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[Pose Recap W/T Gayly Dreadful] ‘Blow’ Offers Up Condoms, Coke and Cots

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Each week Terry (@gaylydreadful) and Joe (@bstolemyremote) discuss the most recent episode of FX’s Pose, alternating between their respective sites – gaylydreadful.com and queerhorrormovies.com.

Pose 2×07: “The House of Evangelista plan a large prank to antagonize Frederica. Meanwhile, Angel is introduced to the unsavory side of modeling.”

JOE

Ok, Terry, this is a bit more like it. After a few weeks of duds, “Blow” surprisingly manages to NOT blow it…for the most part (we’ll get to a certain storyline in a moment).

Let’s focus on the positives first. This episode marked the return of the Blanca (Mj Rodriguez) & Pray Tell (Billy Porter) doing what they do best: putting their heads together to scheme and control the lives of their children. It’s facetious to suggest that this is when the show is at their best, but Rodriguez and Porter have a delightful chemistry that really does evoke parents, so when the characters see that House Evangelista is slipping into ennui, they spring into action with…a caper?

Like numerous plot points on the series this season, time seems to be passing randomly so the idea that the “lookie loos” have all abandoned the Balls and Damon (Ryan Jamaal Swain)’s classes at the Y feels exceedingly abrupt. As “Blow” opens, we’re told that the days of ‘Vogue’ are over; now the dark days of MC Hammer are upon us and the time for action is here. 

I love the idea of a heist, so the plot to wrap Frederica (Patti LuPone)’s upstate house in a giant condom is an inspired bit, as well as a great source of comedy. Where, Pray Tell, can I procure a giant inflatable phallus for all of my wacky children’s birthday party needs? (For real, though, I really do wonder how many gays were Googling if a slightly smaller version exists in anticipation of their next birthday party). 

Jokes aside, the caper reintroduces ACT UP to Pose after a lengthy absence, which is most welcome. Like a fair amount on the series, the Condom Wrap (as I refer to it in my notes) is based on a real historical event, which occurred in 1991 when ACT UP activist Peter Baley wrapped Senator Jesse Helms’ house up to protest his contributions to the stigmatization of HIV. As a plot point, it’s a great one because the caper reminds viewers of the political nature of the disease (something that has been absent among the personal storylines this season), but also because it is a galvanizing event that allows nearly all of the show’s main characters to get involved in.

That means we get Lulu (Hailie Sahar) confessing during planning that she used to be an accounting major (!). That means we get some sexual tension between Damon and Ricky (Dyllón Burnside) as they try to resist the allure of starting their relationship back up again. That means we get Elektra (Dominique Jackson) holding a fucking parasol and martini and barking Wizard of Oz insults at Frederica’s neighbours. It’s glorious!

But Terry I’ve hogged the mic long enough. How did you feel about the Condom Wrap? Do you want more scenes of Blanca and Pray Tell acting like parents (but not “Daddy” in the latter’s case)? And dare we broach the awful storyline about Angel (Indya Moore) and a frequently shirtless Lil Papi (Angel Bismark Curiel)?

TERRY

We seem to be on the same page again, Joe. Blanca and Pray Tell assuming the role of the Found Family parental unit is something season two has toyed with, but never fully dug into or embraced. The season began with Blanca’s desire to ensure her house was in order in case she passed away suddenly but like so many storylines this season, it got sidelined. This season has also mentioned the importance of keeping your history and remembering where you came from and now we have that represented in two characters and tied directly to the story. It’s what this very bumpy season has needed.  

I’ll be honest, though, when Pray Tell first said that the children needed a caper, I rolled my eyes. “Oh great,” I thought, “Here we go again.” Luckily, it brought all of the characters together in such a fun and funny way. I’m also glad you brought up the real inspiration for the “caper” because it’s become a trend this season and I immediately went to Janet Mock’s Twitter feed to find out if it was based on something real. This one worked a whole lot better than the body in the closet. And yassss, Elektra with that parasol had me gag-ging. This sequence was, for me, the most delightful thing Pose has done this season.  

What wasn’t delightful is the storyline you alluded to. I do not for a moment believe that Angel and Papi would take that cocaine. We’ve established that these characters are hustlers and street smart and that they know how to survive in this world. Yes, they are out of their element in the high-end club, but there’s no way they didn’t know that that white substance would be bad for them. The comment “pharmaceuticals being like what a doctor would prescribe so how could it be bad” just rang so completely false. It was too convenient to add drama to a storyline that…already had drama (which we’ll get to).  

