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S01.E09: Juneteeth


radishcake
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Why do I have a feeling that Van and Earn just conceived Lottie's next sibling?  I hope not.  I can understand being drunk, but Earn had just hooked up with some other girl that morning.  I thought Van was going to puke on Earn, not mount him.

Those drinks at the party killed me.  I caught "Emancipation Eggnog" and "Abolition and Absinthe".  Lord.

Monique and her husband were a trip.  "I like Craig, but I love my money."  I knew there was more going on there than meets the eye.

Can't believe next week is the season finale, it's gone by so fast.  This show is really something else.  I hope it gets some Emmy nods.

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I loved Earn's admonishments to Craig about stop being so nice.  It was fun watching how Earn and Van both started out in different places, slid past each other and then "come together" in the end.  He starts out befuddled and trying to catch up even as he struggles with all the odd shit going on.  Van starts out with her agenda and then needs to drink her way through it and end up struggling just to keep up in many ways when Earn's Red Bull finally kicks in. 

I had to go back because early on Van calls her "Mon" and I had a huge WTF moment because I thought she said "Mom" and for two seconds it started to make sense why Van is the way she is in some ways.  Having a mother that married up financially to a man like Craig would have been an interesting twist.  Craig and Monica were interesting enough though.

The Preacher was a hoot.  I'm just hoping in B.A.N Two there is at least a commercial or promo for his Sunday morning pray for dough show.

Was the girl Earn woke up with, the bartender from the last episode? 

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12 hours ago, Amethyst said:

Why do I have a feeling that Van and Earn just conceived Lottie's next sibling?  I hope not.  I can understand being drunk, but Earn had just hooked up with some other girl that morning.  I thought Van was going to puke on Earn, not mount him.

Ew, and I kept thinking about the fact that he hadn't showered.  Well, at least Van had all that vodka to sterilize some of that.  I agree that I hope she is on the Pill at the very least.  This episode did cement my love for these guys and I think that Earn meant every word that he said about Van to those women.  But I don't think that Van believed he did and that's why she said he was mean.  Aw.

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Was the girl Earn woke up with, the bartender from the last episode? 

That's what I thought too.  So I'm glad that he told her that he wouldn't be back.  I didn't care for her at all.

I had to fast forward the Slam Poetry stuff because I was so mortified.  I loved that his name was Craig and I loved that he looked so much like Gary Cole, because that was Gary Cole role if I ever saw one!  Now I want him to meet Paper Boi and Darius LOL!

"Put some smiles on your face.  This is a party not an orphanage."  HA!

Edited by Deanie87
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In addition to seeing more of the preacher (gag me with a spoon at the hungry looks he was giving Van), I want to see Craig more. I could watch him do slam poetry (oh noetry) all day. Because yes, you really want to hate him for his "black people as a hobby shit," or however his wife put it, but he's just so clueless and hilarious about it. In his eagerness to be Not Racist, he whips right on back around to being kinda racist. Earn's incredulous face and "Is this Hennessy?" just about killed me. As did his whispered "what the fuuuuck..." at that crazy painting, because I've said that many a time upon seeing someone's horrible decor. The only thing that would make it better is seeing Paperboi's reaction. (Probably just uncontrollable laughter.)

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This episode did cement my love for these guys and I think that Earn meant every word that he said about Van to those women.  But I don't think that Van believed he did and that's why she said he was mean.

But how could he have possibly meant it, when he had just jumped out of someone else's bed? I think Van knows Earn uses humor when he's uncomfortable, but she thought he went too far in his playacting to sort of punish her for putting him up to it. I think it was a mean-spirited thing to say. 

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57 minutes ago, withanaich said:

But how could he have possibly meant it, when he had just jumped out of someone else's bed? I think Van knows Earn uses humor when he's uncomfortable, but she thought he went too far in his playacting to sort of punish her for putting him up to it. I think it was a mean-spirited thing to say. 

