Queen Sugar – “Moving So Easily Through That Common Depth”

Season 6 | Episode 5

Well folks, we are halfway through the season. Can you believe it? A lot happened last week. *in my Charley voice* Previously, on Queen Sugar… Micah got dumped by the naughty professor, Charley made her relationship with Davis known worldwide, and the police dug up RA’s land and only hope for a harvest thanks to Nova and her trash book.

This week’s episode opens with the siblings sitting around the table at RA’s place. Nova paces the floor as she gathers information about what’s going on with the bones. RA looks over it. Charley looks worried. Nova found out that the judge upheld the stay so the police can’t start digging again. The bad news is the forensic testing may take some time. RA says that his daddy’s name just gets dragged through the mud until they get answers. Charley has her attorney on it (of course) and she’s been advised that if the bones belong to those missing men, and the families decided to file a civil suit, it’s *almost* impossible for them to win. For RA, there are too many “ifs” in that equation. *insert deep sigh here*

NOVA

I guess Nova is doing her part to “fix” it and she goes downtown to harass the forensics folks about the bones. She wants to be notified first (and before it’s made public) of the results. But because this investigation is a criminal investigation, it’s not going to happen. And Nova leaves.

Nova told Dominic that she has an idea about what she was going to write about next. She cranked out the next story kinda quick and shared it with Billie. They seem to be coming right along in their rekindled friendship. Billie tells her that the article is good, but once she publishes it, it’s gonna be some smoke in the city. This is interesting because when Nova shared her book with her friend, the friend basically said the same thing and Nova did it anyway.

Billie takes a moment to apologize to Nova for telling Ernest about her sexuality. It was wrong. Nova accepts her apology and tells Billie they need to focus on the future. They are each other’s first best friends and throughout their lives, they have compared their friends to each other and no one ever measured up. Billie gave up on trying at friendship. She’s glad Nova is back in her life. They hug it out.

CHARLEY

At Charley’s house, she’s lost in the abyss of social media. The article reads, “If Ride or Die Was a Person.” Charley is…bothered. Micah comes by because apparently lunch is involved. They embrace. Charley yawns. She’s tired because sleep hasn’t been coming easy lately. She’s worried about everything – the remains on the farm, the USDA lawsuit, how Davis is adjusting to his job and their relationship. She’s probably staying up all night reading what everybody and they mama gotta say about her relationship, too (but she didn’t say that). Basically, there are so many things in limbo and she’s feeling very uneasy. Micah comes thru with some advice. Charley is used to and likes to have control over situations (don’t we all) but we can’t always be. We just can’t. Charley takes the advice but asks him if he feels that way. He does. He admits to having anxiety. Especially since that situation with Prosper and his police situation. But he has to remind himself that he can’t control that. He can only control how he responds to it. Charley is proud of him. I wish they had talked more about it. And I still want Micah to get professional help. But maybe admitting it IS the first step and he will get the help he needs to cope.

Later, Charley shows up at Nova’s with all thee wine because the Twitter sKreets got her sKressed. Nova was like, girl, you famous (and shows her the article that drags her for getting back with Davis). Charley was like…infamous, you mean. Black Twitter is all on my azz. Nova can relate because she been there too. Nova is prolly still there because she hasn’t commented on Calvin (that we know of) and Black Twitter is mad impatient. And so the sisters settle in for some lamenting. They reminisce about Ernest and laugh about his shenanigans. But then Charley gets serious. She wishes her daddy were here now. Nova says that she does too…it would make finding out who the bones belong to easier. Charley asks Nova to be sure. Daddy didn’t kill anyone, right? I was kinda mad that Charley even asked the question. I have only known Ernest for 2 episodes and I know he didn’t. Nova says he didn’t, BUT if he did, he had a good reason and no alternative. Huh? They are silent and then Charley says she needs more wine. And while Nova is at it, Charley asks for 2 eggs. She’s been stirring something since this scene started. Turns out, she bakes. Whooooo TF knew? She read that baking has a calming effect. When things are out of control, it gives you something to control. She tells Nova she should try it and Nova declines an opts for drinking instead. Charley ain’t mad. But didn’t Vi teach Nova how to bake? Seems like she’d be the one to gravitate towards for calming. And since she’s living in that SpongeBob meme with fire all around her, seems like she might wanna give it a go.

