'Queen Sugar' Season 3 Finale "Blessings We Share"

Well, if you tuned in for the last episode of the third season of Queen Sugar you were richly rewarded, although it did take a minute to get to the good stuff. This season had its ups and downs in terms of content and flow, but there were some payoffs in the end.

Let’s start, as the episode ” From On The Pulse Of Morning” did, with Ralph Angel, (Kofi Siriboe) a month away from getting off probation and living his life as a truly free man. He talks to a group of prisoners about what life has been like for him now that he’s out of jail and has returned to being a productive member of the community. This conversation ends in a moving affirmation from Ralph Angel, who we’ve seen mature beautifully in this season.

That maturity extends to his relationship with Darla (Bianca Lawson) who appears to have been shocked into decency again by the revelation that Blue (Ethan Hutchinson) is not Ralph Angel’s biological son. That he is still committed to being Blue’s father is a gift and she knows it. So they will share custody 50/50.

They want each other to be happy, even if it’s with other people. But aside from Hollywood (Omar Dorsey) and Aunt Vi (Tina Lifford) they are the actors with the most chemistry so it would be no-brainer for them to get back together. Even after Darla showed her entire ass, you want them to reunite. Someone did genius casting to combine Bianca Lawson and Kofi Siriboe, despite their 15-year age difference in real life. Bianca is a vampire, though, so there’s that.

Charley (Dawn Lyen Gardner) has done a deal with the Devil…again. She’s now aligned with Sam Landy’s (David Jensen’s) chilly sister, Frances Boudreaux (Annalee Jefferies) and the two boss bitches are in alignment with taking him down. Charlie gets her mill back, the farmers get their land back and the jail will likely be stopped once Landry’s shady accounting is exposed.

Sis gets to take down her brother and take over the family company in the process. Even Landry is stunned by the turn of events and Charley’s ability to handle her business. But when he warns her that she’d be better off with the Devil she knows, she responds with the season’s best line – “I’ve lived a long time as a Black woman and I can deal with any Devil you throw at me.” Riiiiiiiiiiiiighhhhhhht?!!!!!

Nova’s book Blessing and Blood is done. And so are her presently good relationships with her family once this book comes out. It was a dull storyline for her this season so we’re kind of happy that she’s already being set up as the antagonist to everyone else for Season 4.

Even though Nova’s self-righteous, activist, shady-relationship-having self irked my soul, muting her for the most part in Season 3 just didn’t work. So let’s bring back the Nova we know – messy love life, self-righteousness and all. And if Calvin (Greg Vaughn) comes back I will do the happy dance. That relationship had so much storyline potential. Plus, he’s fine. If not, we’ll be happy to see her and Remy (Dondre Whitfield) heat back up. We missed you this season, Dondre!

I wish Charley had as much potential with Romero (Walter Perez). He’s a nice guy and one she likely needs but the camera does such odd things. It gives some actors chemistry that makes it look like their clothes are combustible every time they interact. Romero and Charley just don’t have it, and its no knock on the actor. . But their little romance is growing so we may see him again.

And now to the three most moving things this episode – First, as I was about to lament this season for sure when it looked like Prosper (Henry G. Sanders) was heading back to Chicago to live with his daughter, Charley handed him the deed to his property. I could’t help but cheer. Prosper has become the patriarch of the series in place of Glynn Turman’s Ernest Bordelon and his presence would be missed. And it was so satisfying to see a man who worked hard on the land all his life get his just due.

And Aunt Vi…well Aunt Vi certainly gets her just due this episode. While she’s looking for options for her Aunt Vi’s Pies storefront, she’s told that her old boss, Clyde, has put the High Yellow diner up for sale. A few days later, Hollywood takes her there, telling her he has a gift for her there. Turns out, the gift is the High Yellow itself, which he purchased for her and she will solely hold the deed to. Why is Hollywood not real?

Next season’s drama is already being set up – Nova’s book is going to provide much of it, for sure. Micah will be caught up in some now that he’s named the racist cop who arrested him and stuck a gun in his mouth. And why did the cops roll up on Ralph Angel to ‘take him in for questioning?’ About what? Ralph Angel has a month left on his probation, so please say your prayers he does not get jammed up by these cops.

But Season 3 ends on an unexpected high note – Hollywood and Aunt Vi get married right at Vi’s house, with a few members of the family looking on and then a reception attended by everyone. Except Blue, which is kind of explained by the fact that Hollywood and Vi surprised everyone by saying it was a party to celebrate the anti-jail rally organized by Micah, but you would think Aunt Vi would have insisted Ralph bring Blue. (I suspect that it worked out that way because child actors are limited in filming hours, but I could be wrong. Just seemed weird he wasn’t there.)

Seeing Aunt Vi and Hollywood celebrating their happiness in each other almost made me break out in the ugly cry. With all the failed, fractured and ill-advised relationships of this season, it was nice to see at least one couple succeed. Yay for Hollywood and Vi! It’s hard to wait for Season 4, but we’re so glad it’s happening and we’ll get to enjoy more of the Bordelons in 2019.

Sugar babies, what did you think of this season?

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