P-Valley is literally if The Player’s Club was a series with a new generation of girls and set in Mississippi. That’s what I gathered in watching the first three episodes. (It was going on five in the morning so I decided to go to sleep and continue the next night.)
I want to start by saying that I am not built like any of these women and that makes me sad. No, I don’t really want to work out or eat lettuce in order to achieve that body. I like McDonald’s, but I digress.
Let me also start with my ignorance. It took me until episode two to realize we were in Mississippi. From not reading any synopses, or paying any real attention, I had it narrowed down to either Texas, Louisiana or some other part of Georgia we haven’t seen in any other movie or series. Clearly, I was ALL THE WAY wrong.
The series centers around some familiar plot devices. Let’s explore them. Autumn Night is a stranger from maybe Louisiana who is trying to escape an abusive relationship and create a new life post-Katrina. I’m just using context clues here. She’s the mysterious stranger that blows into town and will either cause trouble or will be in the mist of some trouble. In watching these three episodes, I think it will be a little of both. I’m interested in seeing her past in full and what actually happened to her, what was her motivation to move and become a stripper and when her past will catch up with her. Autumn, or Haley (whatever her real name is), is like a Diamond or an Ebony in The Player’s Club, in so many ways.
Then, there’s Mercedes. Mercedes is a less lethal Ronnie. Mercedes has a lot going on and we find this out as the episodes progress, which is a direct juxtaposition to Autumn. We, technically, have a little more background on Autumn. Mercedes is a dance coach, a stripper close to retirement, a part time mother (for lack of a better term) and an overbearing mother in the church. There’s just so much going on and don’t think I didn’t notice that momma is yelling at Mercedes about stripping and giving herself to the Lord but every time we see you, you smoking a weed pen. Ma’am?! My favorite part in watching Mercedes do her set was when the director decided to slowly fade the music until all you could hear was her breathing and grunting as she ascended the pole, slid down upside down and stopped herself just before she hit the floor. TALENT on both ends. Mercedes is a character who you want to hate and is made so you do hate her but they’ve given her some endearing qualities so I have to like her now. I don’t like when shows do that! I want to not like her and let it be that. Also, why are you mad at Autumn when you are leaving, ma’am? Make it make sense.
Mississippi is so sweet…yet so annoying. You know what I hate? When she spells her name out in EVERY LIVE VIDEO. It’s so annoying and maybe it’s annoying because I’m old in my mind. Also, how long before Mississippi’s man comes to the club, Diamond beats him up and he and her get together? I really don’t want to have to wait all season for this. Get it over with now. Don’t drag this out!
Lil Murda….he’s annoying and he’s going to annoy me throughout this show. He is the “He-wants-to-rap-and-is-trying-to-get-broken-at-the-strip-club” guy. I don’t like that and it seems like between him trying to date Uncle Clifford and him trying to get on, this will be his story line and I can do without this story line.
Speaking of Uncle Clifford, I love him (surprise, surprise). My favorite Rupaul’s Drag Race winner was Biance Del Rio, a no-nonsense, in-your-face, New York queen who will read anyone and everyone, and I mean anyone and everyone. Uncle Clifford is the black version of that and that’s why I love him. I don’t know the relationship between him and Big L just yet but I want to know about that as well.
Can someone tell me why Isiah Washington is always playing an underhanded dude and does it so well? Is he being typecast or are these roles he wants because the man excels. Anyway, him as the mayor with gold fronts is troubling to me, as a person who has put herself in the series. Who’s mayor has gold fronts? Who trusts this man with anything? Also, what’s with this white family with the land and the casino plan? What are we missing about them and this legacy? I need to know that too.
This series was good enough to have me up at 4:30 in the morning deciding if I really needed to go to sleep. P-Valley is on Starz, so for all those people who only got Starz to watch Power, here’s how you can get your money’s worth.
BLACK WATCH 