S01.E06: As Promised

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

Nova's public comments about Charley's marriage causes a rift between the two; Ralph Angel tries to get out of an illegal arrangement; Charley learns what Davis did during the night in question.

[sereion]

O.M.G. I'm still picking up my jaw from the floor.  Just...wow. Poor Charley.

[DearEvette]

Great episode.  Lots of stuff happened.

And yes, Poor Charley.  She tried to be steadfast.  The best that can be said is that at least Davis didn't rape Goldie.  Small favors at least. But damn, his unconcern for her is just... he is trash.  And omg, a three year relationship. Damn.

Loved Nova's read of him.  But boo!  Nova took money from the farm account to what?  Prove a point about Davis.  I guess each sibling has to do something truly monumentally stupid per episode or they wouldn't be them.

Can this please be the end of Ralph Angel's bad decision hard luck tour?  Aunt Vi came through in the clutch.  Holy cow.  She did him a huge solid.  I wanted to leap through my tv and hug her my damn self!

Remy was wearing the hell out of that tee-shirt.  When did Dondre Whitfield get so fine? 

[wanderingstar]

Oh damn. Malina had Davis on tape. 

That was a great scene, but I was cringing for the entirety of it.

Now that Auntie Vi saved Ralph Angel from going to prison again, I hope he stays out of trouble.

I know Nova took that $10k from the family farm to bail out Tout de Suite, but that's so not going to go over well with her siblings.

Still processing this ep...

[Dee]

Davis looking real Nate Parker-ish right now.

[Keepitmoving]

This show is so freaking good. I know I've gotten on Ralph Angel's case but I was glad his aunt Vi got him out of yet another mess, but one that this time would have landed him back in jail.

Why?

Because his Caucasian counterparts get chance after chance to fuck up in our society escaping maximum damage, so...but good lord he needs to get it together. 

He was in a tough spot because I don't buy for a second that if he would have initially gone to the manager when he found that stolen merchandise in his backpack, that the manager would have believed him that someone put it in his bag.

I love aunt Vi.

Can't say I'm speechless with regard to Davis West. I don't care how our popular culture may deem him as on the surface a so called fine catch, because for me, he had a slime factor from the get go. 

When will these seemingly even educated men truly understand the definition of rape and that it applies to all women meaning those too who are selling sex. They're guilty of prostitution which is illegal in most of these United States but these men don't get to be judge, jury, and executioners handing out sentences of rape to human beings they deem as having little to no value.

[NowVoyager]

My favorite moment was when Nova read Davis for filth! The LI-brary was O-PEN! Lol!!!

*sigh* And then, she immediately proceeded to do something monumentally stupid. I get that all the characters are flawed, but Damn! I'm getting whiplash over here....

Aunt Vi is the best! I thought she looked more youthful with her kinky-curly hairdo in the prior episodes. Maybe she should open a restaurant since she's such a wonderful cook, and knows how to host and serve. I cracked up when she plunked that bottle of vodka (?) on the table.

I didn't feel as sympathetic towards Malina as I thought I would when the whole ghastly story finally spilled out. I feel some kinda way about it, but that's the truth. Partly it was her wooden acting. Also, I thought she was rubbing Charley's nose in the fact that she's been fucking her man for three years. I think Malina expected to eventually supplant Charley as wifey. Charley looked her in the eye & gave her a heartfelt apology, but Malina owes her an apology, too! Malina's goal for the confrontation was to make sure Davis & Charley's marriage was well & truly over. She was acting out of spite. Ultimately, it's for the best. Given what we now know about Davis---bleech! Charley needs to get far, far away from him.

Ummm.... I should probably apologize myself to Sallie Mae Richardson. For the thoughts I was having about her huzzband. (She works on the show in some capacity, I'm not sure. Maybe cinematographer?) Whew!!! I ain't seen a brotha put on a t-shirt & jeans & walk like dat since Denzel! Yasss, honey!!! 

[Dee]

Dondre Whitfield was indeed looking good in that t-shirt and jeans combo.

[Drumpf1737]

Interesting that it's a similar situation as Tupac except for the callous voicemail. Charley was redeemed for me when she apologized. I think Malina wanted to emphasize the length of she and Davis' relationship to illustrate why she was caught off guard by the other players' demands and to demonstrate to Charley that she wasn't just "some ho" she was "his ho", there is a difference. I'm actually surprised Charley never saw this in Davis' character. I thought he was a jerk from the beginning.

