To Bury or Unearth Pain in Queen Sugar’s “Here Besides The River”
Season 3, Episode 10 | Grade: 9.2/10
Writer: Chloe Hung| Director: Ayoka Chenzira
Tonight’s episode of Queen Sugar did not disappoint as the drama amplified as lines are both drawn and crossed between the Bordelons and Darla (Bianca Lawson).
Nova (Rutina Wesley) completed her chapter entitled “We Bleed Softly In The Night” on her father’s depression and suicide attempt in time for The New Yorker as she is now reading it aloud to a small audience. The chapter is heartfelt, poetic, sobering, and triumphant as her words narrates as her siblings and aunt each starting their day. Charley (Dawn Lyen Gardner) observing Prosper (Henry G. Sanders), Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe) staring at the custody contracts, and Aunt Vi (Tina Lifford) taking care of herself, Micah (Nicholas L. Ashe) scrubbing the red paint from his shoes in frustration, and Darla watching a homeless man from her car. Noticeably, Remy (Dondre L. Whitfield) listens from the audience, lost in her words and proud.
It’s a stirring tribute to her father and acknowledging the mental health of the black man.
Charley has a sit down with Colton Landry, son of Sam Landry, with the information she’s been given from her sit down with Frances Boudreaux in the previous episode. He’s cocky and self-righteous from the moment he appears, making it known that she has no power over him: “You might have my cousin wrapped around your finger but let me be clear. There’s a big difference between a Boudreaux and a Landry. You’ve got five minutes. What do you want?”
Charley isn’t the least bothered, making it clear that she wants his entire 10 percent share in Landry Enterprises in exchange for her not exposing his activities in money laundering with his fraternity friends. She holds over his head that Sam Landry would be displeased and he’s visibly shook and quick to offer her five percent. Charley still isn’t budging. “Money laundering is a federal crime, Colton,” she says then enlightens him that his dirt coming to light will jeopardize his father who will turn against him and land himself in prison. As Ralph Angel hilariously said to her last season, “You on some Godfather shit.” That’s Miss Corleone to you.
“I want it all. All 10 percent. I’m not here to barter. You can take your daddy down or I can take you down. Your choice.” — Charley
The fight over Blue (Ethan Hutchinson) takes a surprising turn as members of the Department of Child & Family Services and an officer arrives to question him. One asks Blue a series of questions which confuses him as the other takes photos of the home which makes them both uneasy. His prison record comes into question in connection to Blue’s welfare which offends and angered Ralph Angel over who made the call to DCFS. Blue watches in concern.
Darla later receives an angry phone call from Ralph Angel accusing her but she’s in shock and assures that she wouldn’t do that. He then calls Aunt Vi. Oh, boy.
Aunt Vi (Tina Lifford) is still going strong about her pie business (and even feistier about the pie shop’s location) as she prepares a new order with her assistant. The assistant mentions Nova’s article about Ernest and admires the strength of her family which puzzles Aunt Vi, as she glances over the article. As soon as her facial expression morphed from pride to discontent, I knew she had a word or two to shoot in Nova’s direction.
Prosper’s story line has gradually broke my heart as he suffered a setback with Charley finding him on the floor of the bathroom. Charley mistakes his stubbornness as pride but as it turns out Prosper cancelled his surgery out of fear that he won’t survive. “Folks my age they go in and they don’t come out.”
Now did y’all take a breath when Darlene (Michael Michelle) made her return and opened the door to Aunt Vi? Y’all mind taking a breath with me again at this moment? Cause, whew child….(breathes).
This episode alone should’ve been called, “Violet Bordelon Reads: You Got The Right One” cause she was fed with everyone’s mess. The whole confrontation between the two women shined in this episode as they debated one another. It’s now crystal clear that Darla’s mother was behind the call to DCFS. She questions Ralph Angel’s ability since he began raising him since Aunt Vi signed over her parental rights. I just have to take a moment to list my favorite lines from this fight cause it was so good.
“If this was all for Blue you would’ve came long ago with more than a checkbook. But oh no, you left the raising to us!” — Aunt Vi
“Like your daughter had? See maybe if the mama ain’t here one minute and gone the next Blue wouldn’t be having these problems. Did you ever think about that?” — Aunt Vi
Oooh and this read when Darlene yelled that Ralph Angel may not be his biological father which made Aunt Vi jingle her keys and walk to the door delivering one last word.
“Ralph Angel is more of a parent to that child than his mama ever even attempted to be. I don’t give a rat’s ass about no DNA. He’s a Bordelon and I will gladly be damned if you, child services, or your damn daughter try to tell me anything different. I will bring you a fight.” — Aunt Vi
When Darla later arrives, the woman from DCFS is present with Darlene who gushes of Blue’s happiness with Darla — whose stare could slice her mother to the bone. Agitated, she excuses Darlene who conveniently has to go grocery shopping.
Still agitated, Aunt Vi invites Nova over to confront her about the essay and feels Nova is disrespecting the family by telling Ernest’s secrets. The conflict of this contrast: Aunt Vi feels her brother’s dark moment being publicized is a disservice while Nova believes it will make a difference on the topic of depression and suicide in the black community. As Aunt Vi said before that she knows Nova better than anyone and her words cut to the core of her.
“Nova, I love you. Always have, always will but you’re off. You think this is a good decision? Something ain’t right with ya in your life, in your soul. I don’t know what it is but whatever it is fix it. Come to yourself.” — Nova
The cherry on top of this episode that had me in laughter came from Charley watching Colton sign over his shares to her. “Your daddy’d be so proud.” Now that Charley has delivered, I wonder if Frances will allow Charley more stock in the company or she’s just using her to take everything back?
Other Episode Notes:
- Now that Ant (Myles Truitt) has been arrested for the arson after he accidentally left his backpack by the candle, will his friends and Micah step up to support him or let him take the blame alone?
- The return of Ralph Angel’s childhood friend Antoine served a great purpose as he gave him a heart-to-heart about his anger and having the weight of the world on this shoulders. He urges him to take responsibility for himself, his anger, and to know the truth of himself: he’s a good father.
- Taking his friend’s advice to heart, Ralph Angel talks to Blue about his past in prison and is honest with him. I found it to be a beautiful moment of vulnerability between father and son that I wish to see more of on television.
- Hollywood (Omar J. Dorsey) has been off and sadly it’s because of the 11th anniversary of his LeeAnn’s miscarriage. He relates with Ernest’s pain from the essay as he saw his infant daughter’s body and it was thoughtful to show the insight of loss from the perspective of a black man and father.
- Keke’s (Tanya Waivers) gut feeling that Micah knows what happen is spot on. He finally reveals that they were present during the arson and she’s angry. He tries to shift the blame on her not being available because she’s preparing for college by saying, “What are you even doing?” She checks him about his recent sense of being “woke” and holds him accountable.
- Fans can now celebrate as the relationship between Remy and Nova is over as they’ve decided to end it to not hurt anyone else they care for despite their feelings.
