Good Girls Round Table: A Plan Is Forming

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Stan and Ruby are fighting again, and it's not what we wanted to see. 

Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8 saw the pair argue over Stan's new spending habits, and Ruby turned down a pretty nice engagement ring. But was that the right thing to do?

Join our TV Fanatics Lizzy Buczak, Jasmine Blu, Meaghan Frey, and Whitney Evans as they discuss the hour. 

What did you make of Beth's three-part plan?

Lizzy: The first two steps are what she should have been doing since the moment Rio waltzed back into her life. She thought Rio would just forget about the fact that she tried to kill him and learned the hard way that he wasn't in the mood to forgive and forget.

She can pull the first two steps off, but I don't foresee the third part going so well for her since we've learned that Rio is one step ahead at all times.

Jasmine: It's a plan. The first two parts are promising and about as smart and safe as they can get given the circumstances, but that last part, she needs to stop. Rio is always ahead of her, and he doesn't trust her. She tried to kill him, nearly succeeded too. Does she think she'll get another shot at this?

Beth Thinks - Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8

Meaghan: Because killing Rio worked out so well for her the first time. Beth is delusional. They had a chance to get out of this life when they thought Rio was dead. Instead, they doubled down and started counterfeiting.

They are in this for the long run, and they need to make the best of a bad situation. There will always be another Rio even if they manage to take him down. At least with Rio, they know what they are getting.

Whitney: A better plan would be to just figure out a way to adjust to their new normal. Has she ever thought about what could happen if she misses again? The first two steps make sense, but the nonchalance of the third step is worrisome.

It’s a plan, which is much more than Beth split decision thought to shoot him, but at this point, it feels flimsy at best.

Discussing Options - Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8

Dean is very hung up on Beth and Rio's "relationship". Does he have a right to continue questioning her?

Lizzy: Quite frankly, it's annoying and shows just how low his self-esteem is. Sure, Beth hasn't been very honest with him about what her meetings with Rio entail, and when he sees her dressing up and looking good for Rio, he assumes the worst.

It's human nature. But he also never asks her what Rio makes her do, or what her deal is with him. I think he romanticizes it in his head and doesn't realize just how dangerous Rio or the situation is.

Jasmine: I'm tired of Dean altogether, and I don't know why he has to be a thing. It's rich that a serial cheater would spend this much time obsessing about his wife and the killer she is trying to appease to keep all of them safe.

What's In The Trunk? - Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8

I mean, I see what you mean, Lizzy, but Rio literally shot him. How is he not comprehending how dangerous Rio is by now?

Meaghan: I mean, we have seen the chemistry between Rio and Beth, so I'd be a little insecure and jealous too if I was Dean. Even if Beth and Rio have just a sexual connection (I still personally think there is more), that is still more than she and Dean have at this point. Plus, Rio understands a side of Beth that Dean just doesn't.

Whitney: I feel like they put so much work into Dean’s character rehabilitation last season, and now they’re backpedaling and just making him annoying. He’s more committed to his marriage now, but he’s just so annoying.

Like Jasmine said, what doesn’t he get? Rio shot him, robbed them blind, and hired a man to sit outside their house and watch them. Beth is trying to protect the family now, not Dean’s fragile ego.

Admiring Her Work - Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8

Stan has officially crossed over. Should Ruby have accepted the ring?

Lizzy: It says a lot that she didn't. Ruby never got into this lifestyle to afford lavish things. She's always done it to be able to pay the bills, save her daughter, and support her family. So, seeing Stan wildin' out after getting some money is worrisome for a few reasons.

Money changes people, but it's also a dangerous game if you're being careless. It's also not the man she married, and it's not the example she wants to set for the kids. Short answer... no.

Jasmine: My heart broke. Ruby got into this to save their daughter, and now her daughter and her husband are casually embracing the criminal life just because. It totally diminishes her legitimate reason for doing what she did and continues to do.

Drinks & Work - Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8

She's right that somebody has to be on the up and up. No, Ruby shouldn't have accepted the ring. By accepting it, it would mean she accepts that this is who Stan is now, and she can't do that.

Meaghan: Wow, Stan embraced that criminal side quick, didn't he? I am so upset with this revelation. Stan is the one truly good person on this show, and now he has been tainted. We discussed in a previous roundtable whether or not they could survive Ruby's criminal side, and I completely believed they could.

As Jasmine and Lizzy said, Ruby did this for honorable reasons. I don't they will survive Stan continuing down this road, though.

Whitney: I see both sides here. I can sympathize with Stan, as a person who's always done the right thing and still gotten the short end of the stick. But Ruby wasn’t wrong to turn down the ring.

Was it a little hypocritical? Sure. But she never imagined they would both be dabbling in a life of crime, and she’s not ready to just accept that with open arms.

Walking Forward - Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8

Was Ben right to confront Dr. Cohen about his relationship with Annie?

Lizzy: I don't know if he was right, but it came from a place of love and concern. Ben is a kid who loves his mom, worries about her and has spent his whole life counseling her, and believes someone is taking advantage of her. I can't blame him for wanting to prevent his mother from spiraling.

