be having a midlife crisis of sorts.  Having her brother die is making her evaluate her life and not like what she sees.  I am curious to see where this is headed.

Re Nova and Calvin.  They're both right.  They're both wrong.  Although I give the edge to Calvin in the sense that Nova really could have given him a heads up that she was going to print something that will turn his career upside down.  Not permission, just a heads up.

Erika!!!!

How did Micah get such jacked up feet at such a young age?

I agree, I think that the prostitute is a mistress. The way she says Davis' name, it just feels like there is more there.  I really hope that we find out what happened. 

[DearEvette]

1 hour ago, riverheightsnancy said:

I agree, I think that the prostitute is a mistress. The way she says Davis' name, it just feels like there is more there.  I really hope that we find out what happened. 

Yup.  That was my immediate thought too.  I'll bet he is a regular client.  She said his name with a lot of familiarity/intimacy.  I'll bet Davis is one of those men who feel emasculated by a powerful wife and goes to a mistress/sex worker and spills all sorts of tea about his life (i gather you can guess I don't have a high opinion of Ol' Davis).  And I'll bet that she probably felt there was some intimacy there but he stood by and watched or abetted one or more of his teammates in coercing her into non-consensual sex.

At the risk of sounding un-feeling/un-PC, it doesn't help that the actress who portrayed Goldie came off as a woman who seemed like she had been betrayed by a lover, not raped by one.  The "how do you get unraped" line was a powerful one, just I didn't feel it in the way she delivered it.  Too bad because I think that confrontation with Charley could have hit harder and been more poignant than it was.  As it is it just felt like a wife confronting a mistress, not a wife confronting the woman who is her husband's rape victim.

The scene of the Bordelon women smoking pot was a delight from start to finish.  First the hug between the sisters, then Nova fishing a blunt out of her bra, then Vi coming in and talking about how she gets it good from Hollywood and the size of his package, then the matter-of-fact delivery that Nova is bi -- I just loved it!  They looked like they were having a ball!

The auction scene was hard to watch.  I knew Charley was not going to follow advice.  But oh well.  I am getting the impression that all the Bordelons will be knocked down only to rise up triumphant.  I hope.

[ribboninthesky1]

2 hours ago, topanga said:

RE: Charley, I agree that she's learning, and yes, she's paying for everything. But people have no problem admonishing her--quite bluntly --f she messes up or makes a mistake. 

You know, I think this might be part of why I can't fully connect with the writing - I've noticed this since the first episode, and it seems unbalanced compared to the other two siblings. Yet, I feel most sympathetic towards her character.   

[Happytobehere]

3 hours ago, Timetoread said:

 

I am wondering what this rape thing is about.  I am beginning to have a hunch that the ho is really a mistress and that maybe in a pinch, he offered her up to his team.  She is acting more like a woman scorned than a woman raped.  While Charley needs to slow her roll (and I totally get it, because she is a control freak who is feeling trapped in a situation she can't "fix"), I have never understood the shade that the other woman throws at the wife.  Charley is the wronged one, when all is said and done.

This is exactly what I think the deal is and based on the way Goldie talked about Davis, I suspect that Charles now knows this too. Davis met this women when he hired a hooker and they began and continue to have their own little relationship, so she is his girl.  She left his name out of it until he and Charley gave their above it all press conference siding with the team (how's that worked out for you since everyone affiliated with the team had thrown Davis under the bus). She won't take a payoff because even if it turns out there was no rape, she undoubtedly has the receipts to decimate Davis and she knows she can make a shit-ton more on the backend of this case.

What happened to Charley at the auction was ore than arrogance and hardheadedness, it was yet another example (in fact, it was the second one in the episode and the third if you consider how last week's episode ended) that Charley thinks she can throw money at/buy her way out of anything.  This is clearly a pattern.

Ralph Angel remains a dumb f**kup, who has the nerve to play the wounded card when he is called on his crap. He had a whole lot of mouth when he was slamming Charley and Nova for wanting the sell the farm and his chest was all puffed up with his farming know-how.  Now when we see that know-how is non-existant, he couldn't tell rotted cane, he hides from Charley rather than deal with blowing her money and showing his stupidity,and pretends they have a bad connection.  Poor Blue, that's some parental pool he sprung from.

