Good Girls Review: Pilot (Season 1 Episode 1)
On Good Girls Season 1 Episode 1, “Pilot,” three suburban women decide to improve their lives using drastic measures, and it completely blows up in their faces.
The NBC drama, on the surface, does seem odd at first. Three mothers living in suburbia decide to rob their local grocery store in order to get the money they need to fix the problems in their lives. It could seem like NBC is trying to make their version of Breaking Bad, which does the freshmen drama a disservice.
Good Girls has its own distinct vibe that’s only parallel to the dark AMC drama in that it centers on good people who end up with a life of crime.
However you feel about the criminal component of the story, the three leads ground it with their incredible talent and powerful storylines.
What this NBC drama does is pull three of television’s great supporting actresses and put them in the spotlight. Parks and Recreation’s Retta, Parenthood’s Mae Whitman, and Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks finally have the lead roles they deserve.
The way Ruby (Retta) fights for her daughter’s health when being ignored by doctors. Annie’s (Whitman) humorous yet incredibly loving relationship with her child as they joke in her beat-up car. Watching Beth (Hendricks) take control of her home and marriage when she finally sees her husband for what he is.
The story is off to a great start, and likely in great hands moving forward, with these three.
On the pilot, the main characters are the draw and surpass expectations in what could have been “Sugar & Spice the television series.” The humor and heart are equally showcased, which is the best thing about the initial hour of the series.
The robbery of the grocery store is where the action and excitement is, but the pilot does a great job of also laying out the problems that brought the women to this drastic action.
One could roll their eyes at suburban moms who decide to plan a heist, but Good Girls puts together a great argument for why they do it.
What is brilliant about the robbery is how the show leans into the humor of suburban moms planning a robbery. The layout of the store drawn in permanent marker on construction paper and using markers to cover up the red of their children’s toy guns were great details in the planning of the crime.
Their issues are real and immediate concern for their family and that’s made very clear. Beth’s story is the best example.
A cheating husband is one thing, but when you add in money troubles threatening the home her four kids live in, the viewer literally watches the straw break the camel’s back. Good Girls makes its case well.
Another welcome surprise is the performances of Lidya Jewett and Izzy Stannard as Ruby and Annie’s children respectively.
The series opening monologue from Sara (Jewett) about burning down the patriarchy had me hoping for the political drama about a black female president waiting in her future. Sadie’s (Stannard) relationship with Annie and Annie’s understanding of her gender-fluid child balance out the more reckless attributes of Whitman’s character.
Simply put, the young members of the cast are bringing it as well.
Good Girls has its family drama components down, but it’s the crime drama it’s wrapped in that needs some work. Parts of it work well, like the buildup to the robbery and the twist about Ruby’s husband being accepted into the police academy just as she becomes a criminal.
What doesn’t work, at least on the pilot, is Manny Montana’s Rio and the criminal world these women have entered into. We don’t know much about what Rio will bring to the story and where the criminal lives of these women will lead, but the episode becomes less interesting once he enters the frame.
The episode builds this fascinating dynamic between the three leads and even allows it to grow in complexity during the hour. Rio’s introduction feels jarring and less interesting in comparison.
The same goes for Annie’s boss, who hopefully does not make it out of the altercation at the end of the episode. Hopefully, the sexual harassment and attempted sexual assault is his entire storyline and Good Girls can send him on his way. To Hell.
Overall the good outweighed the bad in the pilot of Good Girls and I hope the criminal aspects of the series match up with the family drama, which had an incredible start in the pilot.
What did you think of this episode of Good Girls? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Reviewer Rating:
User Rating:
Good Girls airs Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.
Follow us on Twitter @telltaleTV_
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
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.