RECAP: Being Mary Jane Season 2 Finale ("Reading The Signs," E11 & "Signing Off," E12)

This season of Being Mary Jane has definitely held my attention, and last night's two-hour season finale had my eyes glued to the TV! Picking up from last week, Mary Jane has an interview with Don Lemon at CNN about her rant with author Elizabeth Foy, where she called the woman "an ugly black woman." MJ claims that this "ugly black woman" title isn't dependent upon race, gender, or sexual orientation, It's about shedding light to those whose stories do not matter. She plans to continue to use her show to showcase these stories.

Afterwards, Mary Jane gets a call from PJ, who tells her that Mama Helen has been bragging about how MJ's all over the TV. There's even a new autotuned song that has gone viral (of course)! Literally, this interview is EVERYWHERE, and everyone has an opinion, good and bad. When she gets to the station, there are even supporters with signs there to welcome her and get her autograph! Mary Jane clearly loves the attention. Cynthia, who currently is in the primetime slot, is waiting in her office to talk. Turns out that Cynthia wasn't sick that day that MJ filled in for her. The executives at SNC told the woman to take a few days sick leave. Cynthia expresses that she feels that the network is using Mary Jane to push her out.  MJ doesn't agree that that's going to happen, but Cynthia doesn't feel like she's sincere or really concerned.

After her show, Mary Jane talks with Kara, who wants to talk about Cynthia. However, they are both asked upstairs by Greg and a higher up, Cheree, to talk about the viral impact of the interview. Cheree is very happy about the exposure to the network. She tells them that the decision has indeed been made to fire Cynthia, and to have MJ and Kara replace her on primetime in two weeks. Kara is excited, though MJ looks a little apprehensive. Cheree then asks for a moment alone with Mary Jane. Cheree commends MJ on her style, but tells her that some people will be threatened by her. This is still a business, and when it comes to primetime, MJ is told that she will have to tone down the "all-black agenda," from her show. To an extend, I understood. This is a primetime show, with a wider demographic, and the stories need to cater to a majority. However, again, you can tell Mary Jane isn't sure about this, but she will keep the offer in mind. After MJ leaves the office, Greg comes back in, and Cheree tells him he needs to keep her on a short leash. They plan to ride her popularity for as long as they can, and if it doesn't work out, they'll find someone else.

Afterwards, Kara and MJ talk about the conversation. They know they're being used, but Kara says they need to use this opportunity to get to where they want to be. However, Mary Jane feels like she's finally doing work she's proud of. She feels like she'll be stifled on primetime, which is true. Right now, other opportunities are coming for her from book deals to speaking engagements, and she wonders if this is right for her. MJ plans to think everything through, determined to make the best decision for both her and Kara.

That night, Mary Jane has dinner with Sheldon, and she tells him about the job offer and that she feels like she's selling out. Sheldon himself has planned a very nice dinner with candles everywhere and music softly playing. MJ laughs at the fact that he even brought out foreign films, feeling like he's playing a game to get her in bed. She says that this may impress 25 year olds, but not for someone her age, and calls him corny, which upsets him. I was so mad at her! He did something very nice yet simple, and Mary Jane blasted him for no good reason. Girl, you ought to be happy somebody is putting in any effort with you! Over this past two seasons, you haven't had that at all, and now it's "corny?" Okay, Mary Jane.

Back at Mary Jane's house, Mark scolds her for acting like that. Mark talks about his first experience with a guy, who laughed at him when Mark got naked. In that moment, the guy realized he wasn't gay and freaked out. That situation upset Mark badly, so he knows exactly how Sheldon feels. Mark tells her that she should reach out to Sheldon soon, because the more time that passes, the harder it will be for them to recover.

Meanwhile, Kara goes to visit her parents in New York, after a cryptic call from her mother. Kara asks her mother what's really going on. Apparently, her father wants to sell their house, and move to a condo. Her sister Lily wants them to sell as well, arguing that this house is falling apart. The sisters argue back and forth for a minute, but then make up. Kara's father, meanwhile, is way too into the game on TV, making me think that he's in deep with some gambling debts.

At work that night, Mary Jane struggles to come up with the right text to Sheldon to apologize. Mark tells her that she's trying too hard, and ends up writing for her, saying simply that she was wrong and she's sorry. Meanwhile, Kara talks to her father, stating how they are a lot alike, obsessed with winning and thinking that they can do everything by themselves. Kara tells him to give her a number to help him, knowing that he's gambling. It turns out he already signed over the deed to the house! He's been paying rent to someone else, pulling from their savings so Kara's mother wouldn't find out, but that's almost gone, which shocks Kara.

In the bathroom, MJ bumps into Cynthia awkwardly. Cynthia has found out that she has been fired, and harbors some resentment towards Mary Jane for it obviously. Later, at the end of the first half of the finale, Mary Jane and Kara talk about Kara's family situation. Kara can't afford to pay that rent, but she would do anything for her parents. Mary Jane did indeed decide to take that primetime slot, which will definitely help Kara a little bit with the bump in pay. Meanwhile, MJ gets a simple thank you from Sheldon from her text, which drives her crazy. She ends up going to his house, and admits how she felt and apologizes again. Sheldon tells her kind of coldly that he'll call her tomorrow.

