03x01 - A Rock, A River, A Tree

[bunniefuu]

Last season on Queen Sugar...

I love this little dream,

and I'm going to make it a reality.

My sister's making history today.

First black woman to own a
mill in the state of Louisiana.

This place is part of me. It's home.

- Me and Mama getting married.
- So we'll be together forever?

[VIOLET] Love always comes first.

You are the first woman
that I wanted to know

since my wife, Charley.

I think we can safely
diagnose your lupus.

Would you consider marrying me?

I have been telling y'all the truth.

There was more to the will.

The farm, he left it to just me.

I uprooted my life, my son.

Get out of the car, now!

[MICAH] He takes out his g*n

and he puts the g*n in my mouth.

And he pulled the trigger, Dad.

[ROBERT] You don't care about

getting your work to a larger audience.

That's not how I do things.

Maybe it is how you should do things.

[DARLA] Blue... he may not
be yours, Ralph Angel.

[RALPH ANGEL] She said he ain't mine.

That he ain't my son.

[SCREAMING]

Someone's pitching a story about
internal issues at Queen Sugar.

But there are no internal issues.

Don't let them white boys
get in your head.

We got to take our cane elsewhere.

[CHARLEY] I want you to mill
with Boudreaux.

- They tried to destroy Pop.
- Yes, they have tried.

- So we got to change our game.
- You on some Godfather sh*t.

Whatever play you're making,
you're playing with the devil.

It'll be a slaughter
they never come back from.

♪ Dreams never die ♪

♪ Take flight As the world turns ♪

♪ Dreams never die ♪

♪ Take flight As the world turns ♪

♪ Keep the colors In the lines ♪

♪ Take flight ♪

♪ Dreams never die ♪

♪ Keep the colors In the lines ♪

♪ Keep the colors
In the lines, take flight ♪

♪ Maybe I'm indifferent ♪

♪ Maybe I'm not Thinking straight again ♪

- St. Jo Bears!
- Whoo!

[HORN HONKING]

♪ Drowning in decisions ♪

♪ I can't see no way To let you in ♪

♪ I know I shouldn't Play these games ♪

♪ But why would you think
That I could change ♪

♪ In the morning? ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ You're telling me
Time is on your side... ♪

- [KNOCK ON DOOR]
- Hey.

Your guidance counselors said

that the college recruiters
are coming next week...

Mom, this is like the fourth
time in the past hours

you've talked to me about
college recruiters. I know.

Micah, you got to keep these locked.

I thought we moved here
because it was safe.

Yes, that.

And I just needed to separate
life and work a little more.

Oh, Dad said he's coming home
in a few days.

Oh.

Is he finishing out the season?

[MICAH] Didn't sound like it.

Look at you.

My baby boy.

- College-bound.
- [LAUGHS]

Well, in a year and a half.

Hmm. Yeah.

- I'm going to go.
- Okay.

- Love you.
- I love you.

[CELL PHONE CHIMES AND VIBRATES]

_

_

I don't say this lightly,

but your article last fall
was a stunning feat.

I was... we were blown away.

Which is why we had to get you
to New York as fast as possible.

We would love the opportunity
to bundle your articles

in a book of essays chronicling
your perspectives on Katrina,

the th Ward, mass incarceration.

Wow.

[LAUGHS]

[JANE] We're prepared
to offer you a book deal

with a six-figure advance.

Ooh.

- What?
- Mm-hmm.

That... that's, um...

okay.

[LAUGHS]

And I'd be your editor and point person.

And I'd just love to know
a little more about you.

What were you like growing up?

[CHUCKLES]

I wanted to change the world.

I was this rebellious little rug rat

who drove her mom and daddy crazy

with statistics
and black political literature.

I lifted my fist for my neighbors,

my classmates one flier,

one petition, one high school
rally at a time.

It's where I learned
the power of grassroots

and... community.

Hmm.

Well, we would like to give you that.

And you can leave grassroots behind.

This is much bigger.

We see you this time next year

with your New York Times bestseller,

a college tour of speaking engagements,

op-eds in the Post,

articles in Rolling Stone.

We want your voice to go global.

We see you as the next Ta-Nehisi Coates

or Roxane Gay or Elizabeth Alexander.

Please, say yes.

- [RALPH ANGEL] Blue!
- [CHATTER OVER TV]

Hey, Blue, you ready for school?

Ain't you supposed
to be getting ready, Blue?

Come on. Come on.

- [TURNS TV OFF]
- I told you to get ready

about minutes ago. Come on, Blue.

[TURNS TV ON]

Really?

