Good Girls Series Premiere Plot Summary:
Three suburban mom’s go to drastic measures to provide for their families, which ends up pulling them into some desperate situations.
Good Girls, created by Jenna Bans who is also known for Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy, has Rhetta, Mae Whitman and Christina Hendricks holding up a grocery store that, unbeknownst to them, has ties to the local crime underground.
When I saw the commercials, I assumed Good GIrls was going to be a half hour comedy. But it turned out to be an hour dramedy, that at times had me laughing and other times had me wondering if NBC was trying to replicate This Is Us. To simplify first, I think the show has potential. It was good but it could be at a completely different level at the end of the first season.
This might be because I went into it thinking Good Girls was a half hour comedy, but I wasn’t ready for the chillingly upbeat vibe, bouncing between bright comedic moments and intensely emotional ones. As with Desperate Housewives, which has the same effect to a point, I keep wanting to turn it off even though I am enjoying the show.
Good Girls did humor well. The beginning was bright and bubbly; the kind of show that makes you want to hangout and joke around with the characters. I think a lot of the scenes were lost due to a confusion in the theme of the show. Is this more like Weeds or Breaking Bad?
Rhetta plays Ruby, a mother trying to make ends meet while hospital bills pile up. Ruby’s daughter is giving an impassioned and loud feminist speech at school while Ruby agrees, claps, cheers and snaps. Rhetta was amazing in this scene. She and her co-star, Lidya Jewett, had great comedic timing.
Mae Whitman plays Annie, a young, single mom trying to give her kid the best life she can. I’m not sure how I feel on this character yet and I don’t want to say anything until after the season is over. But I will say, I love Mae Whitman and I think she is incredible. I jumped for joy seeing her and Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) together and though the circumstances of it weren’t great, Whitman seemed the most settled into her character.
Christina Hendricks plays Beth Boland, a mother of four and wife to a cheating husband. I don’t love Hendricks in this role, really. It didn’t feel like it fit right, yet. Hendricks is a superbly talented actress though and the scene where she confronts the pervert with the gun in the kitchen was intense and captivating. I think it lost its fire once he realized it was a fake gun though, which I understand because the show is part comedy, but the jokey nature robbed a great scene.
The Good Girls writers needs to determine its mix of comedy and drama in an episode. I love dramedy’s. They are probably my most favorite genre of tv show. But Good Girls needs some time to iron out the kinks and find its mojo.
Rating: 6 out of 10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CkIfs1bAhg&t=1s
