“Twenties” Season Two Finale Recap: I’ll See You at the Crossroads

Welcome back to your Twenties recap, episode 210, the Season Two finale 😭 — otherwise known as despite a season of buildup, Hattie’s going home with a rando, and also if you’re a Black girl with daddy abandonment issues you might cry (in this scenario, you are me).

Last week we didn’t have a recap because I’ve was sick (extremely related and maybe a little TMI but what is queer indie media for if not for these reminders: This week the New York Times ran a feature on the fact that Black women are 2-3 times more likely to suffer from uterine fibroids and I’m using my gift subscription on that link so you can read it for free), which just means we have a lot to catch up on!

Hattie’s dad is back in town and it’s extremely complicated (I love her phrasing of “he’s dropped back into my life” because as someone with an equally revolving door father, there’s really no better description). Hattie’s also still doing these flirty texts with Alicia? Or at least, Alicia is flirting. Hattie seems to be more… considering. We discovered that Big Sister Dear White People won’t leave Nia’s apartment because she has marital problems at home. Speaking of marriages, Marie and Chuck had an absolutely gorgeous, devastating, grown as fuck ending to their relationship that I wish I’d had the time to write about — I’ll try to fit some of that into this recap, but as its relates to last episode I’m really worried that this will be the end of our journey with Chuck and wow I hope that’s not the case.

Much like the Season One finale, which epically opened with Ida B. having a The Graduate themed dream that launched a year’s worth of yearning on my part, in the Season Two finale we once again open on a fantasy sequence. This time Reverend Ty Harmon is back, and they are marrying Hattie and Idina.

Hattie and Idina getting married

Siri play Oh Happy Day, but only the Sister Act 2 version.

WHHAAAAAT.

Girl, yes.

They are in matching off-white suits (Hattie’s has gold detailing) and even though I knew — I knew!! — it was dream, complete with VFX doves and Nia and Marie doing their best Little Shop of Horrors greek chorus in the background, I could not help but swoon.

I couldn’t help it, I say!! Black queer love is so beautiful. We are so damn beautiful.

Just as Idina says “I do,” Rev. Harmon’s voice begins to echo as the camera turns 180 degrees, Those VFX doves? They’re now crows literally shitting on Idina’s suit. Then there’s the unmissable opening beat of Bell Biv DeVoe as the church doors creak open on “that girl is poisonnnnnnnn.”

And of course, dressed in blood red to kill, Ida B. starts strutting down the aisle.

(My Narrator Voice: Did I scream? You know I did.)

Even in a dream, if anyone’s going to be marrying Hattie, it’s going to be her.

Dream-Idina says that Dream-Ida doesn’t get a say in their wedding, Dream-Ida scoffs because Ida gets a say in anything, in any universe (My Narrator Voice: She’s not wrong). And this will be surprising for what’s hands down the gayest scene in the episode, but the real MVPs are Nia and Marie, because look at these reaction shots!!

Nia and Marie make funny faces

Much like Nicole Byer, they nailed it.

Hattie wakes up sweating, screaming Idina’s name, clearly afraid that Idina’s leaving her, only to find to Idina safely beside her in bed. (Side note: It’s important to me that you know Idina’s locks are wrapped in a do-rag and also that she’s perfect). Hattie tries to play it off like she was having a happy peaceful dream, but Idina already heard the screams so she’s skeptical.

Hattie holds Idina in bed

Your honor, I just love them.

The next day, Hattie comes by to visit Marie at the house (who is packing up Chuck’s stuff!?!) and warns her that “ain’t shit out here” in these streets for single people. BIG Fucking Facts.

Hattie’s also keeping from Marie that Ida B. is calling her and Alicia is blowing up her texts, but Marie — finally paying attention to someone other than herself — can tell something’s off. She offers Hattie an opportunity to move back in, now that Chuck is leaving (Chuuuuuuuck come back!!!). Hattie accepts and tells Marie that her dad’s back in town.

Hattie leaves and Marie calls Nia right away, saying that they should all attend Hattie’s dad’s comedy show tonight for support. What is this? The core friends actually pulling up for each other?? All the way in the Season Two finale? Growth. We love to see it.

Speaking of being at Nia’s, you will never guess who is at her door. Oh that’s right, it’s Ida B. with the most flawless warm neutral face beat I’ve ever seen in my life.

Sigh. She’s mine. And Imma stick beside her. Imma stick beside her.