That's what we doing?

Come on, Blue, I ain't got time for this.

I don't want to go.

Oh, but guess what? You're going.

Come on, stand up.

Take your shirt off. You know the drill.

Come on.

I got you.

You don't got to look so excited.

I don't want a Lunchable.

Mom always made me sandwiches.

Well, I ain't got nothing
to make sandwiches with.

See all this stuff I'm stepping on?

Put your shoes on. Come on.

I better not be hearing
from Mrs. Santiago again.

Hearing about you shoving kids.

You keep your hands to yourself,
you hear me? Huh?

I told you, these shoes were too small.

I want ones like Micah.

Is he going with us to the game?

Yeah, he going. Everybody going.

- Come on.
- What's this?

It's nothing, that's what it is.
It's nothing.

Why does it say Mama's name?

Because I got to send her some stuff.

All right, hurry up, nosy.

Come on, come on, come on.

Some pep in your step.

[SIGHS]

Charley Bordelon.

What a pleasure.

Miss Bordelon.

Jacob.

Boys, are we ready to sign
a contract for Queen Sugar?

Jacob, if you'll excuse us.

Give us the room, son.

I thought we had a deal.

We most certainly do.

But about that final stipulation

that your fancy L.A. lawyers
managed to wiggle in there.

You mean the %?

Well, hell, Sam, I figure it only fair

if I hand over my entire labor of love,

that I get a tiny piece of yours.

Let's be clear.

I want you to consider
the % an act of goodwill.

Having you as the continuing
face of Queen Sugar, well,

it helps us keep up appearances,
if you know what I mean.

And you have so kindly agreed

to the locked rates
for the black farmers.

The foundation of this community.

Least I could do.

Hmm.

Had you realized the hard work

that it takes to run
a successful business,

we could've saved you a lot of heartache.

Such a blow,

to lose the farmers' last harvest.

But now...

now you get them back.

Who would've guessed
you and me would end up here?

Partners.

Who would've guessed?

Your daddy'd be so proud.

[NOVA] Let's do this! Go, Bears!

Where are my European vacationers at?

Ooh, I like the new color.

- Hey, hey, hey!
- [NOVA] There's my girl.

You bring me gifts, huh?

You bring me gifts?

- Oh, baby.
- Where are my gifts?

I missed you.

No, seriously, where are my gifts?

[BOTH LAUGH]

Is this what Italy does to a woman?

Oh, this is what jet lag

and Nova's medicinal herbs
does to a woman.

Vi...

how are you feeling?

Good. Good!

Hollywood's out getting
sustenance for the pre-game,

and some sort of doohickey

so that he can show our vacation photos.

Wait a minute.

What's this happy face for?

New York?

They offered me a book deal.

Hey!

- Hold up now.
- [BOTH LAUGH]

I'm thinking about it.

Oh, child, please,
what's there to think about?

I just need to make sure
it's what I want to do.

But the best news is,

we're about to celebrate
a big St. Jo win.

Hey-ho!

Aah! Strut your stuff.

What you got? What you got?

- [SWINGING FUNKY MUSIC PLAYING]
- Hey, hey.

Miss Italian Lady!

[BOTH LAUGH]

- Oh, Lord, I love you.
- I love you.

Rolling Stone?

College tours?

You need a manager?

I just don't want to be
the face of anything.

Mm.

I remember one summer,

you put that big old picture
of Ida B. Wells on your wall,

and you were all like,

"I'm going to be just like her someday."

Maybe this is your someday.

- Oh.
- Aww.

- Turn back around.
- [NOVA] What you doing?

Just turn back around, the way you were.

Making good use of that fancy
new Christmas present.

- Davis did good.
- Hey.

Don't lead with the fear
of what might be.

Lead with the strength of who you are.

Hmm.

I don't know why
these pictures ain't pulling up.

Micah, pass the remote control
right there.

I'll help you.

Aunt Nova, were you on
the basketball team at St. Jo?

Hell, no. She just went to watch
her boyfriends run around.

[LAUGHS]

Because they was fine as hell.

But to answer your question, young man,

it's the biggest game in St. Jo.

And tonight, we're going to kick

some Collings' ass, y'all.

[HOLLYWOOD] Damn right we are.

Oh, check it out, check it out,
check it out.

This is the venue we're going
to use for the wedding, right?

Oh, we're going to do it up right.

Going to be the biggest wedding
St. Jo's ever seen.

Wow. You know, you should be investing

a good chunk of that settlement.

Make that money work for you.

IRAs, real estate, the stock market.

Please, right now I'm going to
need you to take several seats.

