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entity talks being mary janePhoto by flawlesshairday via Instagram

The stories on “Being Mary Jane” cast many of our own relationship problems into the light. This is largely why women who watch “Being Mary Jane,” can identify with her character so much. She makes the same human mistakes all women do.

MJ gets in a fight with her boyfriend and deletes his contact information off of her phone (then regrets it later). She stalks her men on social media, and sometimes real life. She’s thought about (and been) the side-chick, hoping that the man she loved would choose her over someone else.

We’ve learned, through watching her, that all romantic decisions Mary Jane makes are a reflection of where she is in life. The saying that “you take what you think you deserve” has never rang more true for our favorite broadcasting reporter.

Let’s break down what has happened so far.

“Being Mary Jane” Season 1 Baes:

entity talks being mary jane

via giphy

In season one, Mary Jane was a mess.

Her work was going through serious upheaval with the recent termination of a fellow anchor. All the while, MJ had to help:

  • Patrick deal with his sobriety issues
  • P.J. get his life together
  • Her mother stay happy and calm as she fought cancer
  • Niecy get her life together before the baby was born.

Her life was chaotic and her relationships directly reflected her search for happiness.

David
entity talks being mary jane

Screenshot from BET.com

David was the good guy that Mary Jane needed to balance the crazy in her life. In this season, David represented the stability that Mary Jane craved. However, just like with Andre, David was already in another relationship.

Andre
entity talks being mary jane

Screenshot from BET.com

Mary Jane and Andre’s affair caused a lot of strife for MJ. She struggled with her personal morals as she fought her feelings for him. Andre represented Mary Jane’s rebellion against her own control issues. She needs to constantly be in control and fix things. However, with Andre, she could relinquish herself to her most carnal desires – morals and perfect image of love be damned.

The Bottom Line?

Both men reflected Mary Jane’s place in life. Because she acted as runner-up in both relationships, she felt like she wasn’t good enough. On the other hand, if these men left the women they were dating for her, she felt that it would validate her worth – no matter how toxic their relationship became.

“Being Mary Jane” Season 2 Baes:

Entity talks being mary jane

via GIPHY

Mary Jane’s career begins to take off this season.

Throughout season two, she works on fixing her personal life by cutting off toxic people and making her career flourish by focusing on job. However, her personality (i.e. the way she flies off the handle or goes for people she can’t have) keeps her from real growth.

David
entity talks being mary jane

Screenshot from BET.com

In this season, David represents the exact same thing he did in “Being Mary Jane” season one. He’s the stable man that’s out of her reach.

However, her feelings for him have intensified because he’s going to have a baby with someone else. He appeals even more to her “what if” thoughts because baby-fever finally hit her earlier in the season.

Sheldon
entity talks being mary jane

Screenshot from BET.com

“Being Mary Jane” cast the perfect Sheldon. Gary Dourdan was all chocolate suaveness during his time on the show. His calm demeanor and patience acted as the perfect balance to Mary Jane’s emotional reactions. He represented MJ’s hopes to grow emotionally and professionally.

The Bottom Line?

These men showed progress in Mary Jane’s state of mind. She realizes more and more throughout this season that she can attain her dream future. However, she has to grow first. This season she tried to do that, but she saw the wrong things as growth. She believed growth meant being the highest paid woman and a long-term relationship with her ideal boyfriend.

“Being Mary Jane” Season 3 Baes:

Entity talks being mary jane

GIF by The Bold Type TV via Tumblr

This season forced Mary Jane to grow up. She felt the repercussions of her rushed “growth” last season when everything exploded. Her new paycheck and power made her the target of the money hungry, Cece. She finally realized David was just an ideal, not a good reality for her. And lastly, she started breaking out of her old habits and doing things for herself.

Brandon
Entity talks being mary jane

Screenshot from BET.com

Brandon acted as Mary Jane’s sexual release in season two and season three. He was the cuddle buddy that made her stress vanish. No strings attached felt good. He represented Mary Jane’s need to stay out of a committed relationship and simply be.

No, a girl doesn’t have to be celibate. We have needs too, okay?

Eddie
entity talks being mary jane

Screenshot from BET.com

Eddie had more of a plot role than an emotional role in “Being Mary Jane” season three. He was there to remind Mary Jane to get back to her roots. She branched out and tried new things.

However, her break-up with Eddie happened right after a young black couple gave her the stank eye in the club. This represented the black community’s bitterness toward Mary Jane for forgetting her roots when she got on Primetime and for caring more about money than her people.

The Bottom Line?

The men in MJ’s life represented her shedding all of the past drama she had from seasons one and two, and her starting again. However, this time she focused on fixing herself instead of running after other men. She no longer needed to be in a committed relationship to feel whole.

“Being Mary Jane” Season 4 Baes:

Entity talks being Mary Jane

via GIPHY

Two steps forward just to take one step back.

This season showed Mary Jane progress. She popped off a lot less this season, and she was in a better mental space. However, it’s hard to break old habits as she soon found out when Ronda and Justin tested her. This season revolved around whether or not Mary Jane could really change.

Lee
entity talks being mary jane

Screenshot from BET.com

In “Being Mary Jane” season one, MJ first got to New York. She had such high hopes for the big apple, but she had second thoughts about whether things could really change. This is where Lee came into the picture. He helped her stay humble, balanced the craziness from her job and constantly gave her the stability and reassurance she needed.

Justin
entity talks being mary jane

Screenshot from BET.com

Justin came to the show as her enemy but they grew closer this season. He represented Mary Jane’s past and coming to terms with it and moving on. He helped refocus and guide her career. Moreover, he was instrumental in her spot as new lead anchor.

The Bottom Line?

Although both men have their issues, they really highlight MJ’s growth. They were single, stable and helped her flourish in some way or another. In “Being Mary Jane” season four, her relationships drastically contrast with season ones’s relationships and their affects on her.

Entity talks being mary jane

via GIPHY

Let’s be real. The “Being Mary Jane” male cast is Fine. As. Hell.

But, they did more in the series than act as our eye-candy. They directly reflected Mary Jane’s psychological and emotional growth. As Mary Jane matured, so did her relationships.

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