Done with desperation: Three moms are tired of being ‘Good Girls’
It’s hard to truly prepare for how challenging life can be. Sure, there are moments of pure joy, but the endless layering of responsibilities and bills makes it difficult to remain optimistic. It’s easy to fall behind, to become lost within a whirlwind of debt and to learn, in those moments, that those who you thought would be there for you are no longer around.
This is particularly true for women, who, despite the efforts of various feminist waves, still struggle with being perceived as “nice” while attempting to be strong-willed and selfreliant. Rather than continue to suffer these challenges, three mothers from various backgrounds are kicking hardship to the curb when “Good Girls” premieres Monday, Feb. 26, on NBC.
“Good Girls” centers around the lives of three suburban moms, each struggling to keep her family and finances afloat. Beth (Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”) contends with an unfaithful husband, Dean (Matthew Lillard, “Twin Peaks”), who all too easily seems to misplace or misuse the family finances. Annie (Mae Whitman, “Parenthood”), Beth’s little sister, works way too hard for far too little at a supermarket, trying to provide for herself and her child. Ruby (Retta, “Parks and Recreation”), Beth’s lifelong friend, knows exactly the kind of medical treatment her daughter needs, but the cost is seemingly insurmountable for her and her husband, Stan (Reno Wilson, “Mike & Molly”).
When it all becomes too much, these mommas and best friends devise a master plan: rob the local supermarket and walk away with $30,000. Things go a little too easily, however, and the ladies wind up with a lot more dough than they’d anticipated, along with some new challenges.
Initially, the series seems a bit difficult to place.A first look makes it seem as though it will be a standard sitcom, but the depth to the show makes it more akin, perhaps, to a crime dramedy.The humor acts as a bit of relief from the difficulties these women are facing, challenges not simply bound to gender and relatable to a large segment of North America’s working class.With sleek production and a plot built on action, emotion and a nice dash of sarcasm, “Good Girls” is as intriguing as it is inviting.
Despite being a broadly relatable show, the emphasis on females and the lives of women is clear and cannot be denied. Creator and screenwriter Jenna Bans, known for her work on both “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal,” had a clear vision for “Good Girls.”While discussing the series during an NBC promo, Bans delved into the concept behind the show:
“What I really tried to get at with this script is the idea of female empowerment — the idea that you wake up, as a woman in your late 30s, early 40s, and go, ‘Oh my God, where did my power go?’ Whether it’s having a bunch of kids, or a husband that doesn’t really see you anymore, or these financial restrictions that these women are under.”
This desire to see real, complex relationships between women come to life on the small screen was a huge driving force for Bans.The fact that the relatability factor is so high, despite the fact that most women will never commit a robbery to resolve their own financial and marital woes, speaks to the care Bans has put into the development of “Good Girls.”
These sentiments are deeply reflective of modern times, as even the show’s title itself forces viewers to reexamine their notions of what it means to be “good girls.” Rather than shying away and committing to outdated stereotypes, women are increasingly opening up about the challenges and trauma they’ve faced, along with the need for more visible, empowered role models.
While discussing the series with NBC’s promotional team,Whitman explained “Good Girls” achieves this, as it is “a great show, with excellent women at the helm of it,” and it’s been a long time coming “for there to be way more shows with the females being the leads ... especially right now, with everything that’s going on.” For Whitman, there’s “never been a more important time for there to be strong, independent, quirky, interesting, different, real, full women, telling their stories and being heard.”
The potential for success with “Good Girls” is not merely in its historically relevant timing, but the fact that these women truly are reflective of the lives so many women lead daily. To have a series willing to encourage support and solidarity over catfights and jealousy is reflective of how broad-reaching social change can be. Women are standing up and demanding to be heard, just as Beth, Annie and Ruth are demanding to have control over their own lives, finances and families’ futures.
It seems unfortunate that feminism has had to experience so many waves, yet so little erosion has occurred along the shoreline. Thankfully, the water may finally be carving out the stones of resistance, with more and more women taking the helm of productions on both the big and small screen. It’s important to remember, however, that this series and other female-led productions aren’t looking for a takeover, rather simply desiring for acceptance and respect. Ambitious, engaging and humorous, “Good Girls” is on course to make quite the impact when the series premieres Monday, Feb. 26, on NBC.