Good Trouble Season 4 Episode 1 Review: Turn and Face the Strange
Jasmine Blu
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Thank goodness The Coterie is back!
We dove right into the latest drama with Good Trouble Season 4 Episode 1. The series' signature non-linear storytelling was advantageous as it seamlessly allowed for conclusions to the lingering arcs of Good Trouble Season 3 Episode 19 and introduced new ones.
Rarely anything played out as we could've imagined, yet it opened the door for a season full of exciting possibilities.
It's good to have the series back. The opening montage scene of Davia, Callie, Mariana, and Malika strutting in gorgeous outfits, shoes, and accessories, owning their space and preparing to assert themselves and take control of their lives was sublime. Callie's backless top was to die for, and I want it.
It set the tone for what their characters intended to do for the duration of the hour to varying results.
Malika: Isaac showed up last night out of the blue. He wants to get back together and be monogamous just like I offered before he left. I know you probably think I should feel grateful that he's willing to give me a second chance after everything.
Davia: No, not at all. You don't have to be grateful just because a man loves you. You have every right to explore what you want and need.
Mariana has taken on a new mission that somehow manages to combine the Old version of her with the new one. She and the BB girls know about Jackie stealing their idea and running with it. Mariana is willing to throw herself into the fire, ingratiating herself into Revitalize to expose them.
Jackie's wariness of Mariana is warranted. When you do wrong, you constantly have to keep your head on a swivel and eyes open lest your misdeeds catch up to you in some way.
But it's insane that she sent Evan as her errand boy. She hoped he could assess Mariana and get to the bottom of why she would choose to work against her friends like this. Jackie probably intended for Evan to throw Mariana off somehow or figure if she was honest, but it's an odd predicament.
Mariana slipped and told Evan about how Jackie and Revitalize took BB's idea, and it was hard to know if Evan was truthful about if he knew that already or not. Either way, he was unfazed by the ordeal, and interestingly, it feels as though there's little wiggle room anymore for viewers to perceive Evan as anything but gray, at best.
Even as a passive participant in so many unscrupulous things is disappointing. It's about as annoying as it is for Mariana to give the BB girls the time of day again. At this rate, Mariana is the only person in this arc that I care about, and I want better for her.
It's hard to say if anything Mariana did or said to Evan was enough to put Jackie at ease about employing her. Mariana's assertion that she'd rather be with her idea in some capacity than not is solid enough, but things won't be easy for her playing double agent.
She and Evan still have that hint of a connection, but it appears as though we're shifting to another intriguing relationship for Mariana with the new guy, Joaquin. He's easy on the eyes, and he can give Mariana a run for her money, so of course, I'm here for it.
It's suspect AF that an investigator with decent credit (Bless him) moved to the Coterie. He works high-profile cases, too, if that bit about his investigation into a police department is true. Between that and Joaquin's refusal to divulge much information about himself, it feels like we're supposed to be suspicious of him.
His exchange with Mariana was hilarious, though. She's so nosy, and she has nothing that resembles chill. Joaquin only gave her a taste of her own medicine. Hell, I'd have responded the same way to her inquiries. As much as Mariana wrote him off as a dick, we know damn well that she's intrigued.
He stated that he's in a relationship, and by now, Mariana should know better than to sex where she sleeps, but no way those two aren't going to have something flirty going on this season.
Mariana: Do you always answer a question by asking another question?
Joaquin: I thought we were just having conversation.
Mariana: OK, nevermind. You're obviously into playing games.
Despite Mariana often requiring some more balance away from her love life, her flirtation with Joaquin is presently more entertaining than the double agent thing, but we shall see.
But will Gael and Isabella get flirty? Isabella often elicits a mixed fandom response, but doesn't it feel like she's redeemed herself with time? At this rate, she fits in well with the rest of the crew, and she's developing relationships with other people beyond what she has with Gael.
We learned that Isabella needed a village, and she's found it. Like many of the other Coterie members, she needed this found family, and something is touching about her finding her way in the middle of this one.
