Good Girls - Special Sauce - Review + Poll: Pieces of sky
10 Apr 2018
BW Good Girls ReviewsThe cracks are getting deeper and wider for our Good Girls as problem on problem arises. Shall we discuss?
This week, the girls start off on a high but definitely end on a low. In the beginning they conduct their 'secret shopper' meeting with confidence (especially from Annie) and even have an acronym to help their shoppers remember to keep everything in check
D: Do your Surveys (this is to keep track of where they are going)
N: Never buy and return to the same place (this one is a no brainer to them, but why aren't these shoppers asking more questions?)
R: Receipts (this is a universal no brainer, right?)
They have their operation set up nicely and are pulling in good cash, the problem is that they never told Rio and that becomes a big issue later in the episode when one of the clueless moms named Mary Pat shows she is not so clueless. They once again have personal issues at home to deal with as well.
Are You Running a prostitution ring?
The girls are starting to live comfortable rather than in survival mode and are treating themselves and their families to the fruits of their labor. For Beth, Dean is still sniffing around for details but since the facade is down, she is no longer offering up any answers to questions. He throws out lots of possibilities including if she is running a prostitution ring to which she hisses back 'you'd like that wouldn't you?' (show of hands, who loved that line directed at her cheating hubby?). She finally cuts the convo off, throws some money at him and tells him to entertain the kids while she has her aforementioned meeting. He has nothing to do but oblige and takes the kids out. I get that this new found power is coming from the crimes Beth is committing but it was so satisfying to see Dean out of the driver's seat and taking Beth's orders. Beth also decides it is high time to get something for herself and goes and tries on a stunning necklace. The clueless store clerk tells her she can give Beth her card so her husband can buy it and Beth scoffs and tells her he couldn't afford this. I mean seriously lady, it is 2018! A grown woman can buy her own damn jewelry... Even if it is from stolen funds.
Annie is treating Sadie to a tailor-made suit she's always wanted. In a very Pretty Woman moment the arrogant salesman scoffs at them at first and offers to show them to the children's section until Annie whips out a stack of cash which changes his tune. Sadie gets her suit and I really wish we could have seen her in it because I bet she looks fantastic! But, I kind of cringed when Annie pulled out that cash because Sadie is very smart and intuitive, she's going to start asking questions.
Ruby and Stan are enjoying their new funds and his first official arrest at a fancy infusion style restaurant where the main course is a grape, yes you read that right, a single grape. Stan wants to make sure they are actually flush with cash and Ruby assures him they are. Stan also threw out that they can treat themselves and I desperately wanted Ruby to say that line because of Retta and Parks and Rec, but I am guessing the writers did that on purpose! Either way, I loved the date but still got that nagging feeling I always do when Stan is just in awe of his wife, while I know what she is doing behind the scenes. So things are great for everyone right? Um no!
Boomer's Revenge
Ruby, Annie and Beth have lulled themselves into a false sense of security but that all changes during a girls' night viewing of the Real Housewives of New York City. They just can't believe how well they are doing and are patting themselves on the back; Beth thinks this is the perfect time to show off her necklace and goes to get it to get the opinion from her girls. The living room is much fuller than when she left it because Rio and his boys are there with guns drawn. Rio does assure Beth the necklace isn't too much but also wants to know if she bought it with his money because their last payment has some fake bills mixed in with the real stuff. Again, I want to like the idea of Beth and Rio having a fling, but it is in these violent moments where he points a gun at her and the girls and calls them bitches that I crash down to Earth and remember exactly what this dynamic is. Rio thinks they are stealing and the girls must reveal their secret shopper gag to save their tails. He wants a name but they won't budge and promise to take care of this.
They decide to stakeout their shoppers with a small task at one store to see who shows up and shops and who doesn't. After several hours, they have their culprit.... Mary Pat, the woman who seemed harmless. They go to her house to 'fire' her and confront her about the money she didn't use and see that she is struggling in every aspect. You see, her husband recently died and she's raising the kids on her own and trying to stay above water. The girls are sympathetic but cut ties with her anyways. This is when things go south because she starts asking questions about corporate the ladies cannot answer because there is no corporate. Mary Pat questions how they know it was her money in the first place and starts to piece together that they are running an illegal operation and threatens to call the police. The ladies get her to stop and agree to give her a payout. This is just going great, isn't it? The women have an argument on the way out about this whole thing where Ruby calls out Beth on getting them in deeper and not thinking how this will turn out. In a gut wrenching moment of realization for Ruby, she sees that Beth and Annie may just be against her if push came to shove when Annie makes a comment that they are blood. Wow, I expected this argument at some point, but it still hurt.
Annie also has a huge setback in her custody situation when she shows up at Fine and Frugal to Boomer and some cops waiting to arrest her for the drugs in her locker that Boomer planted. Beth must bail her out and Annie agrees to let Sadie stay and Greg and Nancy's why she figures this out. Needless to say Sadie is heartbroken that her mom just can't seem to get it together.
It's just so gross
Our ladies started out so promising at the start of the hour and now they are all in such a horrible place. Beth is upset and lays on the bathroom floor when Dean comes in and actually seems sincere when he tells her that all he needs to know is that she's doing this for the kids and he'll be okay, Beth gives him a nod and they sit there in silence. Was this the most genuine we've seen Dean? I think so. Beth later goes to Rio with the full cut and says it is taken care of. He still wants a name, but she refuses and he seems to give up. This scene was good because I felt better about Rio after this exchange, he seems to be starting to respect Beth's hustle and even nods when she tells him not to point guns at her anymore, hopefully he listens.
Stan and Ruby end the ep okay as well. He had tried to surprise her with tickets to a game after she had told him they were good with money but she had since experienced all the aforementioned snags and was rethinking that carefree attitude. She made Stan return the tickets and he sold them online and made a small profit, Stan was an excellent secret shopper without even knowing it.
Finally there is Annie, she is winding down after all the things that have happened when Greg comes knocking to get pants for Sadie and questions about the drugs. She invites him in for some crackers and vodka and he agrees pretty quickly. Since we've met Greg, I have felt he is very conflicted on not only how he feels about Annie but also his life with an older woman who seems to dictate what he'll do when it comes to Sadie. These thoughts of mine grow stronger when Greg lets down his guard and hangs with Annie drinking, laughing and watching youtube videos. She knows him pretty well and it was obvious he felt comfortable admitting he still doesn't sleep well and may not be very happy. The two exchange a long look which leads to kissing, which leads to sex, which leads to instant regret and Greg hightailing it out of there while Annie tries to console him. Annie had quite the last few days right?
The girls meet up to pay Mary Pat who was blackmailing them. They make up after Ruby shares a story about the special sauce that was once at the diner she worked at. I agree with Annie, her story is so gross and made me wish Ruby would never have to endure such a job again, they all agree they have their backs and we are back to solid friendship again. The three meet with Mary Pat and give her ten grand for which she is grateful. They walk away and Mary Pat says she'll see them next month with payment, they are stunned but what can they do? Maybe Beth should have given Rio that name.
As a side note regarding Agent Turner, his case is heating up and he tries to turn Eddie the guy who bled all over Beth's house and scared the crap out Sadie's bullies. He is inching closer and has a new task force that includes a very capable rookie cop.....STAN.
So what did you think? What should they do about Mary Pat? Will Greg and Annie get caught? Does Rio respect Beth? Let me know!