The episode begins at MJ's house, where the family is spending time together grilling and swimming. MJ and her mother are in the kitchen. Niecy is with the kids. And Patrick and their father are by the grill talking about how well Patrick is doing at work. When they sit down to eat, Niecy mentions wanting to get a car to get to work. MJ says she needs to focus on saving, and MJ's father agrees with her but adds that he'll buy a car for Niecy. MJ shuts that down (noting the tight financial situation her parents are already in) and proceeds to lecture the family about communal financial accountability. And one by one the family leaves the table, not trying to hear it.
The next day, MJ speaks at a college class at what seems to be an HBCU. One student calls her out on being a sell out for leaving "Talk Back" to do fluff news on "Primetime." She tells MJ she gave up her voice to be on "Primetime." Later, when MJ goes to give Cece her final payment (after a lecture/Q&A at Cece's bookstore about protecting Black boys), MJ discusses what happened at the college with Cece. Cece asks MJ what she wants, and MJ says financial freedom. Cece tells her she already has that and should stop whining about it. MJ's response that all her money goes to bills and family reminded me of a recent article about why it's harder for Black millennials to build wealth (the need to support our families, and lack of financial support from our families). By the end of the discussion, Cece essentially tells MJ she should be willing to take a pay cut and go back to "Talk Back."
Later in the episode, Cece shows up at MJ's house unannounced to revise her advice (MJ lets her speak, but was not a fan of her showing up and told her not to come back again...but I hope she does, because I love Cece!). Cece's new advice is to "not tear down to build up." She tells MJ she shouldn't take a pay cut and go back to "Talk Back." Rather, she should ask to get "Talk Back" back AND stay on "Primetime." She pointed out we need to see the progress of her being the face of "Primetime," but also need to hear her voice on "Talk Back." And though MJ dismissed her, she went to SNC and asked to have "Talk Back" back (which has a new Black woman host, who is shown interviewing Donna Brazile about Hilary Clinton's run for presidency), in addition to doing "Primetime." When she asks Kara to come back to "Talk Back" with her, Kara tells her she can't do it. In addition to "Primetime," Kara also has to revamp Mark's show. She tells MJ she just wants to come to work, do well, make money, and then make it home in time to raise her boys. She is really turning a new leaf on her work-life balance. She also suggests MJ produce "Talk Back" herself. MJ was hesitant, but towards the end of the episode implies she is moving forward with the idea of producing it herself when Kara comments on MJ beating her into the office.
Meanwhile, Patrick is doing so well at his job he is planning on getting a new place. He has Tracy over for dinner with him and D'Asia, and Tracy finds it odd that he is going to start packing that night. After the dinner, Tracy tells Patrick she's getting ready to leave the halfway house and brings up him promising they would get back together when she's clean. Patrick tells her what he says he's tried telling her before, he just wants to co-parent with her, not be with her. And despite him telling her he would support her (including financially), Tracy storms out. The next day she goes to SNC to tell MJ she thinks Patrick is on drugs, and MJ kicks her out of her office. Now, while I know Patrick is on drugs, I do wonder...if Tracy's so concerned about him being on drugs, why would she, who just got clean, want to get back with him??
But anyway, MJ invites Patrick over to tell him what Tracy said and that she kicked her out of her office. But then she asks him if he's taking drugs and gets him to admit he's taking prescription drugs that aren't prescribed to him, though he doesn't see it as being back on drugs. Then in comes their parents who were listening. They are disappointed that he's back on drugs, noting they drained their bank account trying to help him for the last 15 years! They also tell him there's nothing more they can do and that D'Asia isn't going back with him until he is clean. Patrick tells them they aren't taking his daughter and continues to insist he's not back on drugs, because they aren't street drugs. He tells his dad he'll always see him as a junkie and tells MJ she loves kicking him, and then he leaves.
O...and I almost forgot to mention, MJ hooked up with her first white boy (the guy from the club). She lets him come over, having run a police report on him. Then she serves him up a dish of appetizers and home STD and HIV tests for them to take together. He asks if she does that with everyone, and she says yes (noting in college, before there were home tests, she made guys go with her to Planned Parenthood for testing before they did anything). Timely in regards to what's currently going on regarding Planned Parenthood and with today being World AIDS Day. #KnowYourStatus