That said…  

The fact that the crack leads to a night of bumpin’ and grindin’ and a Papi ass shot made me extremely happy. You know that I dig Papi (excuse me, Esteban Lil Papi Evangelista Martinez) and – this is my kink showing – but that armpit hair was really sexy. I haven’t really bought into their relationship from the very beginning, but if it’s going to happen, I’m here for the fruits of their loins.

Too much?

Whatever, gimme that sex. Gimme that dancin’. Gimme that bushy armpit hair. Papi’s had such a glow up this season; I am here for it.  

On a more serious note, though. I haven’t enjoyed being so negative about a show that’s fully about queer POCs at a time when being both was quite literally a death sentence in a lot of very real ways. The one thing I have loved about this season as I look back is how it presents the challenge that queer POC and WOC deal with. It’s been a thematic uphill battle and the season has continually shown how simultaneously easy and merciless it can be. By using real life events for inspiration, Pose has done a great job of fictionalizing important events, from the church die-in to the queen with the body in the closet to this episode’s phallic revenge. All pulled from real life events and tragedies that illustrate how desperate life can be.

Which brings me to the photographer. Angel has been zooming along so smoothly as a model that I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop. So has Angel, apparently; she’s been fearful of someone discovering that she’s a transwoman. Enter the photographer who forced her to take nude photos (and who wound up having his face rearranged by sweet Lil Papi) in the season two premiere .

The photographer is the one person with the ability, the means and the motive to fuck Angel’s life up. His entrance is a mic drop moment…that took me a moment to realize just how much of a mic drop it is. Mostly because he hasn’t been seen since we first started recapping the show and so much has happened that, like Patti, I completely forgot about him.

I’m talking too much so what about you, Joe? How did you feel about the Angel/Papi storyline? Were you surprised with the photographer’s return? And we haven’t even broached the subject of Ricky’s traumatic revelation or Pray Tell’s daddy status.

JOE

LEAN INTO THOSE KINKS, TERRY! Who the hell am I to yuck your yum?

Alright, confession time: I think that I’m so dense that I didn’t even realize who the photographer was until I read your response! That’s how infrequently these story lines seem to connect this season.

Yes, that “mic drop” moment could be a significant turning point for this subplot, which is a nice bait-and-switch development considering only seconds earlier it seems like Angel’s career is going to get derailed because she can’t control her impulses.

The whole Angel/Papi subplot didn’t work for me, either. Just as you suggest, Terry, this didn’t feel earned. Sure we’ve seen characters on Pose make rash, impulsive decisions, but Angel and Papi have never been *stupid* and that’s what the scene in the bar is (BTW: is it just me, or was the club the same repurposed set from the Ball scenes? I get saving money and all, but…maybe the set decorator can do a little more?). Sorry – back on track! This really irked me because it’s such a cheap ploy to stir the pot and it doesn’t for a second feel like a believable character moment; perhaps if we had seen more of Angel’s career feeling pressured or excluded by other models or important folks it might have landed differently. What we have instead is two characters who normally make “ok” decisions become confoundingly stupid.

Now, before I kick it back to you, let’s tackle Ricky’s subplot. While I liked the fun stuff around the Condom Wrap caper, this was the meatiest, most meaningful part of the episode. This was Pray Tell walking the talk and stepping up to truly act as the Elder he proclaimed himself to be. I particularly appreciated his refusal to “bottom” shame when Ricky confessed his dalliance with ex-BF Chris in the hotel room (something a lot of gay men could stand to hear more often) and their moment in the hospital – both before and after the results of Ricky’s test – provided that extra oomph of emotional weight that Pose is so good at delivering.

Now, as a lady who doesn’t work, I’m off to brunch, so I’ll leave it to you to take us home, Terry. How did you respond to Ricky’s diagnosis? Do you think Blanca should be more worried about Frederica’s violent threat now that she <sigh> magically got her salon back? And what’s the over/under on Papi beating up the photographer again?

TERRY

Joe, you’re definitely not being dense. It took more digging and reading through recaps than I care to admit before I realized who the photographer was and why Angel was making such a face. And yes, I think there’s a good possibility the photographer’s face is going to meet Papi’s fist again.

