Being Mary Jane Recap: Mary Jane Makes a Tough Decision + Helen Returns

MJ is feeling the pressure from having to pick between Kara and Justin as Garrett’s replacement.

Mary Jane has a dream about being married to Justin. In the dream they still work together, and also have two children together.

They are out with the kids when MJ spots Kara. Kara stares for a second at her and walks off without speaking.

She wakes up.

Back at work, Justin tells MJ that he was able to book Prince Henry and his girlfriend for an interview. She realizes he booked the interview to ensure he gets Garrett’s old job.

Kara walks up and tells MJ they are still doing her special about black women but it will be a GDU segment instead of a night special. And it will be a panel similar to The View.

While MJ doesn’t think Garrett will go for it, Kara says she will convince him to move forward with it since the special will capitalize off Jordan Peele’s new movie about black women and MJ’s personal life. MJ is impressed.

“That’s genius.” – MJ

Kara walks away and starts up a conversation with Garrett. He says that Dani is still getting backlash from her followers for being sympathetic in her interview with the blogger who works with Muslims to renovate homes, and a conservative man accosted her on her way home recently.

Kara suggests Dani kisses the ring and Garrett agrees.

Amid word of his split with Helen, Paul has some admirers.

News of Paul and Helen’s split has traveled, and a woman from church, Marguerite, drops off some food to him and flirts. This makes Paul uncomfortable and Patrick thinks it’s hilarious.

Patrick and Niecy are hopeful that Helen and Paul will get back together.

MJ smokes a blunt and hangs out with Ty and Aaliyah and they question how she’s handling the fact that she has to endorse either Kara or Justin.

Aaliyah tells them that Kara took a meeting for Ronda’s new talk show. Ty recommends that MJ smokes another blunt.

When she gets up with Justin later, he tells her that Aaron said he would vote for him and he’s in a good spot with the Prince Henry interview. MJ questions what he would do if he doesn’t get the job. They go over his potential votes and realize it’s going to come down to one vote. He’s confident he will get the job.

Justin makes ground.

Dani has to backtrack from the statements she made regarding the blogger who works with Muslims to renovate homes. The conservative media makes this a hot topic.

Kara and MJ discuss the special some more. Kara tells MJ that if she gets the job, her ex husband agreed to move to New York with kids.

Kara and Orlando go out to eat and he’s not very talkative. He tells her he’s meeting his new co-host for his show, Connie, and he heard she’s not a fan. She thinks he’s just a dumb jock.

Kara suggests he invites Connie to his retirement party to break the ice. Orlando agrees and kisses her.

MJ and Kara tells Garrett, Aaron, Justin and the rest of the big wigs about the special. Besides Justin, none of them seem interested. But Justin argues it’s most likely going to be a hit with their female demographic.

Garrett agrees to give it a shot and credits Justin for arguing it well. He asks Kara to package the segment to appeal to the widest audience possible.

Another woman, Constance, comes by and brings more food for Paul.

Patrick jokingly tells him they may have to freeze all the food Paul’s been receiving.

He tells Niecy and Patrick he’s not hungry and walks away.

Kara tells MJ she knows Justin spoke up for the special to advance himself. MJ disagrees and he later tells MJ that he took up for the special because it would be a good look for MJ’s career.

MJ tells him he’s fighting hard to get Garrett’s old job but Justin says he’s focused on their advancement as a couple.

“I’m fighting hard for us.” – Justin

He reveals he was offered a job to produce a political show but he turned it down because he doesn’t want to have to move and leave her. He tells her he would probably have to move if Kara gets the job.

Justin doesn’t think Garrett will want him around if he doesn’t get his old job.

MJ has another dream but this time she voted for Kara over Justin. They receive an Emmy thanks to Kara and celebrate. She later sees Justin with a son at a candy shop and wakes up.

When she awakes, Justin shows her a photo of the condo he just bought in Necker Island. She questions why he bought it when he didn’t want to spend his money, and he says seeing her smile makes him happy.

They kiss.

The next day at work, MJ asks Aaliyah and Ty how bad it would be if she chose Justin.

Dani pulls MJ to the side and says she wants credibility over followers. She’s tired of always worrying about backlash and having to backtrack what she says.