From this point forward, you need to know that when I originally took notes for this recap — I had assumed we were gearing up to a Hattie and Ida reunion at the end of the episode, mirroring the Season One Finale (we already got some allusion to that with the parallel opening dreams). I had assumed that if somehow not Ida, Hattie would end the episode with Alicia. From the minute Hattie’s Clap On/Clap Off Daddy swerved through town, I figured his role here was to highlight Hattie’s genetic predisposition to bad choices and cheating.

Of course neither of those very obvious and emotionally satisfying (RIP Idina’s broken heart) endings happen. Which means that this scene between Ida and Nia ends up feeling like we’re being strung along — and decidedly not in the sexy way.

Ida — y’all sit down for this one — Ida B. wants to apologize to Nia for how she acted. I don’t believe we’ve ever seen Ida apologize a day in her life, and while I want to applaud her growth (emotional growth? An appropriate theme for the finale episode, ask Marie and Nia) — I still haven’t forgotten when she was a literal femme horror show straight out of Basic Instinct like two episodes ago. So.

Nia correctly calls Ida on her shit, she’s an empath, not a fool. She knows that she got caught up as a pawn in Hattie and Ida’s dyke drama. True. Trueeee.

I have no idea what sorority this is (Delta Delta Dyke?) but I’m pledging.

Ida — were you sitting when I last warned you? then move on to floor, you will need to lie down — humbles herself and tells Nia that she thinks Nia is going to be a star. She wants to help her accomplish that now, and hands Nia a leading role in a script that I personally, with absolutely no proof whatsoever, believe is going to be Ida B.’s coming out story. (Ida: “I wrote something a while back, and I think I’m finally ready to put it into the world.”)

Nia will work with Ida, coincidentally and succinctly also wrapping up the “muse” plot that’s been following her for weeks, on the condition that Ida B. never lies to her again. Ida agrees to her terms and on her way out the door and outta my heart says, “Nia, please give Hattie my best.”

Look at this evidence! Look at the writing in front of us! How this doesn’t end with Ida B., on her way out of the closet and into Hattie’s arms is beyond me. But good for Idina, she (mostly) gets to live another day. She deserves.

Meanwhile Marie is circling back the block on Iman Shumpert — last recap of the year and I finally learned how to spell this man’s name right on the first try — now that she’s single. He reminds her that he ain’t one of her lil friends, and trust me. She knows.

An excellent time to tell you that Idina and Ida both made Autostraddle’s 2021 Favorite Characters End of Year List. We love excellence.

Ok so now everyone, literally, everyone — My Narrator Voice: Deep Breath! Hattie, Idina, Lauren the white ex-coworker /backslash/ roommate, the Black ex-coworker whose name I never learned but will be relevant in about 10 minutes, Marie, Nia, Big Sean the Don (what up Detroit), and Big Sister Dear White People — are all gathered together dearly beloved like it’s the opening lines of Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” to watch Hattie’s Dad’s comedy show.

Hattie’s Dad made me so nervous at the beginning! He starts his Tight 10 with a riff about how young dreamers coming to Hollywood need to grow up and get a weird job, which felt like an obvious opening to dig at Hattie. Then he calls her a member of the “LGBTQIIA+ community” and my whole body seized, preparing for the worse (admittedly, I have my own Black Dad Baggage that I’m unpacking here).

That segues into a bit about how many hoes Hattie probably has running around — ok, to be fair, it’s a lot, she’s juggling something like four women in the episode alone — and how he’s got a lot of children running around out there that he doesn’t care to know, because he’s apparently never heard of safe sex. The entire crew looks ‘bout ready to box on Hattie’s behalf and Hattie’s face is defeated, her worse dreams realized.

— As an aside though, Jonica T. Gibbs? The best performance of her career in this episode. Watching her grow as Hattie has been a delight. —

At the last minute, Hattie’s Dad pivots. He tells the audience that Hattie’s already a better man than he’ll ever be.

The audience laughs. But it’s not a fucking joke.

After the show, Hattie introduces him to Idina, and he pretty respectfully (remember who we’re talking about here) comments on how pretty she is before telling Idina to take care of his baby girl. And yes I cried. And no we don’t have to talk about it.

Idina has to work early in the morning, so she kisses Hattie goodnight. The crew all breaks up for their various Season Three set ups and remember that Black ex-coworker whose name I didn’t know but said would become relevant? Yeah, she takes Hattie home.

Hattie and the new girl we don't know

Harpo, who dis woman?

