GIRLS TRIP!!! Two great car karaoke sessions, a dream destroyed and one of the finest lifeguards I’ve ever seen. That was this week’s episode of Pose. Let’s get into it, shall we…

We open the show with Blanca (Mj Rodriguez) getting a call in the middle of the night telling her that her salon is on fire. When she arrives in the morning to assess the damage, she’s told that the flammable chemicals she uses in her salon more than likely caused her salon to “blow up”. Frederica (Patti Lupone) arrives to see the damage and Blanca tells her that no one informed her that she needed insurance to cover her furniture and supplies and that she spent her life savings buying the shop. Frederica tells her that after her run-in with Blanca earlier in the year she upped the insurance on the building because she “knew” something like this would happen. She then tells her that she can’t wait to rebuild the building and charge triple the rent to the new tenants.

At work, Elektra (Dominique Jackson) learns that work at the dominatrix club slows down during the summer months because most of the clients travel from the city to the beaches for vacation. Elektra’s client, who gets off from the anticipation of waiting for her, tells her that he would rather stay strapped up and waiting for her instead of heading out of town for vacation.

Blanca, Elektra, Angel (Indya Moore), and Lulu (Hailie Sahar) are gathered at Blanca’s apartment to comfort her after losing the salon but all Elektra can do is complain about the heat. Blanca tells them that she thinks Frederica set the shop on fire to collect the insurance money. The girls talk about the year they’ve had so far: losing Candy, Blanca’s children moving out at the same time, Blanca losing her shop, and all of them realize that they need a vacation. Elektra comes up with a plan and tells the ladies to pack a bag and meet her at her house in the morning.

The next day at Elektra’s, the girls are showing off in their swimsuits when Blanca arrives looking like “Ellie Mae fresh off the farm”. Elektra immediately yells for her nerve pills and offers Blanca a swimsuit from her guest closet. Blanca admits to them that she is uncomfortable showing her body off because her body isn’t as feminine as the rest of theirs. Angel gives her mother a pep talk and takes her shopping before they hit the road.

The ladies arrive at a huge mansion but soon discover the catch to staying there for free. The house belongs to Elektra’s client and he is locked up downstairs in the garage. Blanca and Elektra give him a welfare check. Once confirming that he’s all good the ladies are off to the beach. At the beach, Blanca and Angel walk towards the water and Blanca asks Angel if she has held her promise of quitting drugs and Angel says she hasn’t touched the stuff since their talk. Angel hopes to one day move back into Blanca’s with Papi (Angel Curiel), but Blanca tells her that they have their own house now and one day they’ll fill it with children of their own.

At the shore, Elektra and Lulu talk about how much they wish Candy could have made the trip with them. Elektra shares that she regrets not going to view Candy in her casket at the funeral, but Lulu lets her know that she sent Candy out in style and that Candy would have expected nothing less from her. The lifeguard whistles and Angel runs up from the water screaming for help because Blanca got pulled into the water. The lifeguard pulls Blanca from the water and gives her CPR. Blanca finally comes to as to she locks eyes with the man that saved her life.

Back at the house, the ladies are searching for alcohol to have drinks only to discover that the house is virtually dry. Elektra tells them to get dressed and that they’re going out for drinks and dinner. At the restaurant, the ladies get nothing but stares and dirty looks from the hostess and the patrons. The girls pay no attention and order whatever they want because Elektra tells them that she is treating. Blanca thanks Elektra for the trip because she really needed it and Elektra reminds her that she will always be her daughter. Blanca steps away to use the restroom and bumps into the lifeguard that saved her, talking on the phone. He tells her his name is Adrian and asks Blanca for a midnight stroll along the beach.

Blanca goes back to the table and tells the ladies that Adrian invited her out and she is planning to go. Elektra reminds her that it’s not safe for them to be out with a man after the sun goes down because men tend to act out of fear, not because they dislike them, but because they dislike their attraction to them. Blanca insists on trusting her gut and going out, so the ladies insist she takes all their weapons with her.

On the beach, Adrian and Blanca share their dreams of being a doctor and a salon owner with each other. Adrian tells Blanca that he knows who she is and that it doesn’t bother him. They share a kiss and Blanca doesn’t return home until early morning. The ladies tell her they were worried sick about her all night, but once they know she is okay, they ask how her night went. Blanca tells them that nothing major happened, but she and Adrian did exchange numbers and he did promise to call her.

Back home from the trip, Blanca asks Angel to stay over for the night with her and she agrees. Angel uses the phone to call Papi to let him know that she is staying at Blanca’s, and she sees that Blanca has a message. They listen to the message and it’s Adrian. She calls him back as the episode closes.

Ballroom Highlights

  • I loved the car karaoke scenes coming and going to the beach. I sang along as if I was in the car with them.
  • We got so many great Elektra moments this episode! The license from the bodega, her being a great mother, the cocoon (something tells me this isn’t the last we’ll hear of this), and her reading that patron in the restaurant for FILTH. When she paused to drink some water, I hollered.
  • What’s with all the Candy (Angelica Ross) hauntings????
  • Shoutout to the music once again for having my favorite Bobby Brown cut “Roni” playing this episode. For those looking for the music from the show, here’s a playlist from Spotify that has all the songs from season 1 and 2.

 

READ MORE:

Who Will I Mother Now?: ‘Pose’ Season 2, Episode 8 [Recap]

 

Photo: FX