The first part of Miss Governor — previously titled She the People, which has been annoyingly changed without explanation — ended on a rather promising note, with Antoinette, mostly through chance, being thrust into the role of Mississippi Governor. Governor Harper spends the entirety of Part 2 (which constitutes Episodes 9-16) laid up in hospital, with Antoinette serving in his stead with her own personal staff of friends and family, and Jed doing everything he can to undermine her with the help of the remaining white Republic loyalists.
The main joke of Part 2 is that, having finally achieved a position of power and respect, Antoinette keeps conspiring to unseat herself through a string of terrible decisions, most of which come back to bite her in this finale, which is framed mostly around a State Senate hearing during which the events of the last eight episodes are addressed. The main topic, though, is Antoinette’s affair with Michael, her bodyguard, whom she has personally nicknamed “Merman” because he makes her “wetter than the Mississippi”, which doesn’t go unmentioned.
The way this all works in practice is giving all of the key characters their time in the spotlight, being interrogated during the hearing. Shamika and Basil, who have stolen the entire show throughout Part 2, are particular highlights (“I want community!”), but I was also partial to Pamela and Kelly turning up in their best bible study fits and claiming their relationship with Antoinette goes back to an initial meeting at a “picnic” which turns out to have been Freaknik. Lots of good comedy beats here.
And it’s worth repeating that by the usual Tyler Perry standards, Miss Governor is funny. It’s less frivolous than Madea’s shenanigans since it’s set against the backdrop of state politics, but it isn’t po-faced either, and the fact that Antoinette is kind of in the wrong here is a nice lens through which to examine how she’s treated by the system relative to her peers.
This turns out to be the key to the whole affair. Yes, it is a bit unethical for Antoinette to be sleeping with her bodyguard, but policing two consenting single adults is largely a waste of everyone’s time, and it’s Henry, of all people, who makes this point. As the gopher of the governor’s mansion, he knows where all the bodies are buried, and all it takes is him reminding people of that for the case to be adjourned indefinitely. But he’s really making a broader point that Antoinette is being held to different standards than the white, male politicians who have served less graciously in the same role. Nobody cared then. Why would they now?
We all know why, of course. And so, obviously, does Jed. But his prejudices — and personal ambition — run deep enough that he’s willing to do just about anything to ensure that Antoinette doesn’t officially become governor, up to and including enacting a really lame coup by essentially breaking Governor Harper out of the hospital and dragging him back to the governor’s mansion with his backside bare to the breeze. Antoinette’s victory in the hearing is short-lived; with Harper back in the house, she’ll be playing second fiddle.
With Miss Governor ending here, it’s hard to imagine Tyler Perry and co. won’t be angling for a second season. That wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, since there’s probably more of this story to tell. Antoinette’s relationships with her kids, especially Lola, still seem neglected, and there’s her relationship with Michael to consider now that it has gone public. There’s definitely some meat on the bones, and with how much influence Perry seems to have at Netflix, getting another season greenlit should be a small affair. Maybe don’t completely change the title again, though, guys? Doesn’t seem like the best marketing strategy.
