Being Mary Jane Recap: MJ Goes All the Way off on Dani + Kara Gets Devastating News

Mary Jane goes to Justin’s place to find his passport.

She locates it in his bedroom and he tells her to ship it to him via overnight delivery.

MJ decides to snoop around his place and go through his things. She locates a photo of him and a former girlfriend.

“Sorry not sorry, girl.” – MJ

She even goes through his closet and smells his clothes. She locates a box on the top shelf and begins to inspect it. Justin then texts her to send him the tracking number he will need and she decides to leave his house with the box in tow for later examination.

Niecy gets up early and tells Patrick that she’s getting an early start to make some career moves. When he asks her what sparked her new attitude, she tells him she thinks spending time with MJ and seeing New York has given her a new outlook.

“I’m steppin’ into my destiny.” – Niecy

Patrick doesn’t seem so convinced, much to the annoyance of Niecy.

At work, Kara continues to ignore Mary Jane.

Aaron and Dani have a conversation about GDU trying to appear as one big, happily family now that Ronda is gone, and Dani says they could all be related, except for MJ who she feels could be their adopted sister from Malawi. MJ overhears this and vents to her hair stylist Ty about snooping at Justin’s place.

She tells him that she discovered that Justin dated a girl name Simone for years and kept every single birthday card she ever gave him.

She also thinks he may have slept with his therapist thanks to a cryptic letter she discovered.

MJ feels guilty for looking through Justin’s things but she says she doesn’t feel like she really knows him although they have been together for weeks.

“Put the box back and talk to him.” – Ty

“I will.” – MJ

“When? After you’ve look through everything?” – Ty

“Basically.” – MJ

“Immediately.” – Ty

He then reminds MJ to book his bartender Larenzo for her upcoming housewarming party. The original plan was to invite people from work but she has no buffers since Kara isn’t speaking to her, Justin is gone and her brother PJ is in Dubai.

Ty tells her to suck it up and have the party.

Niecy shows up to the former hair salon she used to work.

She has a conversation with the owner, Claudia.

Niecy apologizes for not honoring their past deal and losing her booth, and admits she should have never dropped out of hair school.

Claudia tells her she has the talent and that is why she took a chance on her. Niecy asks for her job back and tells her she paid to enroll back in hair school. She offers to show Claudia receipts, but Claudia tells her she can’t afford to take another chance on her.

“Look, this is important to me.” – Niecy

“When something is truly important, we do the work and we don’t make excuses.” – Claudia

“It’s not one excuse. You’re a single mother. You know how hard it is.” – Niecy

“Yes, I do. And I still found a way to be a mom and go to school. So if this is what you want for you and your kids, you’ll find a way to do both at some other salon.” – Claudia

A disappointed Niecy leaves the shop.

During DeRay’s speech, he is heckled by a young man who calls him the f word and says the moment needs a real leader. DeRay remains calm and wraps up his speech. Patrick then takes the stage to thank him for speaking.

MJ goes all the way off on Dani.

Back at work, MJ overhears Dani asking if Justin has a white mother after she reveals that she believes he was hired because Ronda wanted “another black.” She then confronts her.

“Excuse me, Dani. I’m sure that a woman with your elite background doesn’t mean to suggest that Justin’s intelligence is attributable to his mother being Caucasian, right, cause that comment would be incendiary, and flat-out racist.” – MJ

“Well, no that’s no what I meant at all. I was referring to his blue eyes. You know, for once I really wish I could make a simple observation about a person of color and it not be labeled as racist.” – Dani

“Bullsh*t! Yeah, I’m gonna call it. I’ma go ahead and call bullsh*t. And not that his racial background is any of your concern, but both of Justin Talbot’s parents are black. So, contrary to what your narrow mind might believe, while people don’t have the monopoly on on unique eye color any more than they do on intelligence, which is a fact that you drive home on a regular basis. So the next time you get the urge to to exercise free speech, by unclogging that verbal diarrhea factory you call a mouth and spewing your partisan bullsh*t all over this studio, do us all a favor and shut the hell up, you ill mannered, over privileged , uneducated simpleton! Shut up!” – MJ

The rest of GDU observes the entire exchange and Dani remains in shock.

Aaliyah later meets with MJ about her blowup with Dani. She tells MJ she will speak with Garret to see how much damage was done. MJ vents about how having Donald Trump as President has given people more courage to be open about their racist views.

Aaliyah tells MJ to regain her composure and step out like she’s the anchor of the show.

Patrick meets a frustrated BLM supporter.

Patrick once again thanks DeRay for coming to speak at his event and DeRay tells him to keep working hard in Atlanta because “Black Twitter” has been talking him up.

After a small chat with DeRay, Patrick walks up to start a conversation with DeRay’s heckler. The heckler tells him his name is Jovan. Patrick tells him there’s a right way and wrong way to voice opposition. He invites him out to lunch so he can express why he’s upset with DeRay.

Niecy explains to her best friend that it’s important for her to become a legit hair stylist and have a chair in a salon. When her friend asks her why she just won’t ask her mother since she’s a hair stylist, Niecy says they haven’t spoken in three months because she wanted to conduct an experiment and see what would happen if she stopped initiating communication.

Niecy tells her friend that she thinks Claudia believes she’s a screw up like Patrick, but her friend assures her it’s all in her head and she’s not a screw up.

Kara gets an important phone call on her cell and MJ tells her she can go to her office for privacy, Kara accepts.

