[narrator] previously on queen sugar...
[woman] you have a white man strangling someone by the neck
as both victim and bystanders begged him to stop.
When you saw what happened to george floyd,
did you feel shame?
We have to get out in the streets...
[all] no peace!
[micah] ...It's the only way, mom. Period.
We should just board up the real spot.
-I'm over it. -You over it?
Just leave it be.
-We can change things. -Wanna know how you change it?
By staying alive and doing
something special with your life.
[ralph] that's how.
Uh-huh. There she is.
The day I've been waiting for is the day I get a home-grown salad by you.
So you're telling me that either, a, you're hungry...
-[laughs] -...Or, b, that my garden's too slow.
How about, c, I'm proud of you
for sticking to it and making everything look so damn good.
We do what we can
to bring some beauty into this ugly world.
Ugly?
Ain't nothin' ugly over here.
I mean, we look good. We're beautiful. All of us.
-Amen. -Amen.
-Speaking of... -Yeah?
-What's this? -Check that out.
Blue's iq scores from that little test you had him take.
Oh, yeah?
Got us a little genius on our hands, huh?
Oh, my god.
Look at this.
Reading and comprehension, "exceptionally gifted."
yeah.
Math...
"algebra to--" precalculus recommended.
Logic, "advanced."
wow, this explains why he's been running through
all that work so fast.
That's right.
I'm telling you, his brain is on overdrive.
I don't even know what to do with this right now.
-This is our baby. -Mmm-hmm.
This is our blue.
[exhales sharply]
what we ain't know. That ain't nothing new.
-Mmm. -Hold on to that.
[theme song playing]
♪ dreams never die ♪
♪ take flight as the world turns ♪
-♪ dreams never die ♪ -♪ keep the colors in the lines ♪
♪ take flight as the world turns ♪
♪ keep the colors in the lines ♪
♪ take flight ♪
♪ dreams never die ♪
♪ keep the colors in the lines ♪
♪ take flight ♪
ma'am, how do we make sure
that our elderly have what they need?
How do we keep them safe?
We're living in the most dangerous time in this country in 100 years,
and you decide to put me and you at risk.
I'm gonna need you to stop talking to me like I'm a child.
Then stop acting like one.
Like father, like son.
I didn't mean that.
[wailing]
[woman] you know this fight is just begun.
You expect us to turn the other cheek
when we have a gun in our mouth and a knee on our neck.
[man] they're tellin' y'all are gonna tear up that cemetery.
And what are they gonna do? Dump them in the street?
♪ we stayed on the front for an hour or something ♪
♪ my father spoke softly ♪
♪ told me that I'm doing just fine ♪
♪ and all right ♪
♪ missed the bus by a second or two ♪
♪ and usually screwed ♪
♪ and today was okay ♪
♪ I'm all right ♪
♪ yeah ♪
♪ I'm all right ♪
[exhales]
[violet] hey, I'm not worried or anything, it's just I've been trying
to catch up with you for a while now so...
Hey, vi, have you seen--
so when you get a chance, give old aunt vi a call.
I'd love to hear from you. All right?
Bye now.
What baby?
Hey, baby, have you seen my work boots?
I need to get out there and work on my bike.
I put them on the back porch.
You could tell a brother when you're moving his stuff.
Okay. No problem.
Who was that?
That was me calling layla.
Checking in on her.
There you go. Checking in.
[chuckles]
what?
I can't see how folks doing?
Shoot. 2020 is off the crazy train.
Trump and his evil crazy ass
actin' the fool daily. Shoot.
The least we can do is check in on each other.
I mean, it would just be nice
if somebody checked in on you for a change.
You know, see how you doing.
I mean, maybe you're the one who needs some help this time.
Well, hollywood, loving folks ain't
some sort of tit for tat parlor game.
Sometimes it is.
Or at least it should be.
I'm just talking.
Don't pay me no attention.
What?
Breakfast of champions again?
It is today.
[exhales sharply]
[sighs]
is that the last box of t-shirts?
-Yeah. Last one. -Good.
Let's do a count,
make sure we have enough for everybody.
Especially the kids.
