WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Master of None Presents: Moments in Love, now streaming on Netflix.
Master of None Presents: Moments in Love runs for just five episodes. It shifts away from New York's comedic dating scene with Dev (Aziz Ansari) to a cottage outside Baltimore. Here, it revolves around his bestie, Denise (Lena Waithe), who's now married to Alicia (Naomi Ackie). However, in the final half of the season, the show shifts Alicia to the protagonist role in a toxic marriage. Sadly, Season 3's finale has a twisted ending that totally destroys her progress and independence.
Alicia always had issues with Denise being self-absorbed after the latter became a popular novelist. As a New York Times best-seller, Denise is absorbed by her career, only focusing on family because Alicia wants a kid. Alicia goes through the IVF process but loses the baby. However, Denise doesn't grieve the same way Alicia does.
This causes a rift in their relationship. Alicia cheats on Denise, as Denise can't process the pain and provide care and attention. Ironically, Denise does the same, resorting to her playgirl antics. However, when they hash it out, Denise admits she pushed Alicia away.
This forces Alicia down a powerful path after a forced divorce. She makes it as an antique dealer on her own, realizing Denise never supported her dreams. She embarks on artificial insemination again, making it clear she'll do it alone because she's better off not relying on anyone. It's a painful process with more losses, but the fourth episode has her succeeding in a fierce, triumphant and inspirational part of her life.
The last episode jumps forward a few years. Her unhealthy past returns, and she sneaks off with Denise to the cottage, now an Airbnb. They're getting away from their old lives in a fling, leaving their spouses and kids behind because they're bored. What's meant to be a relatable storyline, unfortunately, erases Alicia's progress. She walks back all her development with this rendezvous for the sake of convenience and comfort.
After their break-up, Alicia admitted Denise wasn't her soulmate. Despite this, she simply reverts to being Denise's plaything and lingerie model once more. Not to mention Alicia's cheating makes her seem ungrateful and immature to the family that steadied her ship after so much turmoil and trauma. By cheating with Denise after admitting she was poison diminishes the uphill battle Alicia endured after being treated like someone's prop instead of their wife.
Season 3 of Master of None, starring Lena Waithe and Naomi Ackie, is streaming on Netflix.
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