Good Girls Review: Opportunity (Season 3 Episode 10)

This episode is aptly titled, because Good Girls Season 3 Episode 10, “Opportunity.” is just that, but should be modified with missed. 

There’s something about this season that’s been off about this entire season of Good Girls, and I think it’s because there hasn’t been enough tension. In the past two seasons the stakes have been high, but part of those stakes is Rio. 

Rio puts a unique form of pressure on Beth, Annie, and Ruby, and it’s best when is mystique is used like saffron in a dish.

There’s been a lot of Rio trying to be threatening and failing to be in the latter half of these episodes, while it’s not easy to forget that he killed Lucy, that is where our fear of him stopped. Every episode since then he’s seemed rather toothless.

Plus, this plot about taking a hit out on Rio isn’t going to work. We already saw Beth try to kill Rio at the end of Good Girls Season 2.

The opening scene when they wait for the hit to be carried out on Rio just reinforces that this is a tired plot, especially when you consider that if the show really wanted to dispose of Rio, they could have let it run its course at the start of Good Girls Season 3.

Especially since Beth, Annie, and Ruby have no intention of giving up their side hustle. 

Many of the plots on “Opportunity” feel recycled. The trials that Mr. Fitzpatrick makes Beth go through just to schedule the hit is not worth the effort given that Beth then comes up with a scheme to get Dean involves so she can keep getting her cut.

This is what happened when the Big Box stores stopped being an option last season, Beth went to Dean and they figured out to launder the money using the car dealership. It’s a part of why they were in the mess they were in at the start of the season. 

Granted, Boland Bubbles would be different because Dean would be his own boss, and he arguably has a smidge more respect for Beth, but even if Rio was out of the picture I highly doubt he’s the top of the food chain. Beth is just going to get herself in deeper that way.

Annie’s arc this episode also feels flat. She’s working towards her GED and trying to find a plan, but it feels like this chapter completely resets Annie. While this feels fitting for the character, it also demolishes any of the character growth Annie has exhibited throughout the season.

The actions she takes on “Opportunity” put Ben in an awkward position, one he has been filling all season as the wiser-than-his-parent teen. 

It’s sweet that he supports his mom and helps her study, and it’s a hopeful sequence, but it would have been slightly more impactful if Annie had passed. After all, she was studying with Josh, it’s not like she just pulled a single all-nighter. 

Instead we get the return of Josh and a brief flirtation at the bar. 

In previous seasons, Annie would have just given into those feelings and said ‘Who’s Lyla.’ She would have become the other woman again and de-valued herself. She’s worth more than that, and in some small way, I think she’s finally starting to see it. 

The one part of this episode that does feel fresh is Ruby and Stan’s attempt to return to being good people. The donor family’s visit is a great scene that allows Reno Wilson and Retta to shine.

It’s sobering to see a similar narration to their own and a path that they may have taken if Ruby hadn’t robbed the convenience store. 

Ruby’s generosity (and perhaps guilt) leads her to buy a car for cash, which piques the interest of the feds. The thing about this trigger is that Ruby has tangoed with the feds before.

While this might be an accident, that’s kind of hard to believe since Ruby would, in theory, know how the money was being laundered through the car dealership. Even Beth mentioned federal regulations when she proposed her spa business to Rio. 

Stray Thoughts:

• Dean’s Uber Eats driving is comedic. He would totally approach a gig economy delivery service job that way. I would give him points for the hot sauce too and would give him five stars if I was a customer, but of course, I don’t have to live with him.
• The scene where they follow Mr. Fitzpatrick with the cello case thinking he’s about to commit a hit is perfection and the kind of dark comedy that Good Girls should be delivering each week. 
• Throwing the billiard ball is a great way to get Rio’s attention and it worked so well. 
• Watching Phoebe slovenly eat and work out in the hotel room is so relatable. 

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

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Good Girls airs Sundays at 10/9c on NBC

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