The sister’s night with Nova didn’t help calm Charley’s nerves, so she heads to the matriarch to get her spirit right. She also brought the pastries that she baked for Vi to taste. Vi tasted one told her it was “good” and asked her why she was there because it dayum sure wasn’t so she could taste her baked goods. Charley looks hella guilty and Vi was like…maam…I’ve know you longer than you’ve known yourself. You’re here for a reason, now what it is? Charley tells her it’s Davis and Vi said, “what’d he do now?” I cackled because that’s gonna be how people react for the foreseeable future. Davis aint do a thing (thankfully) but Charley starts telling Vi about how social media is going crazy and attempts to pick up her phone to show her the foolery. Vi stopped her right there. Why do you care so much about what folks think about who you are in a relationship with? You don’t know them people. Vi was like…YOU posted that picture of you and Davis and then YOU did an interview selling the rights to your business. YOU asked for trouble. Have I ever asked you what you thought of Hollywood? No. Wanna know why? Because EYE am in a relationship with him and YOU aint. Trouble is bound to find its way into a relationship. I’m not going to invite it in. True love is sacred and a blessing and you need to treat it as such. Charley thanks her. She got what she came for. Sound advice. VI wasn’t finished tho. Them cupcakes…they were dry. Charley was like…those are croissants. VI was like…#fixitJesus.

RALPH ANGEL + DARLA

Darla is in da bed and she’s super stressed about everything that’s going on. Per the usual, RA tells her not to worry and focus on the good things. But now that the harvest is ruined he has a Plan B. Pick up work from his boy, Theo. Darla was like…Theo from prison. RA was like…I used to be RA from prison. And that’s a true story. LOL. I been telling folks who have a hard time with redemption for Davis that RA was an armed robber who left his kid on a bench so he could arm rob and he went to jail for credit card fraud (I think)…but we love him now. Anywhoooo…RA tells Darla that it’s all legit work at a warehouse and will lead to a full time job. The pay is under the table, but it’s good. He will take care of them. And that’s his word.

Darla goes over to Vi’s restaurant and Vi has prepared a lil care package for her. Darla isn’t in the best space right now because she’s worried. She tells Vi that RA is under a lot of pressure. Vi reminds her that she ain’t really on great terms with RA right now, but she still wants to know what’s going on because they are family and she’s always there. Darla told Vi that she has some money and it’s enough to pay bills. Vi was like…and the problem is…what? Darla tells her about the college account and how RA didn’t want her to get or use the money. BUT, Darla heard my prayers last week and she got the money. And she’s keeping it from him. She needs to contribute. And Vi was like…good for you! Every woman should have her own account. You never know. Real talk…my grandma told me that when I was about 8 and I never forgot it.

RA went to the club to wait for Theo outside. He came to get details on that “lil thang.” He got a family to support and he needs them to be proud of them. Theo was like family wants you to provide, they don’t care how you do it. Ummm…I don’t know bout this Theo. Theo then pulls a roll of money out of his pocket and gives RA his money upfront. RA asks why he’s doing this. Theo says RA looked out for him in prison and RA is a real one. They need to stick together. So now that RA done got his money upfront, he’s really about to do this illegal thing. 😩 He makes me weary.

So RA continued in his quest to be the MVP for Team BadDecisions. He’s sitting in the getaway van and got the nerve to pray. He also had the nerve to start the prayer out by saying…I know I don’t come to you often. #MendItMoses. Bayyyybeeeee…you cannot be coming to Black Jesus to help you successfully commit this crime. You just can’t. Anyway, he asked Jesus D’Anthony Christ to cover him and protect him because he’s doing this for all the right reasons. Oh…he was crying too. Like Denzel. One LONGGGGG tear out the left eye. And just as he finished praying, Theo knocked on the window and told him there was a change of plans. One of his guys pulled out so RA has to help load the truck. RA was like…it’s always some bs. Theo was like…you ain’t got ta do this. Just give me my money back. You know RA wasn’t finna give that money back. I hope you also know that the “change of plans” was God’s way of answering RA and telling him that something wasn’t right about this. You probably also know that RA did it anyway. So he did it and Theo told him that he did great work and he would see him on the next one. RA said there would be no next one and Theo said he respects that…and gave RA the rest of his money.

RA drives off. And the police somehow find him. At this point, I’m sweating bullets. But the police keeps going right on past RA in the van. RA whispers a prayer of thanksgiving. That was close.

Now that RA got a lil money burning his pockets, he wants to take Darla on a babymoon. He got an AirBnB in the Garden District. It sounds nice. RA says they deserve it. Darla is reluctant and says it’s a lot. RA tells her he worked a “double shift” with Theo so it’s cool. Oh..and he’s gonna work another shift next week. Yalllllll! I cannot!

