Malika is trying to move on from her ex-boyfriend Damien, who is running a soul food bagel café in Brooklyn. Phoebe is worried that Malika will get lost in the romance again, but she’s convinced they’ve both changed. ..
Damien asks Malika out for coffee, which turns into a string of dates. She’s charmed by how often he gushes about how amazing she is.
Meanwhile, Phoebe freaks out over the possibility of having feelings for Michael. She confesses to him that she wonders if they’re supposed to be together-like in the rom coms.
Michael is all for trying new things. But when they try to have sex, everything that could go wrong does go wrong–and they end up laughing over it in the morning. Both of them realize they’re meant to be just friends. ..
Malika is hesitant at first, but Damien convinces her that if she works hard, she can be just like him and help make his café the best it can be. Malika is eager to try out this new opportunity and decides to take the plunge.
Malika is immediately put off when Damien tells her he doesn’t think podcasting is using all her abilities. And when Damien tells her he doesn’t think podcasting is using all her abilities, she insists he doesn’t know her at all. ..
Malika has figured out her dreams and is happy. She wishes Damien luck, then walks out of his café. ..
Later, Malika admits that things didn’t turn out the way she wanted. However, it did feel nice getting back onto the dating scene again. Maybe she’s ready for Phoebe to set her up with someone new.
The Episode Review
I’m glad to finally get an episode about Malika, the best character in the series. She’s a fun and relatable protagonist who is always willing to help out her friends and is always willing to have a good time.
I’m glad to see that the show isn’t pushing Malika and Michael together, despite all of Malika’s previous indicators that she’s not interested. A sudden realization on her part would fall into “rom com logic,” which this episode comically debunks. ..
Hopefully, we’ll soon see Malika find love that affirms and supports her dreams, and Phoebe confronting actual unresolved feelings for a certain someone.
