Where do I begin! I think I’ve recovered enough to talk about the greatness that was this past week’s episode. So while I have a break in my finals, let’s talk about it below!

So this week, we finally made it to the episode called Who Shot Ya, after weeks of build-up since the season opener. When the show begins, we see the girls cowering down as the unidentifiable shooter begins to shoot in their direction. Well, they shot at Eric and struck him in the shoulder. He looks at his wound with adrenaline flowing but starts charging towards the shooter. The shooter and Eric tousle for seconds before another shot rings out. This signals the countdown to all the events before the shooting at the arena. And in the same fashion as the show, I will style my recap in that order.

Let’s begin with the Queens and the Promo Billboard Photoshoot.

Throughout the season, we’ve seen several pictures and moments from the girls taking glam shots for events and so forth. This week, we got the opportunity to watch them, along with Lil’ Muffin, prepare for one of the most incredible opportunities they’ve received in a long time: A World-Class Tour! Several of the ladies had side conversations throughout the shoot that were all cute in their own right. (Side Note: I’ve said this before, and I will probably continue to say it. The editing on this show is fire! The gunshot sounds synced with the camera flashes….chef’s kiss.) The day’s events were revealed during their side conversations, so let’s discuss them in more detail.

Valeria and Her Mom *coughs hard on the word Mom*

I really wanted to believe that V was finally getting the opportunity to meet the woman of her dreams: the long-lost mother that had abandoned her. However, I figured the fantasy wouldn’t last too long with this show and its knack for surprises. And unfortunately, I was proven right. When Naomi asked V about her mother coming back into her life, V told her that she was trying to remain optimistic about the situation and didn’t want to revert to the old Valeria, the skeptic; I could tell things were about to turn. Valeria’s suspicion about her mother’s return was right on the money as she had Eric look into the details with a Private Investigator. When he began to run down the wrap sheet of this woman, my eyes grew big. I mean, this lady is an O.G. in the criminal system, and she was just casually living in Valeria’s home.

But the most heartbreaking thing about the situation was that Valeria was taken advantage of again. While she explained to Eric why she’s the way she is, I felt so sad. I’m hoping that soon things get a little brighter for V. In fact, I hope things get a little brighter for all the ladies because, baby, they’ve been THROUGH it! (Side Note: Elaine del Valle, the actress that’s been portraying her “mother,” is absolutely phenomenal! I literally jumped when she started choking Valeria up against the wall. She sold me on the role! In fact, I’m more afraid of her now because now that we know what’s up with her character Rosie, she’s capable of doing anything going forward.)

But one thing I will say about V is that she doesn’t back down. Eric told her not to stir up a mess with her and to just let the situation ride itself out. But Valeria didn’t have it. She decided that she would be better off just cutting to chase and letting Rosie know the gig was up. After Rosie revealed that she was not her mother and had no intentions of going back to jail, she told Valeria her mother’s real name. She also shared that her mother didn’t want anything to do with her, which I don’t buy. I think it’s more to the story, and for all, we know Rosie could’ve been actually sharing the tale. But now, V is further skeptical about the situation because of this incident. Rosie warned V not to go to the police, but she went anyway. That’s when we see Rosie checking her leave the station, and then they pan over to see her staring down at a gun in the seat.

Do I think she’s the shooter? Nah. I think she’s capable of doing something, and I definitely don’t think we have seen the last of her because she’s just too good of a character not to bring back one more time. Lol Plus, she’s a con. She’s slow and calculated. Even though her cover was blown, she held her cover long enough to convince Valeria that she was her long-lost parent. I think she will resurface once she knows Valeria’s guard is back down. But I wouldn’t be surprised if more things happen to Valeria and her property because Rosie seems like she has a network of ride or dies ready to go up for her. Speaking of ride or die, let’s talk about Ms. Tina this week.

Tina….Jill….

For weeks, Tina has been the quiet, calm, nurturing spirit that appeared to be the perfect grounding for Jill. Until Jill decided that she would play her by using her to get out of the glaring lens of cancel culture. That’s when she showed Jill and all of us that she’s NOT one to be f’d with. (Side Note: This week’s episode had my emotions running all over the place, and I LOVED it! I STAN a great melodrama!)

When Tina approached Jill in a parking garage and began to read her for filth, I was done. Lol She, of course, had every right to go off because what Jill did was cold. However, Tina’s not so innocent in this either. She did have a whole affair with Jill while Jill was still married to her ex-husband, so…what’s that saying? You lose ’em how you get ’em. But digressing, Tina didn’t hold anything back as she basically told Jill to go find a nearby cliff and jump. (clutches pearls)

I know that Jill was afraid because I would be too in this moment, but I think something in me would’ve snapped after seeing Tina spit on her car. I’m glad she didn’t spit on her but still. Ma’am, it’s NEVER that deep, and if someone doesn’t want you, they just don’t want you. Save yourself, girl! Although it would’ve been really dramatic if she’d started busting the windows or something. (Cue Jazmine Sullivan) However, through it all, Jill sort of redeemed herself this week towards the end of the show.