My nephew will be quite upset
if I don't have a certain color t-shirt for him.
[both chuckle]
a blue shirt for blue bordelon.
-That's correct. -[laughs]
-he don't play. -Nice. Very nice.
I think so, too.
I love that kid.
He's gonna look great out there.
All the kids are.
You're teaching them early.
I'm proud of you, sister.
Proud of me? Why?
That children's March for st. Jo,
it's kind of genius.
People forget about the last March in birmingham.
-Mmm. -They put it down first.
-Hmm. That's right. 1963. -Mmm-hmm.
We can always look to history for ideas to move us forward.
Amen to that.
I just wanna make sure
everything is airtight for tomorrow.
They're kids, you know. So I don't want any surprises.
You ain't gotta worry about no foolishness out there.
They babies.
Oh, I wish I could share your optimism.
But in less than four years,
trump unleashed something from the shadows
that took generations for our ancestors
to drive out of the light in the first place.
[sighs wearily] we'll get rid of that fool come this November.
-Believe that. -Yeah. I hope so.
But I don't know.
You see these people. It's a cult.
They don't just believe him, they believe in him.
A billionaire who's never worked a real day in his life,
who dodged the military service,
who don't believe in their churches,
who scorns and derides them.
They'd rather hang on to that nothingness,
that disdain,
rather than give up the dominance of whiteness.
Facts. No lie.
Even if he slithers away,
everything he represents and promotes
will never be gone.
Not in our lifetimes anyway.
Maybe for blue and his grandkids.
You know, if we keep fighting,
maybe.
[charley] breakfast is ready.
-Thank you. -Yeah.
-Smells amazing. -Mmm.
What's wrong with your neck? You okay?
Oh, I think I slept funny.
Either that or someone dropped a bowling ball
-on my neck while I was sleeping. -[laughs]
-I hate when that happens. -Yeah.
Let me see.
Oh, thank you. That is nice.
-[exhales] -this must be from all
-the marching that we did. -Mmm.
It was really nice to have you there.
I'm really proud of you.
Not as proud as I am of you.
Mmm.
-I'm glad you feel that way. -Hmm.
I just feel like there's so much more I can do
to add my voice to what's been going on in the world.
Uh-huh...
Like, I always used to wonder,
like, what would it be like to live
-during the civil rights movement. -Mmm.
It feels like this time is ours for the taking.
I wanna do more than post on social media.
Well, you have a large following.
You know, that's real impact.
I know, but...
[sighs]
imagine what I could do
if I could give those followers
more than just reposts.
Mmm.
Imagine if I could take them with me
through all the organizing and the protesting
and the resisting on the ground. For real.
Where are you going, micah?
To where he was killed.
Minneapolis.
I'm not asking for your permission.
But I would like your support.
I'm so proud of the man you're becoming.
Good for you, sweetheart.
Thank you.
-[nova] he just up and went? -He couldn't get out of here fast enough.
Good for him for putting himself out there. Front and center.
Fighting the good fight.
I kind of long for those simpler days.
Simpler how?
You know, when things were more straightforward.
When we were young, passionate
and had no real responsibility beyond yourself.
[chuckles] you know, when you could just--
pick up and go?
Pick up and go.
Yeah. I never really had any of those.
Pick-and-go days.
You didn't. But look at you now.
Now's your time.
Embrace that.
Yeah. I guess.
I wish I could come give you a hug.
A masked one, of course.
We'll be back in a couple of days and I'll come see ya.
Wait, where are you headed?
Out to the children's March,
I'm riding with calvin and courtney.
I'm gonna take courtney back to her apartment in austin.
Then I'm gonna fly back right away.
You know I don't agree with that.
Not even for a story.
[sighs] I just wanna report on how the tsa
is handling black travelers
within all these travel restrictions.
-Mmm. -I just wanna see for myself.
It's a good story that
no one else has really done so...
That's what true papers is all about.
Come on. [chuckles] I'll be covered and masked from head to toe.
Trust. I'll be fine.
Yeah. Well, I know you won't be sad
to see miss courtney go.
Yeah, I've been a little tough on her and calvin.
