NBC's Good Girls - Episode 2.02 "Slow Down, Children at Play"
Rio forces Beth, Annie and Ruby to solve a problem with a possible witness, which challenges the women's morality. Meanwhile, Annie is in an awkward position with Greg and Nancy.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of NBC's Good Girls.
"Slow Down, Children at Play" was written by Jeannine Renshaw and directed by Michael Weaver
Last season flirted with the idea that Beth actually enjoyed and was good at the work she was doing with Ruby and Annie for Rio. She had these impulses to break bad and ascend this world of immorality in order to provide for her family. And now, that myth is being destroyed a little bit this season. She refused to kill Rio in the premiere after previously trying to send him to jail. And now, she breaks down because all of the constant lying has become too overwhelming for her. She and the girls are tasked with killing Boomer because he is talking with Agent Turner. Of course, the audience knows that he's a complicated witness because he has falsified many of the allegations he has made. There is still that sliver of truth that he contains though. That is damaging enough. Once again though, Beth can't pull that trigger and end a life. Annie would gladly do so to this man who nearly raped her. She has a very clear idea of who this man truly is. The show never shies away from that truth either. He is a classic example of toxic masculinity where he believes the world should obey him and forgive him despite all of the horrible things he has done. He stages an attack on himself in order to get protection from the FBI. He does so to stand in defiance of the deal that Beth makes with him to disappear. There is nothing that can overwhelmingly redeem him as a character. He cares about his grandmother and doesn't want to lose their connection should he be forced on the run. But she doesn't care to learn new technology either. He may love Mary Pat but she is filled with nothing but dread about having to marry him and force her kids to listen to what he has to say as their new father figure. That's very horrifying as well. She feels trapped because she too was just trying to care for her children by making a deal with Beth, Annie and Ruby. Her continued presence is enough to tip Annie off to the fact that Boomer will remain an ongoing problem. The show presented him as a problem that needed to be taken care of immediately because of what he could say about Rio's gang and the women. However, the time table keeps expanding. He is still alive by the conclusion of this hour and may even have a new layer of protective custody. Agent Turner even meets Mary Pat. The world is expanding and contracting. Beth can tell this elaborate lie about how she killed Boomer with Ruby and Annie. She believes she figured out the way to get this job done in order to get Rio off of her back. And yet, she doesn't think about every possible complication. That is a consistent trait of the plot twists on this show. These aren't expert criminals and liars. There is always the potential that they will be caught because they haven't thought through everything. It just makes Beth more dependent on Rio which is such a precarious position for her to be in. He is stalking her. He has exerted himself into her life which is so unnerving. And now, he wants to teach her more about the criminal way of life. Elsewhere, Ruby and Stan's marriage seems to get back to a healthy place by the conclusion of the hour. They are willing to forgive each other for the actions done in the past. Their relationship has always been the strongest on the show. However, Stan doesn't know everything that Ruby has done and is continuing to do with her best friends. And finally, Nancy learns about the affair between Greg and Annie. It's a little awkward how the show forces a stronger connection of friendship between Annie and Nancy here just so that final reveal stings a little bit more. It's a little forced but it also proves that the stories of this show are continuing to move at a brisk pace too.
