Good Trouble Season 2 Episode 8 Review: Disruptions
Jasmine Blu
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All the shit has hit the fan.
There hasn't been an hour of this series as aptly named as Good Trouble Season 2 Episode 8.
Everywhere you turned, there were disruptions. There was a disruption of harmony, relationships, careers, and progress. The Coterie has damn near imploded on itself.
The second season has been more inconsistent than the first, but no less enjoyable, and this hour was one of the best. You have to love a series that knows how to leave for a hiatus on a strong note.
Related: Good Trouble Season 2 Episode 7 Review: In the Middle
How are we supposed to wait for Good Trouble to return to us for the second half of the season (and the two-hour Christmas special)?! I'm already shaking with anticipation!
Callie versus The Coterie
It's true; some of us have a love/thoroughly exasperated relationship with Callie. By some, I mean myself.
The series has positioned her as the underdog/outcast, and while there is merit in that, and what is happening to her sucks, let's not forget she has been a flawed person who has made her fair share of mistakes.
I'm only mentioning that because of what this turn has done for Callie and Mariana and the responses to them. The Coterie drama is crafted to gain Callie favor by viewers.
She was getting on our nerves. Now our allegiances have shifted, and valid criticisms of Callie fall by the wayside since everyone is mean to her.
Related: Good Trouble Season 2 Episode 6 Review: Twenty- Fine
The decision to make her a victim here sets up a few things. For one, it will hopefully lead to her and Mariana having an understanding of one another.
I don't believe they have figured out how to be sisters as adults, and I look forward to them working through that. I also hope Callie creates better relationships with the Coterie after the wreckage. She alienated herself from the majority of them since she arrived.
Right now, they are awful to her.
They don't know her, and she hasn't given them much of a chance to know her. Maybe she'll come to grips with that too.
Also, it moves her closer to Jamie, who has become someone she retreats into when things get difficult. It's bound to cause tension since it's more apparent than ever that Callie uses Jamie. It's not fair to him, and that's where Callie has been her most flawed this season.
Nevertheless, this Good Trouble Fanatic stans the heck out of Callie Quinn Jacob Adams-Foster. She did not deserve this treatment.
Mariana: No wonder he's upset. I don't blame him. I'm on his side.
Callie: Of course you are because you are never on my side!
Mariana: What are you talking about?
Callie: You're my sister, Mariana. You're supposed to have my back.
Callie is a better person than I am. She did not resort to overt and petty comments to let the others know she saw their comments about her.
Unfortunately, Davia and Alice's main takeaway from Callie giving up and tossing out the mug was that Callie was uptight again.
It would have been more satisfying and an opportunity for some self-reflection if both women were made aware of the error of their ways.
Maybe they'll learn the truth after Callie's departure. Due to the non-linear sequence and internal conversation versus actual conversation, it's unclear if Mariana knows what the tipping point was for Callie.
Callie called Mariana out on never being on her side or sticking up for her, but did Mariana know it went beyond what happened with Gael?
Mariana, I decided to move in with Jamie. I'll cover my part of the rent for the rest of the lease, or until you find a new roommate. I'll get the rest of my stuff this weekend.
Callie letter
Callie's letter was short, succinct, and it didn't reveal much. And I couldn't figure out if Callie left that note before or after Mariana sent her text message.
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The text message was a nice callback to Good Trouble Season 1 Episode 1 and a perfect way to showcase how fractured the sisters are, Callie's hurt, and Mariana's ungratefulness.
Before, when Mariana needed her, Callie dropped everything to help her sister. However, this time, Callie ignored it.
How could Mariana speak so poorly of Callie and treat her like an imposition on her life while still needing her? How could she take Gael's side when she didn't need any of the facts about what happened?
Gael's portion of this was mind-boggling. His anger at Callie stopped making sense.
You were the one I trusted! The one I thought had my back, but you're just as full of shit as he is! You chose the right guy because he's perfect for you.
Gael
He blew up and said some disgusting, hurtful things, and it was disproportionate to the offense he thought she made.
It was as if he was upset with her "choosing" Jamie and held onto that anger for weeks and needed the right trigger to explode on her. It wasn't fair at all.