- I got this, okay?
- Okay. All right. Sorry.

That is stunning, Hollywood.
You have a theme, right?

You guys have to have a theme.

The theme is going to be Venice.

Who's going to be your maid of honor?

Nova, you can't ask that.

Because clearly it's going to be me.

I mean, what should I wear, Aunt Vi?

Something Italian? Versace, maybe?

We have not officially settled on...

Now, what we're gonna do is
we're gonna have a canal, right?

We coming in on the gondola.

Y'all going to come in
on a horse-drawn carriage.

I have a great wedding planner
for you, if you need it.

See, I don't even need all that.

I think you need to make

a blue-themed wedding.

Hey, Blue, Blue, take it easy, okay?

It's okay. All right, so...

why would a blue-themed wedding
be so special?

Because it's me.

[LAUGHS]

[VIOLET] Because it's you.

That's a really good reason.

[CLEARS THROAT]

[GIGGLING]

You sign the contract?

[POURS LIQUID]

I did.

Everything straight?

Hmm! Sam Landry,

he opened the door to his house
and let me come right in.

So now with my %,

I'm going to make myself
just as comfortable as can be.

Open access to all his
corporate records, financials.

I'm going to dig up
every square inch of dirt,

and take down every
shareholder on that board.

I'll burn the entire Landry family

to the g*dd*mn ground.

And when I own Landry Enterprises,

we'll finally bring power
to the people, Rah.

Where it belongs.

See, I could dig that.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

[CHARLEY] This is St. Jo, huh?

[RALPH ANGEL] Classic, huh?

Hey, Prosper.

- How's that back of yours?
- Oh...

I got another appointment set up
for you in about three weeks.

Yeah, so far so good.

The doctor gave me some good meds.

And I got this thing.

Use it.

[LAUGHS]

[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK]

Prosper, can I get you anything?
I'm taking orders.

Hot dog? Nachos?

Did you eat dinner?

I'm fine.

I'm fine. I had a bite before I came.

- Thank you.
- I'll help you with everything.

Yeah. Thank you.

No, baby, I'm good.
Us girls, we going to do it.

Blue, stay here with me.

Blue.

I'm going to be right back.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Blue.

Come here.

Look here, man.

What's going on with you?

I need you to stay with me.

You can't just be running around
with all these people in here.

You're going to get lost. Hold my hand.

[CONCESSION STAND WORKER]
That'll be $ . , Officer Orson.

Hi.

- What's your name?
- Hayes.

Nice to meet you, Hayes.

You guys have somebody in the game?

My oldest grandson plays for Collings.

You must be very proud.

We are.

Hi.

I really like your shark shirt.
That's cool.

Thanks.

All right, let's go, Hayes.

- Bye.
- Bye.

You have a nice night, all right?

Yeah, you too.

Baby.

[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK]

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK]

Let me help you with that.

Hold this for Blue.

They in the bathroom.

You got my nachos?

Calm down. I got your nachos. Thank you.

This is great.

Yeah.

Hey, uh, what happened to Keke?

I thought she was captain of the...

[MICAH] She thinks she got the flu.

Oh, no.

Well, tell her if she needs anything...

[CROWD CHEERS]

Whoo!

[APPLAUSE]

Go, !

Come on! St. Jo!

[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK]

Take your seats.

Take your seats, everybody.

Thank you.

I'm Bob Richmond of WZPZ News,

and I'd like to welcome you all

to the Collings/St. Jo
Basketball Classic.

[CROWD CHEERING]

So this rivalry has been
going on for, like, years.

We got any alumni in the house?

Class of ' !

- Class of ' .
- Hey!

[BOB] And I'd like to welcome

the Miss Sugar Princess

and our very own
Collings homecoming queen,

Miss Kacy Fleming,
to sing our national anthem.

[CROWD CHEERS]

Looking good!

♪ O say, can you see ♪

♪ By the dawn's early light ♪

♪ What so proudly we hailed ♪

♪ At the twilight's Last gleaming? ♪

♪ Whose broad stripes And bright stars ♪

♪ Through the perilous fight ♪

- Who are these kids?
- Shh, shh.

♪ O'er the ramparts We watched... ♪

[LOW MURMURS]

[MAN] Sing, Kacy. Ignore them.

♪ Were so gallantly Streaming ♪

♪ And the rockets' red glare ♪

You want to disrespect our flag,
get off the court.

Go back to where you came from!

[CROWD BOOS]

[MAN ] You stand up right now!

♪ Gave proof Through the night ♪

[MAN ] Bunch of lowlife
thugs, disrespecting America.

