Will the ladies be back under Rio’s thumb?
That was the big question at the end of Good Girls Season 3 Episode 4, as Rio found out what the ladies had been doing in his absence. Plus, Annie went after what she wanted, and the results were less than ideal.
Join TV Fanatics Jasmine Blu, Meaghan Frey, Lizzy Buczak, and Whitney Evans as they discuss the hour.
Is Stan right about Sara turning into Ruby?
Jasmine: Maybe. Sara confirmed it herself when she said she put her money where Ruby keeps hers. Parents always say “do as I say, not as I do,” but kids will copy what they see.
I’d say Sara is more of a mini-Beth. She committed to her lying and seemed to do it for the thrill.
Meaghan: Yes, I think she is headed down that path. Finding Ruby’s stash did not turn her into a criminal, but if she sees her mother being a criminal, then it almost gives her permission to do the same. Her lack of remorse is what bothers me.
Ruby, Annie, and Beth all have felt guilt at various times over what they are doing. Sara is headed down a dark path if she stops feeling like she is doing something wrong.
Lizzy: She’s copying her mother’s behavior. She knows Ruby is doing something shady and thinks it’s okay for her to do it because her mother is doing it.
I think the guilt of seeing her parent’s struggle contributed to the fact, and it’s a great lesson not only for Sara but for Ruby also. People pay more attention than you think.
Whitney: I think Stan more than anything is just worried about Ruby, and the person he thinks she’s becoming. It feels like this is something that will last all season, as they figure out how to navigate Ruby’s involvement in criminal activities.
But to answer the question, it does feel like Sara is turning into Ruby. But there’s still time to course correct.
What do you make of the situation between Annie and Dr. Cohen?
Jasmine: Once again Annie is playing with fire. I don’t know what to make of it. Cohen is attracted to her, but he also understands the boundaries they need to have and called Annie out on seeking inaccessible men.
I think –hope — that the murky bond between the two will be due to friendship and not romantic relationship. It would be more interesting that way.
Meaghan: Why, oh why, can’t the writers let Annie just have a platonic man in her life? Cohen was genuinely helping her, but the lines have already been blurred, and it is just a matter of time before they head down that path together.
If Cohen had never shown up at her apartment, I would have had some faith that they were finally teaching Annie a lesson, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like that is what is happening here.
Lizzy: What the ladies above me said. I think the fact that Cohen pushed back means that it’s on a good path. He’s intrigued by her, but he won’t let himself cross that professional line. And maybe Annie will recognize that she just needs a therapist and not anything more.
Whitney: Dr. Cohen seems like a great guy, and he’s helping Annie a lot, so I’m not a fan of turning things sexual. Learning more about herself, and working on her self-esteem will help Annie to find someone in the future that’s much more appropriate.
Now that Rio knows about the counterfeit money, where do you see this storyline heading?
Jasmine: Outside of the stupid way they dragged out the scene when she was showing him her operation, I adored this development.
It puts them in a position of working together again. It’s a cautious allegiance that won’t be the same as before since neither one of them can trust each other anymore.
They work best as allies versus enemies, so it’s a good thing she’s good at counterfeiting. It spared her life, but it also has changed her position in the criminal operation. They aren’t doing small-time stuff anymore.
Meaghan: Rio and Beth are officially on the mend. Beth shooting Rio was a huge blow to his ego. He needed to feel like they are still on the same page and finding out that she is one of the best counterfeiters in the game was the best way to prove that.
Beth isn’t just a minor player anymore. She is a boss, and I think it is Rio’s dream to have them lead his empire side by side.
Lizzy: Well, it makes her valuable, which is great news for Beth. This will force them to work together again, but I don’t think Rio is ready to forgive her just yet. He’s got something big up his sleeve. I just can’t figure out what.
Whitney: I may be in the minority here, but I’m not thrilled about this storyline. We’ve seen this story before over the past two seasons, and I’d much rather see the ladies and Rio team up to take on a bigger bad.
I hope I’m proven wrong and the story veers unexpectedly, but I just can’t find it inside me to get excited over Rio screwing the ladies over and them trying to fight back. Again.
Beth told Rio she lost the baby, and the scene was intense. React!
Jasmine: It was an intense scene, and I was surprised they dropped this storyline so quickly. Beth knew that by doing that, she would put her life in his hands. He had no reason to keep her alive. But I enjoyed the subtle pained expression on his face.
Shipper goggles aside, he looked upset, forlorn, sad that this baby never happened. I think excluding everything else, family matters to him, and the idea of having another kid and losing it got to him more than he would ever let on.
Meaghan: I had no idea where that scene was going, but it was played to perfection. Beth needed to seem like the “miscarriage” really affected her to sell the story, and she did just that.
Rio clearly was upset about the baby. Like I said in my last answer, I think that Rio’s dream is for them to be King and Queen of this game, and a baby would have helped that happen.
Lizzy: Manny played this scene so well. You could see him hurting, but he also doesn’t want to let his guard down, especially not around his men. It was ballsy of Beth to come there and hitch a ride with his guy, and it helped make her story seem legit.
I just feel like it was expected, and Rio should have figured out Beth was lying. Then again, it almost seemed like he didn’t care if it was a lie or not.
Whitney: I’m not sure I breathed during this scene. There was a lot to unpack, and first things first, Rio looked downright devastated that he wasn’t going to be a father again.
I think it even caught Beth by surprise that Rio was sad and didn’t just kill her on the spot. It made sense for Beth to come clean sooner than later, but she took a huge gamble at that moment.
What was your favorite moment or scene?
Jasmine: Ruby is a gift, and I laughed so hard when she stole the jersey and tried to walk out without being seen wearing it. Of course, it didn’t go smoothly.
I also liked it when Rio realized Beth was, in fact, the best counterfeiter around. Their dynamic is so bizarre. He looked impressed and proud.
Meaghan: Beth telling Rio about the fake miscarriage. That scene was so intense and nerve-racking. I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how she was going to get out of this one.
Lizzy: Mine is kind of a two-parter. I love how they showed her and Dean making out juuuuust before the scene of Rio watching her print the money. The makeout with Dean was so forced, but the sexual tension between Rio and Beth was on another level.
It was subtle of the writers to juxtapose them like that, but it was powerful. Dean tried so hard to make their kiss sexy, but that’s the thing, Rio and Beth never try.
Brio-goggles off, I have to go with Ruby realizing what she has to do to steal the jersey, which wound up being fake anyway. Hilarious.
Whitney: I loved the bar scene, and the moment Rio took a shot after Beth told him she lost the baby. He was so subtly sad, and it just added another layer to their complicated relationship.
Good Girls airs Sundays on NBC.
Whitney Evans is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.