MJ invites her on the panel for her special and she accepts.

Before Dani walks out, she tells MJ she heard she has a vote in Garrett’s replacement. She tells MJ she thought she heard Aaron and Justin talking about it. MJ denies having a vote.

Justin and MJ clash.

During MJ’s special, they discuss the decline in marriage rates.

On the panel, they discuss the fact that women have to fight for a family and a successful career.

Dani says she feels like men are the problem and they need to take more responsibility.

MJ talks about the stigma of single motherhood, and says she is starting to feel like she would be enough as a parent.

“If women can build empires in our careers, why can’t we build families without husbands? Without men, perhaps women are enough.” – MJ

Justin looks on, while Kara looks uncomfortable.

Later, Justin tells MJ he’s not upset about what she said on the panel. He tells her he loves her and MJ asks how long he’s known that she had a vote.

He denies knowing and says Aaron didn’t tell him.

Justin gets upset and questions when she was going to tell him.

He makes it clear that he’s upset she still doesn’t trust him when he’s done so much for her.

MJ says their foundation, which involves cheating on Lee, may be why she has a hard time trusting him.

He asks her if she voted for Kara and she doesn’t answer. He asks her if she loves him and she says she does. He tells her to look at everything he’s done for them and it will prove his love for her.

MJ goes to work the next day and tells Garrett she’s ready to reveal her vote.

Garrett gives a speech on his last day as EP.

He reveals that Kara will be the new EP. Everyone claps for her and hugs her. Justin watches on and then walks away.

MJ goes to find him and he asks her why.

She says that Kara will take the show to new heights and that’s clear by how she revived the panel. She didn’t want to pick him just because she was afraid to lose him.

She was afraid that if she didn’t pick him, he would end the relationship.

But she says if their relationship is meant to be, it should withstand her vote.

“You made your decision. Now I’m going to live up to your expectations.” – Justin

He then walks away as MJ tears up.

Helen shuts down one of Paul’s admirers.

Helen comes back home to get some things.

After a quick chat with Niecy, the doorbell rings and she answers.

See sees Marguerite, back with another cake.

“You are barking up the wrong tree. Paul and I are still married, and I would appreciate it if you would just keep your distance. And you can keep that little dried-up looking cake, too.” – Helen

Helen closes the door and opens the refrigerator and calls the food “mediocre mess.”

She says Paul is her man and they will work out their issues. Niecy is in agreement.

Kara hopes for the best but gets disappointed.

MJ spends some time with Kara. Kara tells her she found an engagement ring and she thinks Orlando may be thinking about proposing.

She is surprised considering how much younger he is.

MJ says she’s a good woman, so it makes sense Orlando is considering marriage.

She tells Kara to embrace it and allow herself to be happy.

Kara feels like she’s being insensitive by discussing Orlando when Justin left MJ. But MJ assures her tearfully that she has a right to be happy.

Kara arrives at Orlando’s retirement party. Connie walks up and introduces herself and it’s clear Connie has warmed up to Orlando. She congratulates Kara on her promotion and walks away. Kara questions how they got so cool.

During Orlando’s speech, he thanks Kara for pushing him so far. He tells everyone to clap for Kara’s new promotion. He tells her he got her a gift and it’s a new name plate. Everyone claps but Kara is a little disappointed it’s not an engagement ring.

Paul stands firm, MJ moves forward.

The next day, MJ goes to her implantation procedure and decides to go forward after seeing the embryos.

Helen bakes Paul a red velvet cake and gives him a back rub in the kitchen.

“Oh Paul. Can you forgive me? Can we put this behind us and move on? I want to come home where I belong, with you.” – Helen

Paul tells her that she shouldn’t have gone through all of that for him and he hands her an envelope which contains the advice his lawyer gave him on how to split up the assets.

He wants to make the divorce as painless for the family as possible.

He walks off as Helen cries.

When MJ returns home, she is surprised by slow music and a plethora of flower arrangements. Justin says he was wrong to leave her the way he did.

“I just don’t want to move forward without you.” – Justin

He gets on bended knee and proposes.

The episode ends before she can answer.

What are your thoughts on the episode?