“P-Valley” is a drama series, based on the play Pussy Valley, that takes you through the personal lives of strip club dancers. It’s full of suspense, plot twists, and emotional moments that will connect you with the characters.
Here’s everything you need to know about “P-Valley,” including its plot, characters, the inspiration behind the series, and news of the highly anticipated season two.
Where Can You Watch “P-Valley”
While “P-Valley” isn’t available on Netflix, you can stream it on these platforms:
- Lionsgate Play
- Starz
- Amazon Prime Video (Lionsgate Play plug-in required)
- Hulu (Starz add-on required)
You can buy the series on Amazon Prime if you don’t have a subscription plan.
What Is “P-Valley” About
The events of “P-Valley” take place in the fictional city of Chucalissa in the Mississippi Delta. It uncovers the complex, struggle-filled lives of exotic dancers at a strip club.
After putting on a show, the dancers have to return to their personal lives, deal with everyday professional drama, and put their blood and sweat into practicing their craft. After all this, they have to put on an alluring facial expression for their next show — because letting your stress show through is bad for business.
“P-Valley” follows the life of The Pynk strip club’s four main dancers, Mercedes, Keyshawn, Autumn, and Gidget, as well as the club’s owner, Uncle Clifford, and an aspiring rapper named Lil Murda.
The series starts with the episode “Perpetratin’,” where a newcomer stripper seeks employment at The Pynk and surprises everyone with her skills. Slowly, we learn about other characters, their troubled past, and their conflicting present. Meanwhile, a bigger problem than personal issues looms; the closure of the strip club. Rich men are trying to shut the club down and it’s up to its dancers and Uncle Clifford to save it.
The first season concludes with the episode “Murda Night,” in which people from Biloxi to Atlanta visit The Pynk on its last night before it’s auctioned off. The exotic dancers put on the biggest show yet, Lil Murda rises to stardom, and someone is murdered at the club.
Is “P-Valley” Based on a True Story?
The creator and showrunner of “P-Valley,” Katori Hall, visited over 40 clubs in six years, interviewing sex industry workers to understand what working in the field is like.
All places and characters in the series are fictional, but the story of “P-Valley” isn’t too far from reality. Women who work in this field know they can’t strip forever, and they might have to change careers sooner or later. It’s not always easy because of the stigma attached to the profession and the difficulty of switching to a more socially acceptable job.
“P-Valley” depicts the mental and physical aspects of working as an exotic dancer.
Is “P-Valley” a Good Show?
Audience opinion leans heavily in favor of the show. The characters are easy to relate to as they’re not larger than life. The plot twists and balance of drama and humor keep viewers entertained and engaged throughout the entire season.
“P-Valley” has a 7.1 out of 10 IMDB rating and an 80% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The series has won seven awards and garnered 28 nominations.
The first season has eight hour-long episodes. Rest assured that investing eight hours in the first season is well worth your time.
About the Cast of “P-Valley”
Most of the cast members of “P-Valley” are not well-known. However, we get to see stellar performances from each actor.
Brandee Evans:
Brandee started her career with supporting roles, and she was an English teacher before that. She rose to fame with her award-winning performance in “P-Valley.” In the show, she plays Mercedes Woodbine, the face of The Pynk club. However, she’s planning to quit stripping and open a dance gym.
Shannon Thornton:
Shannon is a rising star who has played a recurring role in the show “Dynasty.” In “P-Valley,” she plays Keyshawn, aka Miss Mississippi. The crown of the club’s queen will certainly belong to Miss Mississippi if Mercedes leaves The Pynk, as shown in the episode “The Trap.” Keyshawn has an abusive boyfriend, Derrick, played by Jordan M. Cox (recurring).
Elarica Johnson:
Elarica has played side and lead characters in numerous movies and TV shows. She portrays the newcomer girl, Hailey Colton, aka Autumn Night in “P-Valley.” Hailey is a tough girl with a mysterious past, as made clear by the second episode of the first season, titled “Scars.”
Skyler Joy:
Skyler is best known for her role in “P-Valley.” Skyler plays Gidget. She, Mercedes, and Miss Mississippi are the trinity of The Pynk. Her boyfriend Duffy is played by Dominic DeVore (recurring).
Nicco Annan:
Nicco is an openly gay actor and choreographer who started studying acting at an early age. In “P-Valley,” he plays a non-gender-conforming character, Uncle Clifford, who goes by she/her pronouns. Uncle Clifford is The Pynk’s owner and is trying to save her club from closure. She has her employees’ best interests in mind.
J. Alphonse Nicholson:
J. Alphonse Nicholson is a percussionist and actor who has appeared in several TV shows. He plays an aspiring rapper in “P-Valley,” Lil Murda, and is Uncle Clifford’s love interest.
Morocco Omari:
Omari is a TV, film, and theater actor and has mostly played supportive roles. In “P-Valley,” he plays Uncle Clifford’s right-hand man and adviser, Big L.
Parker Sawyers:
Parker Sawyers got his first lead role as young Barack Obama in “Southside With You.” He’s acted in several movies and TV shows and has lent his voice to video game characters. In “P-Valley,” Parker Sawyers plays Andre Watkins, an associate at a commercial investment company.
Harriett D. Foy:
Harriett Dana Foy is a voice actress who debuted in the Broadway show “Mamma Mia!” She portrays Mercedes’s manipulative mother, Patrice Woodbine, in “P-Valley.” She’s often the reason behind Mercedes’s emotional turbulence.
Dan J. Johnson:
Dan J. Johnson has made small appearances in the TV series “Chicago Fire,” “Underemployed,” and “Switched at Birth.” He plays Corbin Kyle in “P-Valley,” a regular at The Pynk who co-owns a land sought for purchase.
Tyler Lepley:
Tyler got involved in acting when a producer found him at a boxing club and invited him to audition for a role in “Slumber Party Slaughter.” In “P-Valley,” Tyler plays Diamond, The Pynk’s bouncer.
About the Creator of “P-Valley”
While studying acting, an incident led Katori Hall to realize that plays written for young Black women were hard to find. She took it upon herself to fix this and soon began her playwriting journey.
She has completed multiple graduations and is an alumna of Columbia University, ART at Harvard University, Juilliard, Sundance Episodic Lab’s inaugural class, the Sundance Screenwriting Lab, and Ryan Murphy’s Half Foundation Directing Program.
Katori Hall joined a pole fitness dance class and soon realized how hard the craft was. This incident intrigued her about the world of pole dancing and stripping, which was the impetus for her 2015 play, titled “Pussy Valley.”
Will There Be a Season 2 of “P-Valley”
Season two of “P-Valley” is set to premiere in June 2022. We’ll see the fate of The Pynk as it gets a new owner and finds out whether Mercedes will be able to start her new dance gym.
Few characters from the first season are promoted to series regulars in season two. New characters join the series in the next season to add more drama to the scene. Gail Bean and Psalms Salazar will be playing the role of two newcomers at The Pynk: Roulette and Whisper. The chemistry between the old and new crew of The Pynk will be worth watching.
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“P-Valley” opens up the raw world of stripping, the power play of the rich, and the personal struggles of people working in a stigmatized profession for all to see. BuddyTV is here to share news of similar shows and movies that can entertain you while also broadening your horizons.
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