Photo by Pari Dukovic (FX)
This week’s episode of FX’s hit show Pose kicked off with another session at Damon’s vogue class. There were only three students in the class and it turns out, voguing is no longer cool. Madonna’s hit has been replaced by Hammertime. Therefore, the class was cancelled.
Back at the ball, the theme was bring it to brunch, which was wonderful. Pray commented on the lack of ‘looky-loos’ at the ball now. Clearly, they scene would survive without them, but it is sad to see how quickly something so special can fall out of the mainstream.
It seems like everyone was struggling this week. Blanca went to check in on Lulu who was having a very hard time after losing her friend Candy. She was clearly using and was not taking care of herself. Damon and Ricky were depressed after their time in the limelight had faded because vogue was no longer popular. Things just weren’t going their way. So, Pray and Blanca decided to take them under their wing. They provided a job for all three of them: wrapping her ex-landlords home upstate in a condom. In her own words, she’s killing two birds with one stone. Not only is she exposing the lawyer that royaly screwed her over, she’s promoting safe sex!
Damon, Ricky, and Lulu were left to brainstorm just how they could make this work. Lulu had a breakdown, crying over about how she was once educated and now she is stripping. She didn’t realize how she had lost her way until she lost Candy. Damon, the ray of sunshine he is, provided the group with all the positivity they need. When it came to figuring out where they could find a condom the appropriate size, Ricky suggested they could just use one of his. Sure, Jan.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Angel and Papi were adorable, as always. Angel made him breakfast in bed after all the shifts he’d been working. Angel was worried about her modeling career and what would happen if anyone were to find out she is transgender. Papi was as supportive as ever and just like clockwork, she got a job as the new Bebe girl! Angel said they could only celebrate if Papi came as her boyfriend. Yes! We stan one couple!
Back to the condom thing. The trio got the measurements, now they needed to find a company to make them a giant, inflatable condom. How would they pay for it? Well, Lulu was a genius and sucked up to Elektra for money and it worked! She gave her $1,000 and a job as a dominatrix. Mother of the year, apparently! Hopefully no one dies this time!
At the celebration for Angel’s new job, Papi knew it was official because she referred to him by his government name, Esteban. They made it up to VIP where everyone was doing coke. Her ‘friend’ tried to tell her it was medicine, not a street drug, but thankfully Papi was there. When she was about to do the drugs, Papi called her to the bathroom where he tried to talk her out of it. In the end, under the impression that it was like a vitamin, the two did the drugs. They had a great time at the party, but at what cost? Blanca has a very strict no drug policy.
So, again with the condom thing. The group made their way upstate. This was a venture to raise awareness for HIV/AIDS with the activist group they work with. Everyone was pleased when they reached upstate and had two split two lousy motel rooms. Pray, Damon, and Ricky shared a room where Pray and Ricky had a serious talk. One of Ricky’s partners was diagnosed with HIV. Pray encouraged him to get tested. These heartfelt moments about the illness get me in the feelings every time.
On a lighter note, it was condom day. A news crew was there as the group assembled a giant, inflatable condom onto that devil woman’s home. Elektra tried to distract a passing neighbor but ended up dragging her instead. Pray and Blanca did an interview about the protest where they beautifully stated the reasoning behind the condom. Everyone celebrated as the thing inflated. I think I even heard someone call it a masterpiece.
As the family returned home, Damon walked in on Papi and Angel using. Damon put them in their place, but they both had handfuls of excuses. Damon promised to keep their secret as long as they promised to never use again. Angel threw the coke she had left out the window. Damon also had to explain where they were. Papi’s response, you ask? “Her house got AIDS or somethin’?”
Everyone got together for dinner to celebrate their accomplishments. Instantly, they were all ready to put another condom on another house. Damon and Ricky cooked and gave the speech instead of Pray. They thanked Pray and Blanca for helping them pull themselves up. It was the cutest moment.
Blanca got her nail salon back after a legal battle. In walks her landlord from hell. She was clearly devastated about the protest that took place on her house. She insisted she was going to get her own revenge and I’m sure she will, knowing how terrible she is.
Lulu and Blanca had a sweet dinner after that episode with the landlord. Lulu thanked her for all that she did for her and announced she enrolled in classes at the local college to finish her accounting degree! It was so wonderful to see her find her way again. Meanwhile, Pray took Ricky to the clinic to get his test results. Ricky’s test came back positive. My heart sank. When he cried to Pray that he was going to die. WHY does this show do this to us?! Here I thought we were getting a happy episode!
On top of it, Angel showed up two hours late to her Bebe shoot. She was either hungover or using again and she looked terrible. She had the realization that she needed to get her act together before she loses all she accomplished. If that didn’t sober her up, seeing that the photographer on the shoot was the one who sexually assaulted her certainly did. Pose can’t leave us on a happy note!
Did you all think this episode was as heartbreaking as I did? Let us know in the comments below. Next week looks equally as heavy, so prepare yourselves now!