Well, maybe he didn't mean the part about not being able to look at another woman, since clearly...  And the cheek kiss right after that was the icing on that cake.  But I do think that he meant the stuff about how hard she works, taking care of their kid and having a job (or did anyway).  Its true, he would be blind if he didn't see how much more she puts into their co-parenting than he does.  

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When I started watching this show, I never would have guessed that Earn/Donald would be the third most interesting character. Zazie Beetz was great as a resentful sober to tipsy to drunk Van.

I went to a Juneteenth party like the one in this episode. I felt bad because the people throwing it had the best of intentions, but it came off as being really strange. No white guy blacksplaining though.

It's impressive how many themes they covered over the course of the season given they only have twenty some minutes a week. This week they managed to slip in class differences amongst African Americans. Something that doesn't happen too often on TV. 

So many details on this show. The painting behind the bartender is a real life Norman Rockwell. That makes me wonder if the painting of the whiteface girl is also real, or just a reference to the whiteface boy from a couple of episodes ago.

Emancipation Eggnog! Made with free range chicken eggs!

Edited by xaxat
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19 hours ago, tenativelyyours said:

Was the girl Earn woke up with, the bartender from the last episode? 

According to IMDB, the bartender's name was Nia, and I don't think it was her.  The girl sleeping next to Earn looked a bit younger.  I liked Nia because she saw through Earn's whiny spiel about the club and everyone there, so I'd be cool with her showing up again.

Count me in the confused party about whether Earn was being serious in that little speech, or if it was just BS.  Even if he meant his words, it's impossible for Van to know that because he'd just rolled out of some other girl's house that morning, (unwashed at that) and the two of them had just argued about being at the party in the first place.  During the argument, Van asks him to just pretend, because he's already so good at that.  So that could have been Earn pretending, and I couldn't blame Van for being hurt by the whole thing.

 

4 hours ago, xaxat said:

So many details on this show. The painting behind the bartender is a real life Norman Rockwell. That makes me wonder if the painting of the whiteface girl is also real, or just a reference to the whiteface boy from a couple of episodes ago.

I loved how they subtly focused on the Rockwell painting, too.  The other painting is indeed real; the artist's name is Margaret Bowland, and she did a series of paintings of Black people in whiteface.  Just learned about her last night, she's very talented.

Edited by Amethyst
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7 hours ago, withanaich said:

In addition to seeing more of the preacher (gag me with a spoon at the hungry looks he was giving Van), I want to see Craig more. I could watch him do slam poetry (oh noetry) all day. Because yes, you really want to hate him for his "black people as a hobby shit," or however his wife put it, but he's just so clueless and hilarious about it. In his eagerness to be Not Racist, he whips right on back around to being kinda racist. Earn's incredulous face and "Is this Hennessy?" just about killed me. As did his whispered "what the fuuuuck..." at that crazy painting, because I've said that many a time upon seeing someone's horrible decor. The only thing that would make it better is seeing Paperboi's reaction. (Probably just uncontrollable laughter.)

Craig was  Goddamn delight! I was alternately dying from laughter and cringing.  He made the episode for me.  And you're right, oh to see  Paper Boi's reaction.  I somehow think Paper Boi would have liked Craig.

The camera work when they were talking to the Preacher and his silent wife, was funny -- how it looked down on Van and Earn and up at the Preacher guy, his imposing, overwhelming personality versus them seeming diminished in his presence.

There was so much subtext in that whole episode, it was drowning in it.  The Bourgie was strong in this one.

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16 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

Craig was  Goddamn delight! I was alternately dying from laughter and cringing.  He made the episode for me.  And you're right, oh to see  Paper Boi's reaction.  I somehow think Paper Boi would have liked Craig.

The camera work when they were talking to the Preacher and his silent wife, was funny -- how it looked down on Van and Earn and up at the Preacher guy, his imposing, overwhelming personality versus them seeming diminished in his presence.

There was so much subtext in that whole episode, it was drowning in it.  The Bourgie was strong in this one.