I mean, time's up for polite conversations
to soothe white folks' fantasies about the world
the rest of us have to live in.
-Mmm. -But gotta give 'em a chance to grow.
I guess.
And that's what you're doing for micah.
Yeah, but I'm just...
I'm so terrified for him, nova.
All the time.
He's so young.
Not really.
He's not even 20.
King, malcolm, ella baker, assata shakur,
angela davis, john lewis,
we like to think they were fully grown.
And that's one of the reasons why I'm doing the March
with blue and the kids.
To remember that our heroes and sheroes were young.
We can't forget that.
Yeah. Yeah, you're right.
The youth get wisdom
from engaging with things that matter.
At least that's what micah said before he left.
[chuckles] that kid.
Right now, he's micah west,
son of charley bordelon and davis west.
But one day soon,
you're gonna be charley bordelon,
mother to the great micah west.
You'll see.
[laughs]
-[darla] you okay over there? -Yep.
Almost done.
Good.
[darla gasps]
oh, wow, blue, that's really nice.
I like that, blue. That's the one.
I like it, too.
I was thinking after the March,
I could hang it up in my room.
That's a perfect place.
[ralph] mmm-hmm.
"he asked for his mother.
She's not here, but we are."
I don't understand.
Who asked for their mother?
Remember that talk we had about george floyd?
Yes.
Well, when he was passing away,
he wanted his mother with him.
So he called out to her.
-Because he missed her? -Yeah.
And he was scared
and he loved her.
And sometimes, when we're scared,
we call out to or go to the ones that make us feel safe.
Like how I come to you and pops
when I have a nightmare?
That's right.
You come to me and your father
to protect you.
So tomorrow, blue,
we're marching
so that what happened to mr. Floyd
doesn't happen to anyone else.
Especially people that look like us.
[voice shaking] do you understand?
I do.
Okay.
How about some ice cream?
Will you grab it from the freezer for us?
-Sure. -And leave it in the sink for a little while?
Yeah. Shouldn't take me that long.
Nice sign, mate.
Not easy.
But you handled it well.
He's ten.
His world has to be better than this.
In all ways.
We have to make sure that that happens.
Okay?
I promise.
Almost done.
Be ready to leave right after the March.
I was looking forward
to spending more time together.
On the road in the open air.
You don't have to say that.
But it's the truth.
[scoffs] all of us stuck together in a car
for several hours can't be your idea of a good time.
And yet I asked your father to take the scenic route.
[gasps]
that's a rare copy.
You can't buy it.
But it's a classic.
-[cell phone ringing] -excuse me.
[exhales]
hello?
Yes. This is she.
What? No. Everything was in order for our permit.
Uh, no, that can't be.
Don't do this. You have no idea
how many kids you'll disappoint.
I could eat pizza everyday, just so you know.
Oh, I know.
[chuckles] which is why we don't let you eat it everyday.
So, guess we ain't marching tomorrow.
What? Why?
I just talked to nova
and she had a little mix-up with the permit so.
[sighs] wow, that's awful.
-[sighs] -I don't understand.
We can't just March anyway?
I mean, we can, but with so many people coming out,
she wanted to make sure everybody was safe.
That we have permission to walk down them streets
and stand in front of them white boys' monuments.
[sighs]
you have to have permission to stand in the street?
Yeah. Sometimes you do.
Well, that's dumb.
I wanted to let people know how I feel.
You know what?
That is dumb.
That's the dumbest thing ever, really.
-So, guess what? -What?
Tomorrow, me, you and your mama,
we're gonna take our signs
and let folks know how we feel.
-You cool with that? -Yes, sir.
-All right. -All righty.
[whispers] I got him.
Mmm-mmm.
It has been too long.
Thank you for bringing this by.
I'll try not to eat it all tonight.
You better not.
Some of this is for our college man.
-[chuckles] -where is micah x?
[fridge door opens and closes]
he went to minneapolis.
Minnie who?
He felt strongly about protesting.
He just-- he went to meet some activist friends there.
When exactly did you decide
to allow him to go gallivanting out of state
in the middle of a health crisis and a race crisis?
Aunt vi, micah is a grown man.