As for the Ballroom/Club situation, I didn’t think about it but I’m pretty sure you’re right that it’s the same set. See? Not dense; just understandably expecting more from Pose than we’ve been getting. That was probably too catty towards Pose, especially when I’m trying to turn a new leaf, but unlike those other alcoholic bitches, I haven’t been able to get brunch this week and I’m growly.

Turning our attention to Blanca, she definitely seems incredibly blasé about Frederica’s threats. And not even like fake bravado blasé; actually naïvely blasé. That’s definitely going to bite back this season. The less we talk about how quickly Blanca got her nail salon back, the better. It basically reappeared as magically as Frederica appeared in the customer chair, like the homophobic racist witch she is.

Onto a more successful narrative: Ricky’s diagnosis hit me hard. Even though the entire episode telegraphs that he is going to be positive, the reaction is what broke my heart.

“I’m gonna die,” Ricky says.

“No you’re not,” Pray replies. Then Ricky breaks down and Pray holds him.

Billy Porter and Dyllón Burnside sell this moment SO WELL. It actually made me teary-eyed. The way the episode leads to this moment ias also incredibly well conceived. It begins with Pray saying that they are just an endangered species (the implication is that they’re all dying so there’s no one to look up to). This is followed by Pray telling Ricky, “This is our life now. Remember this feeling. It’ll keep you responsible.” And then the very casual diagnosis from the doctor. It all comes together perfectly to sell this incredibly traumatic interaction. Even when Pose has flailed about this season, it still knows how to structure an intensely personal moment and Janet Mock really brought it home.

And speaking of home, we’re now in the home stretch of season two. The are three more episodes left and, judging from the promo for next week, there’s a lot of ground to cover. Until then, it’s time to inflate some condoms and eat some Wonder Bread.

Next week: we’re back at Gayly Dreadful for 2×08 ‘Revelations’

[Pose Recap W/t Gayly Dreadful] Ninja 3: The Domination Is The Best Part Of “What Would Candy Do?”

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Each week Terry (@gaylydreadful) and Joe (@bstolemyremote) discuss the most recent episode of FX’s Pose, alternating between their respective sites – gaylydreadful.com and queerhorrormovies.com.

Episode 2.05 “What Would Candy Do?”: Competition gets the best of Damon (Ryan Jamaal Swain) and Ricky (Dyllon Burnside) as they audition for a spot on Madonna’s Blonde Ambition tour.

Joe

Well Terry, I’m not going to lie: I found this week’s episode of Pose, “What Would Candy Do?” to be a complete and utter snooze fest. Perhaps it’s that my cultural connection to Madonna’s Blonde Ambition tour and Solid Gold are nearly non-existent, but this felt like a series of dance videos in search of a plot.

Let’s back up: the episode opens with the context that Queen Madge’s “Vogue” is now in its third week at #1 and she’s casting authentic Ball dancers to go on tour. Naturally both Ricky and Damon want it and naturally both of their house mothers think that they’re a shoo-in. “What Would Candy Do?” tries to get a lot of mileage out of the contrasting approaches to motherhood that Elektra (Dominique Jackson) and Blanca (Mj Rodriguez) employ, but we’ve always known that Blanca  is supportive and inspirational whereas Elektra is a tough bitch who refuses to coddle. That’s not new, in spite of what the writers seem to think (and repeatedly try to hammer home here).

My biggest issue with the episode, though, is the structure is all over the place. Nearly half of the runtime is dedicated to the preparation for the first audition, then there’s a brief Ballroom showdown (involving a fucking Tonya Harding-like attempt to take Damon out of contention?!?!) and then we don’t even see the callback audition, and then we’re literally on the set of Solid Gold with an exteeeeeeeeended (read: boring) dance sequence as the week’s top 10 songs are counted down. I honestly fast-forwarded when we got to song eight because it started to feel like Pose was padding the run time!

Yes, I’m obviously being a bitch, but this was a 25 minute episode wrapped in a 45 minute shell and I. WAS. BORED. Terry, what did you think of all of this dancing? Were you invested in the “will they/won’t they” antics as Damon and Ricky kept circling each other romantically? And what evokes stronger memories for you: the Blonde Ambition Tour or Solid Gold?

Terry

I don’t know, Joe. This episode made me jump for joy. Like I literally gave a surprised…well, squeal doesn’t sound very flattering…but I made a happy noise and laughed because my two loves collided: queer programming and off-the-wall movies!

