Since Harlem Season 3 began, it’s been drama-filled. The first two episodes didn’t waste time kicking things into high gear when we learned that Camille was pregnant by her ex-boyfriend Ian. Harlem Season 3, Episodes 3 ‘Can We Talk… For A Minute’ and Episode 4, ‘Foot Rub’ showed us how Camille navigates her pregnancy journey with Ian. We saw more of Angie preparing for her big Broadway debut while planning her big wedding with Mike. And we also got to see both Tye and Camille navigating relationships that have gone from business to personal. Now let’s unpack it all as discussed in this week’s review of Harlem Season 3, Episode 3 ‘Can We Talk… For A Minute,’ & Episode 4 ‘Foot Rub.’
More: What did we think of Harlem Season 3, Episodes 1 & 2? Here’s our review!
Confrontation Is Our Least Developed Skill
In Harlem Season 3, Episode 3 ‘Can We Talk… For A Minute,’ Camille, Angie, Quinn, and Tye all get a lesson in communication. As Camille is dealing with all that comes with being pregnant while trying to work on her book, she gets another piece of stress added to her life that she does not need. Because Camille quit her job at Columbia University, she lost her medical insurance. This has caused her to pay for things out of pocket, and after having to pay $1600 for a prenatal blood test, she quickly realizes that she needs more of Ian’s help than she thought she would.
When she goes to Ian’s place to talk about the baby and the help she will need, she’s shocked when she finds out Portia has moved in and is also trying for a baby. Ian doesn’t think it’s a big deal that he didn’t tell Camille these things when she told him she was pregnant, but she says that when she decided to keep her baby, she did it with limited information.
That was interesting to hear her say because it makes me wonder what her decision would have been had she learned that Ian was trying to have a baby with Portia. Would she have made a different choice? If so, I don’t think she should have based her choice to keep her pregnancy on that. Portia is Portia. And she is Camille. They have two separate lives. I do agree that Ian was wrong for not saying anything, though. Because, again, if you are an adult, you should be able to have adult conversations.
Ian and Camille often get in their way regarding compromise. They would have a much easier time if they set aside their differences and stopped being petty. When they work together on things, it’s nice to see. Ian agreed to help Camille out financially without an ounce of hesitation, and he even Venmo’d her for the doctor’s visit. Watching him light up when Camille told him they were having a girl made me almost, almost wish they were back together.
I say almost because by Harlem Season 3, Episode 4, ‘Foot Rub,’ they were back to fighting again. Camille, who is eight months pregnant (what a time jump!), finds getting Ian involved in some parts of her pregnancy challenging. After missing a Lamaze class for couples, she feels the weight of loneliness and weighs the possibility of being a single mother. Camille wants a companion. She wants male attention and may have found it in Seth’s friend Sisqo. Of course, that is a sore spot for Ian because, for some reason, he seems to think that Camille doesn’t have the right to have a male companion even though he himself is in a committed relationship.
It’s Uncomfortable To Put Yourself Out There
Angie and Michael’s lesson in communication came when she realized that as they had been planning their wedding, she wasn’t taking his input into consideration. After charging $50,000 to his AMEX card to book the Cipriani, they finally discussed why he didn’t want a big wedding. Unlike Angie, Michael doesn’t have a big family, so he doesn’t want to be reminded of that on his wedding day. Angie finally hears Michael about this, and they agree they won’t have the wedding at the Cipriani. The tables turn in Harlem Season 3, Episode 4 ‘Foot Rub’ when Michael pulls the “you won’t have to worry about money because I’ll take care of you” card. Literally. He gives her his AMEX but only does this after he finds out a big reporter is coming to see her rehearsing for Girls Trip the Musical.
