S03.E07: What We May Be

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Quote

Cookie turns to Candace for help planning an elaborate family dinner that will impress Angelo's mother; at the same time, old home videos from Cookie's childhood force her to face the truth about her father. Meanwhile, Andre plans an unlikely duo.

[Primetimer]

...And finally explains why the Holloway sisters fight the way they do.

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[wanderingstar]

Hakeem: Imma call Jamal. He did have a baby for like 2 seconds.

Ha!

I love the young Cookie/Lucious scenes. Poor teen Cookie got kicked out by her dad, and then he died. Damn.

Jamal's Mama song was excellent. And I loved how they worked it into the dinner scene. 

Actually, I loved all the music in the ep. The music has been great this season. Looks like I'll be forking over more money for another soundtrack.

That dinner was a mess, so of course I loved it. 

D-Major continues to annoy me. If only he wasn't so hot with Jamal. Wait - how come we don't get any Jamal/Philip love scenes?

Product placement annoys me, but Porsha asking Alexa to find her a new job was 
amusing.

Damn Phylicia Rashad looks good!

Can't believe there's only 2 more episodes left!

Edited December 2, 2016 by Gillian Rosh

[Dee]

I say it once a week, but I LOVE this show.

Season 3 has been fantastic. If the back end is as good as the front end, then bring it on!

[Sheenieb]

Ugh, see, this is what annoys me with Cookie. She doesn't know how to code switch. To her, code switching means that you're not being 'real.' She's too shortsighted to see that code switching is about being smart and knowing your audience. Angelo was at fault in the beginning when she showed up to the opera under dressed, but tonight was all on her. Not only does she show up late to his fundraiser, but she shows up casually dressed. Girl, stop it.

I get that they're pushing that Lucious was a poor influence on her because she wasn't raised that way. She had some act right in her system. But I guess Lucious and jail killed whatever finesse she had.

I see Jamal is trying his hand at releasing his own version of Lemonade. I'm getting tired of his tortured artist ass, too.

Edited December 1, 2016 by Sheenieb

[Artsda]

None of them showed any concern of Jamal obviously being high at the dinner.

I prefer Cookie with Lucious instead of acting like a different person for Angelo's mom. I really don't need Lucious & Anika again, especially since she has yet to pay for killing Rhonda and her baby. 

[Dee]

Why does Anika need to pay?

Boo Boo Kitty has regained her mojo this season and I'm all the way here for it.

[Artsda]

She murdered a baby for one?

[Dee]

So does that mean Rhonda would've/should've had to pay for scheming against the rest of the family?

[Artsda]

Manipulating and scheming is one thing, murdering Rhonda's child by purposely pushing her down the stairs to kill her baby so it wouldn't be an heir is another.

[Dee]

And Lucious shot one of his best friends in the face. In the pilot.

[Landlord]

It was about damn time they had Freda and Nessa sing a song together. It was magic for me, I'd been waiting on that for a bit. 

So, Cookie shows up late at a fundraiser dressed casually, but WTH was she wearing at the dinner? Dang, girl got so many hot dresses, and she wore that? And that stupid flower on her neck?

I hate Lucious. I really do. I see TH in other things and I cringe. But I liked the but where he understood (or at least, seemed to) and got himself, Anika and the baby out of there. It wasn't their place to be. Even if Hakeem brought the baby there in the first place. That being said, I found Anika really pretty in that number she had to go to Cookies. 

Hm, what else? Oh, seasons seem to be all out of whack. Half of them wearing winter jackets,  but you got some of them (like Freda and Andre, Hakeem and the baby) in t-shirts, early fall clothes? Nessa, if you wore entire shirts instead of just sports bras, you would not be cold, honey... 

That's about all I've retained. No big moments of emotion for me last night. I give it a 7 at best. 

OH! Wait!

Spoiler

Ghost Rhonda back in the next episode and Mama Lyons being offed with a shoelace? I really hope it makes up for this week's episode. 

Edited December 1, 2016 by Landlord
I'm stupid and I can't spell. There, I said it.

[SimoneS]

Of course, the dinner party was going to be a typical Lyon disaster. It could have been worse, no one threw food. Ha. Lucious had a brief moment of self-awareness and got out of there with Anika and the baby, but goodness knows that it won't last long. I liked that the show didn't go overboard with the snobbiness of Angelo's mother. She realized  that her son is thirsty for Cookie and went with the flow.

