Good Behavior Review: Stay Beautiful (Season 2 Episode 8)
On Good Behavior Season 2 Episode 8, “Stay Beautiful,” we reflect on where Letty’s journey began as she heads for another rock bottom, and we see the results of the uneven telling of Javier’s story.
Good Behavior Season 1 began with Letty trying to save someone from being killed by Javier and then getting dragged into his world. The show did not address the reason Letty tried to save the intended victim, but two seasons in, it seems Letty doesn’t know.
High on drugs, Letty tells her most recent travel buddies that her relationships with Javier started because she wanted to be with a dangerous man and about her choices in bad men.
A moment Letty seems to view as clarity is somewhat revisionist history.
Letty could be right about following a very dangerous Javier for the thrill of it; her life wasn’t tied to him until she tried to save the woman he was tasked with killing. That choice, which she brushes off during her “moment of clarity,” is very important.
The reason she went out of her way to save that woman also ties into how Letty regularly attempts to stop Javier from taking new contracts. It could be Letty just wanting better for the man she loves or her not wanting people to be killed.
Javier never tries to change Letty, which is something he puts on him while speaking to her new friends. Letty is the one wanting to change him.
The truth is Javier used Letty’s skills for jobs, and they fell in love doing it. Their relationship is not easy, and it will probably never be, but it’s not their problem. The culprit is a combination of their bad choices and really bad luck.
Letty chose a life on the run with Javier and Jacob last season, then made the decision to commit crimes to get Jacob in school, but it was Estelle who sold Javier out to the FBI.
While Letty may be right about her relationship cycle, she’s incorrectly putting Javier in the same box as the other men from her past.
Speaking of Javier, his journey on Good Behavior seems to flailing about with Letty, which speaks to the show’s treatment of his back story.
The most recent contract Javier fills impacts him deeply, which causes him to call Letty to give a speech about how they keep one another in line. It’s one of Javier’s most emotional scenes.
Javier calls Letty, but the viewer has nothing to compare this murder to. There’s nothing to suggest Javier has issues with his line of work — in fact Javier taking more money to kill a certain way seems like part of his job.
Javier shows more emotion in that moment than he has throughout the series, but it does not feel earned or make much sense.
His job is to kill people, which is always awful. The moment makes it clear that Good Behavior has explored Letty’s criminal life, but not Javier’s.
The mysterious nature of Javier works with Jacob, Christian, and/or Letty’s family, but not with the viewers who need some sort of understanding of him in order to appreciate big moments.
What did you think of this episode of Good Behavior? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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Good Behavior airs Sundays at 10/9c on TNT.
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Alamin Yohannes
Alamin is an aspiring writer, social media editor, and television enthusiast. While he has been a TV fan since the days of Martin, Living Single, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the introduction of Netflix and a rewatch of Grey's Anatomy kick things into high gear. One of his life goals is to find a Cul-de-Sac crew of his own and he'll never stop hoping for "Happy Endings" to return. Alamin may not love every television show, but he'll definitely catch any new show out. You can also usually find him talking about whatever he's currently watching on Twitter.