Culture

The latest episode of Pose just delivered the greatest read in history

By Sam Damshenas

15th August 2019

“Now pick your jaw up off the floor, go back to your clam chowder and shallow conversations.”

The latest episode of Pose just – like we said in the headline – delivered the greatest read in HERstory.

In the penultimate episode of the show’s second season, Blanca (MJ Rodriguez), Angel (Indya Moore), Lulu (Hailie Sahar) and Elektra (Dominique Jackson) embark on a much-needed beach vacation to Long Island.

It was a much lighter instalment in comparison to the rest of the season; previous episodes saw the departure of Damon (Ryan Jamaal Swain), Ricky’s (Dyllon Burnside) HIV diagnosis and the murder of fan-favourite character Candy.

Blanca meets a handsome lifeguard after a near-drowning experience, and despite the reservations of the others, accepts his invitation to go on a date. Meanwhile, Angel, Lulu and Elektra enjoy food and drinks at a high-end restaurant.

A rude, white middle class woman addresses the girls and calls them “too loud”, later admitting: “I know a man pretending to be a woman when I see one, and I see three right in front of me. This is not that kind of establishment.”

It then led to the greatest comeback of all time from Elektra.

Towering over her, she responds: “God may have blessed you with Barbies, a backyard with a pony in it, a boyfriend named Jake and an unwanted pregnancy that your father paid to terminate so you could go to college and major in being a basic bitch.

“None of these things make you a woman. Your uniform of ill-fitting J.Crew culottes, fake pearls and 50 cent scrunchies cannot conceal the fact that you do not know who you are. I know our presence threatens you.

“We fought for our place at this table, and that has made us stronger than you will ever be. Now pick your jaw up off the floor, go back to your clam chowder and shallow conversations. My girlfriends and I aren’t going anywhere. Y’all heard that?”

It was one of the fiercest moments from the series, and social media seem to agree.

“I need to be able to read people like Elektra from Pose,” said one fan, while another wrote: “Elektra read this country club white lady to FILTH. Pose is one of the best shows I’ve ever watched.”

Check out the best reactions from Twitter below. 

https://twitter.com/rock_all_u_got/status/1161603053025398784

https://twitter.com/whodatthough/status/1161619713211981824

https://twitter.com/A_Walker1908/status/1161635576673648640

https://twitter.com/Queen_Kyra__/status/1161663483173310464

Watch Elektra deliver the greatest read of all time below.

Since Pose premiered last year, it’s received universal praise from fans and critics. Earlier this year, it received nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Billy Porter.

Rodriguez made history earlier this week when she beceme the first trans woman to win Best Actress at the Imagen Awards. “You’d never think in a million years you’d get an award like this being a woman like me,” she said in her acceptance speech.

“Obviously, this is not just for me. This is for the little kids like me. I’m just trying to speak as much as I can for my community as possible and that goes for my Latino community.”

The second season finale of Pose will premiere next week on FX – watch the trailer below.