The Pose “Reading Is Fundamental” Library is open. This week: "Blow"

Previously: “Love’s in Need of Love Today”

The latest episode of Pose was directed by Jennie Livingston, known for the show's bible and guiding light, Paris Is Burning, while Janet Mock handled the writing duties. And the kids are going through it. Madonna's "Vogue" has cooled down, and Damon (Ryan Jamaal Swain) can barely fill his dance classes anymore. His boss lady suggests he throw on a harem pant and give some MC Hammer choreo a go, which leads us into this groan-inducing bit of schtick:

For those too young to catch the reference:

While not as bad as Patti LuPone suggesting she might "sing a song or two," we're walking a real thin line here. Anyhoo, Lulu (Hailie Sahar) is just a pretty mess who can't even pull it together enough to hop on the pole.

How can someone look so awful and yet so amazing? Like, I wish I looked this good rolling out of the gutter at 8 a.m. And Ricky (Dyllón Burnside) is just plain sad. Not even the shortest crop top can hide his pain.

And so the elders, Blanca (Mj Rodriguez) and Pray Tell (Billy Porter), decide the kids need something to occupy their minds and restore their confidence.

God, I wish I had these parents. "Lester's been down lately. You know what he needs? A good old-fashioned caper." Sign. Me. Up. As noted previously and constantly, this show loves a scheme. And you know who really loves a scheme?

Elektra (Dominique Jackson) is, once again, the winner of this week's Reading Is Fundamental Excellence in Shade Award for channeling this Wicked Bitch of the West tease during said scheme.

The whole gang gets together to pull one over on Blanca's archnemesis and stunning songbird Frederica Norman (LuPone), who's still giving her a hard time over the nail salon. That "one" they end up pulling over, btw, is a giant inflatable condom to raise awareness for safe sex practices.

A classic ACT UP move.

A giant pink condom placed over the obelisk at Paris Concorde Square 01 on December 1993 by French anti-AIDS group ACT UP and Italian clothes maker Benetton to mark World AIDS day.

The stunt works, the kids get their confidence back, and Patts LuPone manifests out of thin air in a say-something hat.

Blanca may have won this round, Frederica snarls, but this is far from over.

Meanwhile, just as Ricky is feeling better about himself, he gets some devastating news: He's HIV-positive. He turns to Pray for comfort…

…and, it seems, maybe more.

Elsewhere, Angel (Indya Moore) and Lil Papi (Angel Bismark Curiel) have finally gotten back together, and they consummate their love like everyone did back in the late '80s and early '90s: with cocaine.

Of course, blow is like Pringles—once you snort you can't stop—and it soon becomes a problem for Angel in particular, who's living her best (worst) Gia-starring-Angelina-Jolie life.

Again, looking both awful and amazing. After Eileen Ford (Trudie Styler) gives Angel a pep talk, a blast from her past shows up threatening to upend all the work she's done.

Remember him? The skeezbag photog who took naked pics of Angel and then got his shit rocked by Papi and Blanca back in the season premiere? Oooh, it's getting severe up in here.

Sidenotes:

Damon would be that annoying little brother threatening to tell mom about a burgeoning coke addiction. Narc!

I'm completely here for, cosigning, and renting-to-own a Pray Tell-Ricky gay-December romance.

And as always and forever, Lil Papi.

Lil Papi and this lingering shot of him in his underwear.

Lil Papi and this lingering shot of him out of his underwear.

Lil Papi flexing for his narc of a little brother. Even hopped up on nose candy, what a charmer.

The Library is now closed.