P-Valley Season 1, Episode 7 recap: Last Call For Alcohol

P-Valley Episode 7 recap: Hailey prepares to leave town.

P-Valley Episode 7, “Last Call For Alcohol,” opens with Hailey thinking back to her time with Montavius. In a dim, fuzzy memory, she wears white lingerie and dances for him while the song “Dangerous” by Alan Scoop feat. Lil Bad Cuzzin plays. The lyrics, “does she wanna stay, or does she wanna run away?” feel particularly apt.

Hailey’s dance is interrupted by her daughter crying in the next room, she watches as Montavius comforts her. Then the episode transports us to present-day Hailey in a harsh juxtaposition. She pulls layers of newspaper off a grimy window as she packs up her apartment and watches some children play soccer outside with a mournful expression on her face, perhaps wondering what could have been.

Later, we see Hailey standing next to a man on her porch as she looks at her busted-up car.

“That thing gonna get you where you’re going?”

“It better.”

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P-Valley Episode 7 recap: New casino? Chucalissa residents say casiNAH.

Cut to a close-up of black latex boots with red laces on concrete and a slow camera pan to reveal Uncle Clifford’s latest stylish ensemble. She rocks a mesh shirt, a camo skirt, and a black leather jacket, along with a red leather beret decorated with pins like “truth is the new black.”

She greets Patrice, her latest partner in crime. After their little chat in Episode 6, it appears the plan to halt the casino is to rile up the churchgoers in town, to make them see how heinous it would be to have yet another den of sin in Chucalissa. Considering the protest and the signs calling Mayor Ruffin the devil, it would appear their plan is working.

They need these people to help push force a vote. Enemy of my enemy and all that, although Clifford makes it clear she’s washing her hands clean of Patrice as soon as this is all over. Her loyalty is with Mercedes.

Meanwhile, Andre and his godfather Mayor Ruffin meet up with Wayne and Wyatt Kyle to discuss the new leasing agreement. They’re pissed off and don’t try to hide it, especially after seeing Corbin has already signed it. Instead of getting $6 million upfront, they’ll get staggered monthly payments of $15,000, along with 1 percent of the casino’s overall revenue.

Through clenched teeth, the boys finally sign the deal, but not before Wyatt makes sure Mayor Ruffin knows this is going to cost him when it comes time to elect a new mayor. Ruffin is not pleased with Andre for what he feels is sheer arrogance. Andre’s life has been picturesque, bought and paid for — often by Ruffin’s money, yet he looks down upon his godfather for how he runs Chucalissa, lamenting that he’s traded in his integrity for greed.

Ruffin points out that he grew up in a time when segregation was still prevalent and points out the abysmal unemployment rate and educational system in Chucalissa. He might be doing part of this for selfish reasons, however, Ruffin claims he genuinely wants to help the city and the income generated by the casino could do just that.

However, his comments echo real-world arguments about aiding inner-cities with big business. At the end of the day, it causes more harm than good and just paves the way for gentrification.

Before things can get any more heated between the two men, a harried Eloise comes in to tell Ruffin the ribbon-cutting ceremony on the new park has been postponed. A news broadcast shows Patrice is clearly in her absolute element as she takes on a new kind of pulpit, preaching to the protestors about how God warned her their doom would look like a party with blackjack and Russian roulette when it arrived. Behind her stands Clifford with her tambourine.

Also, pissed off by the protests? Mercedes. She happens to catch the news while waiting in line to process yet another of Hailey’s scam money transfers. It’s obvious she’s hurt by seeing Clifford standing hand-in-hand with her deceitful mother, although a woman as smart as Mercedes likely understands what’s really going on with Clifford’s efforts to safe The Pynk.

The impact of the protesting is far-reaching, as Clifford finds out upon pulling up into her driveway and seeing a beaten and bruised Corbin awaiting her. His brothers were none too pleased about him signing the leasing deal and Corbin is pissed that Clifford let everyone know the casino might be coming to town.

It’s the Bible Belt, he’s concerned the casino won’t happen, which means no leasing deal. But Clifford argues it’s unfair she gets shafted and has her club taken from her without any such agreement. Things get tense when Corbin all but threatens Clifford, and in return, Clifford reminds Corbin of all those visits he’s paid to The Pynk.

It sounds like blackmail, and it could be, but mainly Clifford wants Corbin to know he’s no longer welcome at the club under any circumstances. Besides, Clifford adds, it seems like his fetish for getting beaten is handled by his brothers. Who does sass like Clifford, honestly? The “three-tittied” girl banter was equally hilarious.

Visiting the park in the aftermath of the protests, Ruffin is devastated over the mess the “Bible-thumpers” have made of his park. He also tells Andre in no uncertain terms that once they get The Pynk, he’s done with his godson for good.

P-Valley Episode 7 recap: Keyshawn helps Lil’ Murda get over his stage fright.

Working on a song in the studio, Lil’ Murda’s team and Keyshawn notice he’s struggling to add any real pizazz to his rapping. Keyshawn realizes he’s got stage fright, made more evident when he balks as she casually mentions he’ll be performing in front of 300 people in the evening.

In a rather unorthodox method, she has him strip down in the Champagne Room so he can focus solely on his singing and the audience, nothing else. It works, and he manages to put on an excellent performance for her one-on-one.

Also potentially helping Lil’ Murda get over his nerves is a meeting he and Clifford have in the woods before the final show begins. Murda steals Clifford’s car and decks it out with fairy lights for the two to have a cozy, romantic date beforehand.

