Closing night at the Pynk

By Channie Mac

Well, its officially closing time at the Pynk, and for all you P Valley Stans and Stanettes, it’s a very sad day. Unless you have been under a rock or on Mars, every Sunday night has been devoted to catching a new whirl wind of events from all mighty P Valley series. This season was filled with lots of twists, turns, and plots, along with the introduction of some new characters. Season 2 producer/writer Katori Hall tackled some sensitive and tough subjects such as racism, domestic violence, suicide, teen pregnancy, colorism, all while catching the real time events of the pandemic. Can we say edge of the seat!!! So, sit back and take a ride down to the valley as we recap some of the biggest moments of this season.

The Pandemic

We all sat still as we watched the world crumble as the emergence of the everlasting COVID-19 pandemic hit worldwide. Businesses were shut down, people were locked away in their homes, and what we knew was very limited. Season 2 picks up in real time of the shutdown.  The Pynk, on the brink of financial ruin was saved in Season 1 by character Hailey who decided to extend her stay in the small town of Chucalissa. This arrangement seemed to be a power struggle throughout the season as we saw how things were unfolded, the question that boggled all our minds was why in the world was Hailey so invested in this town? An honorable mention from this season was the loss of beloved mayor Tydell Ruffin who died from COVID-19 complications. Chucalissa just isn’t the same without the beloved Tydell as its first black mayor rolling around yelling “Aye mane.”

Love and Hate Relationships

As the old saying goes, there is a thin line between love and hate; and this season that line extended between many of the characters. One relationship that we watched unfold, fold, refold, and unfold again was that of Uncle Clifford and Lil Murda. This love and hate relationship made headway as Lil Murda was caught between fantasy and reality, the person he wanted to be and who the world thought he was. We also watched the struggle between Mercedes and not only her position as headliner of the club falls apart, but also her emergence as a full-time mother and business owner. The death of Tydell Ruffin left an open hole in the seat for Mayor, which was gladly filled by none other than Pastor Patrice Woodbind. Just when you thought hell had frozen over, you were hit with the fact that the devil was also giving sleigh rides as Patrice not only ran for mayor but was elected. You love to see these characters win, but it’s not often that the villain gets the victory at the end of the movie.

Good Girls Gone Bad

The good girls all decided to take a vacation down the streets of bad town. We were introduced to some new faces this season, including Roulette, played by actress Gail Bean, who comes as no surprise as a match with her name. Maybe once a good girl, this firecracker brought real bad girl energy back to the Pynk palace. Uncle Cliffords rule might say no sex in the champagne room but that did not stop some of the girls from taking it beyond the walls of the Pynk. Another new face we saw this season was social media star Miracle Watts as the dj/bar tender who took down the untouchable Diamond. Not even Dionne Warwick from the psychic hotline could have prepared us for the guest appearance of the ultimate stallion in the stable, Meg the stallion, appearing as her alter ego “Tina Snow.”

Mo Money Mo Problems

Money seemed to the be the issue at every turn, even for the characters who were on the financial rise. Two characters in particular, Lil Murda and Miss Mississippi, saw how fame and fortune can bring on more worries. The dynamic duo took off on

the road for a small tour as Lil Murda attempted to rise from beyond the shadows of his small but explosive start. It seemed like for every step up the mountain of success that they both took, there was an even bigger hurtle to overcome. In an unexpected turn, we witnessed the emotional and shocking unveiling of Lil Murdas love interest from prison commit suicide after a brief introduction. Money and success often come with jealousy, envy, and a struggle to find true balance between who you were before and after. Mercedes also found herself in the lion’s den after making a financial agreement with her beloved coach from Memphis. It was interesting to see this love interest develop between Mercedes and the coaches’ wife Farrah, who began to take a liking to the woman who was at one point an enemy. The $30k promised by the coach in exchange for some late night after hour sessions just shows how money can in the end be the root of all evil.

Grand Opening, Grand Closing

The season finale had everyone on pins and needles as the most sensational night in Pynk history erupted in yet another twist of fate. Last season we watched Murda night truly own up to its name, ending in the destruction of the Pynk. Fast forward a year and sum change later we have the grand re re re re opening, yes you read that right. But just as we saw the success of the Pynk on one of its biggest nights, you know they had to leave us with a twist. It was Hailey or Autumn Night who ultimately got the last laugh as she ran off with not only her investment money but a little extra for the road. Guess we will have to just wait until next season and see if Uncle Clifford will have the chance to cross paths with his arch enemy again in efforts of pulling the Pynk out of the crossfire of closure one last time.

What’s Next

As of this week, Stats has not released any news of renewing P Valley for season 3. I know, the suspense is killing us all! Will Autumn a.k.a. Hailey makes her return to claim the Pynk in some weird twist of events, will the city of Chucalissa finally approve the building of the casino, will Lil Murda come out as the first gay hip hop rapper, will Keyshawn leave Derrick for good... and will Diamond make it out of that trunk alive with his fine self? So many questions that need answers ... but it looks like we will be left wondering until the next time the Pynk opens its door for business.