I never thought that I would like Taye Diggs this much as Taraji's love interest, but I am loving Angelo. He is smooth, cool, tough, and totally relaxed around Cookie's brand of crazy. 

I laughed when Cookie asked her sons to come to the dinner saying she never asked them for anything, only for Hakeem to correctly respond, that she always did, had she met herself. Bwah. Tell her, Hakeem.

I loved seeing Freda on stage making music. I have come to love her and have missed her. I want her back making music with Jamal. I love their sound together. I am not a fan of Jamal's high singing voice. I like Andre with Nessa, but nothing good can happen as long as Shine is there.

Talking about Jamal, Cookie noticed like the rest of us that he has two fine men drooling over him. I cannot believe that he hasn't had a threesome with both of them as yet. What the hell is wrong with that boy?! Someone slap, Jamal! It has got to be the drugs. Now this is a warning about drug use that everyone should take to heart: This is your brain on drugs. It causes you to miss out on lusty threesome sex with two hot men.

Both Lucious and Anika are evil as hell and deserve each other. I am just happy that Cookie is out of that mess for awhile. Anika looked lovely last night.

Edited December 1, 2016 by SimoneS

[TobinAlbers]

Whew, Cookie's Daddy was all about the tough love. I get why he knew he had to put her out. Cookie is no dummy and her dad knows this. Yes, she's a child, but like he said he has two other girls to think about and if Cookie wants to choose Lucious by being an accessory to his crimes by hiding guns and drug money hidden under your mattress? She had to go.

And yet it literally broke his heart with the heart attack. That's a real legit rift motive for Candice and Cookie but still, Candice came through for Cookie in meeting with her and trying to tutor her and not letting her give up when Lucious was throwing up obstacles. It was brought home when Candice said Cookie should do this for their dad. Candice was still trying to bring her father's vision of Cookie -the smart one- making good. Candice put aside her own bitterness to help her and that was BIG. I really want to meet the guy she landed and their kids.

Lucious is just a foul human being. His constant plays to isolate Cookie and ruin every attempt she makes to make a life for herself away from him really are on the level of someone should put a bullet in your head bastardy. And yet finally he realized he was crossing the line at the end and up and left Cookie be -but only after a lot of the damage was done.

Phylicia Rashad sure as hell knows how to play fierce tiger mom, bougie Queen! She was perfect in her role and was cutting those eyes back and forth to express so much without really a lot of dialogue.  She's more than willing to give Cookie a chance with Angelo as long as she doesn't drag him down -which is a reasonable request and which Cookie understood and respected.

The only thing that was missing from the scene of Andre at the memorial party was GhostRhonda rolling up beside him dancing to Freeda and Nessa's song.  Thing is Andre's advice to Freeda wasn't wrong, we just know that ultimately he is playing a long game with everyone. If Andre were smart he'd unite all those wronged by Lucious behind him and NOT betray them so that he can build a strong empire that way. Leave Hakeem and Jamal out of it because one of them always breaks from the united front because Lucious gave them an emotional crumb.

And Nessa was being a bit needy. You want Dre to bail on HIS family for YOUR family because your family gathering is more important? Girl, he did come and he brought Freeda so what more did he have to prove by staying for the whole thing? It's not like you were cuddling backstage, you ran back up there to perform.

Not sure if it was intentional but in the scene when Cookie is begging the boys to come to the dinner and she's holding Bella, Dre appears to be uncomfortable being around the baby and there's a moment when his eyes finally drop to look at the baby and he just looks so sad and hurt like he's remembering that HE was supposed to have a son only a few months older than Bella.  It really is sad how entire personal life was wiped out in s span of a few months.

I hate to ask this, but this is a soap opera, but are they setting up for Dre to have created a split personality to deal with all the crap in his life? I feel like with the marked wearing of his 'business hat' in specific scenes there is a 'darker' Dre that's pulling off this plan and the other face he shows to the world.

[Sheenieb]

15 minutes ago, TobinAlbers said:

Not sure if it was intentional but in the scene when Cookie is begging the boys to come to the dinner and she's holding Bella, Dre appears to be uncomfortable being around the baby and there's a moment when his eyes finally drop to look at the baby and he just looks so sad and hurt like he's remembering that HE was supposed to have a son only a few months older than Bella.  It really is sad how entire personal life was wiped out in s span of a few months.

