Nicole and Dani discuss the pull they still feel towards their exes when in crisis. Chelsea needs medical advice from Madison. Anita gets a surprise visit from an old friend that turns tense. Vanessa has a request for Joey. Joey has a proposition for Leslie that comes with a catch. Samantha feels guilty as Nicole clashes with Tyrell over an upcoming family event. Anita sets a mystery plan into motion that involves her entire family. Anita begins medical treatment. Dani and Nicole get their test results.
Episode 2.002
Chelsea wants as much information about the BRCA gene as possible. Kat wants to be kept blissfully unaware. Life has changed for the Duprees. It has an impact on all of them. Anita is the one facing cancer. She isn't the only one in danger. Everyone fears the worst will happen to Kat. They feel betrayed over her refusal to get tested. They think she's being reckless with her life. She doesn't need to get tested yet. Nicole and Dani face the immediate risk. Everyone expects Kat to join them in their misery. She professes that she isn't thinking about it. That's obviously a lie. She tells Tomas she wants time alone to process. She doesn't need his support. He wants to be there for her to lean on. She doesn't create that space. She stubbornly faces the world by herself. She lets Chelsea and Naomi in but hates the pressure they impose on her too. They don't know the right thing to do either. Naomi thought she should take a break from work to be there for Anita all the time. That's not a sacrifice Anita wants. Everyone remains in limbo until they get more clarity on the situation. In that regard, information is needed. Chelsea's strategy is proactive. It's also staggering that Madison still has a relationship with her mother at all after hearing what happened to her aunt. That provides more clarity to that estranged dynamic. It's also weird that Madison and Chelsea spent Thanksgiving with Willow.
Everyone expects Nicole to be the one analyzing every possibility. Dani doesn't know what she'll do if she tests positive for the gene. She thought she had to fast before the bloodwork. That's how little she knows. Meanwhile, Nicole is already jumping to Kat needing to freeze her eggs to preserve a viable and happy future for herself. It's insane. Nicole and Dani connect over their reliance on their ex-husbands for emotional support. They can't judge each other. Nicole honestly needs a friend. Dani has Andre. He continues to treat her well. He's everything she needs when she comes home. He knows how to care for her even though the results haven't come back. Nicole and Ted are friends again. That always runs the risk of their feelings becoming blurred once more. It's tricky. That's hardly the only complicated dynamic. One moment, Leslie is berating Shanice for daydreaming about Ted. And then, she's seducing Marcel. Jacob and Naomi notice that. It also escalates to sex. That's crossing a line for Marcel's undercover work. He's not a good husband. This still has the potential to result in her arrest. She's letting her guard down even though she's not taking her eyes off of Ted.
Grade: B+
Episode 2.003
Tamara Tunie has been amazing throughout Anita's cancer arc so far. However, Tracy's appearance to express concern that Anita is repressing her feelings largely feels like an excuse for a wonderful monologue from Tunie. It's powerful to see all that Anita has to lose. She wants more from her family. She needs to be there for all of their big life experiences. She envisions it. It's all so clear to her. She's not being oblivious for wanting to treat herself to dessert. She's taking her disease seriously. This is a lot of pressure directed at her before she even begins her first round of chemo. Because it results in that terrific moment, the story remains compelling. It just also comes across as sacrificing character to get there. That's unfortunate. In fact, Anita's cancer suddenly informs nearly every story across the narrative. Vanessa uses the diagnosis to once again pressure Joey into funding Leslie's clinic. He doesn't see the connection. Vanessa and Nicole talked about how fortunate the Duprees are. Anita can receive the best care. They want to use their influence to help those who cannot. It's a massive oversight that the foundation hasn't focused on cancer before. That will be corrected. Vanessa adds to that appeal in the hopes of making Joey more legitimate.
Nothing good comes from the family being miserable either. Anita wants them to continue living their lives. She will call on them for support when it's needed. She doesn't want to be consumed by cancer. That's not the only thing about her that deserves focus and attention. It's the immediate concern. It can't keep others from doing what they enjoy. Everything seems trivial to Tyrell now. Cancer has put everything into perspective. He changes in order to keep his relationship with Jessica. That's not healthy. It's more insightful for Martin to encourage him to be an ambassador for fun. They need celebration in their lives too. That's the energy that will propel Anita to victory. That's an active choice being made. The true tangential element of the narrative comes from Eva and Izaiah. They deserve happiness. They are getting more serious. They have to reflect on what that means. It's also much more lowkey and lackluster than everything else. Eva doesn't know what's going on with the Duprees. The world doesn't need all the details about Anita's health. Eva isn't entitled to that information. Her story is simply stranded while everything else at least has themes that connect to the larger narrative.
Grade: B-
Episode 2.004
Tyrell brings up some perfectly valid points about the upcoming cotillion. He doesn't see the event as a way to provide opportunities to young Black women. It's nothing more than a celebration for people from wealthy families. He and Samantha would have been shunned if they never left the foster care system. Martin is outraged that someone in the family would express an opposing view. He expects his children to be nothing but supportive and endearing of their grandmother. Nicole can handle pushback. This is actually a rare instance where she also makes a rational argument. She highlights the charitable work these organizations actually do. She welcomes a challenge to her perspective. She doesn't view it as disrespectful. It's ultimately a conversation around trying to change Jessica's mind. Tyrell is channeling his arguments over what Jessica has said. He's condemned for not forming his own opinions. He's even eager to get Jessica to change hers. He expects her to be excited about this event upon hearing Nicole talk about it. It doesn't have to be an obligation forced upon her by her parents. It can provoke deeper meaning over the power of connection. It's a frank conversation. One where Nicole and Tyrell outshine the others in the room.
