New phone, who dis? Do we even recognize who this Justin is? Or can we even trust that the man who has so coolly thrown Mary Jane under the bus at every opportunity is now supporting and backing her against Ronda and their boss Garrett? It’s almost unbelievable to think that this might be a moment of integrity and not a chess move, with Justin trying to checkmate M.J.
In this episode, aptly entitled “Being Judged,” M.J. is judged from front to end as a story hits the papers claiming to have a leak about Mary Jane admitting to a beef with Ronda. Turns out it was planted by the marketing execs because drama fuels ratings, but it seemed to be anti-climactic drama. Clearly, the quotes from M.J. were fake, and since Garrett has already shown that he cares only about ratings and nothing else, no one is being punished for being messy with the gossip rags.
On to the real judge. M.J. finally scores the coveted interview with Supreme Court nominee Judge McAllister. I have to note how this storyline is as unbelievable as Justin’s support, because in real life, court nominees historically do not grant interviews for precisely the arc of this episode: They remain purposely tight-lipped so as not to disclose their bias or personal beliefs to the public.
But M.J., in preparation for this never-in-life interview, is being drilled by Justin, who is forever a hard-ass. Then he suddenly has a tip about the judge from a source he refuses to disclose. Now, I get it about how major news stories are broken, but when reporting news that could take down someone’s entire political career, a “I’m not giving up my source; I have a deal with them” doesn’t really fly. Fact-checking and verification are a thing, unless you’re in this for the clickbait heat and AdSense coins—then alternative-facts your heart out.
M.J. does her Googles, and it looks as if Justin’s source might be corroborated, but still not verified, but we have a storyline arc to reach here. We gotta roll with it, so M.J. agrees to press McAllister about mishandling a case that sent a potentially innocent black man to prison.
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Keeping to the theme of the incredible, we have P.J. taking up offers from his boss’s daughter, Ava, who is everything devilish about white-woman fragility and femininity. Ava consistently shows no regard for ethics because privilege, causing P.J. to have to constantly step in to shut her down, but now he’s taking her up on the suggestion that he bring his lady friend from college to his boss’s house to seal the deal on getting the draws.
All the question marks, like we all didn’t just see Get Out this weekend to remind us that white people cannot be trusted because they have not let go of the deep desire to own our bodies. P.J., you’re better than this! Ava steals his Rolex to sabotage P.J.’s budding relationship. Oh, the glory of white privilege—stealing things for fun to gleefully return them with no fear of repercussions, while having every expectation that you’re going to get this man for yourself. Don’t let Ava be your demise, P.J.
Lee is still the shining star, a wholesome man who knows how to respond correctly no matter the situation. It’s all in the accent, which his kids do poorly. Laugh out loud, but Lee’s children’s British accents were interesting. Though not as interesting as M.J. walking in on Lee’s son, Aiden, jerking off to her underwear. That’s an interesting fetish, young sir, to sexualize so brazenly a woman who could be your stepmom. Lee, work that accent and talk some sense into your son.
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McAllister, a man who refused every other interview request, is an attorney and prosecutor and is skilled at cross-examination. Why do M.J. and Justin think he is going to be hooked into incriminating himself on national TV? Oh, Mary Jane, there were a few seasons when you were too smart for this. But M.J. presses on until McAllister’s wife stops the interview and threatens to have her husband walk out midinterview unless Ronda comes in to co-host the interview.
Mary Jane cannot catch a break at Good Day USA, but to her surprise, Justin actually has her back. This can’t be a love story—they’re both in relationships—so really, what gives? Don’t know that we can trust it, but for now Justin has made a right turn in backing up how Mary Jane conducted the interview and refusing to hand over his contact to Ronda so she can carry on the story. Let’s see how this pans out and where the snake is really hiding.