Because of one particular number during the show, Michael expressed concern that she would be seen as the “funny, raunchy sidekick” and not the serious actress she wanted to be. Michael essentially says he wants better for her but doesn’t get the right to dictate her career journey. I know he means well, but Angie has a good head on her shoulders and knows how to make her own decisions. Though Angie hesitates to do the number when the reporter comes, she nails the performance and feels better than ever. At that moment, she reclaimed part of herself that she had almost let go of. I loved watching her give Michael’s card back to him because it was her taking her power back. She reminded Michael that even though she was going to be his wife, she could take care of herself just fine.
Quinn, who is riding high with her newfound career as a celebrity stylist, learns that with it comes a dark side. Seth’s former stylist Carli took to social media to blast her in a live, accusing her of breaking the solidarity of a Black woman by taking another Black woman’s job. The dragging is bad. But Quinn is a calm individual. She doesn’t like confrontation at all. Tye and Angie tell her that she has to say something because her reputation is at stake. She does listen to the ladies. And then she delivers a public apology to Carli. That one I don’t think she should have done because she did nothing wrong. But it was a classy move, so I’ll give her that. She then cut ties with Seth. At least professionally. Harlem Season 3, Episode 4 ‘Foot Rub’ was a different story, but more on that later.
MORE: Need a little refresher on what happened in Harlem season 2? Check out our Harlem review of episode 7 “Fall Back to Rumspringa Forward” and episode 8 “Joy, Joy, Joy.”
Tye, who has been advising all her besties, got a taste of her own medicine when Eva encouraged her to stop hiding from her family in Harlem Season 3, Episode 3, “Can We Talk… For A Minute.” Tye has never come out to her parents. That was shocking to learn, especially how she had just up and left her home in Atlanta over a decade ago. Eva cares about Tye and wants her to live her truth. She points out that Tye’s issue with sex is not the issue, and celibacy is just a band-aid concealing a deeper truth. As always, Tye pushes back because she can dish out the medicine but can’t take it from others. After thinking it over, she ultimately booked a flight to see her parents.
Remember our review of Harlem Season 3, Episodes 1 & 2, when I said I hoped Quinn wouldn’t mix business with pleasure again? Well, she did. And well, it’s coming back to bite her… again.
In Harlem Season 3, Episode 4 “Foot Rub,” Quinn’s “exclusively, nonexclusive” relationship with Seth has gotten serious. After Quinn does a “Black Love” photoshoot with him that includes the two acting as a husband and wife with two children, she starts to envision a real future with him, believing he may be the one. The shoot changes their relationship in a big way, and the two declare their love for each other. Unfortunately for Quinn, Seth has some secrets of his own. I feel history repeating, and at this point, I want my girl to find some true happiness. Maybe Seth has a good excuse, and perhaps this is not what we think it is, but I fear Quinn may be headed for heartbreak yet again.
Other Thoughts
- Season three of Harlem is going a little too fast with some of the pacing. Lots of storyline beats are being missed. Did Tye visit her parents already? According to the time jump, she booked that flight eight months ago. I would have liked to have seen her reunite with them.
- Does Portia know about Camille being pregnant? Where is her POV in all of this? are she and Ian even still planning to have a baby?
- “You didn’t have the testicular fortitude to be honest about your situation.”
- Camilles publicist is right. She needs to change the title of her book.
- “Hurt feelings, vulnerability, and physical discomfort are some of the most common ingredients that make up difficult conversations which is why we tend to avoid it.”
- Ian and Camille need to get their stuff together. If Portia’s dad had a medical emergency, that’s all Ian had to say. A simple text or call instead of ignoring and replying later with “My bad” does not work.
- “There is nothing corny about Black love.”
- “Black love is just so much more than Romance to me. Black love is family.”
- “Carrots are in salads, and a salad is never a dessert.”
- “Stay out of your head and off, Tubi girl.”
- Tye told Eva she loves her! That’s huge!!!
- Ian and Camille, hanging out… yeah… sure, that will be a great idea…not.
New episodes of Harlem Season 3 are released on Thursdays on Prime Video.
