Written by Heidi K. Schoderbek
After a two-year wait, Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia returns for its third season, and its safe to say that the drama and binge-worthiness are still thriving.
Season 2 left off on a dramatic cliffhanger — Georgia (Brianne Howey, Batwoman) was arrested for murder after her wedding to Paul (Scott Porter, Friday Night Lights), the Mayor of Wellsbury, Massachusetts. What follows is a darker and moodier season that is still filled with the soapy chaos that makes the show so binge-worthy.
Season 3 begins with Georgia sitting in the county jail, and this time, she has nowhere to run. She is, of course, guilty and having suffocated Cynthia Fuller’s terminally ill husband, Tom, to end his suffering. The news of her arrest quickly spreads through the town, and her children, Ginny (Antonia Gentry, Prom Dates) and Austin (Diesel La Torraca), are left to deal with the aftermath, as they know the truth about their mother.
Georgia, the “murderer mayoress” is undoubtedly dealing with a lot this season: a murder trial, jail time, house arrest, marital problems, a custody battle, and her complicated past coming to light in court. But somehow, she still manages to keep up her charming and polished public persona for appearances, all the while being named a narcissistic sociopath by the public. Brianne Howey embodies the flighty Southern mom perfectly, and balances Georgia’s trauma-induced manipulative-yet-fiercely-protective nature like a pro.
More of Georgia’s questionable backstory is depicted in the show’s flashback scenes, featuring a younger Georgia (Nikki Roumel, This Too Shall Pass), pre-teen Ginny (Camilla Bascom, Workin’ Moms), and toddler Austin (Leo Hepburn). And might I say, the casting for young Georgia could not be better. However, fans criticized the show’s casting for young Ginny and Austin, saying that the two child actors depicting the characters’ younger selves look nothing like the OGs (and honestly, I agree). Fans also pointed out the noticeably significant age gaps between the show’s actors and their respective characters —specifically, Austin. Diesel La Torraca, 14, plays the role of 9-year-old Austin Miller.
Fan complaints aside, it seems as though Georgia and Paul’s marriage was doomed from the start (if that wasn’t obvious enough). Paul was set on staying by Georgia’s side after she was arrested, until her sketchy past was revealed, leaving him to question everything he knew about his wife. To make matters worse, Paul’s campaign manager, Nick, pressures Paul to distance himself from Georgia in order to protect his reputation from the fallout of her trial — all while spilling a few of her secrets in the process. The newlyweds are split for the majority of the season, and Paul’s forehead is in a constant state of furrowed concern as he tries to navigate being Mayor while his wife’s world (and his) is turned upside down.
Meanwhile, Ginny is trying her best to keep it together while balancing school, her love life, her fractured friend group (MANG – Max, Abby, Norah, and Ginny), and her mother’s murder trial. Her messy relationship with Marcus (Felix Mallard, Locke & Key), her best friend’s twin brother, ended in Season 2, leaving Ginny heartbroken. The teenagers are still in love with each other, but their individual mental health struggles and personal problems prevent them from being together. Although Marcus and Ginny come close to rekindling their love together multiple times in Season three, Ginny ends up spending more time with Wolfe (Ty Doran, American Crimes), a guy she met at the poetry class her dad, Zion (Nathan Mitchell, The Boys), encouraged her to go to.
Things with Ginny and her friend group, MANG, are rocky, but they’ll pull through. Max (Sara Waisglass, DeGrassi: The Next Generation) and Ginny seem to have drifted apart, Norah (Chelsea Clark, DeGrassi: Next Class) struggles to trust Ginny after her mother’s arrest, and Abby battles an eating disorder and a bad situation-ship with Matt “Press” (Damian Romeo, Fear Street: Prom Queen).
The strongest element of Season 3 is undoubtedly the performances and plot twists. Brianne Howey and Antonia Gentry deliver their most emotionally driven and grounded performances yet. Season three feels way less cringeworthy (e.g., the unforgettable salute scene from Season 2) with fewer botched attempts at using Gen Z slang and more emotionally mature conversations. Multiple plot twists hit at the end of the season, keeping the binge-worthiness alive. But overall, the central mother-daughter relationship is the heart of the show — and this season, their dynamic is as raw, real, and complicated as ever.
Ginny & Georgia has already been renewed for a fourth season, and the release date is TBA.
