Being Mary Jane: Season 3 (Episodes 1 & 2)

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you have not yet seen or don’t want to know details from the BET series Being Mary Jane. 

Episode 1: Facing Fears

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Mary Jane accidentally hears David and Lisa at the end of Season 2.

We see Mary Jane Paul (Gabrielle Union) getting wheeled into the ER after the (cliffhanger) car accident at the end of S2.  The BEST part of the ep comes early when Mary Jane’s dad, Paul Sr. (Richard Roundtree), punches David (Stephen Bishop) in the face (LOVED IT)!  The Pattersons now know that David was cheating w/ Lisa (Latarsha Rose), MJ’s oldest friend and a surrogate daughter to the family. 

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David tries to explain/apologize to the Pattersons in the hospital.

In the cafeteria, Helen (Margaret Avery), pointedly asks Lisa about her relationship w/ David- AWKWARD (yet it comes off VERY well from the viewpoint of her tough-love/straight-forward character.  Remember how Lisa spent time w/ Helen in S1 (watching their fave TV show)?  And also how she cared for Niecy during her two pregnancies? 

The woman that collided w/ Mary Jane, Cece (Loretta Devine) is simply a delight (or should I use her term- “blessing?”)   Suffice it to say, Cece is a hustler who will NOT go quietly!  We learn about her smarts in the meeting at SNC, then later at MJ’s house (bold move there).

P.J. (B.J. Britt) comes over to see MJ; they have a GREAT convo re: black men, black women, standards, and David (specifically).  MJ tells him that she wants what their parents have (awww)!  I also LOVED thos scene; P.J. “dropped some truth” (as the commentators on Afterbuzz TV said).

Patrick (Richard Brooks) drives Lisa over- it’s too soon for MJ.  But she goes outside and they have (yet another) difficult convo.  MJ admits that she didn’t want to communicate w/ Lisa b/c that would’ve brought up HER own issues!  They’ve grown apart in the last year, b/c Lisa was jealous of what David (who she’d met first, then been friends w/) and MJ had.

Episode 2: Louie, Louie

This ep is like a “homage to her baseball bat” (Afterbuzz TV).  It also brings up some (serious) questions: Does MJ have a drinking problem?  Is it to the point where she’s an alcoholic?  (Niecy brought it up toward the end of S2.)

Kara (Lisa Vidal) covers up the mirror, then stays overnight in MJ’s hospital room.  (Their alliance/friendship is one of the BEST things about the show!)

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Cece makes a (surprise) visit to Mary Jane’s house.

The Latino population is growing FAST, as the rep from the The National Council of La Raza tells Greg.  A new/younger gal, Marisol, has been brought in to sub for MJ, which causes MJ to feel pity for herself (yeah, she’s got SOME entitlement issues).

It’s already been brought!  -MJ declares to Cece (This is a callback to Union’s role on the teen comedy Bring It On.) 

While Marisol is on, Cece comes by and they have a battle of wit/words.  MJ calls her a “lazy negro”- she wants to extort money from MJ (even after getting $100,000 from SNC).

I LOVED how Patrick asked Paul (finally) for help- his father gets choked up w/ emotion.  When the others leave the room, Niecy (quietly/sadly) asks Patrick why wasn’t he there for her and Naima (her older sister who was engaged to be married in S2).  Niecy just keeps growing on me (I did NOT like her much when I started watching this show).

The Affair: Season 2 (Episode 3)

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you have not yet seen or don’t want to know details from the Showtime series The Affair.  

Did YOU catch that Cole was wearing a wedding ring when he met w/ Alison (in previous ep)?  A viewer (Charles Harkins) did, then wrote into the Afterbuzz TV  to point that out.  Whoa, good catch there!

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Love is NOT all you need, Noah & Alison keep learning!

Though he hid it from Helen, we know that Noah and Alison are living together (6 weeks or so) in the Hudson Valley cabin.  (Whoa, it’s WAY too early to get engaged!)  Noah learns some facts about Alison, including the almost drowning herself in S1 E8.  Several viewers have commented that Alison seems “so down” still; they imagined that she’d be happier; Alison Dean (Afterbuzz TV) replied that we will learn more about Alison in the near future (like more details re: her young son’s death). 

Part 1: Noah

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The issues, conflicts, and awkwardness of the Friedmans MUST be reminding Noah & Alison of difficulties of marriage.

In this version, Alison is the one (after an awkward pause) creates a story of how the couple met at the lunch w/ Robert and Yvonne.  Noah looks  (a bit) surprised by this, but quickly joins in.  Later on, he comments to Alison that “it was a bit unreal.” 