It’s sweet and gorgeously filmed, along with a cinematic crane shot that gives us an amazing look at The Pynk’s revered waterfront view along with the glowing pink hue emanating from the club.

Most unsettling of all is that Murda’s so-called friend, Woddy, spots Clifford and him emerging from the woods laughing together and looking cozy, it looks like he’s not happy with what he sees. Woddy confronts Murda in the parking lot as he gets ready for his performance. He’s unhappy with what he saw between Clifford and Murda.

Ultimately, Woddy says he’s more upset by what other people would think of finding out Murda is gay, he doesn’t want anything to get in the way of them making money and being successful and it looks like Woddy’s warnings might have affected Murda.

P-Valley Episode 7 recap: The Pynk prepares for its swan song.

At The Pynk, Clifford is greeted by another unwelcome guest, this time Sheriff Bailey, who says any exposed breasts in the club will result in an immediate shutdown. He says he feels sad to see The Pynk go, but he also appreciates Ruffin is cracking down on the place and can’t be caught taking any more handouts, which means Clifford has lost a powerful ally.

The trend of Clifford running into people who have a problem with her continues as she discovers a pissed off Mercedes waiting in her office. Despite everything, she understands why Clifford was driven to work with Patrice, even if she considers her the devil. A distraught Clifford also pleads with Mercedes to come out for one last night at the club to put on a tremendous final show before The Pynk goes to auction.

Aside from getting a warm welcome from the girls, Mercedes and Hailey also meet up in the Champagne Room for their final money exchange. Hailey tries to give Mercedes even more money than she needs, the extra $10,000 for her gym, but Mercedes doesn’t accept the cash. Instead, she advises Hailey to invite Andre to The Pynk for a proper goodbye.

She mentions there was someone she has always regretted not getting to say goodbye to, I’m assuming she’s referring to Terricka’s father.

After that, Clifford gives one of her most inspiring speeches yet to all the girls at the club before their last night. We finally get to briefly meet some of the other dancers like Toy, Peanut Butter, Extra, Brazil, and Jupiter, who we’ve only met briefly in past episodes. Jupiter is actually pregnant! So she’s relegated behind the bar for the night.

As the girls get ready, they discuss employment options for post-Pynk life. Some are prepared to go work at restaurants, others a dentist’s office, one even wants to get a job at the new casino.

Keyshawn bursts in the room to hype everyone up but then becomes frustrated when she realizes she’s out of concealer to hide the bruises on her arm. Thankfully, Maite has her covered. Gidget wonders aloud why she doesn’t leave her abusive boyfriend and Hailey says, “because that’s when they’re most likely to kill you.”

“Sounds like something you know personally,” Gidget responds.

Post-touch up, Keyshawn takes a break outside, suddenly overcome with some nerves about being the night’s headliner. She’s comforted by Diamond, who gives her his necklace, a carnelian that’s a healing crystal that’s supposed to bring courage.

Diamond said he keeps it with him because it was from one of his friends in Iraq. He had it in his pocket when he died, saving Diamond. He had the necklace made out of what was left and said it has given him courage over the years, so he offers it to Keyshawn. Ugh, they’re so sweet.

They come close to kissing, finally, but unfortunately, Gidget interrupts them when she comes raging out of the club to complain about Duffy bailing on her.

Unfortunately, Derrick does show up at the club to watch Keyshawn, although Diamond tells him to go to the back of the line like everyone else.

It only takes a few moments for things to get ugly between Derrick and Gidget, who is tired of seeing the way Keyshawn is treated by him. Derrick seems confident that Keyshawn is never going to leave him, which obviously unsettles Gidget.

P-Valley Episode 7 recap: Hailey and Montavius meet up face-to-face.

Before Hailey can take off to wherever she’s planning to go, she visits The Pynk again and happens to cross paths with Sheriff Bailey. He recognizes her from the missing fliers he pinned up for Montavius — uh-oh.

Even worse, things become extra complicated for Hailey when both Montavius and Andre show up for the last dance at The Pynk. Andre and Hailey make the most of their final night together in the Champagne Room with Hailey giving him a dance and things get heated, but then Andre’s wife continues calling him and Hailey forces him to take the call.

Britney is in town and she’s waiting for him at his place with him nowhere in sight. He’s forced to cut out early on Hailey to meet up with her before he gets caught cheating. Ironically, he accidentally brushes against Montavius on his way out of the club.

When he does get back to his place, he’s greeted by an irate Britney who immediately accuses him of cheating on her. Instead of giving her any straight answers, Andre starts going down on her instead, mainly because he’s all pent-up from his heated dance with Hailey and he takes a lot of his frustrations out on Britney in an intense bout of sex. Likely, he was imagining Hailey in the process, but Britney thinks he just missed her.

At the club, Hailey is chilled to the bone when Mercedes calls her over to take Montavius to the Paradise Room. Obviously Mercedes doesn’t know who he is, but she does appear to detect something is off about the interaction between the two.

One thing I appreciated about this sequence, as creator Katori Hall noted on her Twitter when discussing P-Valley Episode 7, is that Hailey feels obligated to follow Montavius rather than start screaming because she wants to survive. It’s similar to what she said to Gidget earlier in the episode, all abused women try to do is survive by any means necessary.

It’s heartbreaking to watch, but that’s why so many women struggle to escape from their abusers. These men, Derrick and Montavius, know what they’re doing.

Inside the room, Hailey is stunned that he’s here after she shot him, apparently not well enough, he says.

“So, where’s my money Hailey?”

What did you think about P-Valley Episode 7? What will happen between Montavius and Hailey? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

The season finale of P-Valley premieres next Sunday night on Starz.