Girls5Eva Season 3 Review: New Home, Same B.P.E

Girls5Eva Season 3 continues the series’ dream of being the best comedy about 40-something women in a former all-girl group of the ‘90s and early aughts. It succeeds in this goal.

With the move to Netflix, Girls5Eva could make changes that appeal to new audiences. It could switch things up to reach more of the streaming giant’s massive audience. However, the series (thankfully) doesn’t change to fit into the Netflix world.

It’s the same weird and wonderful show that Peacock built.

Also, it’s not like Netflix has a specific type of show, but sometimes switching services or networks leads to creative changes. Girls5Eva doesn’t change.

But, it does lean into drawing attention to its new home.

With all the Netflix references and nods, you could almost have a drinking game going. This includes a The Crown parody and mentions of several Netflix shows and a fake version of the streaming service.

The whole playing on the switch to Netflix feels like extreme product placement. However, if you think this is a consequence of moving to the streamer, you’re missing the point.

Girls5Eva loves to mock and make sharp jabs at the entertainment business. The overuse of indirect and direct references to Netflix allows the show to remain true to itself and have fun with the change. It’s almost like the show says “Yeah, yeah thanks for buying us, Netflix, but you’re not immune to our jokes.”

I love a show brave enough to make fun of its boss.

Girls5Eva Season 3 continues to bring witty and fun pop culture commentary. Some of the topics it takes on this season are the insanity of nostalgia and media, the obsession with true crime, politics and the female body, and the allure of rags-to-riches stories. It also continues its battle with the problematic nature of the world’s treatment and view of female pop stars.

Fan culture and its bad and good elements become a major topic in Season 3. The best episode of the season, Girls5Eva Season 3 Episode 5, “Cleveland,” especially takes on the idea.

Gray Holland, a Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber-type character, helps emphasize the extremities of fans. It’s fun and horrifying to watch.

It’s especially interesting to see how the spread of information can make certain people heroes or villains. Gray’s story plays for laughs, but you can also see how devastating that might be for an artist.

It makes you sympathize more with huge pop stars. Yes, they have a lot but that doesn’t make their lives problemless. Nonetheless, Gray’s story ends with a hilarious image of him with his new teeth.

Girls5Eva Season 3 Episode 6, “New York,” is probably the second-best episode of the season because it brings the story full circle. The women finally achieve their dream in the most lackluster way possible.

They do thrive in that middle area. I could watch Girls5Eva for many years, but this episode feels like it could be the series finale.

I am purely speculating but I believe that this episode was written as a potential conclusion to the series. Those involved hopefully want more episodes but use “New York” to provide a satisfying conclusion, just to be safe.

Netflix doesn’t have the best reputation for show longevity.

I commend everyone involved with Girls5Eva for considering the fans with “New York.” I just hope we get more seasons on Netflix. The show remains unapologetically witty, well-acted, and a great source for fake strange pop culture lore.

Stray Thoughts

• Richard Kind continues the series’ unexpected but brilliant cameo streak.
  Wickie is very much the star of this season. Renee Elise Goldsberry still doesn’t get enough praise for her work on Girls5Eva.
• This isn’t the best crop of Girls5Eva songs, but “Inside My Sweater” is a banger and a few others will remain on repeat.
  It’s nice that all the favorites of Girls5Eva appear in some capacity in Season 3, even if for brief appearances.
  I love Wickie’s parents
  I enjoy “Cleveland” the most, but Episodes 3-6 are truly fantastic and only separated slightly in terms of entertainment, performance, and hilarious writing.

What did you think of Girls5Eva Season 3? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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