The Upshaws part 7, episode 6 opens with Regina reminding a well-dressed Aaliyah that she’s still on lockdown. A fact which Aaliyah is very aware of and fuels her attitude.
When Bennie comes home Regina points out that three out of four of their kids are “messed up.” As this is said Lucretia rolls up with Maya in tow having just stained the interior of the car with a red soda.
Bennie tries to redirect blame by admitting he has been an absent parent, arguing that because he checked out, Regina and Lucretia are the ones who ultimately messed up raising the kids.
Regina claims Aaliyah is always one step away from being the model kid, but she keeps blowing it at the finish line. Regina immediately starts drafting a family-wide schedule designed to keep Aaliyah on lockdown.
The next day, Bennie enforces that plan by dragging Aaliyah to the garage to monitor, a move she predictably hates. She calls out the double standard, asking why the family is hands-off with Kelvin but micromanaging her.
Bennie explains Kelvin is a boy, and at some point they would probably end up exchanging blows. This somewhat encouragingly implies Bennie would never raise a hand to Aaliyah.
That tension is interrupted when Tony announces their new client, Alfonzo, a used car dealer, is in the bay. While discussing a contract for the garage, Alfonzo takes a call from his wife about dividing assets and promptly falls apart. Family, he admits, is everything to him.
Tony helpfully points out that Bennie is also a family man, and states that he even brought his daughter to work. Bennie seizes the moment and invites Alfonzo to dinner in an attempt to expedite their contract negotiation. Alfonzo accepts.
Elsewhere, Bernard shows up at Lucretia’s apartment, where their unresolved tension over the article still lingers. Bernard insists that they still are important to one another and that should count for something.
What he actually needs is to pretend Lucretia’s apartment is his so he can impress a man he’s been seeing.
Lucretia’s flamboyant friend from her flight attendant days, Nathan, arrives. Lucretia explains that Nathan is her longtime drinking buddy, which immediately interests Bernard, who decides to stick around to hear all the stories.
Bernard quickly regrets his decision as Nathan and Lucretia reminisce about her dancing days. Visibly uncomfortable, Bernard quietly excuses himself.
At the church, Regina campaigns for support from Bishop Hightower. Her pitch, however, sounds less like a political platform and more like a sermon. While the bishop offers polite praise, it quickly becomes clear Regina does not have a regular place of worship. The bishop reveals he has already pledged support to Spencer.
Back at the house, Regina attempts to contact other congregations, only to find Spencer has already beaten her there with generous donations. Aaliyah suggests Regina start a rumor about her opponent, but Regina shuts that down, insisting she is running an honest campaign.
Bennie wanders in asking why no food is being made. Regina points out she wasn’t told they were having company and at this point is too busy to pivot into hosting.
Alfonzo arrives shortly after. Bennie immediately pivots into acting as though Regina is a negligent wife who prioritizes herself. Alfonzo relates to that dynamic. He then makes Bennie an offer. There is a car on his lot that no one can fix. If Bennie can make it run, the contract is his.
Back at Lucretia’s, the drinking continues. After sharing fond memories, Nathan’s tone shifts. He admits he is saddened to see Lucretia reliant on her cane. When Lucretia asks if her accident is the reason they stopped spending time together, Nathan finally confesses the truth.
He caused the accident by bumping into her and was too afraid to come forward, especially after Lucretia sued the airline. He did not want to jeopardize her settlement.
The revelation hits Lucretia hard. Confusion, gratitude, and anger come crashing in all at once. As with most things in her life, Lucretia processes it physically, both consoling Nathan and creatively using her cane.
The night only escalates from there. Still drunk and determined, Lucretia and Nathan wind up at a golf course, where Nathan insists on physically burying his shame. In the process, he accidentally bumps Lucretia straight into a hole. When Nathan panics and runs off, Lucretia calls Bernard from inside the hole to come help her. It looks like Bernard might finally get the chance to impress his new boyfriend after all.
Back at the garage, Bennie is on the verge of admitting defeat. He cannot make sense of the foreign mechanics on Alfonzo’s mystery car. Aaliyah, once again bored and stuck at the shop, wanders in practicing a coin trick. Bennie tells her to do something useful. Sarcastically, she suggests swapping the engine with another car. To Bennie’s surprise, he thinks it’s a great idea.
Bennie rents a car, swaps the engines, and plans to tell the rental company it “just broke down.” Aaliyah points out the rental insurance should cover that. Bennie insists rental insurance is a scam. Tony and Aaliyah decide not to poke holes in the logic.
Across town, Regina storms into Spencer’s office while he practices his golf swing. She argues that endorsements should not be bought and that voters deserve to hear ideas without money deciding the outcome. Spencer listens politely before explaining that she is a genuinely good person, which is exactly why she will lose.
Change, he argues, sometimes requires morally ugly decisions. Regina refuses to play that way. Spencer then insists her problem is not with him, but with the system.
Regina leaves slightly defeated but gets in one last good, “Yo mama.”
The next morning, Lucretia wakes to find Nathan in her apartment, with no memory of the night before or his confession. After rehearing his confession, she realizes every story between them ends with her hurt. They share a final goodbye.
Bernard then walks in carrying a box of his things and a smile. Lucretia also forgot she offered him a rent-free apartment, but Bernard persists and she honors it.
Regina tries again at another church. When the pastor claims Spencer already has his endorsement, a sneeze is heard from under the desk. Regina smiles. She confirms his support and is ready to play to win.
At the garage, Alfonzo is stunned the car works. The contract is Bennie’s, but only if he works exclusively for the lot. Bennie refuses, leading Alfonzo to leave an open offer with Tony instead.
Later in the Upshaw living room, Aaliyah recaps the family’s behavior: Regina’s blackmail, Lucretia digging up a golf course, and Bennie committing a Class E vehicular felony. Her worst crime was watching an illegal street race. Everyone agrees Aaliyah deserves a longer leash. None of them are exactly model behavior. Regina insists she still wants all eyes on Aaliyah.
All episodes of The Upshaws are streaming now on Netflix.