 

I noticed that as well. If it wasn't intentional, kudos to Trai Byers. It's shameful how his family let him twist in the wind after two tragic losses. 

I'm glad that Trai's been given more to do this season. He's the strongest actor of the sons, I think. 

[Dee]

Jamal lazily informing Diana he clocked her shadiness had me HOWLING.

[Keepitmoving]

Quote

Lucious is just a foul human being. His constant plays to isolate Cookie and ruin every attempt she makes to make a life for herself away from him really are on the level of someone should put a bullet in your head bastardy. And yet finally he realized he was crossing the line at the end and up and left Cookie be -but only after a lot of the damage was done.

The topper was when "Lucifer" stood in front of Jamal while he sang to his mother. He literally got up and walked in front of him to stare him down and intimidate him, is what it looked like to me. That was so pathetic, WOW.

Speaking of the song, good lord, that was the most beautiful mama song I've ever heard, truly. Sometimes Jamal's high pitch gets old, but not this time. 

Phylicia Rashad= loved it. What did she say when Cookie didn't show up..."This will never do.." something to that effect, love it. 

[Empress1]

Phylicia Rashad is so beautiful. The way she walked into the room slowly and took everything in and was cataloging it was masterful.

The bouillabaisse was Angelo's fault. You tell people your people's allergies!

I peeped that Melania Trump dig, and I am here for it.

That Mama song really was gorgeous. I don't always like Jamal's falsetto, but it worked. (Why didn't anyone care that Jamal was high?)

Why did Cookie wear her PJs to dinner though? 

[NYCNJbear06]

I too peeped the Nessa bordering on needy/crazy with the I need you here for my family ditch your family.  Wonder if there is something there...

Also like the tie in with Vivica mentioning that Phylicia's character was in a sorority and she named ladies who were in AKA because I am pretty sure that Phylicia is one too but found it strange that they didn't just mention AKA.  Also, I hope that wasn't some foreshadowing of Taye Diggs being killed when Phylicia mentioned and emphasized "My ONLY son"  I wouldn't put it past Lucius to off him.   

[Keepitmoving]

1 hour ago, Empress1 said:

 

Why did Cookie wear her PJs to dinner though? 

For some reason I don't think that was her outfit for the dinner, I don't think she was going to wear that. She could have called the place to find out if the event was still going on, because all she wanted to do was clearly apologize and speak with just Angelo and not be seen by anyone else. 

Those family videos set her off and no way was she going to that event when she left Jamal's, even though she told him that the dinner was where she was headed. 

Quote

I peeped that Melania Trump dig, and I am here for it.

It was hilarious.

Edited December 1, 2016 by Keepitmoving

[Landlord]

1 hour ago, Empress1 said:

Phylicia Rashad is so beautiful. The way she walked into the room slowly and took everything in and was cataloging it was masterful.

The bouillabaisse was Angelo's fault. You tell people your people's allergies!

I peeped that Melania Trump dig, and I am here for it.

That Mama song really was gorgeous. I don't always like Jamal's falsetto, but it worked. (Why didn't anyone care that Jamal was high?)

Why did Cookie wear her PJs to dinner though? 

To be fair, he did tell Cookie that he would take care of the menu, when dinner was supposed to happen at that posh hotel place. Cookie's the one that seems to have decided to change without consulting (as to not bump into that asshole she was previously married to) Angelo. Therefore, it's on Cookie. At least for me. 

Also, that PJ bit. You put the finger on it, where I could not. Thank you.

[Biggie B]

This was an interesting episode, not the usual OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT JUST HAPPENED sort of episode. I liked it a lot - we really got a huge insight into Cookie. I guess her kids never knew about her past, that she was thrown out of the house and that her dad died just days after that. I really felt for her; her life went in a direction she'd likely never considered, not the path she would have chosen if she'd had a crystal ball. Yes, she has rebounded very well, but still, everything with her father was so sad.

Loved Phyilicia Rashad, she was great in that role and I hope we see more of her! She's so elegant.

I did not care for Cookie's look for the dinner party. The dress was oddly unattractive and unstylish and looked as if it was going to slip down off her chest, and that flower was garish. Also, I didn't like her hair. She is soooo gorgeous, but that whole outfit/look did not showcase her well at all. I was hoping she'd go for something a bit more conservative but chic...like Mama Rashad but not quite as matronly.

