Spoiler warning: We’re talking about Rayshon, Tandy’s alibi, Quincy’s blackmail, Mayor Lily, Blue and Tommy’s investigation and that very suspicious ending.
Baby, Episode 5 is called “The Truth of the Matter,” but after watching this mess, I have determined that absolutely nobody on this show is interested in the truth unless it benefits them personally.
Everybody has an alibi.
Everybody has an explanation.
Everybody has somebody willing to lie for them.
And Madam is getting tired of hearing all of it.
She wants one answer:
WHO SHOT HER?
Unfortunately, Blue and Tommy are still bringing her everything except a name.
Tandy Is Buying Herself an Alibi
We start off with Ms. Tandy and Quincy, and this woman is already handing over money.
She gives Quincy $10,000 and promises him more later.
For what?
She needs him to tell Detective Davis that she was home with him the entire night Madam was shot.
Oh.
So we’re purchasing memories now?
That’s not suspicious at all.
Quincy agrees, but you can immediately tell this arrangement is going to become expensive.
Once somebody realizes you’ll pay them to keep a secret, congratulations.
You have just created your own personal subscription service.
And Quincy definitely understands the assignment.
Later, after speaking to Detective Davis, he informs Tandy that all this extra lying is going to cost her another $20,000.
Tandy tells him she’s not an ATM.
Quincy basically says:
Ma’am, yes you are.
I hollered.
Tandy made the mistake of showing this man exactly how badly she needs his silence.
Now he’s adding fees.
Late charges probably coming next week.
Rayshon’s Death Hits Eden Hard
The episode also deals with the fallout from Rayshon being killed by police.
His death is everywhere, and Eden holds a public memorial and protest in his honor.
Madam stands in front of the crowd and makes it clear that Rayshon mattered.
He was part of Eden.
He had a home there.
And she wants the city to remember his name.
There is an especially interesting moment because someone close to the situation is carrying guilt over giving Rayshon the stolen credit card that eventually put him in the path of police.
But the point is also made that using a stolen credit card should not have ended with Rayshon dead.
And I agreed.
You can acknowledge somebody made a bad decision without pretending that decision justified everything that happened afterward.
Madam uses the moment to call attention to police violence and even raises the possibility that crooked cops could have been involved in her own shooting.
Now whether Madam truly believes that or whether she’s applying public pressure?
With Madam, both things can be true at the same time.
This woman can grieve, protest, threaten somebody and make a business move before lunch.
Madam Puts Tandy to Work
Then Madam summons Tandy.
And Tandy is trying to tiptoe through that conversation because she already has enough problems.
Madam informs her that she’s going to help pay for Rayshon’s funeral.
Tandy tries explaining why it would probably be better for her to keep her distance from the situation.
Madam’s response is essentially:
I wasn’t asking.
There it is.
Madam even wants Tandy using her political influence to make sure Rayshon’s name is remembered publicly.
Tandy is worried about unwanted attention.
And honestly?
She SHOULD be.
Because she is secretly paying Quincy to verify an alibi connected to Madam’s shooting while standing directly in front of Madam pretending everything is fine.
That level of stress would have my eye twitching.
Dime Is Not Ready to Play Happy Family With Toni
Meanwhile, Toni is thrilled about Dime’s pregnancy.
Too thrilled.
She is already talking about being a grandmother, choosing what she wants to be called and suggesting baby names.
Dime shuts that excitement down quickly.
Because as far as Dime is concerned, Toni hasn’t exactly earned the right to suddenly become Grandma of the Year.
And I understood Dime completely.
You don’t get to be inconsistent with your own child and then pop up talking about:
“What should the baby call me?”
Ma’am, let’s work on what your CURRENT child calls you first.
The baby storyline is clearly becoming bigger than just Amp and Dime.
Everybody’s family baggage is about to climb into that nursery.
Midnight Is Still Being Haunted by Renee
Midnight becomes convinced somebody has been inside his place.
Things aren’t where he remembers leaving them, and he keeps receiving anonymous gifts.
He suspects Renee.
And considering that woman already stabbed him?
I would trust that instinct.
Midnight is wondering whether maybe his medication has him confused.
No sir.
When your violent ex has already demonstrated that boundaries mean absolutely nothing to her, assume she was there until proven otherwise.
Change the locks.
Get cameras.
Move.
Matter of fact, burn the lease.