Do I think Tina’s the shooter? I had an inkling before the episode, but now I don’t think so anymore. Much like Jill’s ex-husband, I think Tina’s at the point of closure. She just hadn’t gotten it all out of her system yet. But I believe telling her frankly how she felt about her and where she could go, she’s going through the stages of grief and will more than likely wash her hands of Jill.
Elsewhere, someone else needs to wash their hands of their old life.

Eric/Lil’ Muffin and The New World Saga

As expected, Eric made a shady deal to get the $750K to pay off the debts of Lil’ Muffin. And he, of course, was supposed to pay back his debt in installments. Things fell through, and one of his old rivals returned to remind him of what he owed. First of all, Eric, you just got back into the good graces with the ladies, and you finally met your daughter, allegedly. Why! I want to like you, but you’re making it hard to do it! But I will give him a little credit because he appears to be trying to escape the past. However, I don’t know how he will get out of this one.

Jadakiss and the gang don’t seem to be letting up, and it appears like the more he tries, the more things begin to fall apart. And Lil Muffin this week was hilariously colorful as always. I love the balance that she brings to the show because her quirkiness brings a level of chill that’s much needed in these Queens’ lives. I think one of the best scenes with her this season was this past week’s past scene with her eating the DRY Ramen! I’m literally gagging! And then she had the nerve to actually think it was okay! (has laughing/crying fit)

I was happy to see that she even dropped her leeching crew Da Bakery, but I have a suspicion that it could be one of her old crew members as the shooter. I’ll share more in a moment, but I will say that I enjoyed watching Eric and Lil’ Muffin navigate this new frontier of their lives. She’s presently walking into uncharted territory, and even though temptations are following her, she’s found accountability with Eric. I was so happy he stopped her from making another mistake during that failed club event.

Now, Do I think the shooter is a newfound enemy of Muffin? Possibly! Here’s why. Muffin’s crew has been around her since she was a teenager. And now, all of a sudden, the rug has been pulled from underneath them. They told her repeatedly that they enjoyed “their” lives and often pressured her to do things she didn’t want to do to stay on top. It’s not too far of a stretch for one of them to want to seek revenge until their next ship of fame sails by. Plus, in the preview for next week’s episode, she’s seen asking about who would possibly go after the group? The group is a tight-knit family, and Lil’ Muffin is starting to take on the role of their baby sister. And this week, we got to see a lot of incredible sisterly love on our screens.

Brianna For President
Seriously! She was there for everyone this week, especially Naomi. But before I discuss more on Brianna and the award-worthy scenes she was in this week, I want to talk about the Sex and the City serve Naomi gave us this week!

Naomi Got Her Groove Back
Yassss NAOMI! I’m so happy that we got the opportunity to see Naomi smiling this week! She’s had such a tough transition since getting back into the swing of things and reestablishing relationships that were once destined to be dormant for a lifetime. Since the All Rise video shoot, Naomi has been flirting back and forth with Rodrigo! He’s been very open about his interests in her, and she’s been enjoying the flirtatious admiration he’s been giving. While at the billboard photoshoot, Rodrigo continued to text back with Naomi, ultimately asking her out on a date. Naomi admitted to Brianna that she’s never been on a date, and she was a little tense about going.

Brianna took the opportunity to school Naomi on the fundamentals of dating. She even helped her pick out an outfit for the evening and even offered to chaperone the date so Naomi wouldn’t self-sabotage the evening. (Side Note: I really enjoyed the on-screen sister chemistry between Naomi and Brianna this week. They really looked like genuine sisters even though they’ve had their scabbles here and there. #AllTheFeels) Ahead of the big night, Eric found out that Naomi had a date scheduled with Rodrigo. Of course, he was feeling a way about it, and it was funny to see him in his feelings while she danced around giddily about meeting up with Rodrigo.

And speaking of Eric being in his feelings, I have a sneaky suspicion that he’s going to use that P.I. again to look into Rodrigo’s past. I hate to admit it, but something just appears too good to be true about him. But until we find out any bad news bears about him, I’m going to bask in the sexiness that is #NaRod. Right before the date, Brianna pulled out, saying that she couldn’t go into the restaurant and that she’d be there for Naomi if she needed her by phone.

I quickly figured it had something to do with Jeff, but I was curious to see how it would play out. Surprised and confused by Brianna’s sudden change of heart about joining her, she went on with the date as planned. (Side note: Brandy looked gorgeous throughout these scenes. The dress! The Hair! Just…perfect!) I found myself chuckling off and on during her date with Rodrigo because she tried so hard to just cut to the chase. From her matter-of-fact tone to her just dismissing that he might actually be a good guy, Naomi was like, this is fine and all, but let’s just get this over with and get to the action. But I was pleased that Rodrigo wouldn’t back down from his stance of actually wanting to get to know her. Come on, gentleman status!

Then when he started reading Naomi’s thoughts, I found myself a little shook. Rodrigo is a wooer, and I think Naomi has met a stricter match than she expected. So, what do intellectually sophisticated women do when they feel someone’s getting a little too close? They go to the nearest powder room, call their bestie, and regroup their game plan strategy! I thought it was hilarious that even Brianna answered the call, saying that she didn’t have any condoms either.