Yes, I’m talking about the fact that Pose name-dropped one of the more bonkers movies I’ve seen. It turns out that one of the solid gold dancers would go on to star in Ninja III: The Domination. This is a true story! Her name is Lucinda Dickey and she had a brief stint on Solid Gold. Ninja III was about a telephone line woman/aerobics instructor who gets possessed by the evil spirit of a ninja after she comes to his aid. It’s pretty bonkers and a great movie to watch with a group of friends.

Unlike this episode of Pose, which I found to be the most boring episode of TV I’ve seen since that episode of Stranger Things where Eleven goes to Chicago and completely killed S2’s momentum. The only positive that I can really come up with, outside of name-dropping a bad cult flick, is that it was only an hour long.

But oof, what a long hour that was. I also found the dancing at the end to really be padding. And it’s not as if this is going to go anywhere. I hate to break it to Ricky and Damon, but unless Pose is set in a different multiverse, Solid Gold ain’t getting picked up for another season. The show petered out in 1988.

I know you mentioned this, but it deserves repeating: what threw me for a complete loop is that there’s all this build up, dancing, auditions and drama and then there’s no callback audition! Joe, that’d be like cutting your favorite movie Jaws right as they’re about to go into The Orca to hunt the shark and then cut to them swimming home. How you going to cut out the climax of the episode?! Who does this?

I’m also completely over the Damon/Ricky sitch. Like this episode, it has gone on too long. Though I will say that I’m officially in your camp that Ricky could “get it” (It being me, though I still hold a candle for Angel Bismark Curiel’s new and improved Papi).

I’m glad you mentioned the Blanca/Elektra comparisons. We get it. They’re different people. But then Elektra brings out Candy’s hammer?? Dominique Jackson already chews the scenery, we don’t need her swinging a hammer around, as well! Her de-evolution into a campy cartoon has already been more pronounced this season. At this rate, I’m waiting for her to bring out a vat of dip and a shivering shoe.

But, Joe, I’m just going to say it: the most egregious moment of this episode is that Janet Jackson’s fantastic “Alright” was fourth place. I got nothing else, Joe. This episode didn’t give me anything to think about. Are you a Madonna fan? I know this season is all about the idea of the mainstream appropriating ball room culture, but are you still on board with the constant Madonna-ness of it all?

And…I don’t know, do you like pancakes? I seriously got nothing here.

Joe

AHHHH I’m so glad that you brought up Ninja 3 because that bizarro little cult film is a goddamn gem! Ugh, if only we had of got to see clips of that film instead of what we ended up with!

As for hurting for things to say, it’s a serious problem isn’t it?! There was just no reprieve in this episode for folks who aren’t completely fascinated with the Ricky/Damon drama. Typically in a drama series, and especially one with a bench as deep as Pose, you’ll have at least a B-plot to distract you if you’re not on board with the main storyline. Here the closest thing we get is that throwaway scene between Angel (Indya Moore) and Papi where she mentions that she’s successfully booking other modelling gigs and he compliments her look

Sidebar: show, don’t tell, Pose! Take 5 minutes out of this 60 minute fiasco to give us a montage of Angel running around town, taking meetings.

But yes, I’m still kind of on board for Madonna, though I don’t really know how much further the writers can take this now that there are no more spots on the tour. You’ve got to imagine that all of this talk about the Ball going mainstream has now been squashed so it’s unclear whether Pose will pivot back to its other residual storylines – AIDS drama and Blanca’s battle with Patti LuPone – or introduce something else for its few remaining episodes.

At this point though, something has to happen. Two out of five episodes this season have been flat out disasters, which is a pretty miserable batting average for a series that just picked up a bunch of Emmy nominations (for last season obviously).

But yes, at least we’ll always have pancakes (Preferably banana chocolate in the shape of dinosaurs)

Back to you, Terry: do you think the Madonna stuff is dunzo? Do you think there was enough reference to Candy (considering the episode literally includes her name in it)? Are you eager to get back to a particular lingering plot line? And whose lewk was best in the episode: Ricky’s lime green striped pants or the Solid Gold outfits?

Terry

Omg. I completely forgot about Patti! My immediate thought was “who???” But you’re right, WTF happened to that story?