Gael knows how much Isabella needs this, and he also wants to be an active part of his child's life. By now, it's evident that Isabella is his family, not solely some vessel carrying his child. He cares about her, too, and he genuinely likes having her around.
Isabella subletting Alice's room is a great albeit temporary solution for Isabella right now. If anything, it feels like this only ends with the two of them falling for one another along this pregnancy journey.
But if Isabella is staying in Alice's place, how long will Alice be gone? She's on tour with Margeret Cho, but does that mean we'll only get her presence via video chats? It was hard not to feel this ... shift in The Coterie with its active members, and that's a lot to unpack.
Sumi as acting house manager is entertaining, so there's a light at the end of that tunnel if that's the case.
The lengths Gael went to keep her at the Coterie are shocking. The man is paying to rent two rooms right now! Interestingly, he has two fathers in his life who are sources of support and information for him as he navigates all of this.
Yuri is a temperamental son of a gun, but he's a sad father who loves his daughter and hates that he doesn't get to see her. It's no wonder he gave Gael the advance he needed to ensure that Isabella didn't leave for another city. He doesn't want Gael to experience the heartbreak that he has.
Malika: Isaac showed up last night out of the blue. He wants to get back together and be monogamous just like I offered before he left. I know you probably think I should feel grateful that he's willing to give me a second chance after everything.
Davia: No, not at all. You don't have to be grateful just because a man loves you. You have every right to explore what you want and need.
And Dennis is in a much better place and can discuss fatherhood and his child. He and Gael have always had this extraordinary bond, and they've only grown closer over the seasons. It's nice that he can support Gael through this new stage in his life. But Dennis can also be there for Isabella too, and vice versa.
Good Trouble keeps throwing these new dynamics at us, and it's so much fun. Isabella has a good head on her shoulders, and she's experienced with the restaurant industry, which makes her the perfect person to work alongside Dennis as he embarks on his food truck journey.
Not only does she have a job that she can enjoy, but she's expanding her world at the Coterie by spending time with other people outside of Gael. I look forward to her working relationship with Dennis, as their new friendship is endearing.
It's good for Dennis, too. He could use the help, and it's nice that he's expanding his circle again after his entire existence revolved around Davia.
It's probably the most controversial move of the hour, and my feelings on it shift with my mood.
Gael: I heard you made a choice.
Davia: I did.
Gael: And are you happy?
Davia: I am.
They had fans waiting with bated breath to learn if Davia chose Dennis, and now, we have our answer. Understandably, many people will probably be upset about the outcome, but the door is always open for those two, and they both made some healthy choices.
Davia acknowledged that her relationship with Dennis became something where she was addicted to how much he needed her. It was a big step for her to admit that, and while there's no denying their chemistry and how good they are and can be for one another, that's a healthy conclusion.
It feels like all the characters are doing a bit of soul searching, and they're in the place to do that and make wise choices for themselves. Even as a Denvia 'shipper, one can't deny Davia's points. She spoke facts, and it's so imperative to see a woman validating herself, knowing what she wants, and not settling for anything less than that.
Yet, one also wonders if there will ever be a point where she genuinely believes that Dennis wants her instead of needs her. It felt as if he was trying to prove that to her when he returned, but what else can he do moving forward?
It was amazing to see you laughing today and excited about the food truck and the fact that you went to the children's ward it all made me realize that you're ready to live again and it also made me realize that you don't really need me anymore and need was the foundation of our relationship. You were broken, and I was intoxicated with the idea of saving you, but you saved yourself. And there is a big difference between being needed and wanted, and I want to be wanted.
Davia
Dennis has grown leaps and bounds from the dark place he was when we met him, but even he admitted that he still has a lot of work to do. As intoxicating as these two are, for him, especially, it'll be wonderful to see him broaden his horizons beyond Davia, expand his world and live in the present without her as his sole lifeline.
And you trust that he's in the place to do that now. When Davia and Dennis reunite and come on, it's inevitable, yes? It'll be when they're both in the best place for it, and they enrich each other's worlds rather than being each other's entire world.
