Due to yours truly traveling down to Miami for American Black Film Festival, we missed a recap week. So this week, we’ll recap Eps. 4 and 5.
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In last week’s Episode Four, officially titled “No Haven In My Shadow” Darla (Bianca Lawson) returns. And we’ve finally found a way to age the 39-year-old beauty – put her in a godawful lacefront wig. We’re wondering if Queen Sugar changed hairdressers from last year because even Nova (Rutina Wesley)’s locs seem off this year.
But OK, back to the story. Darla is in St. Josephine’s for good, though it’s unclear how she’s maintaining herself. Maybe her parents are helping out. She’s come far from the timid, guilt-ridden woman we first met. She wants time with Blue (Ethan Hutchinson) and she doesn’t feel like she needs to beg Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe) for it. Fair point.
The family is preparing for the year anniversary of Ernest Bordelon’s death with a bonfire in his memory, kind of a beautiful touch. Each family member will write down a wish and hopefully Ernest, now an ancestor will feel their request and help them with it. And of course, everyone is still struggling with something.
Charley finds out that Prosper Denton (Harry G. Sanders) has health issues and being kicked off his land. Say what? Aunt Vi (Tina Lifford) doesn’t want to accept Hollywood’s (Omar Dorsey)’s offer to buy her a new truck because she’s afraid of being beholden like she was to her abusive ex, Jimmy Dale. But she’s going to have to do something because Miss Effie ain’t trying to let her cook in the church anymore. Old bat!
Micah (Nicholas Ashe) has to deal with more than just a new school – his father, Davis West (Timon Kyle Durrett) has a confession to make. Surprise! Micah has a sibling whose 13 years old. Wow, Davis!
Nova, whose love life has been quiet as of late, compared to previous seasons, is having some interesting energy with Remy (Dondre Whitfield). Word? And she’s been struggling with writer’s block, so her usual activism has been diluted as she tries to crank out a book proposal.
Charley heads to Jacob Boudreaux (Lea Coco) to find out why farmers are being evicted. He says it’s not malicious – it’s the EPA saying that the land is tainted with lead. And now that’s she’s a part of their business, it’s her problem to solve, too. He’s still creepy but getting a little less creepy as the show goes on. However, we’re still not convinced he’s not a snake in the grass spying for the Landrys.
By episode’s end, some things have been resolved. Ralph Angel allows Darla to take Blue to a school trip. Aunt Vi accepts the truck. Nova finds something to write about. Charley gets closer to finding out the truth about the Landrys. And Blue thanks his grandfather for bringing his mother back.
On to Episode 5, officially titled “A Little Lower Than Angels.”
Darla may be back but the family is still giving her the cold shoulder, most notably Aunt Vi, who won’t even speak to her. Come on, Aunt Vi, say your piece and let it be done. She’s Blue’s mother, regardless.
Micah has joined up with the campus activists, and they’re hanging at his house. Now you know Charley’s not feeling his new friends – named K.J., Asha and Malik. But she’s going to try to deal. Unbeknownst to her, that’s not going to be the worst thing she’ll have to deal with on this episode.
Ralph Angel and his new Vietnamese friends/boss invite him over to dinner and he enjoys both the food and the company of Trinh (Vivien Ngô). Umm, not quite feeling this storyline. It doesn’t flow seamlessly when all anyone wants to know is how Ralph Angel is going to work things out with Darla.
The emotional bomb in this episode, though, is when Davis tells Charley about his 13-year-old daughter, Tia. Kinda 13 years too late, dontcha think? He’s moving back to L.A. to take care of her because her mother has passed. Charley, as you can imagine, probably couldn’t give a damn if Davis moves, but the revelation of a daughter she didn’t know about is devastating. Davis says he can make amends. Dude. Charley throws him out, probably a good move before she ended up on the news (again).
Nova and Remy (Dondre Whitfield) go fishing and exchange a kiss. It feels only right that the show’s two most self-righteous characters end up together. Some were saying that Remy is Charley’s ex, but not technically. Remember they never had sex and while they were sweet on each other, no commitment was ever made. I still don’t think Charley will take it well.
Ralph Angel decides to let the ex-con he hired stay in the crib. He feels for the guy because he’s trying to stay out of trouble and the places he’s been staying won’t help with that. But COME ON RA! Who’s your first priority? Blue. Giving an ex-con a job is one thing, but staying in your house? No bueno.
Aunt Vi is struggling with lupus and changing medications. Hollywood has her back, but her healthy food choices are driving him crazy. He’s trying though, bringing by some cauliflower mac and cheese after he and Blue sneak in some burgers. Where does this man exist in real life?
Finally, Ralph Angel and Darla have to tell Blue that he will be living between them and that they are not getting married. Poor baby, he doesn’t take it too well. Neither does Ralph Angel, whose one-tear performance will remind you of that time Denzel shed a solo tear in Glory. Mr. Siriboe has grown so much in this role. Why do I still want Darla and Ralph Angel to tear each others clothes off and work it out somehow?
After the devastating news from Davis, Charley reaches out, but as usual, no one is there when she needs it. So she goes to Jacob Boudreaux, who is definitely checking for her. For real. They too, exchange a kiss, actually a few. He’s such a combo of smarmy and charming that it’s no wonder Charley ends up alone in a tub trying to wash away all these men and their bullshit.
It’s a wrap, Sugar babies. See ya next week!
Some notes: The pace of the show has picked up this season, but sometimes Queen Sugar still has a way of meandering along. It can also drop promising storylines and characters while glossing over essential character development. How is Nova getting along with no job and no book deal yet? At one time she was the weed hookup…what happened there?
Also, sometimes the QS Writer’s Room seems to save the best writing for Charley, who remains the most multi-dimensional character on the show. The original book is focused on her story but we need more from other characters. Ralph Angel can’t always catch an L. Darla and Davis can’t always be irredeemable and made to feel perpetually guilty.
There is an interesting dynamic here about what happens when people who marry into a family – or have children in the family – do something wrong and are then ostracized, despite their blood ties. That should be explored more.
Also, too many couples with chemistry are being broken up – Nova and almost everyone but Remy, fo example. Calvin, played by sexy-ass Greg Vaughan, should have stayed on. Had Nova continued to see him, it would have made for a much more interesting moral dilemma for her on so many levels. While Remy/Nova has high drama potential, their chemistry isn’t that convincing.
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