What happened to any of the gays that they’ve been setting up Hattie to cheat on Idina with for the last four episodes? And how did this chick slide in under the finish line at the last minute? My friends, I! Do! Not! Know!

But that’s Twenties Season Two. Thanks for watching! And goodnight!


Post-Credit Notes:

+ My “i” and “t” keys are broken, but I can’t get it fixed until I’m on holigay break, so please be kind about typos and know I’m getting to them shortly

+ Lauren threw Hattie a goodbye party when she moved out, so I think it’s safe to say that every person on the show whose couch Hattie ever slept on can’t stand her

+ Hattie said that Idina is her first real relationship!! Nobody touch me! Nobody breathe!

+ Seriously though! JONICA THEE T. GIBBS, babbyyyy!!! AcTing!

+ Speaking of which, I did not give Christina Elmore her flowers enough this season, but she was magnificent navigating Marie

+ And speaking of Christina Elmore, I usually describe this show as oppressively straight, but out of respect for my homegirl — anyone have bets on if Lawrence gets with Condola or runs back to Issa in the last episodes of Insecure?

+ Amount of times I thought to myself that Idina would be a mistake I’d gladly make: 3 (the wedding suit, the do-rag, the promise to Hatte’s dad to take care of her)

+ Amount of times I thought to myself that Hattie would be a mistake I’d gladly make:  2 (the wedding suit, holding Idina in her arms)

+ Amount of times I thought to myself that Ida would be a mistake I’d gladly make: 2 (the opening chords of Poison, and all of that growth at Nia’s kitchen table)

+ Final Season Mistake Rankings

  • Hattie: 12
  • Idina: 5
  • Ida: 5, but also there was one time when I just all caps said “ALL OF IT AND YES I WILL TAKE THIS TO MY THERAPIST” — which doesn’t have an official ranking, but you should know

Quote of the episode: No quote, just a reminder to BET directly that Twenties hasn’t been renewed yet and yes I am counting down your days!!!

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Carmen Phillips

Carmen Phillips is Autostraddle's former editor in chief. She began at Autostraddle in 2017 as a freelance team writer and worked her way up through the company, eventually becoming the EIC from 2021-2024. A Black Puerto Rican feminist writer with a PhD in American Studies from New York University, Carmen specializes in writing about Blackness, race, queerness, politics, culture, and the many ways we find community and connection with each other.  During her time at Autostraddle, Carmen focused on pop culture, TV and film reviews, criticism, interviews, and news analysis. She claims many past homes, but left the largest parts of her heart in Detroit, Brooklyn, and Buffalo, NY. And there were several years in her early 20s when she earnestly slept with a copy of James Baldwin’s “Fire Next Time” under her pillow. To reach out, you can find Carmen on Twitter, Instagram, or her website.

Carmen has written 716 articles for us.

13 Comments

  1. Wouldn’t have watched this without having read your interview with Lena Waithe, but now I am obsessed and so bummed this is the finale for the season. Really hope for more episodes in the future!

    • Oh my goodness!!! This is so nice to hear, thank you! I’m hoping for more episodes in the future, too!

  2. The dream sequence was hilarious and Hattie’s trippin. I would’ve married Ida on the spot lol and a second time when she showed up at Nia’s looking the way she did. I was definitely thinking we were getting a season 1 finale set up as well, but got stuck with Courtney instead. Can’t say I’m looking forward to that. Alicia is being too thirsty, especially since she knows Hattie is with Idina.

    I hope Chuck comes back. I started to root for him and Marie.

    I was hoping her dad was going to try and build a relationship but nah smh

    Thanks for all of the recaps this season! They’ve been a joy to read. Hopefully we get a season 3 renewal soon.

    Insecure: Lawrence & Issa are endgame.

    • I am so sad with all these Lawrence and Issa answers!!! (I mean, it’s probably going to happen, I just don’t like it and am in denial)

      “I would’ve married Ida on the spot lol and a second time when she showed up at Nia’s looking the way she did.” — Yes, you see it!!! Truly my people!

  3. I hope we get to read more recaps for season 3!

    Since this is a show about the trios friendship, I can’t say there was much of it this season. Even in this last episode, Hattie is unwilling to share with Marie what’s going on with her. That confused me. Three best friends who barely tell one another anything. Hattie was already feeling a way before her dad got there and that seems to have made it worse. I hope we find out why she’s feeling the way she is.

