The first season of BET’s Average Joe concludes not with a whimper, but a series of escalating whammies. “Ride or Die” picks up with Joe and Leon, our unlikely action duo, still hunting for Nicolai’s mysterious HQ—a quest that, frankly, feels like finding a needle in a very, very sketchy haystack. Meanwhile, Jennifer stumbles upon Nicolai’s rather unorthodox birthing plan: a one-way ticket to Russia for her and the impending bundle of joy. Because nothing says “prenatal care” like a transatlantic flight with a shady oligarch, I guess.
But the real jaw-dropper arrives courtesy of Gladys, Pam’s dear mother. Turns out, Gladys isn’t just a dispenser of folksy wisdom and awkward hugs. Nope, she’s got a body buried in her past, so to speak. In a confession that could curdle milk, Gladys admits to offing her partner on Nicolai’s orders, all to keep Pam safe. Now, protecting your kids is admirable and all, but homicide? Maybe a strongly worded letter would have sufficed.
With family secrets spilling faster than a tipped-over vodka bottle, the finale juggles its various plot threads with, shall we say, mixed results. The Joe and Leon storyline, while initially promising, feels a bit rushed, as if the writers suddenly remembered they needed to wrap things up. Jennifer’s predicament, however, maintains a palpable tension, thanks in no small part to Tammy Townsend’s committed performance. And Gladys’s confession? Well, that’s the kind of twist that’ll have viewers buzzing (and maybe checking their own mothers’ closets for hidden shovels).
Ultimately, “Ride or Die” delivers on its promise of high-stakes drama, even if some of the execution feels a tad uneven. It’s a messy, chaotic conclusion, but hey, what family isn’t a little messy? Certainly sets the stage for a potentially even more bonkers second season.
Average Joe airs Wednesdays at 10:00 PM on BET.
