Good Girls Review: Borderline (Season 1 Episode 3)

Beth, Ruby, and Annie head across the border for Rio on Good Girls Season 1 Episode 3, “Borderline,” to clear their debt and move on with their lives.

While the crime itself turns out to be a simple trip to collect counterfeit money, it does expose the trio to more Rio’s operation and continues Good Girls’ tread of reminding us how amateur these three newly minted criminals actually are.

Getting the car they need for their criminal outing provides the first example during Good Girls Season 1 Episode 3, “Borderline.” While getting a car from Dean’s dealership was a nice twist of the knife for Beth’s cheating husband, it was also where Annie set off a bunch of car alarms during their nighttime heist.

Things take a much more violent turn when they have trouble getting Rio’s package from a man named Big Mike. Ruby, who brought her husband Stan’s gun on the trip, accidentally shoots the man in the foot in order to get their package because she forgot there was a bullet in the chamber.

Making the most egregious mistake was Annie who syncs her phone up to the stolen car to provide a great playlist for their ride up north. When Dean informs Beth the police know about the missing vehicle, they have to get rid of the car.

These moments are important because they ground the potential ridiculousness of the series. The trio at the center of the series are not career criminals and the show making sure to remind the viewers of that is part of its charm.

Not only does it make it realistic, but it also provides some incredibly comedic moments. You laugh at Ruby’s apology after shooting Big Mike and Annie trying to justify connecting her phone to a stolen car. They are inept when it comes to breaking the law and Good Girls uses that fact well.

For those with big imaginations, you can think about what would happen if you were in Ruby, Beth and Annie’s shoes. What mistakes would you make if you were thrust into a life of crime?

Tapping into how committing crimes bleeds into the trio’s personal lives is another positive aspect of Good Girls Season 1 Episode 3, “Borderline.” Beth is still having money problems, but it is Annie and Ruby are particularly affected.

Viewers get to know more about Ruby and Stan’s life when a figure from the past takes credit for providing the money for Sara’s treatment. Watching Ruby become increasingly frustrated with having to watch another woman flirt with her husband because she cannot come clean is both tragic and slightly humorous.

Annie, on the other hand, has the episodes most depressing moment when her custody battle takes a turn. Watching how Annie troubles look much worse than they actually are during her home visit is heartbreaking. Annie’s life may be a mess, but she always takes care of Sadie.

Good Girls also wraps up the episode by answering the question about how the series will continue. The direction moving forward comes from Beth, who spends the episode bouncing back and forth between seeing the opportunity with Rio and regretting robbing the grocery store.

Beth takes control of her life at the start of the series and has no intention of losing control again. As a result, she goes to Rio to have a conversation. Although we don’t hear the conversation, odds are she is looking to stay in the crime business.

Looks like Ruby and Annie have Beth to thank for being criminals for the long haul.

What did you think of this episode of Good Girls? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Good Girls airs Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.

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