Good Girls Review: Taking Care of Business (Season 1 Episode 5)
Ruby, Beth and Annie were ready to begin committing crimes on their own terms on Good Girls Season 1 Episode 5, “Taking Care of Business.”
While Annie makes mistakes and Ruby’s family finds the funny in the midst of tough times during the episode, Beth’s journey is the most complex one this time.
Beth kicks off the episode when the FBI’s Agent Turner shows up at her home to ask some questions. He asks general questions about any strange behavior and withholds the image of Rio he has, but it’s enough to scare Beth off working for Rio.
When she uses the FBI’s visit as a reason to stop their latest scheme before it begins, Good Girls hits familiar territory. Territory that could become too repetitive.
Every episode seems to hit a point where an obstacle is too much for the trio in some combination, usually including Beth, and they discuss stopping. This retread is beginning to feel repetitive and quite frankly irritating.
This trio of women is not a group of hardened and experienced criminals and Good Girls has done a great both of reminding us that. Both in comedic and terrifying manners.
They have enough problems with committing the actual crimes, and they don’t need more problems making them doubt their choices every episode.
The problem is that they have reason to worry. Getting arrested or even investigated by the FBI is enough to scare people off.
Still, this is a television show and we know it’s going to continue, so these constant set-backs and threats to quite lose power after every use.
When never stops being interesting is how Beth pushes forward the story by sticking with Rio and a life of crime. In fact, we’re starting to see Ruby and Annie joke around about Beth’s potential romantic interest in Rio, which would be messiness of the highest order. And, that’s great.
Aside from Annie losing a receipt, the new plan to buy big ticket items at stores with return policies to clean the money works.
What’s great about this new business arrangement between Rio and our trio is opportunities to utilize the women’s skills. Beth shines when she uses a clipboard to trick an employee at an electronics store to give her the address of her co-worker.
Rio pulled them into foreign territory and Good Girls has brought it to a place that is strange enough to pull them out of their normal spheres yet familiar enough to have these great moments where their life skills are useful.
It gives off early years of Weeds with Beth in the role of Nancy Botwin.
Beth faces the perfect test of her newfound criminal skill set when she meets with Agent Turner once more. Watching her stumble to sell relationship with Rio as an affair then mined her husband’s own affair to get away with it was equal parts impressive and gut-wrenching.
Christina Hendricks really sold that moment, which was the strongest one of the hour.
Now, the question is whether or not Agent Turner believes her? Or is he just getting started?
What did you think of this episode of Good Girls? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Good Girls airs Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.
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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.