by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
A couple of months ago, Starz was running a pretty great promotion where you can subscribe to the streaming service for $40 for a whole year. I promptly jumped on it because I just figured it would be a great addition to the already unreasonable amount of streaming services I currently subscribe to. Before I ended up pulling the trigger on the new subscription, I took a look at Starz’s catalog of original shows, and there were a few I was interested in. I knew my wife would watch Outlander, so the subscription would pay for itself with just that. Beyond that, I knew I would at least get my money’s worth by watching Blindspotting, Ash Vs. Evil Dead,and some of the Power shows they have. The fact that they have Party Down coming back is also a huge plus. If there was one show I was intrigued about, it was a show about a strip club in the Mississippi delta.
P-Valley, created by Katori Hall and based on the play of a similar name, follows strippers at a club in the town of Chucalissa, Mississippi called The Pynk. The fabulous owner/manager of the club, Uncle Clifford (Nicco Annan), is struggling to keep the club going while also managing some strong personalities, particularly his best dancer Mercedes (Brandee Evans). When a new and talented dancer named Autumn Night (Elarica Johnson) comes to The Pynk, the club and everyone’s lives, are turned upside down. P-Valley season two is 10 episodes, and is currently streaming on Starz.
Trigger warnings right off the bat for P-Valley. This season, in particular, deals with issues involving sexual assault and domestic violence. It’s not an easy show to watch either. So if these are topics that make you uncomfortable, I’d think twice about potentially tuning in. In addition, I do realize this show won’t be for everyone because it’s about a strip club. I would exercise caution, though, to anyone judging a book by its cover. There’s a lot more depth to this show than one can imagine, especially if you are looking for something with more to say beyond what is advertised.
Season two starts like so many other shows have over the last few years: the effects of COVID-19. The Pynk, particularly after the events of season one, is put in a tough situation when they are shut down due to the lockdown in Mississippi during the early days of COVID-19. It’s clear this show wanted to address the pandemic for a few reasons. First, the pandemic disproportionately affected African Americans in multiple ways. Second, strip clubs were among the numerous businesses that were affected by lockdowns, as they were deemed non-essential in the eyes of the government, and deeply disregarded by stimulus funds for businesses. Finally, the hardships the staff had to go through while they were reopened post-lockdown really makes you think about how we should be treating people.
Sticking with current events, P-Valley also addresses the murder of George Floyd. The fourth episode takes a break from the regular storyline to outline the aftermath of what happens when people see the video of Floyd’s death. There’s a lot to unpack in this episode about the wide range of emotions felt by cast members of the African American community. Characters go through the gauntlet from feeling rage because murders like these that keep happening, to feeling unwanted and unloved by this country, to feeling confused about how to handle the situation, to feeling sadness because they know someone who has died due to police violence. One feeling that stood out was that of numbness to the situation, with a character wondering why Floyd was in that situation in the first place. It’s a testament to how complicated and emotional the Floyd murder is, and how there’s so much to unpack with conflicting feelings. There are a lot of powerful moments in this episode, with stories about friends and family taken too soon and moments where characters ponder next steps. Props to the writing team for writing a great episode and addressing this head on.
To expand even further, P-Valley tackles a lot of issues involving women. Stripping is something that raises eyebrows in terms of profession. However, P-Valley goes to great lengths to show that it can be liberating, expressive, and lucrative. The women in this show are extremely talented, and they each have reasons for why they are stripping. Some need it to pay the bills or help with their children, while others are doing it to eventually lead to something else. Either way, all the women are extremely proud to do this as a profession.
Domestic violence is also addressed, particularly with Keyshawn (Shannon Thornton) and Derrick (Jordan Cox). Props to Thornton for her performance in the face of a very tough storyline. P-Valley does a great job of telling the backstory of their relationship and how it got to be the way that it is now. More could be learned about Derrick, but we also know everything we, as the viewers, need to know about him after the events of season one. The writers have painted a clear picture of who Derrick is already. However, the real struggle with this storyline is what happens in the final episode. It was a rather unexpected and unfortunate turn. I wasn’t expecting what happened, which is probably why it makes the ending so tough to watch.
P-Valley has always excelled at LGBTQIA+ storylines. Uncle Clifford might be one of the best characters on TV right now, simply because she is unabashedly herself in all respects. This season, Uncle Clifford gets some backstory and a chance to truly show how business savvy she is. She goes to war with lots of people this season, and the consequences of her actions set up a great season three (if one is to come). In addition, Uncle Clifford’s relationship this season is taken to another level, and it was nice to see the person who ends up with her had the guts to be open and honest about it. Annan is a force on the show, and honestly one of my favorite characters in a long time. I certainly hope the performance is given a chance to be recognized down the road.
There are two storylines that felt out of place this season. The first has to do with Autumn and her scheme to get what she needs and where she needs to be at. Given what happens in the end, I found her storyline pretty dull compared to her previous storyline. She isn’t given much of anything to expand upon what we learned from last season personally. We learn more about her business practices, but not more about how she ended up in Chucalissa in the first place. The mayoral race also felt a little off as well. It just felt like too much was going on this season.
P-Valley is shaping up to be one of the best shows Starz and all of premium cable has to offer. It’s gorgeously shot, expertly performed, and the storylines are to die for. The characters are compelling, and season three is shaping up to be one for the ages. Yes, it can get a little soap opera-y at times but with the depth the episodes go to talk about the experiences of women, African Americans, and people in the south, I will be eager to get back to this show when it comes back on again. It will be among one of my top shows at the end of the year.
Score: 9/10
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