But nothing compared to his unwarranted fury towards Jamie. What outside of dating Callie has Jamie ever done to offend Gael?!
Jamie graciously helped Gael's sister pro-bono; he showed up and supported Gael at his art show. He bought the painting because he liked it and chose to do it anonymously so Gael wouldn't think there were ulterior motives behind it.
He has been nothing but cordial and cool with Gael, so can someone explain how and why Gael views him as a piece of shit and spewed how he and Callie deserve each other as if Jamie has done something wrong?!
We cannot stand this Jamie slander. We won't have it!
Related: Good Trouble Season 2 Episode 4 Review: Unfiltered
Ironically, it's Gael, not Mariana who was the last straw for Callie. We all know Callie moving in with Jamie is a terrible idea, but in pitting Callie against her sister and the Coterie, her moving in with him is no longer another impulsive terrible Callie decision.
Something she would have done anyway now has to do with her getting backed into a corner. It doesn't matter that it's too soon and Callie doesn't love Jamie, or that he's "the safe choice" and moving in with him causes damage.
None of it matters as much or highlights the various cracks in the Callie and Jamie 'ship. Who wouldn't move into a luxurious apartment with an adoring boyfriend when your living space is so hostile?
Why didn't you tell me Jamie bought my piece from the art show?
Gael
Jamie makes her feel welcome which is more than she can say for her housemates and sister.
I don't know if it fares well for either of them that she retreats into him. Something is comforting about Jamie, and there is nothing wrong with that, but Callie's doubts about him come across as though her heart isn't with it -- with him.
Callie and Work
Callie still finds herself in the middle at work. I don't know why Marcus is using Callie to get back at Teresa for something.
It's like they're playing tug-of-war with her. Teresa seemed genuine when advising Callie on what taking on the case would be like, but then it was as if she got upset Callie still went through with it. Now she's doubling down on Callie's workload like she's punishing her.
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The class-action lawsuit is right up her alley, but she seemed unsure when Jamie asked her about making time to study for the bar again.
I fear she's going to burn out. It's real, and it happens easily. I also wonder if she's as passionate about the law as she thought she was in the beginning.
It must have embarrassed her when the woman at the ACLU who she interviewed with recognized her and wondered why she was working there. Now they'll be working together.
Mariana and Evan
The friendship between Mariana and Evan has been one of the best parts of the series, and Evan is one of the best characters.
Fortunately, they both apologized to each other and moved past their debacle. Evan realized he was putting too much pressure on Mariana.
Related: Good Trouble Season 2 Episode 2 Review: Torn
Part of the issue was he started relying on Mariana more in Josh's absence.
Their friendship has worked wonders for him, but the boundaries are murky.
Every scene they share, it's more apparent that Evan developed feelings for Mariana. He almost forgot the reason he was there when Mariana was fixing his hair before his date.
Meanwhile, Mariana couldn't stop herself from ogling Evan when he changed in front of her.
The Amanda situation remains confusing. We're supposed to believe that Evan and Amanda had feelings for each other, but Amanda got fired, and Evan was told she quit due to him being inappropriate.
It was heartbreaking how he felt his Asperger's led to Amanda quitting. I understand why Mariana thought she could help by reuniting the two.
Mariana is a hopeless romantic.
It's pretty obvious I don't know how to relate to people.
Evan
But something about Amanda didn't sit well, so it wasn't so much a shock that she was suing Evan for wrongful termination as it was infuriating!
Related: Good Trouble Season 2 Episode 1 Review: Percussions
Evan can't catch a break, but the show depicting how little control a CEO has over his company is so realistic.
As fans of Evan and Mariana, it's easy to dislike Kendra right off the bat. She's a woman of quick action who has asserted herself over all of them including Evan.
However, Speckulate does have a lot of issues, and they need to be fixed. Angela should have gotten fired. She covered Josh's butt and opened the company to a lot of this.
She knew about the sexual harassment and didn't disclose it. The ball does need to get rolling on closing the gender and race pay gap. Evan has trusted the wrong people, and as lovable as he is, he has also been ineffective.
Now he's being sued. He has a history of getting too close with employees, thanks to the Amanda situation. However, his friendship with Mariana has sparked rumors and is difficult to downplay when he publicly relies on her for everything, and she exploded on him in front of her team.
