Good Trouble Season 2 Episode 1 Review: Percussions
Jasmine Blu
at
.
Updated at
.
The best show this summer has returned to us, and damn it feels good to be back with The Coterie gang.
If the final moments of Good Trouble Season 2 Episode 1 are an indicator, this season will be rife with delicious drama that will keep our eyeballs glued to the screen and our jaws hitting the floor.
Good Trouble didn't come to play; they came to slay.
Did any of you expect the hour to end the way it did? Arguably, Malika is the closest new friend Callie has made at The Coterie. They share a special bond as former foster kids, a passion for social justice, and their connection the Jamal Thompson case.
Related: Good Trouble Season 2 Promo: The Coterie Crew is Back Y'all!
It's due to the connection they share and Callie being Callie that she spent most of Good Trouble Season 1 torn between her loyalty to Malika and what she believed in as an activist to her obligations to Wilson and her profession.
She walked a fine line, and she continues to do so at every turn it seems.
This struggle she has is so transparent it has many of those around her questioning her motive and second-guessing her often, so it was not the least bit surprising when Wilson alluded to Callie being the anonymous source or using her roommate Malika to leak the files about the one officer.
Jamie had to ask the question too. Hell, even I was wondering if she had any parts in it. It wasn't out of the realm of possibilities given all we know of Callie. Fortunately, she did not do anything wrong outside of not telling Wilson about the person sending her a copy of the records sooner.
I'm not sure I want to know the answer to this. Did you take the files?
Jamie
However, for a moment, she was on Wilson's radar. After the impulsive actions of Malika, Callie may never be able to get back into Wilson's good graces, and God only knows how this will affect her job and future.
No wonder Callie and Malika get along so well. Malika is just as bloody impulsive as Callie! When a tearful Malika swiped Callie's ID card and used it to waltz into Wilson's office, my mouth dropped.
What is she thinking? The correct answer is she isn't thinking at all.
While it was always a bit frustrating how Malika failed to understand how complicated and dangerous of a position Callie was in living there with her, being her friend, and working the case, this incident had Malika disregarding everything Callie had told her before and Callie in general.
How can their friendship survive this when Malika's impulsive choice had her disregarding the gravitas of the situation and how it affects Callie? Callie was already on thin ice. It's crazy to think the federal marshals came to speak to Callie over something she didn't intentionally do for a change.
Jamie: What am I going to do with you?
Callie: Oh, you don't have to do anything with me. Maybe I'm too naive and reckless for you to be bothered with.
These two women have to live together after all of this, and it's bound to rattle their relationship and the trust they had with one another. How does one work to get that back? Out of everything to come from the season opener, I'm the most excited to see were Malika and Callie go from here.
Related: Grand Hotel Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Welcome to the Grand Riviera Hotel
The tipping point for all of this was the Thompson case not going as they hoped. It was disappointing but not surprising, yes? How often do law enforcement officers face any form of real consequences for the wrongful deaths of those they kill? Not often at all.
When Wilson stated that the officers were not liable for both of the charges, it was a reminder of how raw and real the series is. The devastation on both Sandra and Malika's faces was too hard to put into words, but Zuri Adele is a beautiful crier.
Sandra's speech had the perfect blend of passion and defeat, and it's no wonder it sparked Malika to respond in some way. It boiled down to: when does this end? When do black and brown people stop being treated like imposing threats on sight and start being treated as humans who deserve justice too?
I'm tired of white juries and white judges protecting these officers who kill us. Who shoot us and beat us to death without fear of consequences. A supreme court who uses racism as it's justification. If they fear us, if they hate us, then it's OK to kill us. I am not the only mother whose child has been stolen by law enforcement.
Sandra
It's a relief we have a ruling on this case, but just as it was refreshing to see the court process years after the fact, it's going to be equally so to see the aftermath and effects of the ruling on everyone now. Malika and Callie's friendship could be in shambles, and Callie's position with Wilson may be as well.
Related: Good Trouble Season 1 Episode 13 Review: Vitamin C
Will Callie have a crisis after all of this and reconsider her career choice? Activism is in her blood and bones; so far, her legal career has put her in direct opposition to what she feels is right.
Callie confronting Wilson and calling out him and judges in general on not being impartial was a heck of a moment for her (and one I thought was a fake out that she thought but didn't say). She was right about him leaning towards conservatism when he made rulings, and how whether conservative or liberal, everyone leans toward their beliefs.
