Good Girls Review: Grandma Loves Grisham (Season 4 Episode 6)

Good Girls Season 4 Episode 6, “Grandma Loves Grisham,” brings us back to some of the themes we know and love in the series, while also letting our favorite characters have some growth.

Let’s start talking about Annie. Annie’s story between Seasons 3 and 4 has been one of self-discovery and change and we got to see that take shape on “Grandma Loves Grisham.” We find out that she’s been taking classes to pass the GED in secret, and seeing how determined she is to pass this time is such a big step.

Mae Whitman gives an amazing performance on this episode. One scene that really stands out is the scene in her bathroom where she’s attempting to get her scores to load. There is so much anxiety, hope, and comedy in that scene is a very relatable moment. When Ben joins her and they celebrate that she passed is the best way to cap this storyline. 

This is an important step in Annie’s development. It’s paired almost too perfectly with Josh showing up at her apartment after his stag night. This does feel almost too perfectly timed and primarily used as a device for Ben to be outraged before finally being proud of his mom. Yes, the moment is more dramatic, but Annie could have turned him away. 

It will be interesting to see where Annie decides to steer her path now. After Ruby was injured last season, and Annie helped stop the bleeding she thought about being a paramedic. Maybe that’s where her future lies.

Can that future still happen once they relocate is anyone’s guess.

Stan and Ruby are also feeling pressure on “Grandma Loves Grisham.” The bills are piling up and with their operation shut down there is not a lot coming in. There’s a frightening echo of where they were at the start of the series in these moments, but it’s different. This time, Ruby is pleading with Stan to step up and get further into his boss’s operation. 

The way that Ruby gives Stan the ammunition to improve the counterfeit handbag operation is a cunning move, but still one out of survival. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: so much of Ruby and Stan’s storyline has been bred out of necessity. It started with wanting to take care of Sara, and now it’s still about wanting to take care of Sara but also provide for Harry’s school.

“Grandma Loves Grisham” now inserts the Hills into two illegal operations. It ups the stakes for them, but it also means they can both go down. 

Encompassing all of this is Beth. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the lynchpin in the Secret Service’s plan is Beth. Beth sees the game and knows how to play it. She knows that the Secret Service can’t achieve their goals without her, and she plays that card.

The staged robbery with a planned arrest is an interesting way to get the Secret Service’s attention. It achieves its goal, but it also brings the audience back to a touch of the early seasons. The handknit ski masks are a nice touch, and the planning and prep clearly show that the girls have learned a thing or two: even if this robbery is fake. 

All of these plot points feel like padding for the main event, the moment when Beth meets Rio’s boss. The moment is played with such a monotone that it doesn’t quite register if this is a joke or for real. It isn’t until Rio remarks that this day is a matter of both business and family that the audience can get a sense of what’s going on. 

However, it is unclear if this is supposed to signal that Rio is now more of a family man or if he also has a family that cares about him. This fleshes out Rio a bit and potentially softens him, but we can’t quite see the purpose. 

The encounter between Beth and Rio in front of the bookcase also feels like a bit of a reset to the second season. The close-quarters encounter is this duo’s brand. and one of the best moments of the episode. It should set Beth back into Rio’s good graces, and hopefully, the Secret Service will continue to find her useful. 

“Grandma Loves Grisham” has a lot of elements that have made Good Girls an enjoyable series over the years, but it doesn’t quite gel together. It does feel like this episode may be laying the stepping stones for more complex plotlines down the road, but it’s hard to see where they are going.

Stray Thoughts:

• The scene with Dean’s bike ride is very moving but feels a little moot with everything else that’s happening. Given that the episode ends with Beth revealing that she’s working with the Secret Service, it may be leading into a more intense moment on the next episode.
• I think part of why Dean’s bike ride doesn’t play quite as well as I was hoping is partially just due to the state of the world this past year. We all feel isolated, and while we can relate, Dean also has a very clear reason with very clear stakes. 
• Trying to bribe someone to pass the GED is such an Annie move, but I am better it feels better now that she’s passed it herself. 
• Phoebe’s interest in Beth’s makeup is kind of adorable. She strikes me as the pre-makeover montage version of Grace Hart in Miss Congeniality. Good at her job, really wants to do the right thing, but stuck. I am still hoping that they can find a way to integrate Phoebe and her partner a bit more seamlessly into the overall narrative.

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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