I can't decide to let him do anything.
I know he's got a little hair on his chest,
but I'm just saying--
you are the one who said kids act different
when they come home from college.
This is micah acting different.
He's growing up.
Things change and it's tough but...
I'm dealing with it.
How are you? How's the shop?
Shop is fine, I guess.
-I know I am over take-out orders. -[chuckles]
I'm trying to stay home more.
[chuckles] I'm gonna start cooking small orders
out of my own kitchen.
Why? Isn't that harder?
I got a lot on my plate.
Is everything okay?
How's hollywood?
Ain't nobody okay right now, truth be told.
And hollywood, he's in a bad place
over willa mae.
Emotions, moods, all over the place.
And I don't know if I should just, you know,
leave him be or... [sighs]
yeah. It's probably gonna be that way for a while.
Is mr. Prosper doing better?
The fog he was in is finally lifting,
thank god.
I'm so happy that he is with us.
-That was the right choice. -Mmm-hmm.
And I just wanna be home with him.
Prosper's own daughter ain't even called to check on him.
The world out there is a mess!
We gotta keep family close, baby.
[beeps]
you can sit up front with your dad,
it's fine by me.
I wouldn't dream of asking you to sit in the back, nova.
I'm good right here, thanks.
[sighs]
um, what's taking him so long?
Finishing a work call.
Um, sorry about the children's March being called off.
I know you put a lot of work into it.
Thanks.
Probably for the best, you know?
I mean, it's not good for kids
to be exposed to all that negativity.
Maybe, uh-- maybe it's good for them to just be...
You know, kids.
Maybe?
Yeah. Maybe.
-[darla] whoo! -[ralph] black lives matter!
Black lives matter!
[horn honking]
-you see them honking? -No justice, no peace!
-Whoo!
[horn honking]
-[darla] no justice, no peace! -[ralph] black lives matter!
[all cheering]
-you see that? No peace! -[darla] no justice, no peace!
-[blue whooping] -no justice, no peace!
-[ralph] no justice, no peace! -No peace!
-I see you, I see you. -[horns honking]
[darla and blue cheering]
[ralph] oh, there they go. You see 'em waving at us?
-[all cheering] -[horn honking]
-no justice, no peace! -Black lives matter!
[siren sounding]
shit.
-Pops? -[ralph clears throat]
did we do something wrong?
-No, we're fine. We're fine. -About to see what's up.
Don't worry about it.
It's gonna be fine.
-Afternoon. -[darla] afternoon.
Officer.
Hmm.
We got a call about someone
obstructing traffic on this route.
That ain't us.
Just minding our business holding these signs.
[officer] minding your own business?
[ralph] that's right.
On public property?
But, see, right here is private.
Where you standing, that's public property. [chuckles]
we own all that back there. That's all us.
-You own it? -That's right.
Hmm.
You got any proof of that?
I mean, why I gotta show you proof if I just told you I own it?
'cause you telling me ain't enough.
Who you know walk around
with the deed to their property
in their back pocket, huh?
You have any identification on you?
-It's back at the house. -Back at the house?
The one you supposedly own?
[darla] ralph angel, we'll get it.
-Darla, no, you don't-- -I got it.
Mmm.
"mmm"?
How you doing?
You ain't got nothing better to do, huh?
Than driving around, harassing people?
Oh, trust me, there's a million other things
I'd rather be doing right now
than dealing with a bunch of...
Blm sign twirlers.
Well, ain't nobody stopping you, officer.
Go ahead. Go handle your business, huh?
Boy, the mouth on you people.
The mouth on you people.
Mmm-mmm-mmm.
[exhales]
[sniffles, clears throat]
all right, all right, yeah.
[dispatcher on radio] all units be advised,
103, uh, in progress in front of city hall.
All available, respond.
Your lucky day, I suppose.
Catch you later, little man.
[inhales]
[door slams, engine starts]
[siren wailing]
[sighs] it's all right.
[blue crying]
my bad, blue.
-My bad. -[blue sniffling]
we came out here for a reason, right?
-Put that sign up. -[blue sniffling]
put that sign up. Come on, put that up.
No justice, no peace!