I think you hit on the biggest problems of this season. It’s lacking a strong episodic through line. Narrative threads pop up and then vanish. We’re halfway through this season and I don’t even know what this season is about. Pose is struggling to find its voice and the result is starting to feel like a bunch of sitcom episodes. Here, we have two characters who are apart, get together and then end the episode basically where they started it.

And yes! Same thing with Angel. Her story just feels blasé, now. She’s getting everything she wants and it’s all off screen. Where’s the conflict? Where’s the drama? I’ve never been a Madonna fan. She’s fine. Got a couple bangers but she’s just not for me. And while I hope we move on from this, I just don’t think we will. I think she’s coded in this season’s DNA. I guess that’s it for this week. Let’s hope next week is better.

Oh, and Joe? Lime green striped pants all the way.

Next week: “Love’s in Need of Love Today” looks to bring both AIDS and Patti in a big way. We’ll hop back over to Terry’s site, Gayly Dreadful for episode six!

[Pose Recap w/t Gayly Dreadful] Bodies In The Closet in ‘Butterfly/Cocoon’

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Each week Terry (@gaylydreadful) and Joe (@bstolemyremote) discuss the most recent episode of FX’s Pose, alternating between their respective sites – gaylydreadful.com and queerhorrormovies.com. Missed last week’s recap? Click here to read it.

Episode 2.03 “Butterfly/Cocoon”: A fatal mishap with a client leads Elektra (Dominique Jackson) to seek out the counsel of Blanca (Mj Rodriguez) and Candy (Angelica Ross). Meanwhile, moving from friends to lovers proves to be a challenge for Angel (Indya Moore) and Lil Papi (Angel Bismark Curiel).

JOE

Well Terry, much like House Ferocity, they can’t all be winners, can they?

‘Butterfly/Cocoon’ is easily the worst episode of Pose’s second season and by far my least favourite of the four that I’ve seen.

This is the third episode of the series written by Our Lady J (after 1.03’s ‘Giving and Receiving’ and 1.07’s ‘Pink Slip’), but there’s something demonstrably off about it. It’s as though Lady J is struggling to capture the tone or spirit of the series, so that even while there are fascinating elements about how the queer, and more specifically the transgender community, is treated by the police, ‘Butterfly/Cocoon’ never quite comes together.

Part of this may have to do with the episode’s focus on Elektra. As much as I love Dominique Jackson’s performance as the brash and bossy Mother, Elektra has never been the series’ main character…for good reason. Elektra is that key utility player that you sprinkle into scenes to liven them up. Here she’s the MAIN EVENT and while I would argue that it’s the plot that she’s surrounded by that ultimately dooms the episode, it is challenging to suddenly thrust a supporting character into the spotlight for 50+ minutes out of the blue.

Ultimately, though, it’s a lamentable plot that sinks the episode. We’ve seen accidental murders that require covering up a billion times on TV and it requires a deft touch and a certain amount of finesse to pull off. ‘Butterfly/Cocoon’s handling of the material is most reminiscent of the ill-fated (and extremely ill-advised) plot of Friday Night Lights S2 when Landry murders a man who tries to sexually assault Tyra and they spend the rest of the season in a completely different show.

Everything about Pose‘s attempt at the same story line – from Candy’s casual dismissal to the reintroduction of the odd back alley silicone injection woman to the montage of covering the body in lye and packing him up in the closet – just…doesn’t feel like Pose.

Terry, what – if anything – worked for you about this plot line?

TERRY

Oh, Joe, Joe, Joe. Nothing about this episode worked for me, I’m sad to say.

Skimming through my notes from last night, there’s just a lot of “this is a filler episode” and “what is happening right now.” I think you deftly hit the mark with the major problem with this. I know Elektra is a fan favorite and, like you, I enjoy her brash quips…but she reminds me of Coach Sue Sylvester on Glee, whose withering bon mots could tear even the thickest skinned person down. Seeing her meteoric rise in fan popularity, they leaned hard into her character to the detriment of the main storylines.

I hinted at this before, but I’m afraid this is what they’re doing with Elektra. Like you, I enjoy Dominique Jackson’s performance…but she kind of operates only at one level, as if she’s shouting to the people in the cheap seats at a theatre. So an entire episode of that was a bit much for me.