It feels as though Callie is growing more disillusioned with the path she's taking, and she doesn't understand the position of others. Callie and Ben had a fascinating moment where Ben had more depth than usual.
He's focused on climbing the ladder, but he spoke about how his family sacrificed for him to get where he is and implied his focus on money and success is due to him wanting to pay his parents back and take care of them.
Callie's messiness has spilled into her love life too. I can hear some of you groaning now. For the moment, it seems Callie's choice is Jamie, but her sexy, forbidden kiss with Gael means their chemistry is alive and kicking.
Callie has two men in love with her, and I'm not sure she loves either of them in return. It was both sweet and a big cringy when Jamie declared his love for her. We knew she wouldn't return it.
Jamie is a good guy, and while he overdid it with the condescension when he was wondering WTF Callie was doing on this case, he has also served as her mentor. As a mentor, he was warranted to freak out.
But they almost seem doomed. Callie is stressful, and loving her is exhausting. The boys are discovering this. I'm beyond proud of Gael for calling Callie out on using him as "Mr. Feel Good" though. She does know how he feels for her, and it's not fair to him.
You know I want you, but I don't want to be this drug that numbs you out. Someone that you can get lost in. When and if this is real, let me know, but please don't use me to deal with whatever it is that's bothering you. It's not fair, Callie.
Gael
Also, he's not doing so well either after his art show didn't have the best reception. He needs genuine support, not more complications that will make him feel worse in the end.
Meanwhile, Mariana's work and personal life were no less complicated, but she gave us some of the funniest moments of the hour. Actual tears came to my eyes over the penis fiasco.
Related: Good Trouble's Nicki Micheaux On Its Provocative Storytelling and Authentic Representation
It's adorable how the women of The Coterie have a group chat of their own, and I too would love to be in on The Coterie Biatches action.
The only thing funnier than Mariana seeking advice on what to do with an uncircumcised man (and all of Malika and Davia's responses equipped with emojis) was Alice's facial expression when she read the content and exited the conversation!
Raj handled Mariana talking about their sex life and his junk to her girlfriends well, and Maraj is both sexy as hell and cute as a button together. Their cuteness and the comedic relief was necessary since the boys at Speckulate are back on their bullshit.
While I'm tired of the blatant sexism (aren't we all, just, in general?) Mariana's storyline at Speckulate continues to be the strongest and something worth getting invested in more so than Callie's issues with Wilson, but only because of how different it is than what we typically see.
Am I the first uncircumcised guy you've ever been with?
Raj
It's pleasing that Mariana stuck it out at SpecKulate; as awful as the working environment is, she has made strides there, and it's rewarding. It's also a relief that Evan is NOT some inappropriate sexual predator as we were led to believe. He didn't do anything hinky to the previous employee; she received a better offer elsewhere.
While it seems like maybe they reconsidered how this portion would play out based on the nuggets they dropped during the first season and how fans responded to it, I don't mind because of my genuine love for Evan.
Unfortunately for Mariana, the Spartacus act they pulled has not prevented her from receiving the brunt of the harassment for having the audacity to demand equal pay and get a creep fired.
Her harassment has increased tenfold, and they're treating her like la bruja who has not only disrupted the comfortable harmony (for them) at Speckulate but has bewitched Evan too.
Related: Siren: Alex Roe Discusses The Military's Experiments and "Twists and Turns" of 2B!
It doesn't matter that Mariana earned everything; they're suggesting she and Evan are sleeping together and that's how she got her project approved and a team of her own.
Alex: Hey, Mary Anna, can you spell misogynistic?
Mariana: A-L-E-X.
It doesn't help how Evan only addresses Mariana. He took her advice, and he wants to make sure their work environment is more inclusive and fair, but he may run the risk of overdoing it in his attempts to correct the situation and appease everyone.
The others don't know the unique bond Mariana and Evan formed because of her taking the time to understand the guy. He's oblivious to the implications, but Mariana isn't, and it sucks that the moment a guy, particularly the male boss, respects his female employee instead of being a sexist pig, the belief is they're sleeping together.
Raj is a decent guy, but this is going to cause some tension between him and Mariana since they're secretly dating and working together.
Related: iZombie Season 5 Episode 7 Review: Filleted to Rest
Alex and his dumb ass lackey Sam (was he always this dimwitted? My goodness!) have not let up on harassing Mariana. They think it's hilarious that Raj could ever be in the same stratosphere with her let alone date her, which, I don't have the time nor energy to unpack why the idea of them as a couple is shocking to those douchebags.
