3/2021, UPDATE: 10/10
After finishing the season I absolutely LOVED this show. It touched on so many issues and portrayed teens accurately. I CANNOT wait for season 2. If you were like me and skeptical about the series after the first few episodes, I highly suggest that you keep watching until the end. It will not disappoint.
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Original review: 4/10
Another far fetched fake story that would never be plausible in real life. The teens are entertaining and for that reason I kept watching. Basically every scene with Georgia made me cringe, but that's because of the script, her acting skills are fine. Although, the flashbacks of young Georgia were great. They actually made sense and provided more depth by portraying her trials and tribulations. The flashbacks made her seem cunning, vulnerable, charming, and manipulative, which is the opposite of how Georgia's character was portrayed at present day. Here's why....
There are little things that happen that really bother me because it's so implausible and would never happen in real life. Like Georgia just walking into her neighbor's house to buy a ticket for her daughter. She literally knew her neighbor for less than a week... Get real. I understand they're trying to prove she's eccentric and not like other moms because she's so young, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ALL SOCIAL NORMS SHOULD BE THROWN OUT THE WINDOW.
Like in episode three when Georgia is on the phone with her lawyer asking about when she'll get her money and Ginny walks in the room. While still on the phone with her lawyer, Georgia abruptly says, "have I found Jesus? No. Please take me off of the list of people to call." Then, hangs up on her lawyer. It's just not something that someone would do if they were serious about getting their money. If Georgia was truly cunning, charming, manipulative, and immature she would have just left the room to finish the call and then lied to her daughter about who she was on the phone with. OR she would have been honest with Ginny because then it would convey to the audience that Georgia treats Ginny as more of a confidant and a friend, than a mother who is responsible and shields her daughter from the struggle of financial burden. The way it actually played out was just so stupid.
Another thing, wearing a tight v-neck pink dress to drop the kids off at school? No. The same message could have been conveyed by dressing Georgia in skinny jeans, a sexy top with a plunging neckline, & trendy shoes. It still would have proven that she's more trendy than the other moms. It just looked so odd and out of touch with reality for her to be in that stupid pink dress. Nobody wears stuff like that, even the trendy moms. Not only that, but in a small town where everyone knows everyone it's more likely that Georgia would have been isolated and left to feel unwelcome, than have a warm, inviting welcome where everyone wants to talk to her.
Also, the fact that Georgia introduces herself to the mayor and then suddenly she's working in his office? Probably not. Nobody is that smitten to just give someone a job 30 seconds after meeting them. It also doesn't make sense. Wasn't Georgia like a femme fetale in a sense; scamming people just traveling around the country? Where would she have developed professional skills/experience to be working in the mayor's office? It's as if they're trying to make Georgia's character seem sly, charming, and manipulative, but it just falls flat because it's so ridiculously implausible. She just comes across as an idiot. In the new Netflix series, Firefly Lane, Tully's mom achieves the type of depth that I think this series is trying to portray in Georgia. The films, Catch Me If You Can, and Molly's Game all convey a sly, charming lead. I think the writers of this series underestimate the intelligence of its audience.
I will say, I loved seeing the deaf man and his family doing sign language. That's something that's not portrayed very often in films and tv series. I also like the depth of Ginny's character. She's incredibly intelligent, complex and mature beyond her years, but there's also the naive and innocent aspect that she has from her lack of long term relationships/friendships.
The topics of feminism, racial profiling, self harm, and the teaching of inaccurate history in schools are also highlighted. Which gives the series a relevant and relatable feel.
Overall, I think the series is okay, but some major brainstorming pertaining to Georgia's character needs to be done in order for season 2 to be successful.
There are little things that happen that really bother me because it's so implausible and would never happen in real life. Like Georgia just walking into her neighbor's house to buy a ticket for her daughter. She literally knew her neighbor for less than a week... Get real. I understand they're trying to prove she's eccentric and not like other moms because she's so young, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ALL SOCIAL NORMS SHOULD BE THROWN OUT THE WINDOW.
Like in episode three when Georgia is on the phone with her lawyer asking about when she'll get her money and Ginny walks in the room. While still on the phone with her lawyer, Georgia abruptly says, "have I found Jesus? No. Please take me off of the list of people to call." Then, hangs up on her lawyer. It's just not something that someone would do if they were serious about getting their money. If Georgia was truly cunning, charming, manipulative, and immature she would have just left the room to finish the call and then lied to her daughter about who she was on the phone with. OR she would have been honest with Ginny because then it would convey to the audience that Georgia treats Ginny as more of a confidant and a friend, than a mother who is responsible and shields her daughter from the struggle of financial burden. The way it actually played out was just so stupid.
Another thing, wearing a tight v-neck pink dress to drop the kids off at school? No. The same message could have been conveyed by dressing Georgia in skinny jeans, a sexy top with a plunging neckline, & trendy shoes. It still would have proven that she's more trendy than the other moms. It just looked so odd and out of touch with reality for her to be in that stupid pink dress. Nobody wears stuff like that, even the trendy moms. Not only that, but in a small town where everyone knows everyone it's more likely that Georgia would have been isolated and left to feel unwelcome, than have a warm, inviting welcome where everyone wants to talk to her.
Also, the fact that Georgia introduces herself to the mayor and then suddenly she's working in his office? Probably not. Nobody is that smitten to just give someone a job 30 seconds after meeting them. It also doesn't make sense. Wasn't Georgia like a femme fetale in a sense; scamming people just traveling around the country? Where would she have developed professional skills/experience to be working in the mayor's office? It's as if they're trying to make Georgia's character seem sly, charming, and manipulative, but it just falls flat because it's so ridiculously implausible. She just comes across as an idiot. In the new Netflix series, Firefly Lane, Tully's mom achieves the type of depth that I think this series is trying to portray in Georgia. The films, Catch Me If You Can, and Molly's Game all convey a sly, charming lead. I think the writers of this series underestimate the intelligence of its audience.
I will say, I loved seeing the deaf man and his family doing sign language. That's something that's not portrayed very often in films and tv series. I also like the depth of Ginny's character. She's incredibly intelligent, complex and mature beyond her years, but there's also the naive and innocent aspect that she has from her lack of long term relationships/friendships.
The topics of feminism, racial profiling, self harm, and the teaching of inaccurate history in schools are also highlighted. Which gives the series a relevant and relatable feel.
Overall, I think the series is okay, but some major brainstorming pertaining to Georgia's character needs to be done in order for season 2 to be successful.