- Get them out of here!
- [MAN ] Let them go!

Let them go!

[CROWD, CHANTING]
Let them go! Let them go!

Let them go! Let them go!

Let them go! Let them go!

All right, everybody. Settle.

Settle.

[MIXED BOOS AND CHEERS]

All right.

All right, let's get this game started.

Who's ready for the Collings/
St. Jo Basketball Classic, huh?

[CROWD CHEERS]

Come on, let me hear it. Come on!

♪ All right, come on
Ready, set, let's go ♪

[BUZZER SOUNDS]

Whoo!

- Yes! Yes! Yes!
- [APPLAUSE]

See? Now that's how you whup
some Collings ass!

[LAUGHS]

Whoo, whoo! Am I right?

Prosper, yes, we did.

[LAUGHS]

Here, I got you, Prosper.

- Hey, Mom.
- Yeah.

I'm going to hang out with some friends,

- but I'll get a ride home.
- Okay.

Midnight curfew. And text me.

I want to know where you'll be.

- Micah!
- Midnight.

- I love you.
- I love you back.

- Have fun.
- Bye.

Are you going to Barry's?

And miss raising a beer
to a Collings' slaughter?

- I'll be there.
- Come on, baby, let me help you.

Hollywood, I got it. Thank you, baby.

Wow.

I told you to stop pulling it so much.

Come on, I got it.

I can do it myself.

I said I got it.

Pop, stop.

Fine. Go ahead.

You got it.

[TAMIKA] Hey, Ralph Angel.

You need help with that, baby?

No, I got it.

So y'all not together no more?

[SCOFFS]

Word around here,

you and Darla ain't together no more.

What about it, Tamika?

Well, I was thinking
maybe you needed somebody

to help warm the other side
of your bed at night.

Good night.

[CAR DOOR OPENS]

You got my number.

[CAR DOOR CLOSES]

- [ANT] Hey, what's up?
- All right, peace.

[MAN ] Hell of a night,

even with all that pre-game nonsense.

- This is dope.
- [MAN ] I thought we were going

to have a riot on our hands.

Why young folks got to bring all
of this onto the court?

There's a time and a place for all that.

Now I know y'all ain't sitting over here

with your beers and boudin,

talking crap about a bunch of kids

disrupting your precious game.

Not to mention bravely taking a knee

in front of all those people,

racial slurs, drinks being thrown at them

trying to speak their truth

about brothers
being slain in our streets.

- Now, Miss Nova...
- Hell, I'd be damned

if our fallen Louisiana soldiers
weren't turning in their graves

listening to you two wanting to silence

those courageous young voices.

Here you go, baby.

George, Phil, what y'all talking
about over here?

The importance of young folk.

And the things they got to say.

Ooh, this looks good.

[LAUGHS]

[REMY] Make that boy pass the ball.

That's not my son. You got to correct...

Was Remy there tonight?

Yeah. Yeah, he was there.

Why didn't he... Remy!

Hey!

Hollywood, go get that man. He's family.

Y'all need to stop avoiding one another.

Okay. Okay, I got it.

Need a new drink anyway.

[REMY] I mean, come on. Five assists?

Five games? Come on, that ain't enough.

Gentlemen.

Excuse us.

Aunt Vi wanted you
to come and sit with us.

You know you're still
a part of this family, and...

whatever's between you and me,

it really shouldn't affect them.

I appreciate that.

I do.

But with respect to Violet,

I think I'm going to just...

I think I'm going to just
keep my head down over here.

- Good to see you.
- Yeah!

Good to see you.

Scotch on the rocks, please.

I thought you were a bourbon gal.

Shows how little you know.

Congratulations are in order.

I'd toast, but...

What are you doing here?

Supporting the hometown victory.

I go to all the games.

I was a mean forward
in my high school days.

Keep the change.

Feels bad having a secret
like ours, don't it?

Feels a little dirty.

Another time, Jacob.

[RATTLING]

You're supposed to be in bed, Blue.

[BLUE] I am in bed!

No, you ain't. I heard you.

[CELL PHONE RINGS]

[SIGHS]

- Hi.
- Hold on.

Ralph Angel, can we just talk
about this for two seconds.

It's your mom.

Hey, baby. I've missed you.

I already picked out
The Secret Pizza Party.

Auntie Vi brought it back
from Italy for me.

- She did?
- It's really good.

You're going to love it.
I already read it twice.

Twice? Oh, my goodness.

How was the basketball game?

Pop wouldn't let me have any candy.

Well, were you being good?

Because remember
how we talked about listening?