Ralph Angel needs to really focus on the task at hand and ask his sisters, aunt or Hollywood how to get out from under. The weight of navigating parole and wanting to "do right" is pushing him to make bad decisions. It harkens back to what Aunt Vi said in episode 2 that Ernest favored and coddled RalphAngel too much and that's why he ended up in jail. 

I went to elementary school with Dondre Whitfield. I auditioned for the school play because he was the star and I had a terrible crush on him.

Nova is making a mistake for a good cause but I scared of what the outcome will be.

Edited October 6, 2016 by Drumpf1737

[colorbars]

I think Malina's point with highlighting their three year relationship was to show why, despite the fact that Davis himself didn't rape her like his teammates, it's him she feels most betrayed by and why he's the one she was going after. Not only did she trust and care for him, but the fact that he could be so callous to someone he's known and been somewhat intimate with for three years just shows how truly awful he really is. Obviously doing something like that to any woman would be despicable, but to be able to do that to someone that he knew, someone who trusted him, is even worse. And considering Charley barged into her house last episode basically defending her trash husband and telling her sex workers can't be raped, I don't blame her for wanting to make sure Charley knew the whole truth about Davis. I do agree that she owes Charley an apology for having an affair with her husband, but that affair doesn't make her any less a rape victim, and certainly doesn't make me any less sympathetic to what happened to her. Especially considering she's a sex worker and he was a paying customer. It was her job.

Anyways, I'm glad the truth is out and Charley can start truly moving on from Davis. He was obviously full of shit since the pilot, and I'm glad she knows now. I also give her major props for genuinely apologizing to Malina in that moment before storming out of there, and recognizing the way she acted and the things she said were wrong. Loved Nova reading Davis because I definitely scoffed aloud when he compared himself to the boy(s) in her article. Seems her new love interest has arrived, nice to see Zaria getting work, she looks good.

I knew Aunt Vi was gonna have come through as soon as they started searching, and I'm glad Ralph Angel has done what he needed to remove himself from the situation before he got in any deeper. Hopefully this is the start of a turn around for him.

Edited October 6, 2016 by colorbars

[DearEvette]

5 hours ago, NowVoyager said:

Malina's goal for the confrontation was to make sure Davis & Charley's marriage was well & truly over.

Yes.  The recording actually exonerates Davis from the rape.  Everyone in that room heard her admit that he didn't rape her.  He is guilty of being a philanderer who has a callous disregard of women, but he didn't commit a criminal act.  If David wanted to he could rip those papers and that check up and told her he'll see her in court.  At most he'd be exposed as a man who goes to hookers and disrespects his wife.  But people would shrug that off, it would be nothing but a nine days wonder. But the real goal here was to punish Davis and Charley.

As much as I hate to admit it  think the Goldie stuff was the weakest sauce of the whole series to date.  The actress who plays her is wooden and doesn't bring much to the table emotively.   

[Clanstarling]

5 hours ago, colorbars said:

I knew Aunt Vi was gonna have come through as soon as they started searching, and I'm glad Ralph Angel has done what he needed to remove himself from the situation before he got in any deeper. Hopefully this is the start of a turn around for him.

I had hopes that Ralph Angel had done the smart thing and gotten rid of the phones himself, and that's why he was seemingly calm when the cops came. Silly me. By the time they made it out to the shed, I realized Vi rescued him once again.

One thing I love about the show is how it captures the way people misunderstand each other - how they're all hearing/responding from their own filters, ending up offending without intention, and being offended because you put so much of your own crap into the subtext of what you're hearing. The Nova/Charley argument was spot on.

[Empress1]

So did Goldie get paid? The phone call and her statement prove that he didn't tape her, although I don't know if facilitating a rape is a charge.

That was horrible. And Davis having the narcissism (Nova was dead right) to try to explain anything to Charley? And say what? Divorce him, get half, and go bone Remy. (Dondre Whitfield has been cute since he was Robert on The Cosby Show.)

Come through, Vi! I love her. But Ralph Angel, PLEASE do better.

[TVForever]

I actually feel for Ralph Angel. Like so many young people (and not-so-young), he realized the trouble he was in, but it was almost too late. The co-worker at the warehouse truly turned out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing. RA finally did the right thing by disengaging from all of it (the co-worker, the job, all of it), but there may still be repercussions. He should never have crossed that line in the first place. Sometimes you don't get to cross back.

And, whew, Charley. Sometimes knowing a thing in your heart and hearing it with cold,hard evidence can be harsh. So, now we know that Davis didn't rape Goldie. But his betrayal of his marriage was way worse than Charley realized, and he clearly set Goldie up to be raped. I feel badly for Goldie, because, no matter what, having sex with the b-ball team was not what she signed on for. That said, she found out in the most unfortunate way possible that there's a reason why ( in the words of that great philosopher, NeNe Leakes) you should "keep your legs closed to married men". Sometime within the last 3 years, she thought she went from hooker to girlfriend. Turns out, she was just his personal and convenient sidepiece. Paid for, but nothing else.