But my biggest issue was also something you touched on, Joe. It feels weirdly disconnected from the rest of the series, as if we were dropped into the middle of a (long) melodramatic sitcom. It was kooky character hour with the back alley plastic surgeon and the always reliable Candy. But then it gives the usually villainous Elektra a “pet the dog” scene…where Dead Paul is the dog. Her suddenly praying over the body and then making metaphoric comments about how his body will always be with her feels disingenuous. I’m no expert, but I’ve watched a lot of horror movies and I just kept thinking that there has to be a better way of getting rid of him than their very elaborate scheme, right?

Continuing the sitcom theme, Angel is (again!) on the apparent fast track to modelling stardom…except then she’s not…and then she ultimately is by the end of the episode. Everything is back to the status quo. Her brief relationship with Papi also came out of nowhere for me. The only chemistry they’ve had between them involved him shooting photos of her earlier this season. Their final scene this episode confused me because it felt like the actors were in two completely different scenes. Angel Bismark Curiel’s Papi is tearfully ripping his heart out while Indya Moore’s Angel is just sort of…smiling brightly? Did we even get a resolution with their relationship? I’m not even sure.

I don’t know, Joe. It’s too early in the season for a filler episode of this magnitude. Do you think this is the last we’ll see of Paul or will he become Chekhov’s body and cause more drama for Elektra later this season? And what about the explosive break-up last episode of a series-long relationship that didn’t get any resolution or fallout?

JOE

Oh the show is FOR SURE doing Ryan Jamaal Swain’s Damon (and to a lesser extent, Ricky) dirty. It’s the most substantial “fall from attention” plummet for a main character I’ve seen in quite some time and while Damon has never been my favourite character, it’s still very odd to see him essentially disappear from the narrative.

As for Chekov’s Body (née Paul), I would be happy never to revisit this story line. The minute Elektra left the room to file her nails and chill in the break room I knew where this was going and it played out exactly the way I feared, so if we never had to address the chest in the closet again, it would still be too soon!

Then there’s that Angel/Papi storyline. UGH. I’ll confess that I never bought this relationship (it simply feels shoehorned in, as though characters circling each other in close quarters must invariably fall in love or sleep together). There’s a legitimate lack of chemistry between Bismark Curiel and Moore and their romance feels like it was constructed out of thin air. When he tells her early in the episode “I’ve been waiting for a girl like you”, I may have literally exclaimed aloud “Since when?!”

I haven’t loved the Angel/modelling stuff, but I did think that the montage of her photoshoot set to Neneh Cherry’s “Buffalo Stance” was a bit of fun and the entire House Evangelista’s reaction to her Duane Reade campaign (which apparently IMMEDIATELY happened?!) is very cute. With that said, we’re now 2/2 for modern references in a 90s-set series, following Mrs. Ford use of “Consider it handled” to end her phone call.

I don’t need Olivia Pope/Scandal references in my Pose, Terry!

TERRY

Since we’re at confessional, I’ll mention that I didn’t pick up on the “Consider it handled” line because *whispers quietly* I’ve never seen Scandal. But for a show that’s lauded as an examination of queer culture in 1980s/90s NYC, the anachronisms are a bit much.

The only positive thing I can say about The Bizarre Case of the Mummified Body (née Paul) is that they at least pulled from a real life incident. The episode wraps with a quote from Dorian Corey, a famous drag performer and fashion designer who also, coincidentally, had more than just clothes in her closet. I don’t want to beat a dead mummy, but the way it was brusquely handled this episode just felt so out of character for the show.

Oh well. It looks like we’re taking a break next week, Joe. But when Pose returns in two weeks, I’m hopeful the show course corrects and returns us to more of what makes Pose so interesting.

In two weeks: Pose returns with “Never Knew Love Like This Before” as Pray Tell and Candy escalate their feud and we jump back to Gayly Dreadful for episode four!

[Pose Recap w/t Gayly Dreadful] AIDS, Madonna and Glow-Ups Kick-Off ‘Acting Up’

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Each week Terry (@gaylydreadful) and Joe (@bstolemyremote) discuss the most recent episode of FX’s Pose, alternating between their respective sites – gaylydreadful.com and queerhorrormovies.com.

Episode 2.01 “Acting Up”: Bianca (Mj Rodriguez) encourages the House of Evangelista to follow their dreams. Pray Tell (Billy Porter) joins an activist group to fight for the rights of HIV-positive people.