 

Okay.  Now we really need this.  Maybe the next time Paper Boi does 'Montague", Craig and his slam Noetry is on because Montague thinks that will cause real sparks and instead the two bond and Montague's head explodes?

I wasn't sure if Earn wasn't doing both in his speech about Van to the other women.  Speaking some bitter truths that reveal himself but also doing it in a way that was punishing Van for making him be there.  Its like Earn (or really Van either as we end up seeing) can't help himself.  And that seemed a theme overall with Earn.  He could have floated through that party a lot easier than he did.   But he constantly worked against the tide and the annoyance didn't rise so much, to me at least, as it kept rising, settling, rising settling.  But each rise brought him closer to breaking.  And even his breaking was a sort of ebb and flow -- he finds Craig outrageously too much but it is actually Monica that puts him over and he can't even actually completely hate Craig as he so hilariously admits in the middle of his outrage.  It was such a mastery in characterization.  Almost every other show I watch that alludes to being related to a comedy would have had Earn give some preaching outrage without the nuance we saw.  How many other shows would have had the sense to let Earn be pissed and yet part of that anger is that he just can't be as angry as much he would like Craig to deserve?  Or that Monica was his breaking point despite all that was and is Craig? 

We definitely need more Craig.

And I would be fine with more Nia.  I did like how she broke Earn's attempts at image down and would like to see how she and PaperBoi would interact.   I think the reason why I questioned it being her was because there does seem to be attempts to create certain deliberate vague ties to previous episodes and I thought it might be a clever way to take a certain theme and use it in a way that is different and yet determined.  Having her be the glimpse in bed like that says something in the club did happen as hinted but its not going where or how you think.  Nia for all her depth ends up just being another over and done hook up -- it plays into Earn's character and it also plays into the whole smoke and mirrors that was the brilliant club episode.  In the end Nia is not was wise or profound as she seemed behind the bar pouring Earn his "drunk".

Edited by tenativelyyours
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I remember trying (and failing) to literally hide my visiting brother from a AA-studies major, Black Power fist-waving female version of Craig years ago. This show perfectly captured everything awful, wonderful and confusing about the Craigs of the world. I could stand to see more of Craig.

The ending grossed me out. Did Earn shower? I'd love to know what their relationship was like at the start.

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Oh, can we please get more Craig? He is just so cringe worthy, but just seems so damn earnest with his love of African American history and culture, despite him clearly having no self awareness or real understanding, its weirdly likable. 

Another strong episode, and makes me wonder more about the relationship between Earn and Van. Van seems more ambitious, was Earn at some point like her, or was he always a bit of a slacker? What is their relationship now? When did they stop being a Thing? 

That party was Bourgie as all get out, and I have been to some REALLY Bourgie parties. I was right there with Earn in the Eyes Wide Shut vibe. I was half expecting everyone to suddenly put on creepy masks and start taking their clothes off. 

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12 hours ago, tenativelyyours said:

I wasn't sure if Earn wasn't doing both in his speech about Van to the other women.  Speaking some bitter truths that reveal himself but also doing it in a way that was punishing Van for making him be there.  Its like Earn (or really Van either as we end up seeing) can't help himself.  And that seemed a theme overall with Earn.  He could have floated through that party a lot easier than he did.   But he constantly worked against the tide and the annoyance didn't rise so much, to me at least, as it kept rising, settling, rising settling.  But each rise brought him closer to breaking.  And even his breaking was a sort of ebb and flow -- he finds Craig outrageously too much but it is actually Monica that puts him over and he can't even actually completely hate Craig as he so hilariously admits in the middle of his outrage.  It was such a mastery in characterization.  Almost every other show I watch that alludes to being related to a comedy would have had Earn give some preaching outrage without the nuance we saw.  How many other shows would have had the sense to let Earn be pissed and yet part of that anger is that he just can't be as angry as much he would like Craig to deserve?  Or that Monica was his breaking point despite all that was and is Craig? 

