If you thought the Dean redemption tour was over, you were sorely mistaken.

Good Girls Season 4 Episode 3 reminded us again of the side of Dean that often gets buried under the cheating, lying, and arrogance that jumps out of him on any given day. It’s the kinder side that wants his perfect little life with the woman he fell in love with in high school.

But he’s constantly reminded that Beth, as he knew her, no longer exists. And that life no longer exists. So what’s he going to do about it?

The story of Dean is a rollercoaster ride. He went from loathed character to somewhat relatable, annoying and forgettable, and everything else in between. There’s an indifference that floats alongside Dean because it’s pretty apparent that he is who he is at this point in the story.

He’s a good father, and he’s a decent man in some ways. And other ways, not so much. But at his core, he seems to be someone who just wants to be loved and appreciated.

That’s the genesis of Dean Boland. And he’s happy to step into that role whenever it suits him.

It’s kind of sad when you think about it. The flashbacks work within this hour to show us a Dean fighting for acceptance and doing what he can to get Beth to like him. And that’s not to say his actions didn’t come from a good place, but it’s still just a part of who Dean has always been.

He wants to feel needed.

Now he’s being faced with a choice where his arrogance could win out, or the Dean of yesteryears could emerge. And it’s not surprising that he goes the route of saving Beth (and his family) by taking the fall.

Dean’s biggest issue with everything involving Beth and her extracurricular activities has been centered around the Rio of it all. And while he and Beth both cheated at respective points during their marriage, no one Dean ever slept with tried to kill Beth or actively put her family in harm’s way.

Tell me one thing. Was he part of it?
Dean [to Beth]

Permalink: Tell me one thing. Was he part of it?

So, if there’s one thing you can sympathize with Dean about, it’s that every twist and turn of their life as of late is directly connected to Rio. And though she’s actively trying to get rid of him, he’s still a part of everything, and Dean would have never gone along with Boland Bubbles had he known that.

When you think about it, what a crazy web Beth (and Ruby and Annie) have weaved throughout the years. With all these different parts dependent upon one another and clueless to how much they’ve relied on someone else.

Although the heat is always on, it’s also no wonder they have yet to be the ones behind bars. Though being suburban moms definitely bolsters their case.

Now it’s hard to fathom Beth just letting Dean rot away in jail for years, so I’m sure there will be another trick up her sleeve. But what could it be?

Rio has always been and will always be a bigger fish than Beth, so while eliminating him comes from both a professional and personal place for Beth, trying to set him up with the FEDs could be an option for her.

Though that didn’t work at all for her last time, and if you’re going to take ANOTHER shot at Rio, you can not miss.

This brings us to the hitman, who is seriously just one of the weirder characters this show has produced. And we’ve had to sit through multiple episodes of Boomer.

He came in on his high horse thinking he would save Beth from whatever he thought she needed saving from, and he couldn’t be more wrong. Because if there’s one thing Beth has proven, it’s that she can take care of herself.

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And she most certainly does not need a man riding into the rescue her at every turn.

I’ve been asking this question forever, and until we get some clarity, it’s worth bringing up. Does the hitman succeed in killing Rio?

Love him or hate him; Rio is a massive part of the Good Girls appeal even when his screentime is limited.

Beth: I need a loan.
Rio: For what?
Beth: Bail.
Rio: Yeah, that's not my thing.
Beth: I need to get him out.
Rio: Nah. You need a fall guy if you ever tying to make money again.
Beth: It's not his fault.
Rio: I told you to be smart, right?
Beth: I was.
Rio: Then how'd they get your books?
Beth: He didn't know.
Rio: Why he's the perfect fall guy.

Permalink: Why he's the perfect fall guy.

The Beth and Rio mentor/mentee, lovers/enemies storyline is one of the series’s biggest draws and losing that would be a significant blow. Not to mention, Rio is truly the series villain, even when it’s not framed that way.

There have been other villains along the way who have served different purposes. And the authorities will always be a looming threat, but everything starts and ends with Rio and his relationship with not only Beth but Ruby and Annie.

That conflict is at the core of Good Girls. And removing it would mean remaking the whole thing.

Stan’s story was kind of an afterthought this hour, but him getting involved with his ultra slimy and sleazy boss is sure to have some serious consequences down the line. He’s going to be putting himself in some sketchy situations, and you know he’s not going to tell Ruby about it.

It’ll be interesting to see if all the worlds collide somehow. Ruby will inevitably find out something isn’t right, and perhaps that will put the ladies in Gene’s crosshairs moving forward.

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There’s a lot of possibilities here, and after a so-so Good Girls Season 3, it looks like they hit the reset button and came up with some very intriguing things to work with this time around.

Things are looking up for a brighter and better Good Girls Season 4.

Odds and Ends

Poor Eric. He’s the real MVP of this installment. Willing to get out of his mundane life and take one for the team essentially because Dean was one of the only people in his life who made him feel like he mattered. Make Eric a character witness for Dean if that time ever has to come.

The cops taking off with the money was so unrealistic and yet so in line with something that would happen to not only the ladies but Eric as well. Again, poor guy.

You can’t help but feel bad for Annie as the rift between her and Ben widens. But she did good by putting Ben’s needs before her own.

Did anyone else miss Dave being Henry’s Dave that he mentioned multiple times in season 3? Because I most certainly did.

There are a lot of on-screen pairings with chemistry on television these days. But let’s just take a minute to appreciate Christina Hendricks and Manny Montana’s insane chemistry that has them turning a simple scene shooting pool into a private moment viewers feel like they’re intruding on.