Kendra removed Mariana as team leader for now. Was that because of Mariana being suspected in the salary leak? Is it because of Evan showing favoritism?!
Speckulate needed someone like Kendra to come in, but I'm worried about how she will shake things up.
Gael and Elijah
Has there ever been a turnaround on a character as quickly as many of us turned on Elijah? He was likable for an episode and a half.
Gael falls too hard for people. He welcomed Elijah back into his life despite the things Elijah did, and he should have been more guarded.
Gael was vicious and ugly with Callie, but the real snake was the man he shared his bed, heart, and art. Elijah is deceitful, controlling, and a plagiarist. He has annihilated Gael's reputation and doesn't seem to care.
Elijah: Do you still have feelings for her?
Gael: No.
Elijah: You know you can trust me.
Gael: I know.
He was far too nonchalant about the destruction of Gael's reputation and commission. How can some care so little about another person?
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Gael went from flying high to his art career being in shambles before it even began. Integrity matters, and it broke my heart when the backlash from the paid reviews came in.
Elijah preyed on Gael. Why? For what reason?
The dark place Gael ended the season in is surprising. He had a rough season, but we found out a lot about him throughout it all.
Dennis and Davia
We knew something would interfere with Davia telling Dennis how she felt. While their chemistry is sensational, they are not ready to be together yet.
So it's a relief something got in the way, and we get the sweet torture of them being apart for a bit longer.
Initially, when Dennis cut her off to tell her he and his ex were working it out, it seemed as though he realized Davia loved him after his conversations with Alice and he thought it was too soon for them.
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It was unlikely he would reconcile with Jennifer after what had transpired between the two. If she planned to reunite with him, then nothing would have stopped her from being there for Dennis in the aftermath of his suicide attempt.
Davia: So I have something I need to tell you.
Dennis: I have something I need to tell you too. Jennifer and I are trying to try to work things out.
She would have apologized sooner too. I'll never be a Jennifer fan, but I appreciated their scenes together. They both apologized for things they needed to, and it was mature and cathartic for both of them.
Dennis' flashbacks to Jacob are always heartbreaking, but they also help us understand why their marriage fell apart and why Dennis feels so guilty.
He needed to know he wasn't a horrible person and father, but it was another crushing blow when Jennifer told him she was getting married to Nathan and they were expecting.
It's easy to think this news and not having Davia as a trustworthy sounding board is a setback for him. He's unhappy, and his sadness is palpable, but his beautiful mural of Jacob is meaningful.
Jennifer: I'm sorry. You were not a shitty husband or father. I was just angry and trying to hurt you.
Dennis: I put my work before you and Jacob, and I wasn't around.
Jennifer: You were. When it mattered.
Dennis: It all mattered. It all mattered! Every second of it. I should have known.
Jennifer: How? It was not your fault that he got sick. You loved him to the very end and he loved you. I shouldn't have pushed you away after he died. I just needed someone to blame.
Dennis: We pushed each other away.
Jennifer: I still love you.
Dennis: I still love you too.
He did it for himself. He not only gets to see this image of his son but so does anyone else. I prefer to be optimistic and hope this is a step towards sharing with the others.
Davia believing Dennis doesn't want to be with her because of her being full-figured instead of it being due to her lying to him about Jeff is quintessentially Davia.
A simple conversation between the two could sort this out, but that would make too much sense.
At the heart of Davia and Dennis' relationship is the honesty between them. They don't lie to each other.
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They have spent however long it has been since Dennis' attempt building a special bond, and its foundation was trust and honesty.
It came as a shock when we discovered Dennis had overhead Jeff confronting Davia. He's entitled to feel a certain way about Davia keeping their relationship a secret from him.
He knows Davia has feelings for him now, but it doesn't change the betrayal of her lying to him when it was unnecessary. More than anything, for him, it probably solidified they weren't in the right place to pursue anything.
I hope you open your heart again and find someone who really appreciates you.
Jennifer
They're both heartbroken, and the visual of them lying in their separate beds struggling but not turning to one another was brutal but well done.
