The Other Black Girl Season 1 Episode 10 Recap

Down With Disease – As the episode opens, a frantic Nella Rogers (Sinclair Daniel) is restrained in a chair when Hazel-May McCall (Ashleigh Murray) approaches. Nella calls her “Satan.” Loosening the restraints, Hazel urges her to take the grease. Pulling up a chair, Diana Gordon (Garcelle Beauvais) asks Nella what she wants. Nella says to get out of here. Diana reminds her that she wants to be an editor. She boasts of their changing the world when the release of Jesse Watson’s book is announced next week. Diana says Nella will join Jesse to get the credit she deserves. Nella questions if Jesse wrote a book in three days. Diana claims it took the sisterhood years to write their “brilliant” book which will bear the name of their spokesman, Jesse. Nella refuses to use the grease. Shani (Karina Willis) restrains Nella as Hazel approaches with the grease when Kendra intervenes by shocking them. Diana compliments her appearance. Kendra refutes her claim before shocking her. She and Nella flee.

1988, Kendra and Diana go on the Chelsea (Madison Hatson) show to discuss “Burning Heart.” Chelsea says Richard Wagner (Eric McCormack) took a risk when he signed two inexperienced Black women. When Diana describes Richard as a “great man,” Kendra laughs. She expresses what it means to work with her sister, Kendra who flinches at her touch. A verbal dispute breaks out. Kendra vows to never work again if it means being Richard’s “wh**e” before walking off stage.

Back to the present, Kendra admits to being on the run from Diana and Richard. She tells Nella if she wants to be free and true to herself, she must say goodbye to her friends. Nella admits it is what she wants. Diana says her phone must be destroyed. Nella demands to see her friends. At the hospital, Nella, Owen (Hunter Parrish), and Kendra stare at a Malaika (Brittany Adebumola). Nella blames herself. Kendra warns her that it won’t stop until she is in Idaho. Owen asks what about Idaho. Refusing to explain, Nella enters Malaika’s room.

Hazel assures Richard that they will find Kendra and Nella. Richard tells Diana that they don’t need Nella. Diana stresses the importance of stopping her before she derails their operation. Hazel vows to fix it. Richard believes she can do it. Diana threatens to ban Hazel from their operation if Nella isn’t greased by the end of the day. Richard tells Diana that he will always protect her.

Malaika refuses to let Nella go on the run. Nella says she must keep her and Owen safe. Malaika accuses Kendra of abandoning them for 35 years. She urges Nella to stop Jesse’s book from being published. Nella voices concern about Malaika’s safety. They discuss a strategy when Vera Parini (Bellamy Young) arrives with a bottle of wine and garlic knocks. Nella asks what is the process of stopping a book from being published. Vera suggests claiming the author is racist. Nella says they will destroy Jesse’s credibility to turn his followers against him. Malaika questions what steps they will need to take to get Jesse’s book and leak it. Nella calls Sophie (Kate Owens).

Emerging from the elevator, Nella is wearing Sophie’s Wagner badge. She runs through the hallway.

In a flashback, Diana knocks on the door and calls for Kendra. When Kendra (Cassi Maddox) opens the door, Diana (Shakirah DeMesier) offers her cheap wine. She doesn’t want things to end for them like this. Nella tries to save data to a USB stick but has to guess Richard’s password. She gets it when she tries “DIANA”. In the past, Diana tells Kendra that they’re different. She offers to do her hair like they used to. Nella finds information about Jesse Watson (Langston Kerman) and his book called Radical Power. She transfers the data. Diana and Kendra agree they’d do anything for each other.

As Diana puts something in her hair, she tells Kendra that Richard is not going to fire her. She explains that they made a deal. Richard is going to kill the Chelsea interview and he’ll leave Kendra alone. People will never know what she said. Kendra briefly freaks out before turning around and telling Diana that is great. In the present, Nella cuts her hand on Diana’s portrait that fell from the wall. Hazel approaches her in the bathroom and says she wants her to have everything. All it takes is one compromise. Hazel pleads with Nella to realize she is her friend.

Hazel says Diana gave her a way out and this is a better life. It is a real life where they can be real friends, but Nella claims it costs their souls. Hazel asks if she thinks white people are distracted all day by how furious they are at the world. She questions whether Nella would like to free her mind from that. Nella insists she can’t let Jesse’s book get out there. Hazel argues she needs to think about what she wants. She tells her to make some sacrifices to get ahead before going through the things she has already done. Diana made sacrifices too while Kendra stood her ground.

Hazel explains she has to play the game because it is the only way they can win in a system stacked against them. She shows her the bottle and says it makes sure it doesn’t hurt so much. Hazel leaves it there and exits the bathroom. Nella picks it up. In the past, Kendra packs a bag and seems to have an attack. Diana puts more grease on her scalp. Richard Wagner (Eric McCormack) speaks about Jesse’s book. They’re surprised when Nella arrives looking much different. She says Richard and Diana asked her to come back to make sure his book reaches as many hands as possible. Richard announces that Nella is their newest senior editor.

Diana tells Nella it looks like she has been using a new hair product. Nella responds by saying every day before admitting it gives her so much control. Diana reveals they left her office empty hoping she’d make the right decision. She believes everything will start falling into place for Nella now. Then, Hazel approaches Nella to say it is so good she is there. They’re happy to be friends and on the same team finally. In Nella’s office, Hazel says they can tell each other everything now. When Hazel suggests getting a drink to celebrate, Nella says she is really busy so tomorrow or the next day would be better. In Jesse’s Uber, he turns around and tells Malaika (Brittany Adebumola) that the Uber is his.

She shocks him and knocks him out. When Malaika says this is so much fun, Kendra (April Parker Jones) tells her not to talk. Nella uses a burner phone to call Malaika and tell her she is in.

 

The Other Black Girl Review

The finale of The Other Black Girl revealed a lot while leaving the door open for a potential renewal. The series had some ups and downs with the finale possibly being its lowest point because it undid so much. The story seemed more competent early in the season and just got more farfetched as it approached the finish line. The final episode was the climax for that considering how unbelievable it is.

The seriousness of the first few episodes was much better than the over-the-top ending that fell flat. Truthfully, The Other Black Girl has a lot in common with Creamerie although the latter was never meant to be taken seriously and that’s for the better. The book may provide a more effective ending since it has been changed here, but the networks just have to get another season even when it really isn’t necessary.

At times, it was difficult to tell the characters apart especially after they took the special grease. In the end, Nella likely lied about using the grease so she could trick the others. Malaika and Kendra teamed up to kidnap Jesse so they can use him to expose everything Diana has been doing. Overall, the dynamic conflict between Nella and Hazel successfully drove the series for many episodes.

When the gimmick was revealed and the smoke was lifted, the finale turned the series into a silly escapade without substance. Sadly, it really felt like the ending was just thrown together at the last minute. The finale scores a 5 out of 10. Recaps of The Other Black Girl can be found on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising on Reel Mockery here.