JOE

Well Terry, here we are! About a month or so ago, I proposed that we jointly tackle Pose reviews when it returned for S2 since we were both “bad gays” who had yet to finish the first season. Cut to today and the aftermath of the supersize premiere.

Spoiler alert: I’m also a cheater because I’ve actually already seen the first four episodes (I wrote a pre-air review for The Spool), but I promise to keep my awareness of what is to come to a minimum.

I don’t know about you, but I found that binging those final episodes of season one immediately before this first episode was very informative. Pose really came together in the back half of season one, but – to me – there’s a marked increase in confidence and storytelling prowess in “Acting Up.”

Now, a large part of that has to do with the series’ willingness to more fully acknowledge and confront the implications of the HIV/AIDS crisis. I praised the premiere’s extended opening sequence with Pray Tell and Blanca on Hart Island, as well as the “Die In” at Cardinal O’Connor’s service because it feels like the kind of brave, “give no fucks” stories that Pose is unabashedly unafraid of telling. I’m happy that I’m at a place where the interior, micro-level details of the lives of the characters matter deeply to me, but I also love that Pose swings for the fences when it comes to political storytelling. This is sure to age me, but I think it’s incredibly important that younger audiences who tune in for the balls and the bitchery learn a thing or two about just how deeply fucked queer, black/brown, trans, poor and vulnerable people were in the face of the AIDS crisis in the late 80s/90s.

Now, with that said, Pose is still a show designed to entertain and “Acting Up” also checks that box. I liked the use of “Vogue” as a cultural milestone and while Angel (Indya Moore)’s modelling career – and its accompanying ups and downs – happened a little too quickly for my liking, it’s still an interesting direction to explore for House Evangelista’s most passable femme member.

At this point, Terry, I’ll turn it over to you. What stood out for you in this opener? Do you have a favourite character or plot line? Are you worried about the health of either Pray Tell or Blanca, or do you think both are too integral to the series to kill off?

TERRY

Well, Joe. When you first approached me to do this, I was a bit nervous. I hadn’t actually seen a single episode of Pose at that point even though I had planned to ever since it premiered. And, not to age myself either, while I’m definitely in the age group that should know about ball culture and the queer history of the 80s, it wasn’t until Drag Race that I ever even dipped my toes into it. Living in the middle of the country, in a pre-internet world and with parents that thought cable TV was a waste, my knowledge of anything outside of horror movies was very limited growing up. I think that’s one of the awesome things the internet, the great equalizer, has done for the younger generation.

But yes, binging those final episodes over the course of a weekend was very gratifying. Pose began season one a little rocky and I didn’t quite understand where it would be going. In my mind, it was a Drag version of Game of Thrones with pitched battles on the dance floor between House Abundance and House Evangelista. But that’s (thankfully) not what we ultimately got. And as the show allowed its characters to breathe and the stories to start unwinding based on character decisions, I found myself unable to stop watching.

Now, with season two, I gotta say: Category is: New Beginnings!

I appreciated the time jump to 1990 and I’m wondering if subsequent seasons will do similar time jumps. Because, to answer your question, while I don’t think Blanca and Pray Tell are going anytime soon, I’m starting to see Pose as the legacy of these houses throughout the AIDS crisis. If that is the case, and these time jumps are going to be the norm, then there will be a time post-Blanca and/or post-Pray Tell. And I don’t want to think about it, because they are probably my favorites. But the opening to Acting Up certainly establishes the grim reality in ways I don’t think the first season did. You mentioned the opening sequence at Hart Island and the fact that it’s a real place with a storied past hit hard. I don’t know about you, Joe, but this moment was heart-wrenching as it laid out the facts, stacked one on one, in trenches.

You mentioned Angel’s quick rise to modeling and I completely agree. When I was binging the first season, I started to see trends in the episode’s structure, where each episode focused on a specific theme. And if escalated storytelling helped sell that theme, then Ryan & Co were going for it. In “Acting Up,” I feel like her quick modeling ascension was mostly tied to Blanca’s goal this season of making sure her children are going to be okay when she’s gone. Another acceleration was Pray Tell’s sojourn into political action. One minute he’s mourning a lost friend, the next he’s at an ACT UP meeting, ready to lead the charge. But when viewed as a coda to last season, I think it makes more sense than Angel’s modeling career. Even though there’s a darkly humorous exchange between him and his favorite nurse about winning a toaster at 1,000 memorials, you can tell he’s had enough of feeling impotent.

