This article contains spoilers for PoseIf one is searching for a show that focuses more on found family, pursuing your dreams, and being different, they should watch Pose, as it is the ultimate embodiment of it all and so much more.
Pose explores sexuality, race, and the entire AIDS epidemic in the ’80s and ’90s ballroom culture. For people who might be wondering, Pose is full of hope, drama, and complex personalities who grow, fail, and succeed in the entire series. Most importantly, each episode contributes to the characters’ stories.
With a run of three seasons, Pose delivered some of television’s most memorable episodes. It has it all, from gut-wrenching revelations to fans parting with beloved characters. In order to celebrate it all, here are some of the most emotional moments of the series, ranked.
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6 Explosive Fight (Revelations)
20th Television
While the show mainly centers around chosen family and aiding queer people in overcoming various serious issues, this episode hits the audience with a reality check that once can have issues with people they love as well. This scene in the kitchen holds a hugely pivotal moment in season two as the members of House of Evangelista viciously come after each other. Damon takes aim at both his mother and Pray Tell after becoming extremely frustrated with Blanca’s ignorance of Angel’s substance abuse.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
What should have been the time of celebration for Damon’s graduation party soon turned into a huge family fight. Finally, Damon takes a jab at Pray Tell as well by revealing his affair with a quiet younger person, Ricky. This leads to Pray getting even furious. This moment in the series is extremely crucial as this entire conflict puts their found family and the entire community in jeopardy. The cracks that may not have been there once, are now out in the open, which they all were blatantly ignoring.
5 Costas Says Farewell (Love Is a Message)
Even though this episode mostly focuses on Patty and Stan’s drama, the moment that forever remains engraved in fans’ hearts is between Costas and Pray Tell. Similar to many other characters in Pose, Pray’s boyfriend has HIV and is currently in the hospital. Pray Tell decides that the HIV patients need a little glimmer of hope after seeing the awful conditions in the hospital, so he puts on the first AIDS Cabaret. However, even after the beautiful performance by Pray Tell over a heartfelt rendition of “Love is the Message,” his lover doesn’t see the end of the day.
The moment when Costas bids Pray Tell farewell has to be one of the most tear-jerking scenes. Even though in the first season of the show, Costas is a minor character, his painful battle with AIDS depicts the loss of a loved one that much LGBTQIA+ community faced in the ’80s and ’90s. Costas while weeping, tells Pray Tell to mourn, but also to then move on and live his entire life to the fullest as he didn’t get the opportunity to. His monologue about the impending death is raw and emotional and will certainly leave the audience begging for tissues.
4 The Award (Mother of the Year)
Pose’s first season finale is regarded as one of the fan-favorite episodes. This is on the grounds that finally, after investing her blood, sweat, and tears, Blanca is finally recognized for it all, and for every little sacrifice she made for the kids. Angel ends her relationship with Stan as she understands that she deserves better. Not only this, but Papi finally comes back to the House of Evangelista after ceasing his drug business. Damon chooses to remain and finish his education.
The moment which remains extremely emotional not only for Blanca, but also for the audience that saw her go through various trials and tribulations is when she finally earns the Mother of the Year award. For the first time, all the hard work and sacrifices seed she sowed in House of Evangelista, finally reaped in the form of a well-deserved award.
3 Blanca is Diagnosed With HIV (Pilot)
From the very first episode, Pose never shied away from unmasking the reality of the AIDS/HIV epidemic. After all, its rawness is what led the series to success. The audience is introduced to a quite crucial character Blanca, during a tragic circumstance in her life as she receives the life-altering news that she is HIV positive. This scene is one of the best moments in the series, not only because of how significant it is for the story, but also for how it is shot.
Upon hearing the news, Blanca doesn’t say a lot, though the camera stays still on her and focuses on each and every emotion that flashes upon her face as she tries to process this heartbreaking news. Blanca’s character arc is sparked by this gut-wrenching scene, which prompts her to leave Elektra’s House of Abundance and build her own family. This led to the birth of the House of Evangelista.
2 Pray Tell’s Sacrifice (Series Finale 1)
Even though the audience wasn’t ready to part with Pose, the series finale made them feel all sorts of emotions and made it all come full circle. Especially when Pray Tell takes his makeup off after a mesmerizing performance. The song “Say a Little Prayer” plays in his background, as he is aware that he is taking his last breath. While the audience could sense this was coming, it in no way, in any shape or form makes it less heartbreaking for them to see Ricky discovering his body the next day.
The moment when Ricky finds his lifeless body and reveals even further pioneer information about his very much expected death, has to be one of the moments that is tattooed on every viewer’s mind. Blanca and Pray had fought to participate in a clinical trial to treat aids. When Ricky reveals that Pray had given him his medication, the house comes to the realization of how Pray had sacrificed his own health and life for Ricky’s. This heart-wrenching scene is a bittersweet testament to Pray Tell’s character as an elder in the ballroom.
1 Candy’s Death (Never Knew Love Like This Before)
This episode plays with the audience’s hearts and will pull the strings a bit too much. Candy was one of the characters who had a hard time finding her place in the entire ballroom. Without a doubt, she is the most misunderstood character in the community. Unfortunately, she faces a tragic end as she is murdered in a hotel room off-screen. Her funeral is a time for other characters to beg for forgiveness and try to heal open wounds. A vision of Candy comes to speak words of wisdom, encouragement, and forgiveness as guests approach her body.
However, the most emotional moment has to be when Candy reunites with her estranged parents. The scene’s grief and longing are palpable because the characters are given one last chance to express their true emotions to their beloved friend and daughter. While Pose has various emotional scenes, this tribute to all the relationships and unsaid words Candy left behind is enough to hit home with the audience and enough to make them cry like never before.
