Ro is in Oak jamming while B.O.B. performs. She goes to the bar, and once again, Skip comes up to her. He apologizes for not calling, and this time he gets her to agree to go on a date with him. The date seems to go well, based on how much fun they are having dancing afterwards in her condo. Then a couple of days later they are playing basketball together, all lovey dovey. Then he shows her a gift he brought for her. She gets super excited about his jersey, like she's in high school. I mean...yes, it's sweet and nice. But she was SUPER excited about that jersey. He also gave her court side seats to the game...and she's like.. "you shouldn't have," ...and he's like...it's only D-League. Again...super sweet, and yes excitement about him bringing you into his life and wanting your presence, but she was team too much on those reactions. And she has a gift for him too...she gives him an expensive watch and tells him he won't always be in the D-league. I can support encouraging your man. But I'm expecting something to go wrong...it is Single Ladies, after all. And sure enough, the doorbell rings...Some dude named DeAndre, calling himself her man. He said he spent six months in jail because she couldn't keep her mouth shut. And she tells him she told him she would call the cops if he ever put his hands on her again. He then asks if people wondered how she left Gary so easily without a trace, and said a background check on her would tell them everything. Hmmm...She tells him if he leaves she'll meet him tomorrow first thing in the morning. She goes back in, and Skip is fully dressed and asks who she was talking to. She claims it was nobody, but he points out she went out into the hallway with just her robe and underwear on AND closed the door behind herself. So she tells him it was her ex. Which of course makes him get up to leave, and he even leaves behind the watch. And she's left crying at the door.
Felicia throws the fact that Sharon Love called Triple Threat Omar's group in Omar's face. He pushes back though. And a couple of scenes later, David is trying to convince Omar to come work for his label. Then in a later scene David tells Artie he snagged Omar from Felicia. But then it turns out David just thinks he's snagged Omar, nothing's in writing. Then in random strangeness...Artie has information about Raquel and a picture of her all over his computer screens.
And apparently, Austin is planning a party for Sharon Love now. Given the fact that Sharon Love's random phone call to Austin on the previous episode wasn't tied into Omar trying to get Triple Threat on Sharon's show, I guess it's all a ploy just to have Queen Latifah on the show. Perhaps as compensation for all the original (and semi-original...Raquel) "single ladies" being M.I.A. When Austin goes to meet with Sharon, Sharon shows her online posts about Austin partying with an underage pop star. The two bicker about it, and then Sharon leaves for a conference call.
Back at the club, Austin tells Terrance she never agreed to dissolve the partnership. And they seem to move on. She tells him a contact is coming to discuss having a listening party at the club, and Terrance gets a text to meet someone. He meets with the guy who's supposed to get info on Raquel. He tells Terrance he wants 15% of Oak in exchange for the information. Terrance offers him 10%. Here's what he tells Terrance...a rich guy wanted a girl gone. He put in his offer, but got underbid by someone else. He said no one knows who did it, but he told him Artie Wyatt was the one who paid to have it done.
Meanwhile, Omar tells Triple Threat Felicia is getting honored, and they will be presenting. Then Omar pulls Bri aside to discuss her smoking weed. He tells her she will never be the lead singer if she keeps smoking. She agrees to stop, but follows up by calling him Felicia Jr.
Omar overhears Felicia leaving a voicemail for her ex...apparently his supermodel wife had a baby, and she was 8 months pregnant when he slept with Felicia. When he calls her back, she just says, "Go to hell," and hangs up. Then Omar goes to meet with David and tells him he's ready to work with him. He says he just wants to work without drama.
Later, Artie gets in his car, and realizes Terrance is driving, not his driver!
At the honor ceremony, David is calling Artie to see where he is at. Backstage, Casey suggests Bri should speak for Triple Threat...saying she writes the music, Tara is the lead singer, and Bri should have a role too. You know Tara is not feeling it. So she speaks first, but she just introduces Bri as their spokesperson. Then Bri proceeds to say kind words about Felicia, and then the group performs. Felicia starts her speech and sees Omar standing in the back. She decides to give her speech from her heart, and thanks Omar and her assistant Kierra. But after the speech she sees Omar go sit at the table with David. Also, dude who claimed he could make Bri a star went to get her from her table to introduce her to some people, but she said she belongs where she's at in the group. Then the speaker introduces Artie...
Artie's not there, because he's in a suv with Terrance, and two additional guys Terrance picks up. Artie tells Terrance Raquel was selfish and doesn't love anyone. Terrance elbows him in the mouth, gets out the car, and the guy he got the information from gets in the car and takes off.
Then Terrance goes back to the club, where he finds Austin packed up and planning to leave. He tells her to stop being afraid of staying in one place. They almost kiss, but then Ro calls Austin's phone.
Then we see Omar packing up his things at the office. As he leaves he sees Felicia, but they just exchange a look, no words. Ro is crying at home. Austin is looking at a framed photo of herself at the club. Ro meets Austin at the club. Then Felicia walks in, and Ro calls her over to the bar with her and Felicia. They toast to "new beginnings."
But I'm not that interested in their new beginnings as the "single ladies." Not necessarily anything against them and their story lines. I think I just feel played. I mean, why bring the show back knowing the main characters wouldn't really be the focal point of the show? It was basically a completely different show. I kind of appreciate their attempt at dealing with more meaningful situations, and not just hooking up, but it just didn't seem to be a good platform for those issues. It wasn't really conducive to developing them like say a Being Mary Jane. And maybe it's because the show started off as more of a comedic, light drama. This season was not that at all. In fact, it was pretty dark. I don't even recall laughing. It was a completely different show, with a completely different cast. They needed to switch who they called "guest stars" and who they called "stars," because that was bogus!
Side note - anyone else feel like they were pulling a New York Undercover with the performances at the club serving as a soundtrack. Not saying anything was wrong with that...just what came to my mind.