Posewas the relentlessly sweet show you needed when we first developed that headline - three weeks ago. At that time, it was all about the devastating effects of the coronavirus and the search for hope that could help propel us through these tough times. While that’s still very much a concern, that headline now has added weight and new value given the response to the senseless and abhorrent killing ofGeorge Floydthat sparked nationwide protests that brought people of all ages and races together to stand up for those who are unfairly oppressed due to systemic racism and a broken system.
If you’re looking for a show to inspire you to stand up for someone or for a cause that needs your support, watchPose. If you’ve been out on the streets protesting and are looking for a source of added motivation to keep the fight going, watchPose. If you’re coming to realize that you need more intimate exposure to someone else’s experience so that you can better understand their truth, watchPose.
TheRyan Murphy,Brad Falchuk, andSteven Canalscreated series first aired on FX in June of 2018, with a second season beginning its run in June of 2019. Yes, smashing ratings when a show first airs is ideal, but with the rise of streaming services, the one-two punch of a show playing on network television and then being made available to watch (or binge watch) at your leisure, is upping a show’s reach big time and that’s exactly what’s happening withPoseright now. Season 1 has been streaming on Netflix for a bit, but Season 2 is first being made available on the streamer on June 11th, so now there’s no reason to miss out on spending time with this downright electric ensemble.
Poseputs the spotlight on New York City’s ballroom scene in the 1980s where the Black and Latinx LGBTQ community competes for trophies by dancing and modeling. Yes, winning a trophy brings great pride to an individual, but the competitors are also fighting to bring recognition to their houses, which are essentially families - maybe not the family you’re born into - not relatives - but still, as said byHector Xtravaganzaand featured in Season 2 ofPose, those “you share your good, bad, and ugly, and still love one another in the end.”
Within that scene we findMj Rodriguez’s Blanca, a member of the House of Abundance. After coming to learn that she’s HIV-positive, Blanca decides she’s had enough of essentially serving the House of Abundance mother, Elektra (Dominique Jackson). Blanca wants to have a house of her own where it isn’t just about the trophies. She deeply wants a house where she can take care of her children and help them achieve their dreams first and foremost. Blanca’s House of Evangelista winds up includingIndya Moore’s Angel who often works the docks but has modeling ambitions and great potential, and alsoRyan Jamaal Swainas Damon, a young man who’s kicked out of his home when his parents find out he’s gay.
I wasverytempted to barrel through aPoseroll call right then and there, but this ensemble deserves a proper tee-up to thoroughly convey how vital they are to the success of the series. Even with multiple seasons, it isn’t easy balancing such a large cast of characters while ensuring they all serve a purpose and have meaningful arcs. ButPosedoes just that. Without delving into spoilers - there’s Angel’s relationship withEvan Peters’ suburban father and businessman, Stan, Damon’s dream of becoming a professional dancer, and the conflict that arises when Blanca finds out that Lil Papi (Angel Bismark Curiel) is still dealing drugs. And that’s only scratching the surface of the arcs of the core members of the House of Evangelista.
One of my favorite surprises ofPose, is how much Elektra, Lulu (Hailie Sahar), and Candy (Angelica Ross) grow on you. Elektra is often selfish and egotistical, but its Jackson’s performance that keeps her well clear of that “love to hate her” character trope by making the absolute most of Elektra’s more heartfelt moments. Does Elektra have a pure heart of gold like Blanca? Absolutely not! But the thing is, Elektra knows it. Trophies, wealth and status are important to her, and if you’ve got a problem with that, so be it. However, when her support is absolutely vital, she’s there for her daughters, her friends and her community, and that makes Elektra a character who you may genuinely love while still getting a kick out of her antics. Lulu and Candy also fall into the category of being adversaries of sorts for the House of Evangelista. But again, there’s such purity to their friendship and convictions that the show successfully presents them as two women who are giving it their all, just in a different way than Blanca. And again, no spoilers here, but it’s well worth highlighting that Lulu and Candy have one of my absolute favorite storylines of the show in Season 2, something I once thought the team behindPosewould never be able to pull of.
In addition to the members of the houses, we’ve also got the downright phenomenalBilly Porteras Pray Tell, the emcee of the balls. Casting doesn’t get much better than this. Porter’s naturally captivating screen presence and spirited personality gives the ball scenes the structure and energy they need, but Porter also has the endless range to effortlessly transition to Pray Tell’s more dramatic moments, which are absolutely vital when it comes to fleshing out the world and giving a full, intimate look at the challenges haunting this community, namely the AIDs epidemic and the lack of support they receive. For much of the first season ofPose, it’s Porter and Rodriguez that carry the weight of this particular topic on their shoulders and they do so beautifully through private introspection, with each other as friends, and also by showing how they choose to carry themselves for their children.
At this point, you might have noticed that an assessment of almost every single character onPoserequires the mention of Rodriguez’s Blanca. During a recent episode of Collider Connected with Porter,he called Rodriguezthe heart of the show and it’s true. Blanca is the guiding light in a sense. She is hands down one of the most selfless and loving television characters I’ve ever seen, and it’s an utter joy watching her decisions and behavior change the course of the other characters’ lives for the better. Whether it’s Damon’s young adult angst or Elektra’s “me, me, me” attitude,Poseis constantly emphasizing how the purity of Blanca’s determination to make the world a better place can and will make a major impression.
I’ve got to applaud both the writers and Rodriguez for that, but there is one specific quality of Blanca’s that I suspect is a direct result of Rodriguez’s performance and screen presence; it’s one thing to give viewers an opportunity to step into a new world and show them around; it’s another to provide the sensation that you’re being welcomed in with open arms and all the warmth in the world. That’s exactly what Rodriguez does here and that’s why her performance transcends the screen. On the show, Blanca’s all about opening her home to children in need and showering them in love and support, and Rodriguez’s performance has that same quality for the folks at home.
Accepting, understandingand loving those who aren’t the same as you is of the utmost importance right now, as is joining the effort to spread the word about that need for equality. Does that come easily to some? Yes, and we’re seeing the benefit of their fight and voices full force right now. But there are still many out there who need to listen and learn, and perhaps that’s difficult for a variety of reasons - upbringing, lack of exposure to those who are different, you name it. This is why we need characters like Blanca and shows likePose.Posedoesn’t justshowyou the ball scene and the day-to-day of this community; it reaches a hand out, encourages you to come in, learn, engage and share one world.