Whitney (surprise!) storms into the cabin.  She is majorly pissed-off, cursing loudly, and being nasty to BOTH Noah and Alison.  Then, she spies the engagement ring and blows up! 

Alison offers him the ring back, BUT it’s quite different in her version!  Noah think of Alison as someone who is stronger than she looks, so she is (usually) the active (coming on strong) person in the relationship.

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“I think she’s the most openly sensitive…” -Actress Julia Goldani Telles

Before Whitney leaves on the train, she says that she wants to come live w/ him full-time.  She complains about her mom and grandmother, referring to them as “witches.”  Yes, Whitney is a difficult teen girl, BUT the way she talks and her behavior are NOT so uncommon (in these modern times).

Noah has lunch w/ Max in NYC.  Max gives (few/vague) details about his new relationship (we know it’s Helen).  Then, Max gives him $50,000 (chump change for a guy like him).  Hmmm… what will Noah say when he learns re: Max and Helen?

Part 2: Alison

Yvonne is excited to learn that Noah and Alison are engaged, and she prattles on w/ questions. Noah mentions having 4 kids right away.  Alison is surprised to hear the “I think I’m done” (she wants kids, I’m pretty sure).  Noah notices the sad/disappointed look on her face, then says that they hadn’t discussed it.  Robert is embarrassed by Yvonne’s nosiness, so he takes her glass and pours the white wine out (LOVED this little bit, personally).

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Whitney is a complex kid… she can manipulate her elders well!

Whitney came to the mansion (NOT acting as obnoxious/outraged as in Noah’s version) while Noah and Yvonne were talking re: his new book.  The next morning, she makes coffee and eggs for Alison.  We learn that  her intent is get Scott’s number (“Because I’m in love with him!”)  She and Alison seem to get along.

Do you think we’re making a terrible mistake?  -Alison asks Noah re: their engagement

In her version, Alison is more meek and passive; she asks the above question.  In the background, we see Whitney having a cigarette.  Alison is (obviously) thinking of her (and Noah’s other kids).  Viewers have commented that HE has more to lose than Alison.

Alison and Robert go look for the rogue dog (Pete) and they have a GREAT conversation.  It seemed VERY “real” and “genuine,” as the Afterbuzz TV hosts commented.  I LOVE Robert!

PaleyFest NY: Red Carpet Interviews

Meet Comedian Said Durrah

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Said Durrah (based in Washington, DC) was raised in Detroit, MI, and has performed ALL over the world.  He’s a proud Arab-American/Muslim whose mom is Palestinian and dad is Jordanian.  Check out his site (saidsworld.com).

2010 Big Brown Comedy Show (NYC)

2011 New York Arab Comedy Fest (Gotham Comedy Club, NYC)

George Washington University (DC) Students’ Event

Reading a poem at Busboys & Poets (DC)

The Affair: Season 2 (Episode 2)

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you have not yet seen or don’t want to know details from the Showtime series The Affair.  

I LOVED how Lem Gonsalves (Afterbuzz TV) compared this show to those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books we read as kids!

Part 1: Alison

Who am I to you?  -Alison asks Noah

As Alison Dean (Afterbuzz TV) noted, Alison (Ruth Wilson) is uncertain of… everything, b/c their relationship is VERY new, their lives have changed dramatically, and they’re STILL married to other people.  Noah (Dominic West) is going into the city to handle the mediation, meet w/ Harry. etc.  But Alison (at this point) doesn’t have a life- she’s just reading and hanging out. 

I can tell you’re a country girl.  -Robert comments to Alison

Robert (Peter Friedman), the older writer at whose guest house they are staying, kindly offers her a ride into town. (FYI: This area is the Hudson Valley.)  He and Alison have a nice/friendly convo.  I thought he was just a VERY sweet/laid-back guy!  We find out that Robert prefers the country; his wife Yvonne (Joanna Gleason) prefers the city. 

What, he doesn’t have tools?  -Cole asks w/ slight disgust re: Noah

Cole (Joshua Jackson) comes to the house while Alison is out (guess they don’t have locks).  When she sees him, she’s surprised and a BIT scared.  Cole drove (a long way) to bring her some of her clothes.  Then, he offers to fix the toilet (yeah, that was awkward).

Yvonne comes over to invite Alison to tea later that afternoon.  She sees Cole, who has repaired the toilet, and asks is he’s single.  She has a niece who likes guys like him, she comments. Before he leaves, Cole gives the toy chest that belonged to their late son to Alison (awww…she is shaken up/close to tears).   

At tea, Alison admires the beautiful main house.  Robert, is was recently injured, hobbles in w/ his cane.  Yvonne gives him a sandwich to eat.  She comes off as more Type A than her husband; it turns out that she desperately needs a personal assistant.  Robert offers Alison this job; we learn that Yvonne runs a publishing house (cool, BUT a LOT of work).

