There is no one way to grieve, BUT I know Brianna did not just Google “how to dispose of a dead body”! There’s no emotion, no tears, and no dramatic monologue as Brianna mechanically reports her husband is dead and has his body removed from her house. The look on her face is the look of someone who is in a constant state of shock — as she should be, as her husband just died after revealing he has been unfaithful.
Episode four takes us on a wildly dramatic ride accompanied with just the perfect amount of comic relief. And though the episode makes light of Jeff’s death, there is a lesson the Queens take away: “We don’t know the hour, we don’t know the day, when the ones we love are going to fly far away.” This truth inspires a lot of mending of relationships and forgiving. After Valeria realizes Eric has always loved Naomi, she feels silly for beefing with her for 20 years. Before Jeff’s funeral service begins, she gives Naomi her flowers and acknowledges how good of a woman and musician she is. In a weird way, she also gives Naomi permission to tell Jojo that Eric is her father (at least that’s what it felt like). After choosing not to have Eric’s child, Valeria admits to Naomi that he would be an amazing father. Naomi has kept this a secret from Jojo and Eric for 20 years, and a part of me thinks she is selfish AF for withholding precious information; the other part reminds me not to judge her (but I’m definitely judging, though). Her reason for not telling Eric was based on pure resentment, jealousy, and anger. As fate would have it, Jojo and Eric cross paths a few times, and their spirits just seem to vibe well with each other. Now that the cat is out of the bag, I look forward to seeing dope musical daddy-daughter moments.
We won’t see daddy-daughter moments between Jeff and his student turned side chick’s baby, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Alexis becomes an unofficial member of the group or something. Brianna went from attacking Alexis at the funeral (as she should because she shows up to a married man’s funeral) to sobbing in her arms. Can you believe that Alexis threw up on Jeff’s body?? Alexis’s presence reminded her that although her husband was flawed, he was still a good man, a great father, and, most important, she loved him. The resentment she had over Jeff’s cheating, coupled with the pressures of being a single mother to five kids, didn’t allow Brianna to grieve. She needed to go through the stages of grief on her own time. The drama at the funeral definitely feels similar to a Tyler Perry movie, like Jill da Thrill says.
This episode also presents a lot of drama in Jill’s personal life — like Jeff, she’s a cheater too. After hooking up with Alicia, the journalist from Out magazine, Jill feels guilty about betraying Tina. Alicia tries to explain to her in so many words that now that she is free and open, she doesn’t have to live a life of restrictions. Throughout the episode, Jill fails to navigate conversations about cheating without looking or sounding guilty. The guilt is written all over her face. And instead of confessing, she asks Tina to move in. Also, Tina, who despite being Jill’s side lesbian lover and cheating on her own husband, ironically isn’t the biggest fan of adultery. The pressure to keep her secret from Tina becomes too much, and eventually Jill spills the beans and blurts out “I slept with someone else” while Tina is in mid-sentence. I wonder if the cheater knows that the person getting cheated on most of the time has somewhat of an idea that something is off. Tina had her “here’s why I already knew that” list ready. She ultimately decides to let Jill find herself and amicably ends their relationship. Is it really amicable if you break up with someone at a funeral and leave, though?? Not really.
On another note, so far, Valeria’s character has gotten a pretty bad rap for being a bougie, self-centered B-word. In this episode, though, she reveals a more vulnerable side and makes decisions that prioritize other people’s feelings ahead of her own. When Jeff’s mistress initially becomes the topic of discussion before the funeral, it’s Valeria who vouches for her, reminding the ladies that Alexis may be grieving too. She also doesn’t allow the girls to blame Alexis for Jeff’s cheating. At the time, Alexis had no idea Jeff had passed, so she kept calling his phone (probably because she knew she was pregnant). Valeria breaks the news to her, and although one could argue that it isn’t her place, Alexis and Brianna understanding each other is the first step to healing for both women.
Other Notes
• The singing! It has been a minute since we’ve heard Naturi sing, and her vocals sound beautiful. This role is legit perfect for her, like all the girls’ roles are for them.
• I truly hope Brandy can bless us with her vocals each episode.
• This is super-random, but I’m currently listening to Alicia Keys’s memoir, and it dawned on me: Jojo’s character — the classical pianist who merges hip-hop with traditional sounds!