El Fuego and Midnight Have the Wildest Business Idea
Now we need a moment for El Fuego and Midnight because these two are apparently trying to become the Silicon Valley of male entertainment.
El Fuego is creating a virtual reality experience featuring Midnight.
Then he decides they’re going to make a 3D-printed replica of Midnight’s equipment that can connect to the VR system.
I—
Listen.
I respect entrepreneurship.
But Midnight having to make a mold of himself while El Fuego explains the technology was comedy I did not know I needed.
And then Fuego tells him he has to shave first.
Midnight looked like the business partnership had officially gone too far.
Still, they might make a fortune.
People have gotten rich selling stranger things.
Blue and Tommy’s Investigation Goes Horribly Wrong
Blue and Tommy are still following the mysterious gray sedan connected to the night Madam was shot.
They track down one of the valets who might know something.
And because Blue and Tommy do not conduct interviews like normal human beings, the man ends up being taken for a little unofficial conversation.
That conversation goes bad.
Very bad.
The man pulls a gun and shoots himself inside Tommy’s truck.
Now Tommy is furious.
Not primarily because a man just died.
No.
Tommy is worried about his Italian leather.
I shouldn’t have laughed.
I did.
He is standing there yelling about blood and upholstery while Blue is basically trying to remind him that they just lost a possible witness.
Tommy’s priorities:
- Truck.
- Shooter investigation.
- Everything else.
Since that lead is now gone, they decide they’ll have to return to the restaurant and question the other valet about the gray sedan.
So we’re moving forward.
Sort of.
Babyface and Quincy Try This Father-Son Thing
We also get Babyface spending time with Quincy.
Their relationship is still awkward, but they actually begin loosening up around each other.
They dance together, joke around, and Babyface explains that he didn’t know Quincy existed when he was younger.
Quincy has spent his life wondering about his father, so this is clearly something he needs.
But of course there’s still that child support case sitting between them.
Babyface wants Quincy to consider handling things privately instead of through court.
Quincy is willing to think about it.
For a price, probably.
Because after watching what he’s doing to Tandy, I have learned Quincy believes every conversation should eventually produce revenue.
Then Detective Davis Drops the Real Bomb
Detective Davis visits Mayor Lily.
Lily’s alibi checks out.
Good for her.
Case closed?
Absolutely not.
Because Davis has another little piece of information.
Lily’s phone pinged near Eden around the time Madam was shot.
Oh?
Now that’s interesting.
Because Lily was supposedly somewhere else.
So why was her phone anywhere near Eden?
Was she there?
Did somebody else have the phone?
Was she helping somebody?
Or are we being sent toward another fake suspect?
At this point I don’t trust anybody.
And Lily’s face tells us she was not expecting Detective Davis to know that.
Madam Is DONE With Blue and Tommy
The episode ends with Blue and Tommy reporting back to Madam.
They explain that they had a potential suspect but hit a roadblock.
Translation:
The man is dead and Tommy needs his truck detailed.
Madam does not care.
She wants the shooter.
Now.
She explodes on both of them and basically tells Blue to stop running around playing Blue’s Clues and find the person who almost killed her.
And then Madam takes it one step further.
If they don’t figure out who shot her soon, she may start wondering whether they had something to do with it themselves.
WHEW.
That’s when I knew patience had officially left the building.
Asha’s SoulNeekTV Take
This episode gave us a lot more movement in the shooter mystery, and that’s what I’ve been waiting for.
Tandy buying an alibi is suspicious.
Mayor Lily’s phone being near Eden is suspicious.
The gray sedan is suspicious.
Everybody is suspicious.
At this point Madam might need to put the whole cast in one room and start asking questions individually.
I also liked the Rayshon storyline because it gave the episode something heavier than the usual Eden drama, while the Midnight and El Fuego VR business gave us enough foolishness to keep things from getting too heavy.
And Quincy?
Baby, Tandy created a monster when she started paying that man.
He knows she needs him.
Now he’s charging accordingly.
SoulNeekTV Rating: 4½ out of 5 Tea Cups ☕☕☕☕½
This episode finally pushed the mystery forward while still giving us family drama, blackmail and some truly ridiculous Eden business ventures.
But my eyes are on Mayor Lily and Tandy.
Because one woman is buying an alibi…
and the other woman’s phone was somewhere it apparently had no business being.
Now THAT is some tea.