I bet Charley's making a beeline to Remy as we speak.

[Dee]

Vi and Nova dismissing Davis, in stereo, was a highlight.

The Bordelon Women do not play!

[Drumpf1737]

6 hours ago, Empress1 said:

The phone call and her statement prove that he didn't tape her, although I don't know if facilitating a rape is a charge.

Goldie did get paid. Davis could go to jail for facilitating the rape but it wouldn't be for very long.

I don't believe Goldie wanted to destroy their marriage, she wanted to prove to two very smug, insulated people that you can't just write off violence against someone because they're a sex worker.

Goldie doesn't owe Charley an apology, Davis does. He broke his vows and disrespected his wife the onus is on him to assuage Charley's feelings.

[Empress1]

1 hour ago, Drumpf1737 said:

Goldie doesn't owe Charley an apology, Davis does. He broke his vows and disrespected his wife the onus is on him to assuage Charley's feelings.

I agree - particularly since, while they did have an ongoing relationship, at the basest level, it's an ongoing professional relationship. While Goldie may have caught feelings (I don't think she had "leave your wife for me" aspirations, but it seems like she considered Davis to be more than a client), the recording made it clear that Davis was paying her all that time. She was doing her job.

That recording was so ugly. From learning that your husband has been sleeping with prostitutes for at least three years (I doubt she was the only one - she referenced an agency, so I'm sure the team had a few regulars), to hearing the disgusting way he speaks to and about women ("shut your mouth unless I put something in it," "I could have any bitch on the block") to hearing that your husband set a woman up to be gang-raped ... yeesh. I wonder if she could use that recording in the divorce? 

While the story is compelling, I'm glad we seem to be done with that actress. She's not great.

[ribboninthesky1]

My first thought regarding Charley's anger with Nova was that, on a subconscious level, she knew that Goldie was a victim and didn't want to admit it.  It was easier for her to believe that Goldie was just a whore trying to extort money. Just reaffirms her wise decision to get tested. 

I was hoping Ralph Angel was either a) savvy enough to get rid of the stolen merchandise after he quit, or b) go back to prison due to his actions so the focus of the show can be spread among the women. I strongly preferred the latter. 

I really want to like this show, but I had different expectations. I have to make peace with the unfolding story as is. I continue to watch for Charley, as I'm hoping she can find some happiness, even if it's just in cultivating and saving the farm. I wouldn't be mad if she got some lovin' from Remy. Speaking of, interesting to learn his wife died. 

[NannyBails]

So I'm a bit confused about what the video showed and how that connected to Goldie's story.   The video showed her appearing to be unconscious and being carried into a room by Davis, with other team members around.  However, when she told her side of the story, if I remember correctly, Goldie says they were all out partying, then Davis got a phone call about his son and left, so she took a shower and when she came out of the shower, she was surprised that there were those other team members in her room.      Am I remembering correctly?    Could it have been that she wasn't unconscious when he carried her in the room, just really drunk, so that she remembered going into the room with him and with him leaving, but just didn't remember the other guys being there?

[ribboninthesky1]

They went back to the hotel to party, so she knew the other men were in the room.  Some other women were supposed to show up, but didn't.  Davis left the room, and when Goldie got out of the shower, she was left alone with the other ball players. In an earlier episode, Davis gave the impression that he slept with her the night of the rape.  It would appear he didn't. 

[Sheenieb]

1 hour ago, NannyBails said:

So I'm a bit confused about what the video showed and how that connected to Goldie's story.   The video showed her appearing to be unconscious and being carried into a room by Davis, with other team members around.  However, when she told her side of the story, if I remember correctly, Goldie says they were all out partying, then Davis got a phone call about his son and left, so she took a shower and when she came out of the shower, she was surprised that there were those other team members in her room.      Am I remembering correctly?    Could it have been that she wasn't unconscious when he carried her in the room, just really drunk, so that she remembered going into the room with him and with him leaving, but just didn't remember the other guys being there?

Good catch. Looks as if the writers forgot about that. The video was more damning that the phone call, guilt-wise.

But wow, that call. Jesus, I felt the same disgust hearing that as I did reading the Nate Parker transcripts.