Good Trouble isn't afraid of difficult but powerful discussions. They have this way of taking something you desire away from you while also presenting an avenue that reasonably justifies it.
The Denvia teasing without follow-through is dancing on the line of overdone, but they can also back it up with both characters deserving a shot at shining outside of each other.
But just as Davia deserves someone who wants her rather than needs her, so does Matt.
As proud as I was of Davia for beautifully explaining her desires and making what she deemed the right choice for herself, I felt the same about Matt. He's a good guy, and he deserves someone who doesn't have to spend an extended period weighing if they want him or not.
It was the risk Davia took, and Matt's concerns are valid. He's not exactly wrong to have them either.
Regardless of how this plays out for Davia, the growth in her character and ability to know her worth, voice her desires, and do what's best for herself is admirable.
She also had excellent advice for Malika as well. Despite Malika springing her polyamory desires on Isaac, Davia was right that she didn't have to feel grateful that Isaac came back and wanted to be with her again.
No one is the bad guy in this situation. Malika was honest with Isaac, and he had every right to take the time to process things. It's simply unfortunate that it didn't work out for them.
It's putting it lightly. As a hardcore Malika and Isaac 'shipper, this hurts a lot. It's something that will be difficult to get over, but as long as Isaac wants monogamy and Malika doesn't, there's no way these two can make a romantic relationship work.
Neither of them should have to compromise what they need out of a relationship to be with one another. And the closure was well executed. The hour brought us back to their roots with that Love & Basketball-inspired sweetness as they played ball, joked around, and poured their hearts out to one another.
Isaac was trying to go back to the past when Malika was entirely in the present and stepping into her future. At times they struggled to portray this storyline in a way that made Malika sympathetic, for lack of a more apt word.
However, this time around, you got wrapped up in this empowering place in her life she's at right now.
Malika: I'm so sorry that I hurt you.
Isaac: I'm sorry that I left, but I'm back, here, to be with you. I miss you a lot.
Malika: I miss you too. So much. But Isaac, I moved on. I have other relationships I'm invested in. I love you, and I want to always be a part of your life if you'll let me be.
She's not the same person that Isaac left behind months ago, and there's nothing wrong with that. She's grown a lot and come into her own. And she seems genuinely happy with where she is right now, which is all you can want for her.
Of course, one of the best parts about her being polyamorous now is that even if you aren't vibing with one of her partners, ahem, Dyonte, there's always someone else to enjoy. We'll take the wins where we can here, okay?!
If we're losing Isaac, Dyonte still and always has felt like a poor consolation prize. Frankly, the more time we spend with him, the more disenchanting he is. However, Angelica is great, as is the chemistry between her and Malika, and I look forward to the season exploring their dynamic since it's still new.
Things went well when Malika introduced Dyonte and Angelica to each other and her friends as her partners.
But if there's anyone at the Coterie right now stressing us out, it's Callie.
They wasted no time giving us the verdict in Tommy's murder trial, and Kathleen and the gang won when the jury found him Not Guilty. However, they had other pressing matters to address since the Feds were still after Kathleen.
We've spent some time with Callie, and you could sense that she was growing more disillusioned with the work that she's been doing. She wanted to change the world, but her life didn't work out as planned. You could see how annoyed she was when Katheleen gave the Feds the slip and shared more to the story that she omitted.
Callie can't do her job correctly if Kathleen doesn't give her the whole story. However, Kathleen acknowledged that she didn't want Callie to think less of her, which felt genuine. It made it difficult to find a way out of the pickle they were in, though.
Callie: I've been thinking about how I can be a little my way or the highway and I've held everyone up to this black and white standard, but I think we all really just exist in the gray. I guess what I'm trying to say is I've learned that sometimes when you represent a client you have to do things you don't feel good about, and I judged you for that with the Onway situation, and I betrayed your trust, and I'm sorry.