Nova and Charlie were both right and wrong.  I just want to know what their story really is.  It's sad that his marriage makes me opposed to their relationship because I really do believe they love each other and work as a couple.  So I am torn on whether this should be the end of the Calvin character.

Why doesn't Aunt Vi go to work at the farm and help Ralph Angel.

Dont know why Hollywood has apparently not told Vi about his wife or this child they had (I'm assuming the kid died and it contributed to the wif'e already fragile state, or served as the inciting incident in the onset of her mental illness).  This secret troubles me because it hints at cracks in the foundation of the relationship with Hollywood and Vi.

[Artsda]

Didn't Micah want to leave and go home with his dad? Now he's whining that he didn't want to be there? He did!

I hope Charley doesn't believe this prostitute, she's totally got some other agenda. 

[Clanstarling]

On 9/28/2016 at 9:06 PM, Dee said:

It's frustrating watching them make such shortsighted decisions all based on their immature ass egos.

Auntie Vi telling off the pain in the ass manager at the diner? LOVE.

Also LOVE? Charley and Nova hugging and bonding, then getting high with Auntie Vi.

I loved Auntie Vi's telling the guy off too - though it does seem to be very similar to the other Bordelon's shortsighted decisions. Maybe Charlie will toss money her way and buy the place for Vi <kidding>

Absolutely loved the scene with Charley, Nova and Vi.

On 9/28/2016 at 11:05 PM, NowVoyager said:

When the rape accuser said she wanted to tell Davis what he did to her--- I thought: "Uh, oh! Maybe the allegations are true."

Once they showed the picture of her hanging, unconscious, over his shoulder, I believed the allegations. Whether she was Davis' mistress, or Davis was a regular client, that shot did not show someone who was in any position to consent.

Micah doesn't bother me too much. He's a teenager, they blow hot and cold. Besides, when he wanted to go back to be with his father, he didn't really have any idea of what the new normal would be at his home, that his girl would cheat on him, or that he'd lose the life he had by being expelled from school.

I'm guessing that eventually Nova's corruption series will focus in on employers like RA's asshole boss.

Edited September 30, 2016 by Clanstarling

[Sheenieb]

On 9/29/2016 at 4:42 PM, Timetoread said:

How did Micah get such jacked up feet at such a young age?

I peeped that as well. I want to say it's because he's an athlete. Ol' boy put his feet through a lot.

Kudos to the show for Nova's bisexuality reveal. It definitely was subtle because it went over my head until I read the responses here. I thought they were teasing her since she was being secretive.

It's always great to see Maxine Shaw, Esq on my tv.

[Irlandesa]

On 9/29/2016 at 2:39 PM, ribboninthesky1 said:

Davis admitted to sleeping with Goldie, though he has insisted that he never raped her. 

True.  Although he didn't admit this until he was caught on tape.

On 9/29/2016 at 2:44 PM, bichonblitz said:

I hope this isn't a stupid question but I'm genuinely in the dark on this: How does a rape kit determine if you were raped or had consentual sex? 

It doesn't completely. But if she's passed completely out, as she appeared on the tape, and she has bodily fluids on her, that strengthens her case.  Or if she claims that she always uses condoms and can get some corroboration on that, any evidence of semen would strengthen her case.

On 9/29/2016 at 3:42 PM, Timetoread said:

I am wondering what this rape thing is about.  I am beginning to have a hunch that the ho is really a mistress and that maybe in a pinch, he offered her up to his team.  She is acting more like a woman scorned than a woman raped.  While Charley needs to slow her roll (and I totally get it, because she is a control freak who is feeling trapped in a situation she can't "fix"), I have never understood the shade that the other woman throws at the wife.  Charley is the wronged one, when all is said and done.

Well if this woman was raped, I'd argue that she's also the wronged one.  And I'm a little uncomfortable with the "how a woman who is raped acts" bit. Some victims fall apart.  Some get angry.  Heck, even wanting three million dollars instead of going through the court system makes sense.  

But having her be a mistress is also a good theory.  She could have been both raped and a mistress.   

[Timetoread]

No one is downplaying rape. Right now all we have is the changing word of a known liar (Davis), a videotape of a woman being carried into a room and a recently revealed character who won't take a payout of a half a million but will indeed take 3 million if "Davis", as spoken by a woman who clearly says his name a lot, owns up to his role.  IF, and it still is "if" narratively, she was raped, she is indeed a victim and was wronged.  Charley, who didn't hire this woman, sleep with this woman, or rape this woman has definitely also been wronged.  Assumptions based on her demeanor are only that.  Nothing has been proven yet.  But I don't think anyone here is giving Davis any benefit of doubt.  