The rest of the company believes Evan and Mariana have something going on, and the Byte Club expect Mariana to choose the women of Byte Club for her team on her app, and they don't expect Raj to be part of it even though he put his neck on the line and supported them to the end.
Mariana has an uphill battle to face Raj cannot understand, but Raj is going to have a difficult go of it too. We can probably expect some bumpy roads for the beautiful Maraj. Because nothing comes easy for my babies, and it's part of the drama of which we look forward.
Speaking of my babies, Dennis is back at The Coterie, and my heart is full. Now, the hard part begins. Can we take a moment to celebrate (again) over the series regular status of Josh Pence and Emma Hunton? YES!
The episode was titled "Percussions," and it had many angsty shots of Dennis playing the drums. As the hour progressed, you could feel every drumbeat in your soul.
Davia: You need someone to talk to.
Dennis: I have someone to talk to, you.
Dennis' cliff cliffhanger was his lowest point, and now that he's back, he cannot slip comfortably into his usual act of pretending as though he's OK. The darkness and exhaustion were palpable, and now there's going to be this journey of him rotating between clinging to and pushing away Davia.
Related: Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Report Card: Best Glowup, Sexiest Couple, & More
She's the only one at the house who knows what he's gone through, and he doesn't want to let anyone else in. It's heartbreaking because of this big family of people who care about him and would be willing to give him all the love and support he needs if only he let them all in.
It probably gave fans all the feelings when Dennis told Davia he had her and they hugged. Hell, it probably had the growing faction of Dennis and Davia 'shippers squealing, but the other side of that statement is the pressure placed on both of them.
Related: Tempting Fate Review: Mistakes Were Made!
Davia cannot be the only thing keeping Dennis together. It's not fair to her putting that type of responsibility on her, and it's not healthy for Dennis to place all of his eggs in the basket of Davia.
Whether it's depression or life in general, no one can put their all into one single person. It not ending well is inevitable, and in the end, it may do more damage than good.
Davia: Can you promise me if you're feeling suicidal again you'll come to me? Anytime. Day and night. Promise?
Dennis: I promise.
It's a balancing act, and it'll be something of interest as the series explores this new relationship between Davia and Dennis and how they both handle the balancing act.
Dennis is still holding out on her. I'm not sure if he told the truth about consulting his ex-wife, and the heartbreaking flashback to 9-5, clean-cut, workaholic and philanderer Dennis yelling at sweet, little Jacob was as gut-wrenching as a scene gets.
If he doesn't deal with his guilt, it's going to eat him up alive. No wonder Jen's cruel words hit him so hard -- triggered him even. As a whole, Dennis' arc is the heaviest but also one of the most engaging.
Related: 19 Scenes Elevated By Song Choice
Dennis is holding out on Davia, but she's lying to him about Jeff. The one thing she shouldn't do is lie to him. Why can't Jeff go away?! Grr!
The man is stunned that people aren't reacting well to his affair with Davia. Davia deserves better than Jeff, and it's going to be a glorious day when she cuts ties with him.
It's a hard pass on Davia and Jeff, but Alice and Joey are the cutest. Alice's video to win Joey back was too adorable for words. Unfortunately, while Alice's parents have accepted her (Mrs. Kwan giving her the rainbow comforter was HILARIOUS), they don't want the rest of their family to know she's gay.
To the rest of her family, she's expected to stay in the closet. It's like a neverending room with shut doors, and every time Alice busts one open, she faces another.
We hear that gay people like rainbows.
Mrs. Kwan
Alice doesn't get a moment to enjoy the progress she made before something else happens. Joey telling Alice their new pronouns after their sweet roll in the sack was unexpected. She's now wondering how she will introduce Joey to her parents and what comes next with that piece of news.
Alice's stand-up routine in the basement of The Coterie was amusing once it was evident she was mostly speaking to herself to work things out. I hope she at least talks to Joey before she considers taking that routine public given some of the personal information.
Alice taking on the world of stand-up, though? Sign me up!
Over to you, Good Trouble Fanatics! Are you ready to get into the best kind of trouble this season? What do you think will happen between Malika and Callie?
What do you think will happen with Mariana's new app, and how will the rumors about her relationship with Evan affect things? What are your thoughts on Dennis and Davia? It's not a group chat, but let's chat it up in the comments below!
You can watch Good Trouble online here via TV Fanatic!
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
