A quick look at the Deep South

When Katori Hall’s Starz drama “P-Valley” debuted in 2020, it showcased a world that had never been spotlighted on television. “P-Valley” follows the erotic dancers of the rough but beloved strip club The Pynk, run by Uncle Clifford (Nicco Annan), the club’s gender-nonconforming owner. Set in the fictional town of Chucalissa, Mississippi, the series also expands beyond The Pynk, following the characters as they resist the social norms of the Bible Belt. As fans look forward to the third season of the critically acclaimed drama, Annan guides audiences through unseen parts of the Deep South. Starz’s new docuseries “Down in the Valley” spotlights the people, businesses, experiences and traditions that make Black neighborhoods in places like Memphis, Dallas, Baton Rouge and Charleston, Mississippi so distinctive and culturally rich. Acting as a guide, the actor showcases his innate dynamism by getting up close and personal with people in these communities who, despite limited resources, have found ways to shine. In six 30-minute episodes, Annan offers insight into everything from sex work to Hoodoo in a comprehensive series. While compelling, these stories would be better served in hour-long segments.

“Down in the Valley” opens in Memphis, Tennessee, a city similar to Chucalissa from “P-Valley.” The docuseries, directed by Haimy Assefa, who shares directing credits on the show with Patrick Altema, is drenched in blue and purple light tones, a hallmark of the fictional series. In Episode 1, “Diamonds of Memphis,” Annan visits the Diamond of Memphis strip club, where dancer auditions are being held for its reopening. Although Annan speaks to several women, including newcomer Cherry, a single mother hoping to earn a spot on the club’s roster, and Georgia Peach, an OG who has no problem putting the greener dancers in their place, this opener is the weakest of the series. Just as viewers get to know Tamika, a self-taught seamstress who owns the clothing brand Naked Attire that the dancers clamor for, the episode ends and Annan leaves for a new location.

Throughout the rest of the season, fans are introduced to everyone from rapper Jucee Froot, who performs the theme song “P-Valley,” to the Smith family of Charleston, Mississippi, who owned acres of land in the city dating back to the 1940s. Annan laughs, dances, cries and breaks bread with many intriguing characters, but there are two highlights. In Episode 2, “Saints and Sinners,” audiences are introduced to ShaRonda Parker, aka The Nasty Lady, a sex educator who, at the time of filming, owned Private Partz and Gifts, the only brick-and-mortar erotic boutique in Baton Rouge . The businesswoman not only sells sex toys, but is also an advocate for sexual health and wellness. She organizes parties and workshops on a wide range of topics, including sexual pleasure and the importance of STD testing. In progressive places around the country, the work Parker is doing may not seem new. However, viewers learn about the shame and exclusion she suffered within her own community. In the Bible Belt, religion is so ingrained in the culture that it is compelling to see a woman simultaneously hold her freedom and her faith close to her heart.

In episode 3, “Out of the Mud,” Annan ends up in Dallas, where he connects with MC Marley Santana, aka Bandana Fresh, a gay rapper who shares a story very similar to the “P-Valley” character Lil’ Murda (J. Alfons Nicholson). In this section, the rapper reflects on the pain of being locked up, using hypermasculinity and violence as a mask, and what happened when he was locked out by someone he loved and trusted. Like Parker, Santana’s story could have been played on its own in an hour-long block.

While Annan is endlessly watchable and “Down in the Valley” spans several locations and a whole cast of characters, the manic pace of the show makes it feel rushed and fragmented. If the viewer’s only window into this particular southern ecosystem is “P-Valley,” then “Down in the Valley” still barely scratches the surface. While the focus is on the music, food and residents of the Deep South, and the effects of poverty and violence are also present, there is so much more to discover. Hopefully this quick glimpse is just the beginning.

“Down in the Valley” premieres July 5 on Starz, with new episodes weekly on Fridays.