Valeria mentioned that she could give her some earlier in the day if she needed some. Of course, Naomi said that she was fine on that both times. But I think this is going to play out excitingly. So far, we haven’t seen much about Naomi’s story. Besides her reconnecting with her daughter, Eric and JoJo, finding out about each other, and that she’s been on her own since the group disbanded 20 years ago, I feel there’s much more to come with her story.

I think Rodrigo will expose character traits that Naomi hasn’t revealed yet. She naturally tries to hold the group together, so it will be interesting to see her vulnerable. She may be tough on the exterior, but I feel that she’s really a genuine sweetheart once you get some of the layers peeled away. After Bri talked her down yet again off a ledge, Naomi went back to finish the date. But Brianna needed her more than she was initially letting on.

Right before Rodrigo was about to whisk Naomi off for an extended date night, Bri started texting her telling her why she abandoned the evening and that she was really missing Jeff. Being the good sister and friend Noami is, she let him know that she needed to go back to comfort her girl. He, of course, understood and bid off with a very steamy kiss. I’m talking movie scene; everything stops around you, and the spotlight comes on just the two of you type of kiss. (clears throat to get their attention, lol)

After pulling away from him and his sexiness, she left to comfort Brianna. And this is the part where the award nominations better start rolling in for the cast and crew. Someone cue the music and the lights, please!

Once again, Brianna for President!

I’d like everyone to give Eve, aka Brianna, a round of applause! Her scenes this week had me in shambles! First was the sisterly/motherly love she expressed towards her girls. The second was the emotional moment between her deceased husband’s final wish recording. Third…well. If you made it to the end of the episode, you saw what happened! Leading up to the horrifying moment at the end of the episode, Brianna’s world had been pretty shaky. I was glad that they addressed that she was still mourning her husband’s passing.

It seemed realistic given that the characters were supposedly married for 16 years. I enjoyed the subtle reminders seen throughout the show, from her wearing the hoodie he’d bought her to the flashbacks she had of him throughout the show. Once Naomi arrived at Brianna’s house after her date, it was beautiful to watch her and Naomi share their feelings about the year’s past. And then, in typical bestie fashion, the other ladies came by to join Bri and Naomi. Each of the ladies shared a touching moment of just sharing in their sisterhood. And then the moment came when I didn’t realize I would lose it.

(Side note: RonReaco Lee may not have had a long stint on the show, but his presence on the show was profound! I’m blown away by his performance in this role.)

When Brianna knocked the bag of chips off the bed, she stumbled across an envelope left by Jeff. It appeared to have his computer password on it with instructions. The moment I realized that she was watching a final message from Jeff, I immediately started crying. I don’t even think I made it past the first sentence he said. The ladies all watched along with Bri as Jeff professed his love and admiration to his wife. He, of course, apologized for his transgressions and asked Bri as a final wish for her to not be so selfless. And he was right. Brianna didn’t really ever stop to think about herself, and that’s why regaining the friendship with her girls again made it worthwhile. I was sobbing right along with them by the end of the video. Phenomenal acting! I seriously hope the crew and cast get nominated for some awards this season!

And then, I was shocked out of mind. On cue, the ladies each received text messages from Eric stating that the Billboard was up. Brianna wanted to get away from all of the sadness and suggested that they all meet up with Eric to see it. And this is when we are taken back to the shooting. After all of the commotion cleared for Eric, he turned to discover Brianna had been shot in the chest. (Side note: I think if my heart had dropped any faster, I would’ve fainted on my couch.)

Alright. From the standpoint of the real-life maternity leave that Eve is taking, I understood why her character was shot. I get it. It’s the perfect way to segue into a storyline since she’s exiting. From a fan standpoint of the show, I was shaking! But I will be reasonable to think that the character of Brianna is not getting killed off. Here’s why. 1. The narrative of Eve making a possible return should she choose and the show getting picked up for season 2 has been mentioned in several interviews and write-ups. 2. I don’t see the writers making FIVE kids fatherless and motherless within a couple of months, especially this tragically. I believe she will be touch and go throughout the episode but, in the end, will make it and leave off for therapy. At least, I have my fingers crossed!

The episode ends with all the girls frantically trying to keep Brianna conscious and calm as she’s gasping for air. In the following episode preview, Brianna is seen being whisked off to the hospital; the girls are all frantically trying to wrap their minds around her being in such as fragile state, people are gathering around a vigil, and then they are faced with the news that a shooter has been identified. Next week’s episode looks lit, and I’m trying to get ready! We’ll all get to see what’s next in God’s Plan coming on this Tuesday night at 10/9c on ABC! But before I check out of this post, I’ll give my guesses on the shooter one last time.

1. A Member of Muffin’s former crew
2. Someone from Eric’s secret life
3. And just for a wild and funny measure, what if it’s Alexis?! Seriously! She literally left off into the sunset with no trace and no communication. After all, she was very hurt about Jeff’s passing, and she seemed like the type that might lash out.

We will finally get to see this week, and I’m ready! At least…I think I’m ready!