Agreed on all of this, especially that first part. I think deep down Earn really does acknowledge and appreciate everything that Van does (but maybe doesn't know how to express it when he's not playacting? Or maybe he's a little resentful despite the fact that he kind of does this stuff to himself?), but also wanted to punish her for putting him through that party. And the party (aside from Craig) wasn't that egregious that he couldn't just suck it up and laugh/complain with Van about it later on. The more I think about it, the more I think his explosion at the end was more of a reaction to all the non-reacting to shitty, racist behavior he's been doing throughout the season (his DJ "friend" thinking he was "safe" to use the N-word around, the agent at the basketball tournament mistaking him for another black guy, even the club promoter not respecting him enough to pay him). And then the awfulness of this party was just the straw that broke the camel's back. 

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I think this show takes itself too seriously.  The whole "Earn and Paper Boi are smarter than everyone around them" schtick is getting old.

I still think it's interesting and different, and there's enough good stuff to keep me coming back, but it's getting cliche.

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The wife is the principal at the school where Van used to work (it took me a minute to get it too), who was forced to fire Van because she admitted to failing the drug test. I think Van was trying to network so the woman could find her a job. Unfortunately, Van had apparently told the people at work she was married for some reason (I don't really get that part; I don't think she worked at a religious school), so she needed Earn to play along so she could keep up the ruse long enough to find a new job. 

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6 hours ago, withanaich said:

The wife is the principal at the school where Van used to work (it took me a minute to get it too), who was forced to fire Van because she admitted to failing the drug test. I think Van was trying to network so the woman could find her a job. Unfortunately, Van had apparently told the people at work she was married for some reason (I don't really get that part; I don't think she worked at a religious school), so she needed Earn to play along so she could keep up the ruse long enough to find a new job. 

I just re-watched and then checked IMDB.  Milli M. plays school principal Ms. Teig.    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5711660/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast

Cassandra Freeman plays Monique Allen.   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5853556/?ref_=ttep_ep9

Monique isn't the type to work in an inner-city school.  That's why she married a wealthy husband.

Edited by ItCouldBeWorse
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Well, shit. Now I don't know WHO the hell they are. I thought she was just working at the school so she could have her own money when she finally got sick of Craig's shit. 


Does anyone know who these people are or how Van knows them? Because they really did gloss over that. 

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On 10/26/2016 at 0:52 PM, xaxat said:

So many details on this show. The painting behind the bartender is a real life Norman Rockwell. That makes me wonder if the painting of the whiteface girl is also real, or just a reference to the whiteface boy from a couple of episodes ago.

Glover's Childish Gambino album was on a shelf in Craig's office, too.  And the wine bottle label on the bar at the charity basketball game read Joshua Tree, which is where his Labor Day 2016 concert event was.  

I had no idea how Van knew this couple, or even really what was going on half the time.  I feel like I need a black friend to watch with to explain half of this show to me.  What were the three women inviting Van to when she walked away?  To be in their Jack & Jill?  What is that?  I only know it as a bathroom.  Urban dictionary tells me it's a strip spin-the-bottle party (and then some)?  So Van was trying to make work contacts and Earn got her sex party contacts instead?  

This was the first episode I didn't love so much.  I understand that couple was ludicrous but these two need jobs, so I didn't love Van getting trashed or Earn making a stand.  Get the job first then diss the friend, at least.  

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51 minutes ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I had no idea how Van knew this couple, or even really what was going on half the time.  I feel like I need a black friend to watch with to explain half of this show to me.  What were the three women inviting Van to when she walked away?  To be in their Jack & Jill?  What is that?  I only know it as a bathroom.  Urban dictionary tells me it's a strip spin-the-bottle party (and then some)?  So Van was trying to make work contacts and Earn got her sex party contacts instead?  

Nope, quite the opposite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_and_Jill_of_America

Edited by ItCouldBeWorse
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