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'Being Mary Jane' Season 3, Episode 4: We Need to Lift Kara in Prayer

Poor, poor Kara.

By Michael Arceneaux

Last week, Being Mary Jane ended with a sad goodbye, but on the latest episode, we begin with a high note: Kara’s climaxing as she had a sexual eruption with her boyfriend, that man who is currently getting on my nerves on CBS’ Madam Secretary. Then her ex-husband and a potential learning disability for their son soiled the afterglow. Poor, poor Kara. That, more or less, is the theme of the latest episode. Remember, though, that this is Being Mary Jane so poor everyone else, too.

Gather ‘round, BMJ family. Time to react and wonder.

Mary Jane failed her screen test, but can she not be such an awful person about it?

I do not appreciate the way Mary Jane came for Kara’s neck for putting her child ahead of Mary Jane’s job. She is such a selfish, spiteful human being. In any event, after going home, Mary Jane was met with a letter from Lisa. Instead of reading it, Mary Jane let her part-time lover’s hotline bling for a much needed distraction. I am glad she got some, but I would love for her to also hit a therapist’s trap phone in order to learn how to be a decent human being. I am really trying to warm to Mary Jane Paul, but the character keeps lodging ice cubes at my head. Like, those really big ones they put in the drinks you order to rationale them charging you $14 for alcohol.

Thank you for showing Kara pop those pills.

People using antidepressants is not uncommon, but usage still carries certain stigmas. Kara has a hugely stressful, demanding job. She has an estranged partner who punishes her for having said job, but manages to reap the benefits of it i.e. child support and compelling her to pay the mortgage on their home. She faces huge guilt over her inability to properly balance her professional and personal lives. Of course she needs some level of assistance to make it through this stressful time until she figures it out. I don’t blame her one bit for needing the boost. Thankfully, she is shown getting said boost without any unnecessary shame attached to it.

Can Loretta Devine and her trifling ass character fall into the damn abyss?

I love Loretta Devine and while I do find her challenging Mary Jane in a way she isn't used to interesting, this subplot is stupid. A news anchor - particularly one as sharp, shrewd, and soulless as Mary Jane often shows herself to be - should be able to find her way through this. I guess the fact that she cannot is supposed to be what reels us in, but it does not. What is the FBI tip line? I’d like to report a crime and a storyline that needs to be locked away.

That said, I do appreciate Mary Jane calling her out for the fraud that she is. Black Jesus is not a fan of this woman. Pseudo Christians like that woman who bastardized scripture to suit their self-interests irritate the living hell out of me. If hell is a Fry Daddy, Loretta Devine’s character, Eddie Long, and Creflo Dollar will be seasoned and tossed into some hot grease like catfish in due time. No shade.

Wasn't it sweet of Mary Jane’s piece to ask how she’s doing?

Granted, he asked after essentially calling her a selfish lover (which I totally believe, but am not at all mad given his role), but I found it touching all the same. The same goes for him handing her a cigar and whiskey after Mary Jane finally did open Lisa’s letter -- which turned out to be an invitation to an event Lisa will obviously not make.

Can we give Kara a group hug?

Her showing up at Mary Jane’s house after midnight to get Mary Jane to make the brownies she clearly could not made me so sad for her given it lead to her ultimately bursting into tears and saying of her kids, “Loving them and raising them are two very different things.” The same goes for her admission that she feels like she has failed her children. Being Mary Jane can be tough to watch at times given the difficult subject matter it tackles, but I will say it’s such a good show and it is blossoming this season. It’s sort of like Mary J. Blige’s My Life album in that it is depressing as hell, but there’s a little bop to it. My Life is my favorite album so understand that this is a compliment of the highest order.

Shout out to the Boomerang reference Niecy made.

It is my all-time favorite movie, so I have to acknowledge this. Congrats on the job, too, girl. Lord knows you needed it.