The Game Recap Season 5, Episode 12: There's No Place Like Home

Loretta Devine Guest Stars on The Game

Tonight's episode of The Game, There's No Place Like Home, was a Tale of Two Cousins.  When Melanie sees a strange man outside her window, she reacts like only she can, with a dramatic scream.  Turns out the mystery man is a stranger only to her.  Derwin's play cousin, Jalil, has come to visit.  I've been wondering when we'd see some of his folks.  So we finally get a glimpse of Derwin pre Sabers and Melanie. After leaving the knife in the sink and forgetting the rinse cycle, Melanie decides it's time for their house guest to make an early exit. Team Merwin puts their thinking caps on and decides that Derwin should use Melanie's discomfort as an excuse to kick his cousin to the curb. 

Afraid that his family and community will only see him as a failure and not a hero, Malik is having second thoughts about going to the opening of a library named in his honor.  Yes, there will be a Malik El DeBarge Wright library.  After some coaxing from Tasha, Malik agrees to go with her and Tee Tee for the sake of the kids.  Upon arriving in Richmond, they are greeted by cousin Pookie (Rockmond Dunbar) and Tasha's mother (Loretta Devine), who welcomes her favorite grandson with open arms.  

After making a fuss over her grandson and Tee Tee's cooking skills, Mama Mack turns her attention and everybody else's to her daughter, Tasha.  Her favorite subject is Tasha's failed romances, specifically, Rick Fox.  She reminds Tasha and a house full of guests that Rick Fox was on Dancing With The Stars longer than he was with Tasha. Ouch!

Back at the ranch, Derwin attempts to ask his cousin to comply with house and kitchen rules by cleaning the knife he used to make a peanut butter sandwich.  Derwin explains that Melanie is uncomfortable, but instead of sticking to the plan, he describes Melanie using phrases like "ball and chain", "trippin'", and "nightmare".  He ends with a caution and a plea: "don't get married" and "save me".  Melanie is listening in and when she emerges from the shadows, she insists that his cousin not only stay, but that he and Derwin go out for a night on the town at club Bulletproof.  Yikes!

Club Bulletproof lives up to it's name.  When Derwin and his cousin end up dodging a crowd and bullets, they end up having a real talk.  Derwin finally admits that he doesn't call his cousin or hang out with him anymore because of situations like this.  With a career, wife and son he's not willing to risk losing it all for his boy.  His cousin says he's done apologizing for getting Derwin in trouble in the past, but he makes it clear that while he's not in the NFL, he's got a job and a life too.  They patch it up like guys do. 

Meanwhile, Tasha's mom has moved the conversation from Rick Fox, to reminding Tasha that she was pregnant at the age of fifteen, two score and seven years ago.  Teary-eyed and humiliated, Tasha apologizes for letting her mom down, and walks away with her dignity. In confidence, Pookie tells Tasha that when she's not around, her mom doesn't stop bragging about her and Malik.  Don't you just love Cousin Pookie from Richmond?