#P-Valley Season 1 Episode 4 Review: The Trap

Mercedes really deserved better than that.

But she had to see what happened on P-Valley Season 1 Episode 4 coming, didn’t she?

For someone so strong and driven, Mercedes unfortunately had one blind spot: Patrice.

Through all her interactions with Mercedes, Patrice didn’t appear to have a maternal bone in her body.

But Patrice appeared to be softening when Mercedes explained her plans to buy her gym and quit pole dancing on P-Valley Season 1 Episode 3.

Patrice even withdrew Mercedes’ $20,000 from the bank, as she had promised to do.

But no, Mercedes and the viewers needed to remember that Patrice will always put herself first.

When Pastor Gilfield passed over Patrice for a male to substitute for him, Patrice set out to prove the congregation would follow her.

She flat-out hijacked the service to prove her worth to Gilfield. But he let her know that a woman’s place was in the choir loft and if she didn’t like that, she could leave.

So God began speaking to Patrice about the $20,000 check she just acquired.

Wouldn’ it be just if Patrice took that money which Mercedes earned from sinners and convert it into something wholesome in the eyes of the Lord?

At least that’s Patrice logic.

Being a smart, practical woman, Mercedes should have known better. She really shouldn’t have trusted Patrice and/or the church to happily give back her money whenever she wanted it. It’s hard enough to get a regular bank to do that.

The nice Realtor lady tried to warn her about undertaking what was essentially a vanity project. She kept talking about someone (Andre) buying up properties all over town and how about looking at some affordable rentals?

But Mercedes, head in the clouds, wasn’t hearing her.

The fact that Patrice kept ducking her calls should have been a clue as well.

Mercedes was a little full of herself when she was lecturing Gidget and Keyshawn about planning their futures.

Granted, Gidget, with her oxy-peddling boyfriend and drug-addict mother, and Keyshawn, having two children with her abusive boyfriend, don’t have particularly bright futures.

Still, after being ripped off by Patrice, it’s going to be hard for Mercedes to show her face at The Pynk again.

It’s a shame because Mercedes’ Last Dance had such promise.

The Pynk was mobbed. The other dancers and Maite gave Mercedes a new performance outfit. Mane got someone to wear his ankle monitor so he could attend.

It was a treat to watch Mercedes getting all misty as she visited everybody one last time. Her farewell with Clifford was especially touching.

Then it all went to shit when she met up with Patrice. Did Patrice know what property Mercedes hoped to buy or was that sheer coincidence?

The Realtor had the right idea when she took off as Mercedes learned that the future she had been working so hard for had just gone down the drain.

Mercedes ended up in a squad car while Keyshawn took the stage to become The Pynk’s new star performer.

It’s a shame that Mercedes has never gotten along with Autumn. The stranger has so many quasi-illegal things she could teach her.

Like how to receive multiple wire transfers, all just under the reporting limit of $10,000, and how to pick them up at various Telex offices wearing different wigs.

Or how to soak those new bills in booze so they smell like tips from the club.

Why is Mercedes hiding her earnings at the church while Autumn deposits her money under a false name at a bank? That doesn’t make sense.

What is Autumn up to?

She should have enough money stashed so that she can move along to her next hiding spot. Setting down roots is going to get her caught.

Then she kept pursuing Andre. Why, since he’s never going to trust her again?

It was a bit of a window into her past when she freaked out and then broke down after she called her an irresponsible mother.

Then, the next morning, she told him her daughter was gone. What does that mean? Dead? Taken? Missing?

Just for a few seconds, Autumn was a vulnerable character. Then she ran around committing identity theft and that moment passed.

Andre did the decent thing, letting Autumn sleep alone in his bed. It seemed he plans to honor his wedding vows after his earlier slip.

Andre does appear to have good intentions in bringing the casino to Chucalissa. But that has thrown him in bed with slimy characters, starting with the ambitious Mayor Ruffin.

So the plan right along was to foreclose on The Pynk then pick it up cheap at auction. Only now that word is creeping out about the casino, can that still happen?

But now that Mercedes has lost her money, who else can Clifford turn to for help? Maybe Autumn?

It was great to see Keyshawn, despite all her doubts, step into the spotlight. If she does become The Pynk’s star attraction, maybe that will give her the confidence that she needs to leave behind her loser boyfriend.

To follow Mercedes’ rise and fall, watch P-Valley online.

How can Mercedes bounce back?

What is Autumn’s plan?

How can Clifford hang onto The Pynk?

Comment below.

Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.