Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me?

It’s been so long since Beth and Rio have been in the same space, but seeing them back in each other's orbits on Good Girls Season 3 Episode 3 you could see the chemistry and tension was as palpable as ever.

But the fickle pair weren’t dancing around a bathroom hookup this time. It was a life or death situation.

Beth was like a deer in headlights when Rio started talking, while Rio was just his ever-loving weird, scary self. He was calm and breezy as if he was just catching up with an old friend.

And perhaps he was, sort of, but this was an old friend who had tried to kill him.

I’ve been very critical of Beth’s decision-making skills because she can be impulsive and naïve a lot, and that’s an incredibly dangerous combination.

But when faced with death, and it was coming, she had limited hands to play, and she had to make a decision on the spot. Lucky for her, it turned out to be the right one.

Rio is a mystery on so many levels, but the one thing you can say with some degree of certainty is that in his own way, he tries to be a good dad. He provides for Marcus and is physically present when he can be, so Beth's decision to tell Rio that he was going to be a father again was a way to at least buy herself some time.

When the words first came out, there was a moment or two where you had to ponder if it was true or just a desperate plea. And it didn’t take long to realize that not only was Beth not pregnant, but she was actively using Dean to try and get pregnant.

But that’s a whole other can of worms we have to get in to.

This cat and mouse game Beth and Rio are playing will only get more complicated as she continues not to be pregnant. But at the very least, she has some time to figure out what to do next.

She won’t ever be able to tell Rio that she lied because she’s a dead woman, but if she can get herself to a place where she’s useful to Rio again, then she can begin to dig herself out of this hole.

The Brio shippers probably loved the little crumbs sprinkled throughout the episode, like Rio calling Beth ‘Elizabeth’, and that way he has of looking so intently at her that it’s like he’s piercing her soul.

Manny Montana could have chemistry with a trash bag, but his and Christina Hendricks natural on-screen connection is still off the charts.

But as it stands right now, I’m not seeing a Brio path forward. However, there’s a long season ahead to prove me completely wrong.

Since Rio doesn’t trust her, and has a literal man parked in her backyard, Beth will have to tell Dean about what’s going on. And their relationship seems to be again deteriorating at rapid speed.

It’s taken a long time, but Dean has finally gotten to a place in his redemption arc where he feels genuine. When he tells Beth that he loves her, it doesn’t feel forced or awkward.

It feels like it’s coming from a real place within Dean, and when he says it, it’s like he’s been holding the emotion in for so long that finally saying the words makes him feel free.

The two of them have been through a lot, and there’s still more to come, but it’s hard to figure out if this is a marriage that needs to end or if it’s one that still has some fight in it.

Dean has been making strides to be better, and I’m not going to give a married man who’s cheated umpteen times a pat on the back for turning down another woman’s advances, but it shows a lot of growth on Dean’s part to acknowledge his old actions as bad and try to be a better man.

But it feels like it’s too little, too late.

Elsewhere, Stan and Ruby’s marriage was on a better footing since Ruby told Stan she was back in the game.

It needed to happen, and instead of getting mad, Stan chose to accept it while also trying to be as ignorant to it as possible.

Ruby: We're not bad people, Stan.
Stan: No, baby, we're good people who do bad things.

• Permalink: No, baby, we're good people who do bad things.

Neither Stan nor Ruby are bad people, but it’s a slippery slope in general because they are technically doing a bad thing.

The reality of Good Girls has always been watching these women at the most desperate times of their lives commit crimes not to cause harm, but to better the lives of their family.

And we have to reconcile our feelings about this, and whether or not these women are truly “good” girls. It’s such a complicated show, and the best ones always are.

Ruby bringing Stan into the fold, even if just on the periphery, feels like the right thing to do, because Stan has connections they don’t have, and it’s better for their marriage and family to be more transparent with one another.

Annie’s emotional growth this season will be an intriguing thing to watch, as her sessions with Dr. Cohen seem to be yielding some positive results.

Dr. Cohen: Okay, hear me out. What if your behavior is just reinforcing her behavior?
Annie: Wait, like you mean it's my fault she's a total control freak?
Dr. Cohen: Or instead of acting like a child, try to consider where she's coming from.

• Permalink: Or instead of acting like a child, try to consider where she's coming from.

Annie and Beth’s dynamic doesn’t always feel like that of sisters, but from Annie’s perspective, she feels like she’s gotten the short end of the stick her whole life.

And she has in some ways, but she’s also been protected in ways she’s never even fathomed.

This idea of who’s in charge was a fascinating conversation that will probably come up again because let’s face it, the ladies aren’t equal.

Beth is very much the leader, and Ruby and Annie are a step below, although neither of those two is above the other.

They may share the profits evenly, but Beth has always been the de facto leader, and if the ladies want to change that, they have to step up in ways they haven't.

Odds and Ends 

• Rhea came through for Beth, and her reasoning was, well, reasonable. Maybe this little act of kindness will allow these two to find some common ground.

• Let’s imagine for a second a world in which Beth actually was pregnant with Rio’s child. Can you even imagine these two effectively co-parenting?

• We all say the lingering looks between Annie and Dr. Cohen and while I like their rapport, it’s just a no to hooking up with your therapist

• Gayle is thirsty for Dean. And her relegating him to the barbecue sets after she spurned his advances was grade A petty.

• The montage of Dean running through the park and doing sit-ups was hilarious. Bless his heart.

• Does the mover have a name and I've just missed it? Or are we just going to always refer to him as the mover?

Things are moving along nicely this season, and the heat is only going to ramp up now that Rio is slithering around.

What's Beth's next move with Rio?

Do you want Beth and Dean to make it?

Are you glad Stan is in the loop?

Drop all your comments down below and watch Good Girls online right now, and join in the comments! 

Whitney Evans is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lover of all things TV. Follow her on X.