[Timetoread]

So pretty much exactly what I thought happened did.  Davis is a slimeball and in many ways I am happy for Charley to be rid of him - especially since the replacement has already shown up and I wholeheartedly approve of him.  I am not where everybody else is on this.  I don't care about Goldie in the least.  Can a sex worker be raped?  Of course. ANYBODY can be raped.  Should she press charges and seek justice? She absolutely should.  Should the rapists go to jail?  You bet your ass!  They are criminals.   Why are we even talking about this?

To me this was supposed to be Charley's story, not Goldie's.  People seem to fault her for everything because she is wealthy.   By the end there, she has been made to be as culpable as Davis and the rapists for what happened to Goldie because she didn't bend over backward to comfort the rape victim.  Charley does not owe the prostitute who has was hired by her husband anything.  Calling a prostitute a prostitute is not slut shaming.  Charley never once condoned or excused hers or anybody else's rape.  Her issue was with calling her husband a rapist.  Which is 100% understandable. Who wants to believe that they married and spent their life with a criminal?  It takes a minute to wrap your head and heart around such a concept.  People jump on how "wrong" she was for going to see Goldie.  It seems to me pretty normal for wrongness to take place when ones life is crumbling around them.  Not just finding out that her husband was unfaithful.  Not just that he may be complicit in a crime.  Not just that her livelihood is at risk.  Not just that her marriage is at risk.  Not just this is playing out in front of the world for all day every day, bi coastal public humiliation. Not just that this is all happening within weeks of losing her father and being tasked to save and defend his legacy.  But that this is also affecting her child.  So yeah, excuse her for being a tad impulsive, maybe a bit rude, and trying to use the only resource she has left (money) to make this go away.  Excuse her for being terrified.  Basically everything I just said means nothing because she is supposed to instantly morph into an activist for Ho Lives Matter.  I found her every action understandable and contextually logical.  As Joss Stone put it, she's got a right to be wrong.  And Goldie got her revenge on the West family: she showed Davis' true disgusting face, she destroyed his marriage, she shamed his wife with the age old "I'll take your man" "You ain't nothing because he preferred me!" "Your whole marriage was a lie!", and she got rich in the process.  AND she is still free to actively go after the men who did rape her (and I hope she does).

As for the rest of it, I loved it.  I am tired of the trials and tribulations of Ralph Angel though.  I would like to see this man have one positive.  Just to give us hope. 

I do find myself disliking the Nova storyline a bit.  I'll wait to see if they flesh out the seeds that are already planted.  Like for instance Calvin.  I get that they broke up, but why really?  I feel that there is a story about how closed off Nova is emotionally and I'm guessing that there is a reason for that.  I was quite disturbed by her statements at the radio station and her takedown of Davis.  Not because I disagree with her that rape victims are always blamed or that money makes a difference in how black men are treated,  but because one would think that the issue at the forefront in her mind is not whether or not the rape story is true, but that what IS true is that Davis cheated on her sister and that her sister is hurting because of it.  Only Aunt Vi seems to get this.  Everyone else is waiting for a legal verdict to determine whether or not Davis done wrong.  That Charley is most likely crying herself to sleep every night is proof enough that he has.  Where is family loyalty from Nova?  Nova seems to be about causes but keeps loved ones, including Calvin, at arms length.  As Ralph Angel said , "Do you like you always do!"  I want to find out why she is like that, rather than see her jump into a new romance. 

[ribboninthesky1]

Timetoread, I don't think Vi really gets it. During the radio show, she said something like, "It must be awful for Nova."  As if Charley's personal life wasn't put on blast. Vi is okay, but I'm not the fan I thought I would be. 

But yeah, I feel you regarding Charley.  I'm watching for her at this point because I want good things for her. 

[Timetoread]

1 hour ago, NannyBails said:

Could it have been that she wasn't unconscious when he carried her in the room, just really drunk, so that she remembered going into the room with him and with him leaving, but just didn't remember the other guys being there?

The video simply showed him carrying her in. It was used as proof that he was present and somehow involved.  The narrative of her being unconscious was internet speculation.  The rape did not go down because she was compromised and unaware of her surroundings.  She went there willingly with him, because for years she has been "Davis' girl".  His exclusively.  But when he had to leave and she stayed behind, the other players took it upon themselves to have their way with her because according to them, she was a prostitute and had been duly paid.  When she told Davis about it, instead of defending her, he doubled down on that attitude, that she had been handsomely paid and that gang bangs had been her expertise prior to their exclusive arrangement, so she shouldn't feel violated.  Aside from being just generally disgusting, to her it was a betrayal.  She thought she meant more to him than that.  That is why what went down between her, Davis, and Charley was separate and private.  She wasn't pressing charges against him.  She wanted him to acknowledge, TRULY pay her for the violation, and apologize - then she would let the matter with him go.  The rape kit will show the culpability of the other players, not Davis.

