"There's No Place Like Home"-The Game S5, E13 (Recap)

Picking up from last Game Day, Derwin's ghetto play cousin Jalil heads up to Melanie and Derwin's house while Melanie's alone. Of course, Melanie is freaking out at first, and calls the police. However, when Derwin gets home and explains who he is, Melanie is annoyed and wants him to leave. However, Jalil plans to "look into job prospects" and smash while he's out here, all while staying at Derwin's. 

Back at Malik's, he has let his mail pile up, which he "could've read on the bench" according to Tasha (mad low blow! haha). Malik is invited for a dedication to the library at his old elementary school, which will be in his name because of his continued generosity. Tasha wants to use the event to rehabilitate his image, but Malik refuses to go. He feels like he's supposed to go back to Richmond as a hero, not a benchwarmer. However, Tasha ends up convincing him to go.



Later, Melanie becomes more and more upset about all of the annoying things Jamil does, like not fully rinse utensils or whatever. Derwin kinda wants him to go too, but doesn't want to turn his back on his friends, saying that people will think he thinks he's better than them now that he's an athlete and has money. Melanie tells him to tell Jalil that it's she who is uncomfortable in the situation, which is the truth.

Tasha, Tee Tee and Malik head back to Richmond. They go back to see Grandma Mack (guest star Loretta Devine), and his entire family surprises him. Tasha and her mother seems to have a lot of tension. You can see where Tasha gets her comebacks from as Grandma Mack makes fun of her in front of the entire family, especially on Rick Fox, saying, "He was on Dancing With the Stars longer than he was with you!"

While trying to get Jamil out of the house, Derwin upsets Melanie with some of the things he says, as she eavedrops by the door. Jamil arranges for Derwin to make an appearance at Bulletproof (which apparently ain't so bulletproof), and Melanie tells him that it's a great idea, trying to get back at Derwin.

In Richmond, turns out that Tasha's mother is still upset that Tasha had Malik at 15. Something that happened almost 30 years ago is still having a negative impact on their relationship. Tasha tells her mother that respects her, but wishes she did the same for her.

Over at Bulletproof, mad people show up wanted to see Derwin, and, with very little security available, he runs into a utility closet with Jalil. He realizes that Jalil has always been getting him in trouble, and goes off on Jalil. The club starts shooting. Jalil apologizes for this and the other many messes he's gotten Derwin into, and Derwin forgives him, though claiming he can't stay at his house anymore!

After talking to family friend Pook, Tasha finds out that all Grandma Mack talks about when Tasha is gone is Malik and her. Grandma Mack still loves her.

Derwin heads home and talks about Bulletproof like it was amazing, but Melanie already saw the news of what went down at the club. Mel feels like he threw her under the bus with his convo with Jalil, and wanted to pay him back. The couple laugh it all off.

At the end of the episode, Malik admits that he didn't want to come out to Richmond, since he was embarrassed about his current situation with the Sabers. However, he realizes that family has always been there for him even when the rest of the world isn't. They were there when he was up, and they're there now that he's down.

On the next episode of The Game, Derwin gets into yet another fight with new quarterback Kwan. Melanie wonders if Tasha is in the surrogate plan 100% and she reveals to Derwin the plan, which Derwin doesn't seem to back.