When Noah comes home and learns about the job offer, he gets mad.  They are already staying in this house for free, so it’s TOO much to get money from them.  Alison is surprised/upset by his reaction.  A few moments later, they make up (yes, they are STILL hot/heavy)! 

Flash forward: Alison (w/ baby girl) goes to the Suffolk Co. courthouse and runs into Noah’s lawyer, Jon Gottlief (Richard Schiff- Toby from The West Wing).  She gets mad when she learns that Helen is paying for this guy. 

Part 2: Cole

Some people are just destined to fail.  -Bruce comments about Noah’s writing career

Bruce Butler (John Doman) gets in Cole’s cab (that’s his job since losing the ranch) and talks about his new life.  It turns out that he’s divorcing Margaret (NOT such a shock)!  He also talks about what’s been happening w/ his son-in-law (Noah).  Cole mostly listens quietly, but we know that he’s keenly interested.

After dropping Bruce at a house in Montauk (it’s NOT his place), Cole back the cab up and ALMOST hits a little boy (yikes)!  A pretty young woman grabs the boy just in time.  We learn that her name is named Luisa; she is the babysitter of the boy, not his mom.  So, how is this kid connected to Bruce?  Hmmm… we know that Bruce just got back from a vacay w/ his old flame from Michigan.  They are now together; she is quite a BIT younger than him (we know from S1).

Poor Cole!  He’s driving TOO much (24 hours), dealing w/ jerky/drunken passengers, and snorting coke (yikes).  Also, the Lockhart fam has disbanded (as we learn when Scotty comes by the taxi stand).

Ruth Wilson as Alison and Joshua Jackson as Cole in The Affair (season 2, episode 2). - Photo: Mark Schafer/SHOWTIME - Photo ID: TheAffair_202_4267
Ruth Wilson as Alison and Joshua Jackson as Cole in The Affair (Season 2, Episode 2).  Photo: Mark Schafer/SHOWTIME

The meeting between the former couple is VERY different in this version.  Alison and Cole drink tea and talk calmly/pleasantly.  She lets him down easy, BUT then runs over to give him a LONG hug goodbye!

Flash forward: Cole meets Alison and her baby (named Joanie) for the first time.  The baby likes him (awww).  Inside the courtroom, the charges against Noah are read.  Jon says nothing, the bail is set at $500,000, and Noah is taken away.  The camera zooms in on Cole and stays there for a time- there is an intense expression on his face. OMG, do you think he killed Scotty!?

The Affair: Season 2 (Episode 1)

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you have not yet seen or don’t want to know details from the season premiere of the Showtime series The Affair.  

Part 1: Noah

We see that Harry (the editor) and Noah (Dominic West) talk re: his book.  Harry doesn’t like the ending; it needs to be more exciting. 

Margaret is pissed off when Noah comes to pick-up his clothes and a few other belongings.  They scream and fight w/ each other.  Hey, after all, he cheated on her little girl!  Martin (who we know is moody and highly sensitive from S1) is in therapy- w/o Noah knowing!  Trevor, who is playing hooky from drama camp (hey, that sounds cool), punches Noah on the steps of the brownstone after hearing the true story.  Poor kid (just LOVE his acting)! 

That mediator was NUTS (hope there aren’t real lawyers like this)!  Helen (Maura Tierney) is stunned when she learns that Noah received a $400,000 advance on his second novel.  He lies about living w/ Alison.  The only thing Helen wants is that Alison NOT be near their kids, she tells Noah before getting in the cab.

Noah comes home to… Alison (Ruth Wilson)!  (MANY viewers were pleased w/ this payoff, finally.)  They are living in a small/cute guesthouse while Noah finishes his book.  They have dinner out on the deck and dance. 

Part 2: Helen

From an interview a few weeks back, I KNEW that we would see Helen’s viewpoint this season!  In this ep, the biggest surprise (to MOST of us, I’m sure) was Max… w/ Helen!  He is SO into her- in love, BUT Helen is conflicted (cries in the shower).  They are old pals, BUT I think she ended up w/ him b/c she was lonely.  Hmmm… could there be more? 

Later at the charity dinner, Helen is genuinely surprised to see Max at her mother’s table.  Whoa, it’s a REAL date, NOT just a hook-up!  And mama obviously approves of Max (from her comments).  Max explains how he was in love w/ nature/the outdoors, worked at a conservation nonprofit for a bit, BUT realized that he wanted a different life.  Helen is the one that got away, and Max is VERY pleased to get a second chance.   

Whoa, the mediation scene is SO different in this account- clothes, how they were seated, and tone!

Watch the episode here!