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In the second part of the finale, Mary Jane wakes up to her alarm going off in the house. She gets a call from ADT, and is scared to death. The police come, and it looks like the kitchen window alarm malfunctioned, but it still freaks MJ out. She calls Sheldon to ask to come over, and he obliges. Before she came over, he was reading some love letters between slaves, and she looks through them. She feels like he should exhibit them, which he is actually planning. She climbs into his bed, but he leaves her, wanting to finish reading the letters. The next morning, as he makes her breakfast, she asks if they are in a relationship, to which he responds that he has been operating as if they are. That night, as Mary Jane still stays with Sheldon, she gets a call from Valerie, asking if David has called. Turns out David's longtime dog had to be put down, which throws Mary Jane a lot, because she knows David is devastated. Sheldon actually encourages her to call and check on David, but Mary Jane doesn't feel like it's her place. After finding out that Sheldon got rid of her toothbrush that she kept at his place, she finds a bunch of different toiletries in his cabinet, as if he prepares to have girls over! It throws her for a serious loop, but she doesn't say anything.

At the station the next day, Cynthia comes into Mary Jane's office angry, stating that the higher ups at SNC won't let her leave with dignity. They want her to do a taped sign-off for her final show, feeling like she'll probably go off in a rant if she were to do it live. The woman is entirely frustrated with the fact that she's losing her job, and tells MJ that she has no idea what she signed up for, but she will soon see.

At the Patterson house, Helen makes a speech in celebration of PJ's graduation and his job offer in Los Angeles, showing that PJ has decided to do the bid rigging anyway. Patrick's daughter Naime (who we barely see) and her boyfriend Kenny announce that they are newly engaged and will be moving to North Carolina with their family to pursue new jobs. Patrick is a little upset that his daughter is leaving, and Niecy is a little thrown too. Meanwhile, Lisa, who was sitting at the celebration the whole time, and MJ have a brief, awkward conversation in the kitchen, with Lisa congratulating MJ on the primetime spot. I'm honestly not sure if they will ever repair their friendship, or if there was ever really a true friendship to repair.

Later, Mary Jane manages to essentially break into Sheldon's house and make herself at home, which Sheldon isn't really feeling but he doesn't say anything. That night, Mary Jane pees in the bed from stress, which is so embarrassing! She wakes Sheldon up, and as they change the sheets, Mary Jane expresses that she thinks it's about the dog and David. Sheldon tells her she needs to call him. He feels like if she doesn't deal with this, it's going to start affecting their own relationship. He's a little irked by the fact that he's changing his sheets, too. He seems like the type that likes his space, and things in order, so I can only imagine what he thought when he woke up to find MJ had peed in the bed!

The next day, at the Patterson house, Helen has a brief conversation with Niecy, letting Niecy that she will figure out her life. Niecy is clearly upset that she hasn't worked her own life out yet. It's hard to see people move on with their lives when you feel stuck, but she will figure it out.

That night, Sheldon congratulates Mary Jane on negotiating her primetime deal, and also getting
Cynthia a sign off. She asks about him throwing out her toothbrush, and he tells her he likes things a particular way. "Housing her toothbrush" symbolizes cohabitation, which he isn't down with. Turns out he doesn't want to get married or have kids either, which pisses Mary Jane off, because he knew that she wanted kids from watching her go through the egg freezing story. He thought that he could introduce and warm her up to his lifestyle, but obviously not! They end up getting into an argument back and forth about their dating situation, with Mary Jane admitting that she doesn't want to waste her time. He starts talking about how they could maybe get condos on two different floors, or some kind of compound and live on separate sides. He wants them to want to be together, and not feel obligated to do so, but Mary Jane is not feeling his ideology. She refuses to settle and walks out, and I applaud her!

When Mary Jane gets home, she calls David and gets his voicemail, and leaves a simple message for him offering her condolences about the dog. On her final show, Cynthia gives her sign off, as Kara and MJ celebrate with champagne. Later, Lisa drops off some things to David, and they chat a little bit happily.

As Mary Jane gets ready to leave work, she gets a call from Sheldon again congratulating her. He also apologizes because he knew what she wanted, but thought he could show her his way. However, she doesn't want him to apologize. MJ recognizes that she may not get married or have kids, but she does know that she wants to at least wake up to someone every day with her toothbrush still there. She tells him goodbye for good. I was SO proud of her! Probably crazy to be that proud of a fictional character, but I really was! Mary Jane has been settling for a while now, I think out of fear that she won't find anyone else that's good out there. Now, she's starting to realize that relationships mean nothing if her standards aren't met, and I'm glad that she's refusing to back down. No, you don't get everything you may want in a relationship, but you ought to have some set standards, and it's nice to see her sticking to them.

Back at his house, Lisa  opens up about her fight with Mary Jane, and admits that she herself suffersfrom depression but has been seeing a good therapist. However, she also says that David is a trigger for her, because of her feelings for him. She wants to be honest with Mary Jane about it, as well. As they're having this conversation, David ends up butt dialing Mary Jane, who hears everything! Lisa talks about how she and David had oral sex, and Lisa took care of him when he and MJ broke up. She was the one who told him about about the sperm, and she even gave him $50,000 as an investment in his company. In shock of it all, Mary Jane ends up crashing her car, and it looks very, very bad!

I don't know what's going to happen in season three, but I'm mad I have to wait until next year to find out!

What did you think of the season 2 finale of Being Mary Jane?

Images via BET