No racist police!
[blue sniffling and crying]
black lives matter!
Come on, blue.
Black lives matter!
Next stop is your place.
How does it feel to be going back?
[courtney exhales]
odd.
I felt, uh, hopeful when I left.
Not so much going back.
What's changed?
I wanna be a good ally.
I wanna be a good person.
I thought I was.
I feel like I just keep putting my foot in my mouth,
like I don't know anything.
You're feeling all the right things.
[chuckles sadly]
[exhales] look at me.
Never feel satisfied.
Never feel that you know it all.
Stay uncomfortable.
Stay pushing yourself.
Stay asking questions, stay listening.
Stay trying.
That's what it means to be a good ally.
A good person.
Yeah.
[both chuckling]
[both laughing]
come on, let's get back to your dad.
[exhales]
[commentator on tv] ...One minute left to go in the game.
The score remains exactly 97-98...
Sad state when you're looking forward to an old game,
'cause there ain't no new one.
What do you guys want for dinner tonight?
Anything you make is fine with me.
I'm mighty grateful.
And you, king of sheba?
Whatever, baby. I'm good with whatever.
You all right?
Uh, I just got off the phone a little bit ago,
talking to darla about blue.
And I was telling her,
they're gonna have to keep a better eye on him with all of this madness.
They're letting him watch
all kinds of foolishness on the tv.
You know, overhear their conversation
about grown folks' business.
George floyd, breonna taylor.
It's just too much for a child, you know?
-[scoffs] and she tells me-- -[hollywood] and she told you
to stay out of it?
Well, not like that, but, yeah.
[chuckles] I'm just trying to help.
I did raise that boy from an infant.
Mmm-hmm.
"mmm-hmm," what does that mean?
Nothing-- vi, I'm just watching the game.
Well, it must have meant something.
[clears throat] excuse me.
[prosper straining]
[hollywood] vi,
if this is where you expect me to make you feel better
by telling you how big your heart is
and how misunderstood you are,
I can't do it, not today.
I just wanna watch something on the idiot box
that'll get my mind off this crazy world.
So if darla, or anybody else, don't wanna take your advice,
there's not a thing that me, you, or god himself
can do about it.
So why don't we just chill and mind our business?
"I don't care. Whatever.
Ain't a damn thing we can do about it."
-this ain't you. -Well, it is right now.
Well, what about the real spot? Does that matter?
Let's talk about that.
Ain't nothing to talk about.
Sitting over there empty
on a year's lease with six months left to go.
Draining every little bit of my settlement savings.
There ain't shit that I can do about it.
So what I'm gonna do is sit here,
drink this beer, watch this game,
which I already know the outcome of,
wait for my beautiful wife,
who happens to be a tremendous cook,
go and bring me something to eat.
Well, all righty, then.
Mighty grateful.
My son found it in an old microfiche reel.
And get this,
it was tucked away
at the bottom of a box labelled "trash."
it's the only copy
of the original st. Josephine charter.
The language stipulates, "any time that there's a federal state of emergency,
all public works projects can be paused...
For a period of at least two years."
[inhales sharply]
yes, that's right.
It hasn't been overturned by any subsequent laws.
So no highways, no prisons, nothing.
It means the landrys, the boudreauxes,
and the parker campbells of the world
have been put out of business in st. Jo for...
[breath trembling] the foreseeable future.
[chuckles] no, to say I'm pleased is... [inhales]
...The understatement of the year. [exhales]
[labored breathing] yeah.
No, we'll, uh-- we'll talk more soon. [inhales sharply]
thanks. [breathing heavily]
yep! Bye-bye.
[breathing heavily, breath trembling]
[ragged, heavy breathing]
[nova] gonna take courtney
back to her apartment in austin.
[inhales]
[violet] I got a lot on my plate.
[breathing heavily, breath trembling]
[on voicemail] this is ralph angel,
can't get to my phone right now. Leave a message.
[breathing heavily]
[breathing sharply]
then he just rolled up on us.
Hopped out of his little cruiser like he was gonna do something.
-You know how they be doing. -[hollywood] yeah, man.
Trying to intimidate and wouldn't bust a grape.