For the record I was referring specifically to the shade that mistresses throw at the wives of the married men they're sleeping with,as if the wives have done something to them.

[Neurochick]

On September 29, 2016 at 6:45 PM, DearEvette said:

At the risk of sounding un-feeling/un-PC, it doesn't help that the actress who portrayed Goldie came off as a woman who seemed like she had been betrayed by a lover, not raped by one.  The "how do you get unraped" line was a powerful one, just I didn't feel it in the way she delivered it.  Too bad because I think that confrontation with Charley could have hit harder and been more poignant than it was.  As it is it just felt like a wife confronting a mistress, not a wife confronting the woman who is her husband's rape victim.

First, I don't think anybody should feel bad at sounding un-PC, plenty of people feel that way, more than we'd like too believe.  The problem I have with this is that  Goldie acted too smug, too sure of herself.  There's a reason why women who have been raped by powerful men never come forward.  IRL there would be hundreds of youtube videos made by people calling this sex worker "some non black bitch who is just trying to bring down a black man."  I have seen videos like this regarding Bill Cosby, and I have heard women in my church say the same thing.  Also, I remember the woman who accused Kobe Bryant had a hit put out on her, BTW, that woman has basically vanished, hasn't she?  

I would just like to see more of the backlash regarding Goldie; in these times, it wouldn't take much for someone to find out her address, as Charley did, and post it on their blog on the Internet.

One more thing about being un-PC.  The lawyer made a comment that "soon the press will make her white" or something like that.  I shook my head.  Immigration is a huge thing these days.  I can see someone investigating Goldie, to see if she, or family members are he legally.  Not PC, but very real these days.

Edited October 2, 2016 by Neurochick

[DearEvette]

Yeah, that is the one thing about this that so far isn't reading as 100% realistic.  Realistically, Goldie would be getting dragged publicly as much as Davis especially considering she is a sex worker.  Fair or not, that is a stigma when it comes to sexual violence.  I love that the all female directors of Queen Sugar are trying to make a feminist statement about the validity of Goldie's claim.  But no way would Davis be as in jeopardy by the team ownership as it seems.  I think of Kobe who was arrested and there were hearings and there would be footage of him going from the courthouse to the game court.  I mean he was playing through the whole scandal. 

I wonder if it seems more one-sided because we are seeing everything through Charley's perspective and everything seems much more precarious because of it.

[Drumpf1737]

Quote

Although I give the edge to Calvin in the sense that Nova really could have given him a heads up that she was going to print something that will turn his career upside down.  

Setting up kids to go to adult jail should have kept him on high alert for most of his career. With social media and social justice activists on the lookout for this kind of thing only greed could have kept a scheme like this going. Whoever is getting paid by the private prison should also expect to be exposed. A judge was recently sentenced to 30 years for forcing kids into the system; Ferguson, MO is under an order from the DOJ for implementing law that essentially were money makers for the city. That said, Calvin and the department should have been ready. None of us ever thinks we'll get caught, but if you've seen some of what's been recorded on phones and dashcams it would be prudent to be a better criminal or stop your criminal activity.

 

On 10/2/2016 at 4:00 PM, DearEvette said:

I think of Kobe who was arrested and there were hearings and there would be footage of him going from the courthouse to the game court.  I mean he was playing through the whole scandal. 

There was no such thing as social media when Kobe raped one woman and embarrassed the one he is (was) married to. Social media is a game changer, especially Twitter. Twitter is where social justice movements have begun, think #OscarsSoWhite

Edited October 5, 2016 by Drumpf1737

[DrSparkles]

It took me a minute, but I noticed Maxine Shaw, Esq., too! Weeeeee! I love her.

I agree that the woman is his mistress (of course, I’m a few years behind on this show! 🤣).

Mother Jones has done some incredible reporting recently about the shitty for-profit prison industry & some of it focused on LA.

ETA: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/06/cca-private-prisons-corrections-corporation-inmates-investigation-bauer/?sfns=mo

Edited June 19, 2019 by DrSparkles
ETA the MoJo link which popped up on my fb feed again today! :)