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| Photo: FX |
This season has certainly doubled down on that commitment, depicting the realities of violence against transgender women and the AIDS epidemic while also showing moments of triumph, whether it be Blanca's legal victory against Frederica (however brief) or the breezy girls' trip where the women could simply enjoy themselves and each other. "In My Heels" feels like a fitting conclusion, tying up narrative loose ends while hinting at what will happen next.
"In My Heels" jumps forward to May 1991. Damon's still dancing in Paris. Angel and Papi have practically become the Ricardos. And Pray and Ricky are still together, though he hasn't moved in. Blanca however, is in a much different place than we left her in "Life's A Beach."
She's alone, now doing nails in her apartment since her salon burned down, just as Frederica cattily predicted. And, as Pray Tell notes(you knew these two were gonna make up at some point) she hasn't been to a ball since her kids moved out. "Nothing more dangerous than being left alone with your own thoughts," he says, reminding her the balls exist to give a sense of belonging and community. But with all her kids gone, Blanca believes walking would just amplify her loneliness.
She also hasn't been to a doctor recently, which lands her in a hospital bed with pneumonia. Things aren't looking good, and we get a sense of how not good when Blanca asks Pray Tell to go over her will. Though he encourages her to fight, Blanca, always indomitable, doesn't have the strength. But like the real one he is, Pray fights for her, calling up everyone she knows so she won't be alone. Later, Judy explains her infection was possibly caused by chemicals in her salon, at one point suggesting she retire and go on disability. "I'm only 30 years old. What kind of life is that?" Blanca responds.
As Blanca wrestles with the idea she may be forced to take a backseat to her own life, the other ladies have their sights set on taking the steering wheel. "In My Heels," also shines a spotlight on the schism between the women and men of the ballroom. Elektra, Angel and Lulu feel their presence has been diminished in the wake of "Vogue's" success. The boys have been dominating the categories, while the emcee council is an all boys' club led by men who do nothing but judge them, deeming themselves an authority on femininity even though their daily existence is nothing like a woman's.
The difference between the experiences of gay men and transgender women has been a small plot point previously. However it takes center stage this episode. Pray Tell brings their grievances to the council, who decide a stunt is in order: they'll all dress in drag at The Mother's Day ball to show solidarity. Like Pray Tell, I had my doubts about whether this would come across as more unintended mockery than celebration. But those concerns were rendered moot the moment I saw Elektra judging the guys' proficiency in high heels. Ricky and his Wintour siblings do just fine; however, Pray Tell isn't down with the six inch shits, and storms out. Ricky, revealing more than a little emotional maturity, comforts him as he talks about the homophobic abuse he suffered at the hands of his father, encouraging him to move on. "It's time for you to embrace all of you."
While Pray Tell is pushed to confront the fear of his own femininity, Angel's womanhood is called into question. Outed by a messy queen from the ballroom, her modeling career crumbles. All of her contracts have been pulled, her name essentially dirt in the industry. "The world isn't ready yet," Ms. Ford says, delivering a sad dose of reality as Angel bawls in her lap. And while you could make a drinking game out of the number of times Angel's cried this season, having your dream evaporate before your eyes is some shit to shed tears about. Papi, ever the hustler, has been keeping tabs on all the assistants from Angel's shoots, who are now moving up professionally. He wants to start a talent agency--Esteban Martinez Talent. Unfortunately the girls are less than confident Papi can turn them into a household name. "Try selling something people actually want, like insurance or Big Mac's," Elektra tells him.
But Papi is relentless, convincing Angel, who in turn helps him convince Ms. Ford to allow EMT to operate under the umbrella of the Ford Agency. "The world don't change," Angel says. "People change it." He and Angel make a good team, and Papi quickly proves his professional worth by landing her a job in Berlin. "You know you're my Angel right?" Papi says, and it's a testament to his utter sincerity such an on the nose line doesn't come off as unbearably cheesy. "You showed me how to feel love," Angel gushes, and they simultaneously propose to each other. Awww. The Ricardos are getting hitched.
Good news comes for Blanca when she learns she can go home, just as Damon arrives at the hospital. Blanca asks him about his own HIV status--he's negative--before, Damon, now a choreographer and a house father himself, gives her some guidance. "There are so many more Damons in the world that need saving," he says, his voice breaking. "Your work isn't done yet."
The conversation appears to reawaken something in Blanca, who, though confined to a wheelchair, is determined to not only attend, but compete in the Mother's Day Ball.
And can we talk about the ball? The girls served looks for days, from runway to the vogue category. Though Elektra wins Mother of the Year, it's Blanca who proves to be the showstopper, lip synching for her goddamn life to Whitney's rendition of The Star Spangled banner, lifting herself and the crowd to their feet. It's heart warming and wig snatching all at once.
The ball ends with the men of the council and a few of the boys walking in their best drag. Ricky turns it out as Janet, and Pray silences his inner judge to serve the crowd Diana Ross. While waiting for Pray to change, Blanca calls over two young kids hanging around outside. It turns out they just arrived in New York after being kicked out by their families, and are living on the streets. Blanca and Pray ask them if they want to grab a burger on the way home. The House of Evangelista lives on.
Pose's decision to focus on themes rather than strictly adhere to a straightforward narrative largely paid off this season. The series drew even more from historical events, weaving the political (the St. Patrick's Cathedral protest), the tragic (Candy's murder), the shocking (Elektra's closet corpse) and the farcical (the condom caper) into the characters' lives in ways that made them feel authentic and multifaceted. They laugh. They cry. They dream. They fight. They forgive. They live. They work. They pose.
See ya' next season!
Other Thoughts/The Shade of It All
- Karma gives Frederica a much-needed bitch slap when she's been charged with felony. To add insult to injury her bail's been revoked. "The only thing I feel bad about, if I have anything to feel bad about, is that I ended another woman's dreams," Frederica snarls during a rant to her lawyer. "I refuse to be shamed for my ambition!" Her diatribe felt out of character to me, despite truth it contains about the disdain often heaped on ambitious women. To me, Frederica would be pissed about being in jail not because she felt she was victim of sexism, but because she'd find it unimaginable to be locked up and denied bail like "the little people." Either way Patti Lupone gave a great performance.
- Blanca's will: Angel gets her clothes and jewelry books and tape collection, Damon gets her mother's cookbook, Papi her journals, and Lulu gets her salon supplies. As for Elektra? The "shake and go" wig she wore the night they met. Ha, suffer!
- "Pass the motion bitch." Okay that was a bop!
- 'Now fix your face. You shouldn't look constipated.
- "She walking like an old deaconess."
- "Listen Sasquatch. You need to invest in some Nair amd prep your meaty tuck, ' cause you're walking."
- "You're in the sort of heel I wear when I'm asleep or suffering from food poisoning. Take tinier steps."
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