[NannyBails]

Thanks everyone for explaining about the video! 

[Neurochick]

On October 6, 2016 at 0:57 AM, NowVoyager said:

I didn't feel as sympathetic towards Malina as I thought I would when the whole ghastly story finally spilled out. I feel some kinda way about it, but that's the truth. Partly it was her wooden acting. Also, I thought she was rubbing Charley's nose in the fact that she's been fucking her man for three years. I think Malina expected to eventually supplant Charley as wifey. Charley looked her in the eye & gave her a heartfelt apology, but Malina owes her an apology, too! Malina's goal for the confrontation was to make sure Davis & Charley's marriage was well & truly over. She was acting out of spite. Ultimately, it's for the best. Given what we now know about Davis---bleech! Charley needs to get far, far away from him.

I agree with this.  Davis is slime but I wonder if Malina would buy a nice bridge in Brooklyn.  The sad truth is some men don't think too much of side pieces.  If Malina thought they were friends and had a relationship then she'll need the three million to get an education and some critical thinking skills.  When Davis told Malina that she should know what's up because she started out doing gang bang, I thought that was too damn cruel.  There are gang bang porn movies but porn actresses know what is expected of them, it's not rape, it's a job.  I don't know that Malina did that out of spite.  She wanted to show Charley that she wasn't a piece of trash, but that she had some type of relationship with Davis for three years.  

Still Charley needs to get far, far away from Davis and fast.

I don't think Charley owes Malina an apology, not even for coming to her home, Malina was still sleeping with Charley's husband.

I'm glad Vi saved Ralph Angel, hopefully he learned something from all of that.

Edited October 8, 2016 by Neurochick

[Artsda]

So the hooker who Davis had a 3 year on the side affair with admits Davis was not even there for the rape? He left to go home and she still accused him & extorted 3 million from him knowing he didn't rape her.  She may be the other players victim, but Davis and his family are hers. 

The actor playing Davis was great all episode, he was so uneasy and like he was expecting a bomb to drop in all his scenes. He knew the 3 year would come out though and he still didn't man up to tell Charley before hand. 

Poor Charley, having to hear that. Realizing her marriage has been a lie for years. So glad she's done with him. But the hooker did not deserve her apology. She was having an affair for 3 years with her husband, the made a 3 million pay off for something Davis didn't do and ruined her sons life. The hooker should be giving Charley one.

Nova is just stupid. At least when RA used money from the account it was for the farm. Nova's going to use farm funds that her sister gave for the farm to bail this kid out of jail. Nova could have just asked Charley instead of stealing. 

Edited October 8, 2016 by Artsda

[Neurochick]

16 hours ago, Artsda said:

So the hooker who Davis had a 3 year on the side affair with admits Davis was not even there for the rape? He left to go home and she still accused him & extorted 3 million from him knowing he didn't rape her.  She may be the other players victim, but Davis and his family are hers. 

What is good about this show to me, is that things aren't one way or another.  Davis did not rape her, that is true.  She is a hooker, who started in "gang bangs," that's true too.  But, even though she's a side piece, a mistress, a hooker, she's still a human being and what Davis did to her was wrong.  Part of me thought she was wrong in telling Charley what Davis' part in her rape was, but another part of me felt that she wanted Charley to know that she wasn't just some anonymous hooker Davis picked up on the street.

[announcergirl]

On October 6, 2016 at 5:33 AM, DearEvette said:

Yes.  The recording actually exonerates Davis from the rape.  Everyone in that room heard her admit that he didn't rape her.  He is guilty of being a philanderer who has a callous disregard of women, but he didn't commit a criminal act.  If David wanted to he could rip those papers and that check up and told her he'll see her in court.  At most he'd be exposed as a man who goes to hookers and disrespects his wife.  But people would shrug that off, it would be nothing but a nine days wonder. But the real goal here was to punish Davis and Charley.

As much as I hate to admit it  think the Goldie stuff was the weakest sauce of the whole series to date.  The actress who plays her is wooden and doesn't bring much to the table emotively.   

Not to blame a victim for being raped, just a question: Why'd she say she took a shower there?

[Emily Thrace]

Nova is bugging the hell out of me, she is soo fucking self righteous and hypocritical.  First last week with Calvin now with Davis. Her standards are absurdly high which  would be fine if she actually stuck to them herself. There was something very ironic about her defending the shock jocks she actually sounded like Calvin defending the police force for a second.

Smacking down Davis was one thing but she was just so OTT about it.