Baby Bella is insanely cute. When Lucious left her in Hakeem's care for the evening, the look on Bella's face was like, "I'm going to break you." And she did! I sure hope Hakeem had a car seat and didn't just hold her during the drive from Lucious' home to Cookie's apartment.

Happy to see Frieda again, I like her and don't want anything bad to happen to her.

Becky looked so unhappy in that meeting.

Edited December 1, 2016 by Biggie B

[NYCNJbear06]

Yes, Biggie B, she is very elegant and kind.  I've seen her in person a couple of times.  She gets her hair done in midtown Manhattan in the office building I used to work in and ran into her a couple of times on the elevator.  One of my only fan freak out moments LOL OMG you're Mrs. Huxtable!!!!! I told her she was everybody's dream mother and she smiled and said thank you I get that a lot.  

[Empress1]

1 hour ago, NYCNJbear06 said:

Yes, Biggie B, she is very elegant and kind.  I've seen her in person a couple of times.  She gets her hair done in midtown Manhattan in the office building I used to work in and ran into her a couple of times on the elevator.  One of my only fan freak out moments LOL OMG you're Mrs. Huxtable!!!!! I told her she was everybody's dream mother and she smiled and said thank you I get that a lot.  

I would have bugged completely out. I saw her on Broadway and I was bugging out (and her character had nothing to do with Clair Huxtable). I would have had to bite my tongue to keep from dropping a "LET the record show ..."

[Keepitmoving]

What happen to Cookie's mother? Has she ever been mentioned?

[Dee]

Not so far. All of Candace/Cookie/Carol's childhood memories have been about their father.

[Ms.Moon]

This episode made me realize that Cookie's loyalty to Lucious grew out of her needing to do so for so long she said it herself they raised each other, getting kicked out of the house, her father dying, she had to cling to Lucious they really had to have each other's backs.  I don't know if they can ever really be "done" with each other because they had been through things together that other people might not be able to understand.  I do not know if Angelo is the right guy for Cookie in the long run, he is a good guy and he obviously cares a great deal for her I hope that he can understand that she's got complicated ties to her ex husband.  I do not know if he really understands that there is so much more going on than Empire the company and the "thug" elements of the life that Cookie and Lucious have seemingly left behind are still there just under the surface, he might not be able to handle it.  

[LaChavalina]

I liked the fact that most of this episode was focused on Cookie. Even more excited to see the previews suggesting that we'll get another female character driven episode next week. I hope this is the writers recognizing how many of the actresses here are scene stealers!

[thuganomics85]

Phylicia Rashad as Angelo's mother is an awesome casting choice.  I think she's nailed down the perfect balance of being a stone-cold, queen when the time calls for it, but showing signs that she isn't completely unreasonable, and is willing to give Cookie a chance since she knows what it is like.  But, yeah, I would so not want to get on Diana's bad side, if something ever did happen to Angelo.  Hope we get more of her.  I really want her to share a scene Leah.  I can only imagine the tension and drama Rashad and Leslie Uggams would bring together!

Cookie's party didn't end up being as big of a disaster compared to most Lyons gathering, but it still had a rough start.  I was cracking up over how it kept escalating, with a clearly drugged up Jamal showing up and being weird, Hakeem bringing the baby along, and then Lucious and Anika crash the party, like the assholes they are.  Glad it got turned around for Cookie's sake, but I worry that the look she was giving Lucious at the end means she isn't, or will never be, totally over him.  Oh, Cookie.

I guess Andre staying at Shay's part for Freda and Nessa is suppose to be a sign that he is continuing to get pushed farther away from his family? Either way, I continue to be intrigued over his storylines, and Trai Byers really is becoming the standout this season.

Seeing both Candace and Carol again is always entertaining!

The flashbacks to Cookie and what happened to her dad was sad.

This season continues to be bringing it!

[Dee]

9 hours ago, Keepitmoving said:

The topper was when "Lucifer" stood in front of Jamal while he sang to his mother. He literally got up and walked in front of him to stare him down and intimidate him, is what it looked like to me. That was so pathetic, WOW.

Lucious doesn't go stand in front of Cookie in that scene. In fact, he's on the opposite side of the room. He does, however, get up and walk toward the piano as Jamal is playing.