When are you coming to get me?

[SIGHS]

I know, baby.

I miss you so much.

I want you to come home.

I'm working a plan. Ok?

[SIGHS]

- [VIOLET, LAUGHING]
- I thought that was so funny.

[SIGHS]

What's gotten into you?

Now, why wouldn't you take
my hand at the game tonight?

Oh, baby.

I know you trying to help me.

And you do.

But I don't need you being
all manly and protective,

like I'm going to break.

Like you trying to put me
on some pedestal or something.

I'm going to always lift you up.

And I'm going to always protect you.

That's what I do.

I know, baby.

But you got to understand
that I don't need no pedestal.

I ain't gonna break.

I got wings.

Just like you.

Right?

All right?

[COMPUTER MESSENGER CHIMES]

_

[MEN GRUNTING ANGRILY ON VIDEO]

[ORSON SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY]

[MAN GRUNTS]

Get down. Get down, you little...

[ORSON GRUNTING]

Get down!

[ORSON GRUNTING]

[BLOWS LANDING]

[PANTING]

God...

Sprained my knee. sh*t.

[HITS COMPUTER KEY]

[STRIKING COMPUTER KEY]

[SNIFFLES]

_

[PHONE LINE RINGS]

- [ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS]
- [MICAH] Hey, it's Micah West.

I probably won't listen to it,

but you can leave me a message anyways.

- [ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS]
- You were supposed to be home

minutes ago, where are you?

I need you to get home right now.

- You call...
- I'm right here.

Oh, thank God.

Latisha's ride bailed,
so Roger took her home first.

We've been over this. You need
to plan your time better.

Okay, well, sometimes life happens, Mom.

I'm going to be late,
and you can't freak out.

Excuse me?

[CELL PHONE RINGS]

That's Keke.

You feeling better?

That's good.

[LAUGHS] Yeah? What did Boogie say?

No, they walked on the court
without saying anything.

It was dope.

That would never happen at Gardini.

Me and who else?

Christian? No! Christian would never.

Hey.

You need to start unpacking tomorrow.

Some of this needs to go to your dad's.

Yes, Mom, okay.

Okay. Don't stay on the phone too late.

I love you.

Mom, can you close the door?

Please?

- [DOOR CLOSES]
- Sorry.

Now that you got the whole town talking,

what led to Friday night's protest?

[ASHA] Well, the thing is,

everybody around here got a story.

You know, a loved one,

a brother,

a sister been beaten,
locked up or sh*t dead.

We're sitting here trying to bring voice

to the injustices
we breathe every morning

when we wake up and walk out that door.

And we may be little,
but we're going to be loud.

[ALL] Yeah.

People was taking videos Friday night.

- Mm-hmm.
- Yeah.

It's blowing up. Look, look.

, views.

Get that out of her face, man.

Chill.

[ASHA] If those big-time
politicians gonna ignore us

like they did in Ferguson,

pretend we don't exist,

we'll go straight to the people.

- Respect, man.
- Appreciate it.

Hey, man, we're getting
interviewed by the paper.

- That's dope, man.
- Yeah.

[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]

[TRAHAN] Ralph Angel Bordelon?

Yes, ma'am.

Are either of you the mother?

She's in D.C.

These are your results.

I'll give you a minute.

[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]

That don't change nothing.

[SNIFFLES]

[CHARLEY] We know.

[NOVA] We got you, Rah.

It's all good.

It don't change nothing.

It don't change nothing.

No...

It don't change nothing.

[SIGHS]

That don't change nothing.

[SNIFFLES]

Didn't realize you were out here.

Hmm.

Didn't want to disturb you guys in there,

working so hard on a Sunday.

Just taking it all in.

Here.

[PROSPER SIGHS]

How are you doing, Mr. Prosper?

Oh...

I didn't want to tell Vi,

but the doctor said I...

I need back surgery.

Oh, wow.

I'm so sorry.

Yeah, I was telling your brother

that I'm not going to be
much help this season.

And I'm concerned about Ralph Angel

taking on acres on his own.

[LAUGHS]

Yeah.

Daddy never was able
to farm all the land.

Rah's just trying to prove he can.

But it seems like he's got
a good handle on things.

Equipment upgrades,
new workers and, you know,

Nova and me.

We'll always be here for him.

He's lucky to have the two of you.

[LAUGHS]

We are lucky to have you.

You have been such a blessing
to this family.

It's like having a little piece
of Daddy in the flesh.

And he's looking down, so proud.

I promise you...

I am going to take care
of this community.

I know.

We know.

We ain't going inside.