Pose is truly one of the greatest shows on television, bringing you talent, writing, and enviable ‘80s daywear, episode after episode.
If you’ve somehow not watched the FX drama up to this point, go to your room! And don’t come down until you’ve binged it all on Netflix, iTunes, or an illegal streaming source that, legally speaking, Out must denounce as bad and definitely not the best free way to watch stuff online.
Don’t have time to watch all of season one before the second season premieres this Tuesday night on FX? Or perhaps you’ve forgotten just about everything that happened. Either way, we’ve got you covered. Get all caught up with Out’s Pose season one recap below.
Pose is an FX drama series created by Steven Canals, Ryan Murphy, and Brad Falchuk, with Janet Mock serving as co-executive producer (and writer, and director, and…) as well as Our Lady J as a writer and supervising producer.
It’s set in New York City’s ballroom world of the 1980s — well, season one took place in the late ‘80s, but season two apparently fast-forwards a few years to 1990, the same year vogueing entered the mainstream thanks to Jennie Livingston’s Paris Is Burning and Madonna’s “Vogue.”
With its houses, titles, and power plays, it’s kind of Game of Thrones-y, but with more consistent writing and character arcs that actually make sense and feel fully developed. D&D could never!
When we last left our characters, Blanca Evangelista (Mj Rodriguez) had just won Mother of the House after defecting from the House of Abundance to form her very own House of Evangelista.
Things were also starting to look up for Blanca’s former house mother, Elektra Abundance Evangelista (Dominique Jackson). After her former sugar daddy kicked her out of the apartment he paid for, she successfully managed to get a job as a hostess at upscale downtown restaurant Indochine with Blanca’s help. After teaming up with the House of Evangelista, Elektra even took home some trophies at the season finale ball.
Angel Evangelista (Indya Moore) ended season one by turning down Stan Bowes’ (Evan Peters) offer to run away with him, more resolute than ever that “no white boy from the suburbs is going to rescue [her].” She knows who her family is, and who she can count on — and it’s definitely not Stan.
Speaking of Stan, it’s unclear if he’ll return for season two. Same with his wife, Patty Bowes (Kate Mara), and his boss, Matt Bromley (James Van Der Beek). None of them appear on FX’s official cast & crew page for season two.
You know who does show up is Damon (Ryan Jamaal Swain). He closed out season one by turning down the opportunity to tour the world as a backup dancer for Al B. Sure!, so that he could continue his dance training with Helena St. Rogers (Charlayne Woodard).
Pray Tell (Billy Porter) is also going to be there, of course. Doing what? I didn’t get any screeners this season, so I can’t tell you!!!! He ended the first season opening himself back up to the possibility of love after losing his boyfriend to an AIDS-related illness, so maybe we’ll see him fully blossomed once more come season two?
Lulu and Candy Ferocity (Hailie Sahar and Angelica Ross, respectively) are also going to be ones to watch this season now that they’ve started a rival house of their own.
Lil Papi (Angel Bismark Curiel), welcomed back into the House of Evangelista, will also be back, as will Ricky Evangelista (Dyllón Burnside). Will Lil Papi’s relationship with house mother Blanca improve since we last saw them? Will Ricky’s relationship with Damon survive going on tour without him? And just who the hell is Nurse Judy, a new character played by Sandra Bernhard?? I guess we’ll have to wait until Tuesday night to find out.