Exactly.
How's blue? How's he holding up?
Oh, man.
As my little man would, feel me?
Yeah. It's all right, man.
[sighs wearily] he just looked up at me, scared.
Scared for me.
I don't want him scared for me, wood. That ain't his job, man.
That's my job.
To protect him.
To keep him safe.
His only job is to be a kid right now, wood.
A kid.
But they still won't let him.
They just won't goddamn let him, wood.
[sighs wearily]
[ralph crying]
they just won't let him be a kid, man. [sobs]
[sniffles]
just let it out.
[breathing heavily]
just let it out.
[exhales]
[hollywood] prosper, I'm sorry about earlier, man. I'm just having a hard time.
I understand where you're coming from.
Yeah, well, vi don't.
Yeah, well, I'm sure she has her reasons.
But the two of you are gonna have to reckon with that.
All I know is that if she's not happy...
Then I ain't happy, right.
-[chuckles] -yeah.
Yeah, keeping your peace.
Touches and joy, that's what it's about. [chuckling]
you are good, kind.
Safe.
And so perfectly flawed
that even your jagged parts
fit mine just right.
So I commit to you.
I call it hollywood's afternoon delight.
[violet] I knew it.
I knew you were gonna take it too far!
I knew you would!
Vi, I wanna be your soft place
in this here hard world.
I wanna cheer you on everyday.
And I want to let you know how beautiful...
You are, every night.
[sighs]
♪ take my hand ♪
♪ take my bones ♪
♪ let me be your long shadow... ♪
-[exhales] -[glass clinks]
♪ at least then ♪
♪ you might be ♪
♪ at least then, you might be close to me ♪
[water running]
♪ take this hurt... ♪
I wanna make sure you're okay.
♪ I don't need ♪
♪ let me lay...♪
hi.
Hi.
I love you so much. More than anything or anyone.
I can't be all of myself when I'm with you.
I can't.
Nova?
Calvin. [gasps]
maybe we shouldn't say goodbye.
[nova] if you'd be willing
to see if we're on the same wavelength,
that we want the same things.
I can't fight for my people everyday and come home...
And have to explain it.
My past led me to you.
And that led me to wanna be a better man.
-No justice, no peace! -No justice, no peace!
[calvin] say yes.
[nova] I want to.
♪ take my breath ♪
♪ take everything ♪
♪ I'll lay here within reach... ♪
[laughing]
♪ at least then ♪
♪ you will be ♪
♪ at least then you will be... ♪
I want everything with you.
[sighs in relief]
[exhales]
[melancholy music playing]
-hi, buddy. -Hi, pops.
-[blue weeping] I want to go with poppa! -You can't, blue, you can't!
[ralph] it's gonna be okay.
My blue is the sky. My blue is the ocean.
He's everything good.
That's you, son. Everything good.
I call it blue's corner.
-My own corner? -Mmm-hmm. That's right.
This is your land, son.
Little piece of the world.
No matter what happens.
Blue. Hey! Come here, bud.
I thought we said kenya was gonna stay home with me.
This isn't kenya.
Looked like kenya to me.
[blue] she had a birthmark.
I gave it to her myself.
But now it's gone.
[melancholy music continues]
♪ this one night ♪
♪ is the only thing we trust ♪
♪ because the tv says the world out there... ♪
[charley breathing heavily]
[yelps in pain]
[straining, choking]
[gasping for air]
[gasping]
[gasps and sighs wearily]
[nova] I'm riding with calvin and courtney
back to her apartment in austin.
Then I'm gonna fly back while calvin drives home.
Where are you going, micah?
To where he was killed.
[gasping for air]
[violet] I got a lot on my plate.
And I just wanna be home.
[groans]
[breath trembling]
I'm sorry to call you.
[inhales sharply]
I'm not feeling well.
[crying softly] I need help.
Okay.
Thanks.
[gasping for air]
♪ can you hear the screams at night? ♪
♪ echo down theaterpipes ♪
♪ coming from the other side ♪
♪ can you hear the screams at night? ♪
♪ echo down the waterpipes ♪
♪ coming from the other side ♪