'P-Valley' labeled 'best show this summer' as Black Twitter praises its storytelling chops and local artists
Twitter came out to support 'P-Valley's' premiere episode. Filmmaker Ava DuVernay got first out of the gate with her "sisters are slaying the summer" tweet, naming Black women artists enjoying their moments in the sun like showrunner and writer of 'P-Valley', Katori Hall and others like Michaela Coel of HBO's 'I May Destroy You'. Another user commented asking if "Black Twitter" was convening for #PValley "cuz I seen strippers, drugs & corruption all in the trailer and that’s my type of carrying on."
Another remarked: "Colorism, church vs. the clurb, pro sports-worthy athletic routines, AND the hottest soundtrack on TV? Yup. Welcome to my new favorite show. #PValley."Other tweets kept their appreciation on-point, like this one: "The music The visuals The complex characters The rawness The talent The story EVERYTHING!!! Best show this summer" and "Yoooooo #PValley was sooo good. How am I supposed to wait for another week???"
Viewers who tuned in were pleasantly surprised about how the show made them "see strip clubs and what these women have to go through in a whole new light". Commenting on how the show was different, one tweet said: "the first full nipple shot we see in P-Valley, a show depicting the lives of strippers, is that of a mother as she's just about to feed her baby." Another user posted a gif of a 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' era Will Smith in geeky glasses, nodding sagely, saying "This how Imma be in the strip clubs now. 'TELL ME YOUR STORY SWEETHEART'." The joke didn't go down well though with another user replying to the post sarcastically: "I love when civs (civilians) realize swers (sex workers) are real people for the first time...."
Others were thankful that the show wasn't shying away from showing the less than perfect condition of towns in the Deep South."I love that #PValley is giving us an unglamorized look at the south. I'm tired of only seeing the best of Atlanta on my TV," posted one user about the show's portrayal. However, there were some quibbles about the show not using the real "P**sy Valley" as the backdrop.
But most users loved how Memphis and Southern hip-hop was represented with a slew of local artists on the show's soundtrack with numbers like Duke Deuce's 'In Dis Hoe', Jus Bentley's 'Bu$y' and Jucee Froot's 'Life's a Bitch'. The show's playlist is already showing up on numerous Spotify accounts, with one user commenting: "I can’t wait until next week's episode of @PValleySTARZ until then I’m jamming to the dope songs that was featured on the premiere."
Since most of episode 1 dealt with Mercedes, the "OG" queen of the Pynk strip club, most comments were about her mad skills on the pole. "B**CH! Mercedes is a fuckin BEAST! Best on screen stripper since Ronnie from The Players Club." Most users were commenting on 'that' scene, where Mercedes hangs upside down, her feet planted on the ceiling and twerks, before sliding head-first to the stage, stopping inches from the ground. "What is going on with Mercedes?!?! Is she possessed?" asked one user, while another appreciated how the sound of her breathing instead of music complimented the scene's visuals: "omg, the breathing sounds when mercedes was at the top of that pole... i felt that athleticism in my bones lol".
Other tweets complimented the actor playing Mercedes, Brandee Evans, saying they could feel her energy through their television. "The way she worked that pole and climb all the way up to the ceiling tweaking that’s what you called a BAD B.*.*.C.H"
Others were more consumed with Mercedes' relationship with her hypocritical preacher mother who shames her on one hand and grabs the money she makes with the other. Singer Jessica Woo and 'Love & Hip Hop: Miami' alum, live-tweeting while watching the show, couldn't control her anger. "Mercedes mom is RELIGIOUS TRASH. Using God to shame her while taking all her stripper money." Others agreed, calling out the preacher mom's hypocrisy. "Using her daughter to get money for the church but judging her for the same reason. Whew chillayyy!" said one user, comparing her to Mercedes' "pimp", while another tweet pointed out that "Booty money pay bills too. I ain’t never heard somebody in church say don’t put that single in the plate cuz it look like 'booty money'".
Since the church vs club clash will be a major plot-point this season, fans will definitely enjoy what coming up with one twitter account associated with the show tweeting that the upcoming Episode 2 was "a favorite".
'P-Valley' premiered on July 12 on Starz. The next episode will air on July 19.
