‘Central Park’ Recap: ‘Lunar Palaver’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 308 of ‘Central Park’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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We like to believe that each and every one of us grow up completely the same. Because holding to that notion, adds a genuine sense of equality to life on Planet Earth, and it helps us to understand one another since we should be going through similar experiences. Where we learn from wonderful parents, experience love and laughter and heartbreak and sorrow, and of course… where we forge forward equally when our time comes to conquer the world. But sadly, that just isn’t the case. Because while we do indeed go through a lot of those similar experiences as we grow… some individuals on this tiny blue ball we call home, have to deal with some stunning lessons, such as BIPOC Individuals.
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For the color of one’s skin changes a great deal in this life. For sadly, there are a bevy of people in this world who outright fear people that they deem to be ‘different’, and those prejudices and the stereotypes that come with that particularly stupid line of thinking… brings about those lessons in question. Where BIPOC Individuals have to learn how to interact with police and people that treat them terribly, to ensure safety and peace. Which should never be the case, but it is, and it is something we don’t talk about all that often in the regular world and that is why this week’s episode of Central Park on Apple TV+ is so critically important.

For ‘Lunar Palaver’ is a story that explored that reality and what that conversation looks like, and what’s incredible about this episode is that at first glance… it doesn’t seem like it goes that deep. After all, there is a subplot here involving Bitsy Brandenham and Helen, wherein Bitsy takes the time to follow Helen about town to see what she does when she isn’t serving her whims. Only to learn that she does normal things such as have lunch with friends, or in this case, a friend/admirer. Which scared Bitsy since his overtures made it seem as though Helen would soon leave her for love, and that prompted Bitsy to bribe him despite the fact that Helen told him there would be no love affair. Which is pretty standard stuff to find in this show… as was Cole’s journey at first.

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Since Cole was enjoying another wondrous day in the park, playing, and dreaming of the upcoming Lunar Palaver/Squirrel Quarrels event… when something stunning took place. In that, he ran into a woman who immediately dropped a little racism his way, to the point where Owen had to get involved and diffuse the situation before she caused more trouble. Which thankfully worked. But the aftermath of that moment, prompted Owen to realize… that this day had come for his family. Wherein he would have to have ‘The Talk’ with this son. Wherein Cole would have to learn how some people will treat him differently for being black, and that led to some powerful moments. The kind that put this unfortunate reality front and center and explored how difficult a discussion this actually IS for a father. 
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To the point where Owen even put it off just a little bit. But eventually, he was open with his son, and Cole learned plenty about the world in that moment, such as how we aren’t quite all equal, sadly… and how we do indeed grow up different and really… that talk, and that epiphany was simply devastating. Because no parent should ever have to explain to their child that wearing dark clothing in the dark and carrying fake knives might bring them great harm from others or that people will outright hate them, all because of the color of a person’s skin. But parents have those conversations and children must learn from those talks and mind their P’s and Q’s, to survive another day or to not take any heat from people who need to not be such pieces of human trash, and that made for one poignant and powerful tale.

One that truly made it clear… that this is America right now, and this is not how it has to be. For we could grow up equal and experience the same things, if we demanded enough change and if we were vocal more often about the little things people like the idiot in this tale get away with, and of course… took a stand against hate and really brought forth legal change that no longer protects that kind of behavior, and hopefully that day will come. Which is why this episode is so important because it started the conversation and it put something we don’t think about on display and hopefully this inspires all of us, to think differently, to act different and truly demand equality so that the heartbreaking conversation we observed here… will finally become fiction. Until next time.  

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