    The way Ida was looking when Nia was celebrating with her sister and she realized she has no one to celebrate with, I felt sad for her and wanted to give her a hug.

    Also, Hattie hasn’t had a job since episode 4, not sure how she’s supporting herself. That was a big thing and then it was nothing.

    I think Issa and Lawrence somehow get back together. Nathan is boring.

    • ANOTHER VOTE FOR ISSA AND LAWRENCE!! Y’all are killing me softly in these comments!!! Noooooooo

      I’m constantly perplexed that Twenties is supposed to be a story about “friendship” but none of these girls ever talk to each other?? What IS that?

      “Hattie hasn’t had a job since episode 4, not sure how she’s supporting herself. That was a big thing and then it was nothing.” — Asking the tough and necessary questions

  4. I want to rant and I could for several whole minutes/paragraphs, instead, I’ll just say that the shoehorning of this manipulative Ida storyline feels solely for the sake of drama and I hate it. I get why Hattie would see Ida as a demon (read: Hattie has the constitution of a single pastor at a megachurch. Too much? No it isn’t) but to actually write her as what Hattie sees? That whole Nia/Ida storyline wreaks of it and I rebuke it.

    I wished we got more of Chuck this episode because his growth and maturity are well-written salves to the rest of the goings-on. If the show is renewed, Chuck better be there, not in a relationship with Marie though. Also, no Carlton the IV (Ben) please or Black Becky (Nia’s sister whose name I have not bothered to remember because her voice is so grating).

    Carmen, thanks for all the fantastic recaps this season. The way you’ve championed this show has brought joy to my 2021. Now you or someone here needs to review Harlem because there are some themes there (queer and queer adjacent) that definitely deserve some discourse.

    • Nah seriously, thank YOU for hanging in these comments week after week! I’m fingers crossed we get a third season so we can do it again.

  5. When that random gorgeous assistant we hadn’t seen since last season traded barbs with Hattie in the beginning, I thought “this feels like something but there’s no way they’d introduce another player this late in the game”. When that random gorgeous assistant offered Hattie’s ride, I wondered when Alicia gonna swerve around and Uber Hattie into her pumpum. When that random gorgeous assistant asked Hattie if she smoked I knew it was over for Idina.

    Like I knew Hattie was about to be on some bs but this feels like Steve Austin coming out with a steel chair.

    I wish we could’ve gotten more Chuck and I hope this isn’t the last we see of him. I feel like him and Marie would make funny exes to watch and a great 4th member of the group.

    I do hope that’s the last we see of Nia’s sister. I truly do not care about whatever heterosexual bs she’s going through. She can get the fuck on. She cute tho

    This is unrelated but between this and Harlem (anyone watching that by the way?) I kind of miss more episodic and filler episodes of sitcoms. Like I’m glad the story’s being told in a concise way that moves the plot forward and doesn’t go off the rails Riverdale style. But I sort of miss meaningless episodes where shenanigans happen and you just see the different character dynamics at work. Idk that had nothing to do with nothing. Maybe I just needed an excuse to mention Harlem.

    Thank you so much for these recaps, Carmen. They have been the highlight of my week. And when the show comes back for a third season (we have to manifest it while also bully BET into renewing it) I hope you’ll recap that as well. I hope you’re feeling well and have a beautiful holiday.

    • Thisaintit hello! hi! It’s been a minute! I’M SO HAPPY TO HEAR FROM YOU IN THE COMMENTS!!

      Also?

      “Like I knew Hattie was about to be on some bs but this feels like Steve Austin coming out with a steel chair.”

      I just laughed so hard I damn near barked. Omg. (but you not wrong tho)

  6. Another person here who binged this show after your interview with Lena Waithe! As messy as some of this storytelling is (truly that coworker storyline came out of nowhere), I really hope BET renews it for another season (and many more). I need to know what happens with Hattie and all her ladies, I want to see Ida make that new show starring Nia, I want Marie grow and learn through dating new people. Also Jonica Gibbs is so charming, talented, and charismatic, can’t wait to see what else she stars in. (Is she single??)

    • I am so sad to report that last I checked Jonica is in fact dating someone :(

      (Trust me, I’ve wondered it too!)

      Thank you for the post-interview binge!! There’s a quite a few of you and that makes me so happy. ❤️

  7. I also binged the show and your recaps after reading the Lena interview. I’m so glad I did. I really really really want to see a season 3. I also love Chuck and usually do not care about men or men characters. I hope they bring him back, too.

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