Jasmine: Ben has always had to be more of a parent to Annie than she was to him. Annie has a long history of these inappropriate relationships, so whether he was right or not is debatable, but it definitely is understandable.

Meaghan: Ben probably shouldn't have done it, but can any of us blame him? Despite Cohen's desire to live in denial, they clearly don't have an appropriate therapist/patient relationship. Ben has the right to be concerned.

Whitney: I agree, Meaghan. Dr. Cohen is either in denial or just purposefully ignoring what’s right in front of him, and it’s not good for him or Annie. Ben did what he thought was the right thing to do, and I can’t fault him for that.

Ben meets Dr. Cohen - Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8

What do you think Rio is going to do with Boomer?

Lizzy: I definitely don't think he's going to kill him, but he wants the girls to think that. I had this crazy theory that maybe Rio needed Boomer because he's helping the feds build a case against Beth. Boomer was a witness to a lot of their crimes, so he would be a key witness.

The fact that they "helped" Boomer break out of jail is all the proof he needs.

Jasmine: Ohh, I like that Lizzy! Boomer would be the perfect person to use to take down Beth and teach her a lesson. Especially if he suspects she's plotting against him, which she is.

Meaghan: I adore that idea Lizzy! They can't just pull Boomer back out for nothing. For someone like Beth having her reputation tarnished by being arrested would probably be worse than death. The ultimate revenge.

A Delivery - Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8

Whitney: I don’t think that’s such a crazy idea, Lizzy. Rio is very smart, and I don’t think for one second he’s forgotten that Beth put multiple bullets into him. I’ve been feeling lately like there’s a much bigger reason Rio has been letting the ladies hang around, and utilizing Boomer to bring them down could be it.

Favorite moment/scene?

Lizzy: I have a few... their faces when Boomer said "Annie bannanie," Stan and Ruby doing karaoke, Ruby rolling up at the nursing home and asking where nana is, and finally, the scene with Annie dumping nana's ashes only to have them fly back in her face!

Jasmine: I loved Stan and Ruby doing karaoke. They're such an adorable couple. I also cracked up at their responses to Boomer's tattoo situation.

Relaxed Annie - Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8

Meaghan: The girls getting Boomer dropped back in their laps. He is just the gift that keeps on giving.

Whitney: Stand and Ruby’s karaoke fun was amazing. I would watch a whole episode of the two of them just enjoying one another like that.

Additional thoughts about the season as a whole thus far or what you'd like to see moving forward (as we're at the approximate halfway point of the season).

Lizzy: It's my least favorite season. I need the series to pick up the pace. We haven't gotten anywhere in terms of Rio and Beth's arrangement. There's still so much untapped potential with Rio. He's barely around, and we don't know anything about him.

Assembly Line - Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8

I'd love an episode where we get his backstory and find out how he got to where he is. Instead, we got a whole episode consumed by Boomer... no one asked for that. The humor and quirky one-liners are the show's saving grace, but it feels like I'm watching the same situations occur over and over again.

Jasmine: I can't believe we're at the halfway point. What actually happened? I completely agree with Lizzy. This season is kind of dull. I don't know how many times I can watch Beth toss money into a kiddie pool. I feel like it's trudging along, but I don't know what we're driving toward or what the season is supposed to be about.

And I definitely can't believe we got an entire episode mostly devoted to Boomer. For what? Does anyone care about Boomer? The fact that he made it all the way to season three is absurd.

I would like to see Rio’s backstory just to get an idea of who this man is that has taken over their lives. I would like to see the women doing more and trying to find actual ways to take control of their life that make sense. I'd like to see something where Ruby or Annie take the reins more.

Late Night At The Office - Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8

Meaghan: I 100% agree with you guys. I had high hopes for this season and as much as I love the characters, the storyline is floundering. I would have loved to get more time of the girls really giving it a go with their counterfeit ring before dropping Rio back into the mix and returning to the same formula.

Whitney: Yeah, I’m not as into this season as I would like to be. Though, it’s still an enjoyable show. My biggest issue is the fact that they’re in season three, and we are still seeing them deal with season one problems.

Rio has been a great nemesis, but did we need another season of the women versus Rio? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, figure out a way to bring in a bigger bad guy that will force the woman to team up with Rio, instead of being against him.

And have it be more than the authorities. That will always be an element of the series, but truly making Rio and Beth partners who have to put all their trust in one another, and depend on each other in a way in which they’re both equals, would certainly shake things up.

Good Girls airs on Sundays on NBC. 

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

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Good Girls Season 3 Episode 8 Quotes

Ruby: Do we look any different?
Stan: Better.
Ruby: Older.
Stan: Sexier.

  • Permalink: Sexier.
  • Added:

Annie: Okay, doc. You know, you can talk about transference all you want, but uh, you just pizza transferred your tongue into my mouth. Hard. And I don't think it was just about the pineapple.
Dr. Cohen: I think we're done for tonight.