VI + HOLLYWOOD

Vi cooked dinner for Celine and Gabriel and they are enjoying the meal. Gabriel is all about Mr. Hollywood and Celine is happy. She also shares with Vi that she filed for a divorce. VI is happy to hear it. Wood gave Gabriel a basketball and he’s hype. Celine asks if Gabriel thanked Wood and he did. Celine says thank you as well. And it was at that very moment that I got a feeling that Celine had a thang for Wood and everything was not gonna be alright.

Later, Vi dropped Celine and Gabriel off at the hotel and came back home. She told Wood how Gabriel talked about Wood theeee whole time and that Wood has been different lately – in a good way. Gabriel has changed him and she’s seen a side of him she hasn’t seen before. They will always have kids in their lives, but they will never have kids that belong to them. Vi wants to make sure Wood is still ok with that. He says he is. Because legacy is about more than just kids. Vi doesn’t look convinced.

BILLIE ANN + PROSPER

Billie was up early and went to the bakery to get some organic muffins and a brand new coffee maker for Prosper. He was very unappreciative and told Billie that he doesn’t need it. And it’s too expensive. Billie told Prosper that SHE paid for it, but he says he doesn’t want her buying him things either. Soo…Billie packs up all the ish she just bought and prepares to head out. She was just trying to make him happy. And I felt super sad for Billie because she’s trying. And Prosper is being a grumpy old Black man and he’s working my nerBs. Billie made herself busy cleaning up Prosper’s place. They finally have a decent conversation. Prosper tells Billie that she was always adventurous and there were times when he just didn’t want her to be that, be who she was. He asks for her forgiveness for all the times he failed her. Billie tells him that she loves him and she’s sorry for embarrassing him or for making him feel like she wasn’t worthy of his love. They embrace. And it looks like they are finally on the right track.

In the end, the Bordelons got a win. Vi invites the fam over to the diner for a champagne toast. Thanks to Nova’s investigation, they found out the bones were more than 150 years old! I told yall last week that they probably belonged to Trudy or an enlsaved person who used to live on the land…because #ibeknowin. So, Ernest isn’t a murderer. They toast. But RA was like…who DO those bones belong to? Later, Dominic pops up again. Nova called him for a favor this time. She needs some testing done on the remains they found. He can do it for her at the University. But, it might take some time. Nova says she’s a patient woman. He says he’s a patient man. A lot of folks are talking about Dominic and how he’s the FBI and he’s undercover and he’s this and he’s that. I don’t think he’s nothing but her future love interest and the person who has the resources to help her uncover the case of the secret bones. Nothing about him his suspicious to me. I could be wrong, but… *whispers* I’m probably not.

*sips tea* Let’s chat, Beloved.

Vi has brought Celine into the fold. Now…I hope the previews are misleading, but if Celine try it with Wood, it’s finna be some slow singing and flower bringing. That’s allZ I know.

Once again, the writers have let Nova off easy. She “fixed” it. Just like that. I don’t know what kind of love affair they have with her, but I’m tiyad. I am interested in this new story about the bones. A third of my blog is dedicated to Black history so I’m very intrigued by what we may learn about those 150 year old bones and about the land itself. Truth be told, the remains of enslaved people and people of color really are everywhere. Only certain people got the privilege of headstones and dedicated cemeteries. I cannot wait for this to unfold.

Micah and his lil friend keep having scenes together. He’s helping Micah learn how to mediate and handle his anxiety which is great. But Micah needs a therapisT. A good one.

RA is really outchea falling back into his illegal ways. I’m so disappointed in him. And he plans to try his luck again and go back. And, it looks like it won’t end well that time. I’m so over him. And how you gonna be up to your neck in payday loans but your first order of business is to book an AirBnB. No gahtdamb sir. Darla knows this isn’t what they should be doing either. I’m just…I’m tired of them.

Anddddd….Charley. She knew the road would be hard. She told Davis that herself. So she had to know that the social media draggage was gonna be swift and mighty. Maybe she knew but the reality of it all was a bit much. Vi went in on Charley for doing her own PR job. I don’t fault her for getting ahead of her own story. Either she was going to do it or the party was going to do it. Either way, it was gonna be done. But, Vi was right. If Charley made the decision to be in this relationship, she needs to focus on the relationship and not what a bunch of people she doesn’t know think about it. Basically, Eff them. You happy? That’s all that matters. And real talk, this will come up again if she runs. But considering we’ve had Trump as President and Hillary “stand by my man” Clinton as a Senator and serious Presidential contender, she might be ok. I really hope she decides to live her life without worrying what other people think. Shouldn’t we all do that anyway?

What did yall think of this week’s episode? Lemme know. Like. Comment. Share.