Aaliyah gives MJ the rundown on what Garret had to say about her blowup on Dani.

Since people talk, Garret wants a photographer from Entertainment Weekly at her party to snap photos and make sure the world sees that the GDU family is getting along.

Aaliyah tells her she must also apologize to Dani in front of the whole staff.

He wants the whole staff at the party including Dani.

MJ isn’t thrilled but agrees to it to save her job.

Patrick has a sit-down with Jovan.

At lunch, Jovan tells Patrick that DeRay being gay hurts the movement. Patrick then tells him that MLK’s advisor Bayard Rustin was openly gay and was the one who came up with the idea to march on Washington. He tells Jovan that there would have never been a march if MLK thought the way Jovan and his boys do.

Patrick says it will be a great day when they can convince people that they can support a cause even if they don’t agree with the leader’s s*xuality.

Patrick then tells him he learned from Narcotics Anonymous that it’s important to take what you like and leave the rest. Javon can find other BLM activist he agrees with and support them instead.

“There’s important work that needs to be done. You’re going to let DeRay stop you from doing it?” – Patrick

Aaliyah and MJ discuss handling racism at work.

MJ doesn’t want to apologize to Dani.

Aaliyah tells MJ she needs to make things right with Dani and learn how to deal with racism at the job. MJ tells Aaliyah she’s too young to understand but Aaliyah says it’s all about tuning things out to survive as a black woman in Corporate America.

She reveals that she imagines that racists have mental illness and it makes it easier for her to ignore them and move forward. MJ is impressed.

Aaliyah tells her she’s going to a Chance the Rapper concert with friends and MJ makes it clear she wishes she was invited.

MJ and Ty accidentally spill the contents of Justin’s box on the ground at her place. They decide to quickly put the contents back in the box since MJ’s party planner is on the way. Ty then tells her he doesn’t plan to attend the party because he needs his own time away from the people at work.

When MJ admits she’s struggling to make new friends, Ty changes his mind and tells her he will be there.

MJ goes to work the next day and apologizes to Dani in front of the whole staff. Dani happily accepts her apology and expresses her excitement about MJ’s party.

She later asks Kara if she will go to her work party but Kara tells her she’s not going and she’s really done with her and their friendship. She walks off and this exchange hurts MJ.

Javon shows up the house to attend a city council meeting with Patrick, Niecy learns about Patrick’s activism.

Javon introduces himself to Niecy and tells her he’s going to a meeting with Patrick. Niecy asks him what kind of drugs he is on and Javon explains that Patrick is really into activism and has been attending BLM meetings and speaking at rallies. Niecy is surprised.

MJ asks Emma if she has any idea what’s going on with Kara, who continues to take multiple calls on her cell from family. Emma says she has no idea. Emma then says that she’s thinking about having Garret sign off on Kara’s research for an upcoming segment because Kara hasn’t been focused.

MJ tell her it’s okay to use Kara’s research and if anyone has any questions, they can come to her personally.

She later goes back to Justin’s place to put the box back in the closet.

Niecy confronts Patrick.

Niecy tells Patrick she knows he’s been attending rallies and speaking at BLM events. Apparently activists reached out to him after Niecy’s encounter with police brutality. She questions why he didn’t tell her and he says it’s because he wasn’t sure if she’d b ready to open up about her experience. She assures him she’s fine and is proud of what he’s doing. They hug it out.

Dani later shows up to the party with a friend who happens to be wearing a MAGA hat. This annoys MJ but Aaliyah tells her to be cool about it.

Dani later walks up to MJ to discuss using show names. When she asks MJ if her last name is exotic, this annoys MJ. She tells Dani her full name and shoots both birds at her after she turns to walk away. The photographer from Entertainment Weekly catches her and snaps a picture of the moment.

MJ asks the man to delete the photo but he says it will be a career changer for him. Aaliyah tells MJ to walk away and she will handle this.

Aaliyah tells him that the firm she works with plans events for A-list celebs all the time, and she will give him access if he deletes the photo. He does.

Ty plays Ying Yang Twins and Lil Jon’s hit “Get Low” to get the white attendees (including Dani) to let loose and start dancing. It works.

MJ tells Aaliyah she is relieved from duty and can go home and later runs into to Ty making out with a Trump supporter while wearing a MAGA hat.

MJ gets a text from Kara’s son and he tells her that Kara isn’t doing good because her dad was rushed to the hospital and is dying. She leaves the party to be with Kara and consoles her on sight. As a result, MJ misses the group photo.

She returns home and has another conversation with Aaliyah. Aaliyah explains that her mother was bipolar and it taught her how to have compassion for people.

“Props to you girl. You are wise beyond your years.” – MJ

Before Aaliyah leaves, MJ asks her if they can hang out outside of work as friends. Aaliyah tells her she would love to. They find a MAGA hat on the table and toss it off the balcony.

Niecy gets a second chance.

Patrick gives a speech at the Atlanta City Council event and Niecy is there to support. He tells the crowd they can’t make progress in the community until they learn to listen to each other. Niecy is proud.

Niecy later goes back to the salon and asks Claudia for her booth back, again. Claudia tells her there are no booths available but she can be her shampoo girl and work towards getting her booth back.

Niecy agrees and Claudia hands her a broom and tells her she’s starting today.

MJ’s housekeeper comes by and hands MJ a letter for Justin that she found under the couch. She opens up the letter and finds out he’s worth $30 million.

 

What are your thoughts on the episode?