Jamie: I have also learned that betraying your personal ethics isn't always justified even in the pursuit of representing a client and that sometimes you need someone who keeps you accountable.
And there is when things took a genuinely captivating turn when we saw Callie shift a bit in how she conducts herself. No, we don't want Callie to become a whole new person, but growth is essential, and I love that she's on a path toward making some changes in her life.
Sadly, you can't get into a field like law without making compromises and readjusting how you view the world.
Callie using her bond with Tommy to get him to confess and using that to leverage what she needed out of his father was brilliant. However, it was a sleeker, darker, more calculating, and edgier Callie than we've ever seen.
Tommy got away with killing his boyfriend, but it didn't come without a cost. It's the edge that they needed to help Kathleen, though. The threat of exposing the truth so Zack's parents could take them to civil court was an effective one when you knew how much Tommy's father cared about public image.
It's a step in the right direction for Kathleeen, but Callie's conversation with Jamie gives one the impression that she won't want to stick around to deal with the rest. As a selfish viewer, it's worrisome, but as a fan of narrative, it's a bit inspiring.
Callie's speech to Jamie is the type of thing that's been seasons and two series in the making. Through that scene, it was like the writers were speaking directly to viewers who have heavily criticized Callie for some of her choices, her inflexibility, and her fear of allowing herself to blossom into what she wants and needs.
The scene coincided well with the Callie and Wilson one during the finale. She has some soul searching to do, and she's ready to do that. She acknowledged how unfair it is that she can be rigid in her righteousness and not bend and how that can be unrealistic at times.
She held herself accountable for the way she handled things when she and Jamie were together, and he worked the Onway case.
And Jamie returned the acknowledgments but noted that it was important how Callie held him accountable when it came to his sacrificing his ethics and conviction for clients.
Jamie: I still love you, you know.
Callie: I still love you, too. I can't keep jumping from one relationship to another. I need to figure out who I am and what I'm really doing.
Jamie: Yeah, I understand. I support you with that. I got my own soul searching to do.
Callie: I've been like is all of this as good as it gets for me? You know. Maybe it's not. Maybe I can have the moon and the stars if I just find the courage to reach for them. Maybe to do that I need to make some big life changes.
Jamie: How big?
Callie: Big.
Their conversation was by far one of the best ones they've had, and the chemistry between them still crackled. But while Old Callie would lean into it and the comfort of that, diving back into a relationship with this man she loves, this new version of her nipped it in the bud.
She recognized that it hasn't been beneficial for her to jump from one relationship to the next when she needs to work on the one she has with herself.
Callie has to find herself and figure out what she wants out of life and how to attain it. And she has to go after those things unfettered and without fear, a place she's operated from as a trauma response in all the years that we've known her.
The introspection she displayed was enough to give you goosebumps.
As someone who also realized that law wasn't for them and has faced some crossroads, the Callie arc during this hour was so incredibly moving and resonant. It's exactly the type of thing that we've wanted for her for some time.
It's a beautiful journey and exciting prospect for Callie, entering a new phase where she embraces the changes she needs to make and actively pursues them. It also leaves her in an influx and us in a scary, unsettling spot as we try to figure out what that means for her.
Callie's revelations feel both hopeful and ominous. They're incredibly inspiring for the character, but elicit uneasiness for viewers who'd love to see this come to fruition. Why? Because this new chapter for Callie feels like the end of us getting to be a part of it.
She says she wants to make some significant life changes, but good grief, what does that mean?
The type of dialogue feels so raw that you can understand why many are fretting over the possibility of Callie exiting the series.
It's the type of dialogue that manages to fit both the character and this wonderful actress who has blessed us with this portrayal for nearly a decade and would be more than entitled to want some big changes in her life, too. We'll have to see what all this entails!
Over to you, Good Trouble Fanatics.
What would you grade the premiere? Which storylines are you most excited about? How do you feel about the new addition? HIt the comments.
If you missed it, we chatted with the Good Trouble Cast ahead of the premiere about what's upcoming this season. In the meantime, 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.