As for my favorite moment, I LIVED for the image of Elektra, dressed as Marie Antoinette and subsequently being beheaded…TWICE. The lashing she received at the tongue of Pray Tell was vicious as hell, but that came from a real place of pain. Her outfit choice was a bit too on-the-nose, contrasting Antoinette’s lavish spending to the detriment of her kingdom with Elektra’s complete denial of what’s going on in her community, but I was still here for it. She’s on a new path, as well, back with the house she disbanded, but not as the mother….yet. I’m curious to see how that will play out and who her new benefactor is.

It might be a loaded question for you because you’ve seen four episodes, but how do you think she’s getting her new lavish clothes? Is she back with Christopher Meloni? And we haven’t even mentioned the lack of Evan Peters! I’m guessing that story is dead because it was certainly DOA for me last season. What about you? And speaking of new beginnings, can we talk about Papi (Angel Bismark Curiel)’s glowup this episode? Dude was looking foine.

JOE

Regarding the lack of Peters, Kate Mara and James Van Der Beek, I can’t say that I miss them AT ALL. I enjoy all three actors, but the further we got into S1, the more it became clear that that story line had run its course and Murphy & Co.’s need to sprinkle a few recognizable white faces in a (mostly unknown) POC cast was no longer necessary. Plus: I don’t need any additional reminders of Trump when I’m already under constant assault just by virtue of being on Twitter and reading the news.

As for Elektra, I’ll tackle the question of her finances first because the answer is brief: the mystery is a recurring element of the first two episodes, so unfortunately you’ll still be wondering about this after next week’s episode. I’ll say no more, though; I don’t want to spoil the surprise!

I’m curious how you feel about the character overall? I love her for the catiness and Dominique Jackson’s inspired line delivery, but I sometimes worry that Elektra is a bit of a crutch for the writers because it is so easy to move her between Houses. Arguably my least favourite element of the premiere was her abrupt decision to leave Evangelista simply because Blanca kept pressing her. Obviously it’s good to have a character who can play the foil and Elektra makes for good drama while simultaneously guaranteeing that it will never become easy for Evangelista to sweep all of the Categories at the ball. The ping ponging, however, is mildly disconcerting.

Now, regarding the men: I will 100% acknowledge that Papi benefitted from some cosmetic treatment in between seasons, but I can’t claim he’s my main source of eye candy. Since I’m a gay stereotype with body dysmorphia, my thirst trap on the show is inevitably Ricky (Dyllon Burnside) and his magnificent chest/shoulders/biceps/eyes/hair. You can only imagine how I felt when the episode ended and he didn’t even appear! (Reader, I died…)

Speaking of boys, Terry, I’ll kick it back to you: are you happy with the additional screen time given to Pray Tell (seemingly at the expense of Ryan Jamaal Swain’s Damon)? Were you excited to see noted RL lesbian Sandra Bernhard return as Pray Tell’s sparring partner, nurse Judy? And I’m curious about your thoughts on House Ferocity because I affectionately think of Lulu (Hailie Sahar) and, more specifically, Candy (Angelica Ross) fulfilling the role of hilarious dim-witted “ugly stepsisters from Cinderella” on the show. Agree or disagree?

TERRY

Oh trust. Ricky is still my favorite eye candy of the boys and I was likewise bummed he didn’t show up this episode. But when Papi was photographing Angel, I was like, wait a minute who dis?

Elektra attacks her line deliveries like she’s a machine gun and I love that I’m surprised that there’s a set left after she’s done chewing the scenery each time she’s on. But yes her ping-ponging feels completely out of a character who likes to be in charge. I am also afraid that since she and Pray Tell are fan favorites their witty barbs will be leaned on too much. Likewise Bernhard, who I enjoy. Between Nurse Judy, Pray Tell and Elektra, there’s almost too much pithy cattiness. Their quips are fantastic but I don’t want to see this fall into parody like so many Murphy productions.

House Ferocity’s plunge into a joke house works for me and right now I definitely am into Candy’s constant denial that she can win every category. Cinderella’s ugly step sisters is a perfect way to describe them.

But I think that brings our discussion to an end this week. I’m hopeful this season will continue to be as excellent as the first. And I’m looking forward to our discussions!

Next week: “Worth It” introduces none other than Patti LuPone as we jump to Gayly Dreadful for episode two!