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It’s the end of season one for our favorite 90’s love story on television, OWN’s Love Is__ — produced by Mara Brock Akil (Girlfriends, Being Mary Jane, The Game) and Salim Akil (Black Lightning)– but the discussion isn’t over. theGrio’s Natasha Alford and special guest: Author and entrepreneur, Enitan Bereola II, get in-depth about Nuri and Yasir’s relationship throughout the season and the surprising moments of the season finale.
The biggest moment of the season finale (SPOILER ALERT) is when Nuri (played by Yasir (played by
“I thought it was cute,” says Bereola in regards to Nuri proposing and expressing she can’t stand to be apart from Yasir. “That’s what it feels like. The idea of getting married is like I don’t want to be apart from you, I don’t care how difficult marriage is, I don’t want to be apart from you.”
“There’s this whole idea of the traditional rules of being a man,” says Bereola. “I canceled my subscription to contradictions and the idea of what the culture says masculinity is a long time ago. I think i have to get past my mind that it’s a weird thing for a woman to have to do that.”
“It seems like when a man knows, he’s going to move mountains to get what he wants and he’s going to be assertive,” says the Author. “Usually that’s a sign of who he is, that’s his character and that’s attractive to a woman.
Bereola says Nuri may have been overwhelmed by what love is and at that moment was speaking her truth but he has no doubt that Yasir would’ve proposed. Nuri just beat him to the punch.
“I do think this moment felt more like a partnership rather than it being about power,” adds Alford. “[Derricks proposal] was all about power. “I’m going to give you this marriage. I think this moment was so honest and it was like we love each other, we don’t want to be apart, do we want to commit to being together.
” I do think it was something beautiful about that; that’s what their whole relationship was like,” says Alford. “She’s done things outside of the box, she let him move in, she’s helped him as he’s working on his career, offering up her agent, she’s doing things that people are saying “he’s using you” and she is like “No, this is what love looks like.”
Nuri and Yasir’s relationship shows love it’s not about power or control, It’s a genuine investment in another person.
Although the show is based on the real-life relationship of the award-winning producers Mara Akil and Salim Akil, one thing we noticed is the show doesn’t shy away from trauma and hardships. Another surprising moment in the season is when Nuri reveals that she was molested.
Alford and Bereola touch on that revelation.
“I feel that television does not always go there and I love that they talked about trauma,” says Alford. “How even after all these years, It can still affect you.”
“I think now we’re at a time of vulnerability being bold, adds Bereola. “So, people are talking about therapy and we are taking the stigma off it and realizing this is something that everybody deals with. The fact that sexual abuse goes on, trauma from parents, just a lot of things that happen and we kind of continue to go through life and act like it doesn’t occur.”
“It was interesting how they dealt with the dynamic, how she shared her trauma which then opened him up.”
Check out the full recap and share your thoughts below!