‘P-Valley’ Recap: ‘Demethrius’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 204 of ‘P-Valley’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

It is definitely safe to say that the past couple of years, rocked our worlds fundamentally in ways we never thought possible. For we had to face our own mortality via the pandemic, and we all dealt with a reckoning about the true state of race relations in the United States of America, and that was… a lot to process. Because how does one reconcile the reality that a potentially fatal virus could find a person at any moment, and that the country we’re taught is just and true is filled to the brim with hate for people whose skin color just happens to be different? Which are of course deep philosophical questions that we… are still working to sort out or have in ways we didn’t quite think about, now that life has some semblance of normalcy again.

But the fact of the matter is, we are in need of catharsis, and we need to feel as though our worries weren’t isolated and one way, we are able to obtain just that… is through storytelling. Since stories let us observe and reflect, and relate, and oddly enough, season two of P-Valley on STARZ is working to offer that catharsis as well, as evidenced by last night’s brand-new episode. For ‘Demethrius’ is a story that plunged the people of Chucalissa into that very mindset and how they healed and reconciled the past two years, and its ugly events, was fascinating to say the least. Because everyone handled it such a dynamic manner. For instance, the majority of the folks at The Pynk, just wanted to move on from the mess at hand and enjoy life as it stands.

Which is, the mantra of a great many people right now and they too… were quickly reminded of the fact that this isn’t going away just yet and that it isn’t something one can just escape. Since the health department shut them down after one of their staff members enjoyed a little time in the VIP area with the ladies and that was a sobering reminder that some folks… have to pretend it is business as usual to cope. But there was also an examination on how some folks are ready to use the eventual end of this to move on and perhaps change their lives in the process. As evidenced by how Hailey and Andre were making plans for tomorrow… including selling The Pynk on Hailey’s part… since they firmly believed that the impending end of this was a sign of their second chance.

Not to mention, this story also took the time to explore how events such as these, force us take inventory and perhaps ponder upon the road not traveled and/or revisit the paths we’ve been upon before to find understanding and peace. As evidenced by Mercedes’ affair with Farrah and Lil’ Murda and Teke’s night of intimacy. Since clearly, they had a thing back in the day and while it came out of comfort, it was a rekindling moment none the less, one that Murda may regret since he clearly doesn’t know where his heart lies at the moment. But truly, where this episode shined, was what it had to say about facing the reality that our nation and our society, isn’t the shining light of hope we so believed it was. Since this story featured another senseless murder of an innocent black man at the hands of police. Which rattled Teke to no end and left the audience in an odd place as well.

Since it really did remind us of that fateful summer, where everyone simply had enough and expected real change to take place at last with the messages sent. Only to see more of this happen and feel the burden of an underlying problem that refuses to remove itself from the American landscape, despite the fact that so many don’t want it here. If anything, the show didn’t offer up any easy answers on that, because there are none. Instead… it just reminded us that we are not alone in our sorrow and that we cannot rest or forget those that fell. For they deserve justice and the fight to bring them that must continue… until the day comes that change arrives at last. In the end, this is simply a powerful and poignant tale. One that truly captured the zeitgeist of the times to help us heal and reflect, and well… that really does make P-Valley one of the best shows on the air right now, since it really does present the world in the raw and all of its flaws and wonders in an effort to help all of us cope with these trying times. Until next time.  

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