Breaking Forever in Queen Sugar’s “A Little Lower Than Angels”
Season 3, Episode 5 | Grade: 9.1/10
Writer: Chloé Hung | Director: Shaz Bennett
Tonight’s episode “A Little Lower Than Angels” had a balance of lighthearted and shocking moments, many that had me going “Oh no” to myself.
The Bordelon siblings are all going through a shift in their personal lives. Since Darla’s (Bianca Lawson) return, there’s so much Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe) has to face since the end of their relationship. The biggest hurtle now is telling their son Blue (Ethan Hutchinson) that they’re no longer getting married but will remain united to co-parent him.
On a professional note, Ralph Angel has done what the other characters have doubted over the course of Queen Sugar: he planted all 800 acres of land — a feat that Remy (Dondre L. Whitfield) marvels over.
Eyeing Nova (Rutina Wesley) on the porch working on the proposal of her book, the land has been inspiration for her words to flow. “It’s like Daddy’s speaking to me,” she tells Remy. Much to the annoyance of Ralph Angel who jokes that she’s been crashing and making dirty dishes for too long. Remy then suggests that she takes a break and offers a fishing trip as the answer.
Now on social media, many Queen Sugar fans have voiced their displeasure and resistance with a love story between Remy and Nova due to his previous history with Charley (Dawn Lyen Gardner). As a fan, it’s a big “oh no, uh-uh” from me but as a writer, I understand the complexity this could bring to the series. What if what Nova wanted in love existed all along in the last person she expected: Remy. But I get it. It still feels wrong.
Ralph Angel has taken a break from his sexual escapades we saw him engaging in and is now bonding with a new love interest, Trinh. He’s been invited to his boss’ home for a Vietnamese dinner/crawfish boil. I thought this was a lovely way of exploring another culture that exists in the New Orleans community, especially when Trinh shows Ralph Angel how to prepare a Vietnamese dish. The conversation shifts to how her family ventured to Louisiana as Ralph Angel’s attention is focused on the memorial stand with a photo and candles by the dinner table. The two are both charismatic and kind of flirty. Now this I am all for. Ralph Angel needs a new love especially since his heart was broken last season. When he later asks her out outside his job, he’s so embarrassed when she can’t hang with him because of duties. I can tell it felt like egg was on his face as he tried to play off his hurt after walking away. Trinh jokingly relies, “You know there’s six other days in the week, right?”
He smiles and they’re hanging out on Monday. I’m happy for him. No more humping girls in the bushes!
The biggest moment of the episode came down to Davis (Timon Kyle Durrett) who called Charley to meet her face-to-face. Micah (Nicholas L. Ashe) avoids talking to him and when he comes over he immediately walks past him to the confusion of Charley. He knows that Davis is about to hit Charley with heartbreak and doesn’t wanna be around to see it happen.
“Thirteen years ago I had an affair…” — Davis
When Davis revealed this in episode 4, I tweeted a gif of Robert Downey Jr. in an explosion — an idea of how hot Durrett’s mentions were going to be. He retweeted with a “😂” and I know his mentions are even hotter tonight. But Davis tells her that he’s returning to Los Angeles to raise his 13-year-old daughter Tia which angers Charley when she realizes that he had a child in their hometown the whole time.
The fact that he tried to pull out his phone to show a picture to her. It’s not the time, Davis. It only adds insult to injury but the breaking point is when she realizes he told Micah before telling her, leaving him to deal with his father’s secret. She shoved him, screaming at him to leave and crumbles on the floor in tears.
“When do you hit bottom?” — Charley to Davis
My heart hurts for Charley as she called to each of her family members only to get their voicemails. But my “oh no” moment was when she received a text from Jacob Boudreaux (Lea Coco) to meet over business. The way she eyed the phone with a sense of “Should I? Shouldn’t I?” We now see her at the bar taking shots of Jack Daniels (such a bad idea) as they talk about whose mother is the most strict: Frances or Lorna? She gets to hear a little about Boudreaux and his brother but she tries to get more out of him and she takes another shot. (Oh no). After being full of alcohol, Boudreaux beams at the sound of a familiar country song and can’t fight the urge to not “dance with a beautiful woman.” Everything about this intimate moment feels wrong as she lays her head on his chest and softly cries, still hurt from Davis’ revelation. But this moment was so poignant, showing the anguish she’s feeling that’s bubbling over with no one in her corner to lean on.
Then the unspeakable happens: they kiss outside the bar. This was my reservation of Charley trying to take on the Landrys-Boudreauxs with his growing attraction towards here since the season 2 finale. He tasted the honey but you better believe he’ll want the whole beehive.
Another heartbreaking moment was Ralph Angel and Darla sitting Blue down to tell him that there won’t be a wedding since they’ve decided to remain friends. Protecting him from the truth, they apologize to him for breaking his dream of them living together and being a family. “But you said forever.” Hutchinson’s emotion in this moment was so innocent as he was so overcome with hurt that he excused himself to go to his room and cry.
“I’m so sorry for breaking your forever.” — Ralph Angel to Blue
Other Episode Notes:
- Charley such a black mama when she saw Micah’s friends on her couch, feet on the table (oh that’s a big no-no) and one of them eating her food. They damn sure were bold, especially questioning Charley’s choice of almond milk over whole milk. 🥛
- Remy and Nova talk about how Ernest fell in love with her mother Trudy and whether she lived a life she was talked into. He tells her that she deserves to be with someone who loves her for who she is and they kiss. Lord, let’s see how this goes, especially when Charley finds out.
- The conversation surrounding prison and black men gave a glimpse of how it shapes them. When Ralph Angel sits in the kitchen and talks to the employee he hired who’s having a hard time finding a place to say. One things for sure, he doesn’t want to return to prison. “When you go out you ever feel like you don’t belong no more?” He asks Ralph Angel and he shares how the stares from people made him feel the same but Ernest assured him: “One day at a time.”
- The shot of Micah’s friend sitting in the grass, looking at the prison in the distance saying, “My brother’s in there…” was heartbreaking. It also explains his persistence to stand for his activism and his standoff with the man at the country club. Anger and heartbreak bubbling over.
- It’s an interesting perspective seeing how Davis and Darla has fallen out from the Bordelon family due to their secrets. I wonder with Davis how can he mend what he has broken with his family and be a father for his daughter Tia. How will that work for him?
- Aunt Vi (Tina Lifford) ignoring Darla when she drops Blue off brings them back to square one. She’s now the top of her shit list again after they came so far. Fool me once…
- The episode around Aunt Vi was a bit light but her lupus is still a concern as she’s dealing with the side effects of her medicine. A sweet moment of her getting her new delivery truck and her joking with Hollywood over the health conscious recipes were nice fillers.
- Micah and his friends continues to be an interesting dynamic this season. I’m interested in seeing how he’ll find his place amongst the strong-headed foursome who are shaking things up regarding to their activism.
