‘The Quad’ Recap: Eugene Flirts with Death + Eva Gets Some Bad News from Trustees

The Quad Season 2 Episode 6 – Middle Passage

Noni is still trying to get in good with Cecil’s rival, Clive Taylor.

She’s in the band room, polishing instruments as instructed.

Cedric, Bryce and their line brothers make it back to the frat house shoe less and in their underwear. One of their line brothers announces he’s done and dropping line.

They try to talk him out of quitting, but he’s not hearing it.

In Coach Hardwick’s office, Eva asks him why he hasn’t been receptive to the new possible quarterback, Dwight. But Eugene says that he’s not giving up on BoJohn. Eva says he doesn’t have to but having two top quarterbacks would bring in more money for the school.

Eugene promise to reach out to Dwight.

Bryce and Cedric argue over pledging. Cedric says he’s going to hang in there for Bryce after he reminds Cedric that pledging is just a series of mind games.

Ebony comes by their room. As she and Cedric walk through the dorm discussing the track they are working on, they spot Cecil leaving out of Ebony and Noni’s room. They make eye contact.

Eva gets some bad news.

Eva has a meeting with the board of trustees and she is told that they have decided the school will merge with Atlanta State.

This upsets her and she tells them that Atlanta State doesn’t have their best interests in mind.

In a flashback scene, it is shown that Eva clashed with the Atlanta State president Helen over changing the admissions process.

She tells the trustees about the conversation.

“Is that who you want to govern the school?” – Eva

The trustees say they still feel the merger is best for GAMU financially.

Eva leaves the meeting and finds her bottle of pills. The admin walks in on her and she drops the bottle. She tells her she’s fine before the admin can see the pills on the ground.

She begins to cry after she is left alone.

Carlton has no luck with Dwight’s father.

Carlton has dinner with Dwight’s father (played by Big Boi of Outkast). Carlton’s wife, who happens to be his dinner guest’s sister, makes the case for Dwight attending GAMU.

Dwight’s father says that GAMU is too expensive.

When Carlton doesn’t budge on offering Dwight a free ride, his father gets angry and leaves.

Ebony gives Noni a warning.

Back at their dorm room, Ebony catches Noni doing some more hacking for Cecil.

They have another conversation about Cecil. Ebony tells Noni that whatever she’s doing with Clive Taylor is going to get her in trouble.

“Diamond is the devil. And if you’re doing his dirty work, what does that make you?” – Ebony

Noni begins to have second thoughts.

On the yard, students learn the merger with Atlanta state will happen. They immediately start booing. Eva sits on the stage and looks defeated.

She angrily leave the stage without giving a speech.

Carlton, Cecil and some of their mutual friends meet up at the bar. Cecil tells the others that Clive (who happens to the band director of Atlanta State) stole and used his music to win the Battle of the Bands.

Cecil says his first priority is to out Clive.

“The merger is a done deal but my business with Clive is far from over.” – Cecil

Problems intensify for Eugene and his wife.

Eva gets some support from Eugene.

They have a drink to vent about the merger.

He tries to tell her that the influx of cash will give her a clean slate for the school.

Eva disagrees. She feels the slate was clean when she first arrived to the university. She feels like nothing she ever does is good enough.

Eugene gets a call from his wife and says he has to go.

He gets to the scene of a car accident. His wife tells him that she was run off the road by the man she owes money.

The man calls her cell and Eugene snatches it away and reminds him that he paid half of his wife’s debt already. But he is told that’s not enough.

Clive Taylor shows up to the bar and rubs the Battle of the Bands victory in Cecil’s face.

Carlton gets annoyed and tells them they are acting like “street kids.” Clive shows off photos of Noni polishing instruments to be in the Atlanta State band.

Cecil refers to Noni as a “left-over” member of his band.

When Carlton’s wife shows up, the men begin to calm down. Clive then coolly walks out the bar as Cecil looks on in anger.

In Ebony’s room, Cedric has his headphones on listening to one of their tracks. He’s upset that his engineer said it is low quality.

Ebony listens to it and agrees.

He feels they need to step their game up and get in a real studio. Ebony says all the track needs is a R&B type hook. She suggests they find a singer on campus.

Helen has another meeting with Eva.

They discuss the details of the merger.

“I don’t plan to let go of any of my staff.” – Eva

Helen says she will be overseeing a lot and all major calls will be made by her. Eva will be over the day to day issues.

This news angers Eva.

Noni has had enough.

Noni shows Cecil video of other bands Clive has stolen from.

“No good snake.” – Cecil

She hands over a flash drive of the evidence. Noni also hands over her band uniform and says that her recent conversation with Ebony made her realize that she needs to move on.

Noni broke laws to get back on Cecil’s good side. She no longer wants to be a part of his mess.

She leaves his office.

Eva comes by Coach Hardwick’s office and grills him for not reaching out to Dwight. She tells him that they need to get it done to keep “Chambers off our a*ses.”

Eugene realizes she’s stressed and tells her that he believes in her.

“Thank you, coach. I appreciate that.” – Eva

Clive reveals the origin of his hate for Cecil.

Cecil confronts Clive on campus. Clive says he was hazed severely just to be in GAMU’s band and even injuries couldn’t keep Cecil from turning his back on him.

Apparently Cecil pushed another student to audition against Clive and Clive lost his spot on the band after he was outplayed.

Clive wants revenge by any means because he feels like Cecil couldn’t wait to discard him after he was severely beaten and hazed.

Eugene learns from the bank that his wife withdrew all their funds and closed out their account months ago.

When he drops off his daughters, he confronts her.

“You gambled away our girls’ college fund?” – Eugene

His wife says she has a plan and she’s going to fix everything. She then breaks down crying and he consoles her.

Cedric crosses the burning sands.

Cedric and his line brothers are given an opportunity by Miles to drop line before things “get worse.” Cedric steps forward.

They learn that they have arrived to their “crossing” ceremony.

Their big brothers tell them they must take the oath and then cross the burning sands. They are pinned.

Eva has another panic attack at home and takes more pills.

She flushes it down with wine and cries.

Eugene’s family gets a dangerous visitor.

Later that night, Eugene and his family are ambushed by the man his wife owes money. He pulls a gun out on Eugene and Eugene tries to wrestle the gun away. The gun goes off before the episode ends, with viewers in the dark on who (if anyone) was shot.

 

What are your thoughts on the episode?