The timing of some of this has been fascinating too. Davia reverting to her bullying ways was a reminder of how much growing she needs to do. Also, she still struggles with her insecurities a great deal.
Davia stands in her own way and blocks her blessings. She self-sabotages and is self-destructive too.
Like the other members, neither she nor Dennis ended the finale in a happy place.
Malika and Wilson
Malika has a streak of self-sabotage in her as well. She means well, and she is often following her heart and convictions, but while Isaac has been nothing been supportive and perfect the entire time, it's going to catch up to him and their relationship.
The time is now, and her role in the latest disruption may interfere with her making it to his father's birthday dinner.
He has wanted Malika to meet his family for a while now, and she always manages to wiggle out of it for some reason or another. She didn't intend to bail this time, but her "special" assignment is going to bite her in the ass.
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Did the others know Malika stole Callie's key card and stormed Wilson's office? Did they know how close she came to him pressing charges against her then?
Wilson spared her before, but he recognized her filming the disruption at his ceremony, and he won't spare her again. Also, Callie isn't around to save Malika either.
On the one hand, it's frustrating how Callie and Wilson's administrative assistant put their necks on the line for Malika. They did this, and now someone like Wilson will feel vindicated in his original desires.
On the other hand, I'm disappointed in Wilson's trajectory. He was by no means perfect, but he went from a relatively fair and just man who was open-minded and genuine to an uncaring, calculating TRUMP APPOINTEE?!
Wilson's misdeeds always came across as a father who still valued family and wanted to protect his son, and it conflicted with his ethics, and it made him the poster child for white privilege, and so on, and so forth, but he was nuanced.
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Wilson has now become the ambitious man who used the unjust death of a young black boy, proven corruption and more as a stepping stone to get a presidential appointment heading the Court of Appeals.
It was refreshing when Wilson wasn't an instant antagonist even when he was an example of what's wrong with a flawed justice system, but man, this is disappointing.
We're gaining some insight into how the actual movement works and what goes into planning these disruptions through Malika's involvement in it. I appreciate the importance of that.
Malika is stressing me the hell out though.
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What are the odds she's going to keep recording as she was asked to until she's hauled away in cuffs? And Isaac is probably going to have to bail her out again, and the family birthday dinner is going to be unpleasant.
Malika's personal life is going to suffer the deeper she gets into the movement. It's the sacrifice she'll have to make, but is she prepared to make it?
Alice, Lindsay, and Joey
Regardless of what Joey did or didn't do, Lindsay is messy as hell, and I don't trust them as far as I can throw them.
If Lindsay has an issue with Joey, then it should stay with Joey, and they should leave Alice out of it.
Lindsay kissing Alice wasn't even a surprise. From the beginning, it always felt like they were plotting something and Alice was a tool to use instead of a person.
Joey tried to warn Alice of this, but maybe Joey should have been upfront with her and told her everything early on. Now Lindsay, another snake in the grass, has left Alice doubting and reevaluating her relationship with Joey and whether or not she knows them well at all.
Lindsay: I just did to Joey what they did to me.
Alice: What did they do to you?
Lindsay: Joey had an affair with my girlfriend. They broke us up.
The messed up thing about it is Joey spent a lot of time criticizing Alice under the guise of wanting her to embrace her sexual identity and more, and at times it could have come across as though Joey was trying to change Alice.
Joey always has so much to say about Alice, and now this is between them.
Joey had an affair with Lindsay's girlfriend, and Lindsay intended or may still intend to return the favor using Alice. Does this mean all of their buttering Alice up and mentoring her as an up and coming comic is fake?
If it isn't, it's hard for Alice to trust it anyway.
It kills me how my girl Alice is in the middle of this mess.
It's also killing me that we have to wait so long for more Good Trouble!
Are you happy Callie moved out? Were you surprised at Dennis misleading Davia? Did you expect the Wilson reveal?!
What do you think Kendra's presences will mean for Evan and Mariana? Was Gael's explosive outburst about Callie and Jamie ridiculous?
What do you hope to see in the next half of the season? Please, hit the comments and discuss all this drama. They fuel me!
Don't forget you can watch Good Trouble online here via TV Fanatic to hold you over during the hiatus.
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.
