Star Recap Season 1 Episode 7: In Protest

When I heard that Star was going to do an episode focused on the Black Lives Matter movement, my first thought was: how is our resident diva going to make this protest about herself? While Star (Jude Demorest) definitely has her moments — she claims that she "gets" the Black experience because she grew up "in the real world" which, girl, nooooo — she's hardly the only one in this episode who royally sucks. Jahil (Benjamin Bratt) is gross, Pastor Bobby (Tyrese Gibson) is a bigot, and Hunter (Chad James Buchanan) is a moron, but what else is new? Thank God for Derek (Quincy Brown), Alex (Ryan Destiny), and Cotton (Amiyah Scott), the last of which is barely featured in this episode. So sad. I need a higher Cotton to Jahil ratio in the next episode. The group is a wreck following Danielle's (Jasmine Burke) funeral, and each person has their own reaction to the crime committed against her. Alex and Simone (Brittany O'Grady) are pissed: they want justice and absolutely want to protest. Derek, who is too good for this world and probably this show, rallies the group for a Black Lives Matter protest in honor of Danielle. Carlotta (Queen Latifah) isn't happy with the plan — she's worried that the girls could get hurt. Pastor Bobby believes in prayer over protest, but I officially don't care what Bobby thinks. While smoking a post-coital cigarette, our resident man of God snarks that he's "a man with needs" — just like Carlotta's son. Ugh. Can he transfer churches or something? I do not like where this storyline is going. Jahil has gone from the girls' champion to a straight-up villain — and he might have a sidekick. Turns out our sweet Eva (Sharlene Taulé) is cut from the same cloth as Jahil. Eva wants Star out of the group about as badly as Arlene (Nealla Gordon) and suddenly Jahil is 100% onboard for Eva's plan — mostly because, well, he's now having sex with her. (Of course, he still "wants Star." Vomit.) Eva, in broken English that we now know is bullshit, convinces Hunter to take Star on a "romantic getaway" — a.k.a. get her out of town so Eva can slide on in her spot. Hunter takes Star out of town for a trip, which she doesn't even realize he's doing because she fell asleep in the car. (That doesn't really track, but okay.) Upon realizing she'll miss the protest if she doesn't turn back, she demands that Hunter drive her back to rehearsal. Star throws a tantrum — and Hunter throws Star's phone, breaking it. (The fact that Hunter has apparently been on some sort of performance-enhancing drug this entire time suddenly makes a whole lot of sense.) Eventually, he agrees to drive a very unhappy Star home. Don't worry: Hunter buys Star a new, engraved iPhone, because the show isn't letting go of that annoying relationship just yet. Eva, Alex, and Simone perform at the Black Lives Matter rally (much to Star's inner rage). Things are peaceful and protective — at least, at first. After the police chief reveals that the cop won't face charges for Danielle's murder, outside instigators begin beat up an officer. Derek attempts to break things up — after all, this isn't what the Black Lives Matter is about — yet he ends up getting arrested anyway. Carlotta reflects on the events of the night — which includes a bizarre dream sequence that features Star, Alex, Simone, and Danielle singing and dancing together — and apologizes to Simone for telling her not to go to the rally. Carlotta has been jaded from years of injustice, but she finally realizes that shouldn't stop her from striving for change. And change is certainly necessary, considering what happens next. Alex goes to pick up Derek from jail, when she's stopped by two white police officers. When she tells the cops that she doesn't have her license on her, the cop slams her against her car and declares she's under arrest. Alex demands they tell her why, but the cop silently throws her in the back of his cruiser. It's not the only legal trouble for the girls. At the end of the episode, construction workers dig up Otis' (Darius McCrary) body. Yikes — what a week.