Up until that point, Lucious had (all through the episode) been incredibly suspicious about Jamal & Becky's claims of Jamal having created new music and he's still largely disturbed about Jamal's PTSD exacerbated stage fright.

When Jamal starts performing his gorgeous song 'Mama' for the dinner party, Lucious is summarily stunned and sees that Jamal still has 'IT.' That performance is enough to reassure Lucious that his son still retains his gift despite his current circumstances, and a reminder for him to respect Cookie's space, thus him leaving humbly with Anika & Bella in tow toward the end of Jamal's song.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Dee

[Keepitmoving]

Quote

Lucious doesn't go stand in front of Cookie in that scene. In fact, he's on the opposite side of the room. He does, however, get up and walk toward the piano as Jamal is playing.

Yeah, I didn't say he stood in front of Cookie, I said he stood in front of Jamal, meaning in front of the piano and looked like he was trying to stare him down. 

Quote

When Jamal starts performing his gorgeous song 'Mama' for the dinner party, Lucious is summarily stunned and sees that Jamal still has 'IT.' That performance is enough to reassure Lucious that his son still retains his gift despite his current circumstances, and a reminder for him to respect Cookie's space, thus him leaving humbly with Anika & Bella in tow toward the end of Jamal's song.

This wasn't my perception because there isn't a humble bone in the man's body, nor does he dole out my brand of respect, but to each their own as to what respect looks like.  He left alright and what I did notice was the fear in his eyes as he looked across the room, his eyes went from Cookie, to Angelo, then to Angelo's mother, then back to Angelo and Cookie soon after Jamal started singing. That was some good acting on TH's part, by the way. He made me follow his eyeballs and see the fear.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Keepitmoving

[Dee]

He doesn't even really stand in front of Jamal. He stands closer to the piano, but he was into the song. Not trying to intimidate Jamal imo.

Lucious is a son of a bitch, but he can be capable of a surprising amount of humbleness depending on the circumstances. He's been very gracious to the family in various moments before. One that comes to mind of the top of the head is when Jamal quietly asked him to gracefully accept his loss and let the family enjoy the night, after Hakeem won the rap battle against Freda. Which Lucious did (until Candace showed up bellowing like a steam engine) but he still showed much class.

I think, if anything, the song affected him as much as it reassured him that Jamal still had his gift. We've seen that Lucious and Cookie, especially Lucious, is very prone to being affected by the past. And with Jamal getting them to reminisce of how much they mean(t) to each other through song, the Lyons personal love language, it's easy to see how moved he was. But once he and Anika knew Bella was safe, and everything was straight, no pun intended, with the rest of the family; they beat a hasty retreat.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Dee

[NYCNJbear06]

Interesting perspectives on Lucifer’s leaving.  I took it as the lyrics of the song and what Cookie has been through and sacrificed for him combined with her tearful reaction is what inspired him to leave and take Boo Boo Kitty and lil Boo Boo kitten and leave.  Yeah he is cold heartless and ruthless but he occasionally has a moment of kindness especially where Cookie is concerned.  But he will be back to his normal mean ass self tomorrow.

[QueerGirrl]

Awwww....."lil boo boo kitten."  Ha!

[tennisgurl]

I really want to see a scene between Emily Gilmore from Gilmore Girls and Angelo's mom. The fancy disproving society mom cross over! 

Poor teen Cookie. Kicked out by dad, than dad dies, and her sister blames her. Brutal. Still, she really should have gone to the diner at the start. Come on, your boyfriend is trying to make this work! I keep waiting for Angelo to turn out to be shady, but right now, I really like him. 

Of course the dinner turns into a Lyon style debacle. Its amazing no one threw plates at each other, or Andre shows up and starts talking to ghost Rhonda. But the song was really lovely. I feel like Lucious really did leave because it was such an emotional moment for Cookie, and he can appreciate real music. He does have his moments of being decent, usually involving music or Cookie. I am positive he will do something extra awful to make up for it next week though. But I do like that they give him moments like that. It makes him more interesting than just being an asshole. 

[lovinbob]

On 12/1/2016 at 2:57 PM, NYCNJbear06 said:

Yes, Biggie B, she is very elegant and kind.  I've seen her in person a couple of times.  She gets her hair done in midtown Manhattan in the office building I used to work in and ran into her a couple of times on the elevator.  One of my only fan freak out moments LOL OMG you're Mrs. Huxtable!!!!! I told her she was everybody's dream mother and she smiled and said thank you I get that a lot.  