Elsewhere, news is still spreading about the tragedy within the Dupree family. Ashley wants details about Shanice and Ted's relationship. She questions Shanice pushing Ted to be there for Nicole. It's only after learning about the testing that Ashley realizes she's made a mistake. Everything is not as it initially seems. It requires true insight and maturity to accept whatever comes. Sure, plenty of characters act impulsively. They change according to whatever the situation requires. Leslie is thrilled Joey will partner with her on the clinic. He wants to honor Doug's memory with it. He claims not to have a guilty conscience. That's not true whatsoever. Plus, Randy catches Leslie and Marcel kissing. Marcel warns Leslie about the strings attached to accepting Joey's money. She's unpredictable enough to tolerate any complications from this arrangement. It's all an excuse to get these characters interacting more often. It comes at the expense of Dani unloading on Vanessa about how she's feeling. That occurs off camera. That's disappointing especially given how supportive Vanessa genuinely is for both Dani and Nicole. The conversation really didn't need to pivot around Bill again.
Grade: B
Episode 2.005
Anita wants to be there for her girls when they get their test results. Her chemo schedule won't allow it. It's good for Dani and Nicole to get the results back quickly. They need to know what future they're facing. Information is powerful. It's a daunting prospect. One where Anita still isn't used to accepting help from others. Vernon will be by her side for the hours chemo is going into her system. They don't know how she will react. It will be physically and emotionally draining. She wants to celebrate before her life changes forever. She rallies the entire family for an impromptu Mardi Gras celebration. They won't attend in person this year. It symbolizes the joy they wish to experience. That's the healing energy this family needs. They are consumed by fear and dread. Anita knows how to lift everyone's spirits. She doesn't have to be there for every big moment her family is going through. That's the role she has always filled. Stepping back is terrifying. It means missing what makes life special. She will fight. This is her exerting her control over the situation. She manages to get everyone out of their heads. This is what they needed. It's relaxing. Worries over cancer still linger. It's not being ignored. It's the family standing in defiance as a unit. That's empowering.
It's heartbreaking for Kat to miss it. She doesn't want to think about cancer whatsoever. She doesn't see any good in worrying about the BRCA gene. She doesn't need a reminder to be healthy. She believes she is young and indestructible. She wants to live in denial. No one in the family wants to coddle her. They don't see this behavior as rational. They want to snap her out of it. That only pushes her away. Tomas presents a valid alternative by distracting her. She views it as their relationship growing deeper. It comes at such a cost. When Chelsea messages her about what she's missing, Kat interprets it as Chelsea graveling for peace. Martin and Nicole's messages don't get through. They know she is missing a truly healing event. Anita mentions that the family needs to look out for one another. They have to be there and notice when the pain is too unbearable. That's exactly what Kat is going through. It doesn't mirror the same response as the rest of the family. As such, they don't know how to handle her. They view her as the problem. She fears being selfish. It's all alienating. The family appreciates one another. Yet it comes at the expense of one of their own. That's devastating. Kat needs guidance and support too. It's unclear if her family can provide what she actually needs. She ignored a call from Anita because she was in denial. To the family, that's the most devastating betrayal. It wasn't personal. This hasn't been easy for Kat. She's imploding.
Grade: B+
Episode 2.006
Both Nicole and Dani had a 50/50 shot of inheriting the BRCA gene. That provided the narrative with plenty of possibilities to explore. The results come back. Nicole tests negative while Dani is positive. That's actually a huge shakeup of expectations. The tension between Nicole and Kat would have only intensified if Nicole carried the gene. Now, Martin and Kat can breathe a sigh of relief. They are in the clear. They understand the need to be there for Dani, Naomi and Chelsea. In fact, it remains notable how Kat will own up to her mistakes. She feared an intervention from her family. She didn't want to be surrounded by that energy. She missed out on an incredible party. She's there for her family today. She recognizes the mistake she made. She doesn't want to push her loved ones away further. They need her now more than ever. She just has to be there for them. That's especially true for Chelsea due to how close their friendship has always been. She extends the same generosity to Dani and Naomi. Dani puts on a brave face. Andre would love to be the one in bed holding her. Yet it's powerful to see Nicole in that position. The sisters faced this unknown together. They received different results. This is exactly where they need to be. That was the plan no matter what the tests revealed.
Anita remained adamant about Vernon being there for the girls. She didn't want him at her first chemo appointment. He refuses to listen. He knows how to handle a stubborn Dupree woman better than most. That spirit defined each generation. That's something proud to have in their genetics. It's heartbreaking when Dani hopes Naomi inherited more from Bill. Naomi is proud to be her mother's daughter. They all learned from Anita's example. That's how they provide support right now. Martin informs Vernon. The patriarch decides to keep it a secret from his wife. It's devastating enough for him to process. He doesn't know how to share the news. Martin wasn't either. It was his responsibility to do so. It's what his mother needed from him. He has to be strong. He's grateful for his health. His side of the family doesn't have to worry. That means they have to be dependable for those who do. That's the give-and-take of these dynamics. It's an emotional time. Everyone was praying for the best. Andre listens when Dani needs space. He isn't there when she receives the news. She isn't alone. She wants to share it with him. That's not possible simply because he left his phone at home. That means Naomi will have to break the news while Dani's breakfast order won't perk her up as intended.
Grade: A-