My friend once locked her keys in her car, with her kids in the car, and Phylicia Rashad came to her aid! Called the police and waited with her till they arrived and unlocked the door. So sweet.

Trai Byers's wardrobe -- so well fitted. That man is fine. (Except for his facial hair.)

[Dee]

I love how much character detail we got with/for The Holloway Sisters this episode (even before you get to their backstory via the flashbacks).

Carol has, seemingly, climbed back on the wagon and is working a steady gig at a weave shop. Also, for all his growth, when Jamal is in emotional distress, he still runs to, and confides in Auntie Carol, when his mother is unavailable. And even as an adult, Carol is afraid of angering Cookie, because as the baby sister, she's fully aware Cookie can put up a hell of a fight.

Candace, for all her faux heirs and snobbishness, is still hood as hell. She's down help her estranged sister scam her way into high society, not just because her sister seems to be following in her own social climbing footsteps, but because she also genuinely wants to honor their late father's wishes.

Cookie, for all her issues with her sisters, still loves them fiercely. She knows Tariq is trying to use them against the rest of her family, but she doesn't let that get in the way of their bonds. She takes Candace's snooty behavior and Carol's messy struggles with sobriety in stride, because, as Andre said last season, "time and again, we’re confronted with the truth about what a mess we all are, and time and again, we choose one another. That is family. We're not perfect, but we're all we got."

Edited December 5, 2016 by Dee

[TobinAlbers]

On December 2, 2016 at 5:01 PM, tennisgurl said:

I really want to see a scene between Emily Gilmore from Gilmore Girls and Angelo's mom. The fancy disproving society mom cross over! 

Throw in Arrested Development's Lucille Bluth and let the games begin! 

On December 1, 2016 at 7:14 PM, Ms.Moon said:

This episode made me realize that Cookie's loyalty to Lucious grew out of her needing to do so for so long she said it herself they raised each other, getting kicked out of the house, her father dying, she had to cling to Lucious they really had to have each other's backs.  I don't know if they can ever really be "done" with each other because they had been through things together that other people might not be able to understand. 

Great point. I also think Cookie may have felt like she had to make the 'sacrifice' of losing her father worth it by sticking with Lucious through thick and thin and making sure their music dreams came true which includes never, ever letting Empire crumble. It gives Cookie a whole other level of personal stake in the success of Empire. First she lost her dad's trust, then her dad, and then 17 years of her freedom and time/relationships with her kids. All of that was given up for the sake of the Empire. And she had 17 years in prison for her guilt over her father's death and probably some guilt for enjoying the life she made with Lucious that in her mind came at the expense of her father to eat away at her because now she was in prison and one of the questions she asked herself over and over was probably 'Was it worth breaking my daddy's heart and killing him for this?'  

The sad thing is that while Cookie may partly still feel that she has to stay w/Lucious even now to 'justify' picking him over her dad, she's also trying to legitimately move on and try the path not taken and what it has to offer her. I think the thing Cookie has to realize is that she shouldn't be dating Angelo to honor her late father's vision of her but to move on from Lucious because she wants to for herself. I do think it can be done once she forgives herself for the circumstances around her father's death and let's that burden go it's one less tie that binds her to Lucious. Yeah, she has a dozen more emotional ties to him, but this particular one is very unhealthy and to break it frees her to pull and stretch at the others a bit more easily to give her more distance and perspective about him.

[darkestboy]

I liked this one. Loved the Cookie flashbacks and we've got reasons as to why Cookie and her sisters have the relationships they have with each other.

Angelo's mother wasn't quite as horrible as I thought she might have been but I guess that could change in later episodes. The dinner was a disaster but a funny one though between high Jamal, dumb Hakeem and Lucious summing up three seasons worth of plots to Diana.

Nessa and Freda compliment each other vocally and Andre's involvement with both of them was interesting this week. Even Shyne was less annoying this week though.

Philip might be the better romantic choice than Derek for Jamal at this rate, 8/10

[MyAimIsTrue]

I'm catching up on episodes missed by watching them on demand and saw this one over the weekend and what a casting coup in having Phylicia Rashad sort of play against type as Angelo's mother.  As someone else pointed out upthread the moment she walked into Cookie's apartment and slowly took it all in without saying a word was sheer genius.