

TV Reviews
Good Girls Series Finale Review – I’m the Boss (4×15 and 4×16)
Beth finally did it. She finally became the boss.
But it cost her a whole lot.
On Good Girls Season 4 Episode 15 and 16, (which sadly served as the series finale after NBC canceled the show) Beth ran for City Council and won. She also did her best to bring down Nick before realizing that it was one of the goals she and Rio had in common.
I’m not going to lie — that final moment of Rio and Beth sitting on a bench together was a pretty perfect ending. Beth finally realized what was pretty obvious all along: she was never going to enjoy Nevada. Her dream of Nevada proved that they could never outrun their problems because they weren’t external, they were internal issues.
Rio pushed the hair out of her face and acknowledged that she finally leveled up the way he always wanted and expected her to. By doing so, he also admitted that he had real feelings for her. I’m not okay.
If the series continued on, it would have been great to see what they would accomplish next as equals… well, technically, she was his boss now. We would have seen #Brio happen. I’m so mad that the show wasn’t renewed, but I’m also somehow content at least knowing that the two of them will continue ruling the world together.
Beth always needed to stop fighting who she was in order to step into her glory.
However, as I said before, becoming who she really was cost her, including her husband Dean. (Okay, let’s be honest, she wasn’t even that distraught by any of it because she got the job, the boss life, and Rio!)
After Beth was shot and refused to tell the police who did it, Dean realized that he couldn’t do this anymore and left her.
The dream of utopia — Nevada — died for Annie also when she was arrested.
I’m kind of unclear about what happened here, so maybe someone can explain it to me.
Mick shot Beth to teach her that there are consequences for her actions. It was clearly a call made by Nick, which is odd since Mick is Rio’s boy. But I guess since they were all on Nick’s payroll, it made sense?
Anyway, once Beth brought it up, Annie realized she was in some trouble and forfeited her dream of leaving for Nevada with Kevin and Ben. What did she have to do with the gun that I’m assuming was the same one that was linked to Lucy’s death and thus, had Beth’s and only Beth’s prints on it.
How was it pinned on Annie?
And wouldn’t Beth be able to get her out with the new powers her gig gave her? That is unless Nick was able to get Annie’s prints off of the keycard she stole from his assistant and framed her that way.
If someone has an explanation here, I’m all ears!
https://twitter.com/notebrookepaper/status/1418406464507498499?s=20
If Annie was framed as payback, it would explain why he said that he “hit her where it hurts.” But how would Annie know she was being framed?!
In the end, the siblings were the ones to take the fall while Beth and Rio came out on top.
And Ruby was forced to choose between being loyal to Beth and Annie or to her family.
She hesitantly chose her family, and honestly, it’s probably for the best.
Beth has chosen Rio and a life of crime, but Ruby doesn’t need to be dragged down any further. She was loyal this whole time, but she can move on.
My hope for Ruby is that she successfully gets out of town and opens up her own Hill’s Nails with Stan!
It’s possible that the storyline with Vance would have continued on into Season 4, but nothing was actually resolved with him in this episode. It’s unfortunate as the series spent so much time investing in his character.
I would’ve loved to see Dean and Stan take him down for manipulating them. He deserved it.
Dean has never been my favorite character, but he was exceptionally dense this season. I know Beth’s lifestyle can be a handful, but she’s always been in Dean’s corner. She may be the reason he got arrested, but she was also trying to remedy that situation. Somewhere along the lines, his house arrest stopped being a thing, so I’m guessing that she took care of it by partnering up with the FBI again on the low? Point is, Beth had his back, while he didn’t have hers.
Dean wanted so badly to trust someone that he ended up being made a fool of by Vance, who was using him this whole time.
No wonder Dean has such trust issues.
Admittedly, the fact that Vance wanted to blackmail Beth into plugging his face cream was a bit of a letdown, but it would be something so trivial that got Dean all caught up.
And that’s yet another reason why I’m so glad Beth ended up with Rio by her side. He always believed in her, and while his methods of pushing her were questionable, he never left or turned his back on her.
If there’s any truth to the rumors that NBC canceled Good Girls because Manny Montana wouldn’t take a pay cut are true, it makes sense. How could the show continue on without him when he’s now closer to Beth than ever before? They are the A-team, so there’s no show without him.
The FBI storyline also felt watered down. It’s unclear how they were able to take down Nick since they were never there on official business, but I like that the storyline revealed that all the money laundering accounts were in grandma’s name.
Rio knew that Nick would never let granny go down for it.
Beth and Rio made it very clear to Nick that he couldn’t get away with playing them. Nick tried to use Beth as a scapegoat, but Rio didn’t allow it because that’s his girl. No one messes with her.
But I don’t think for a second that Nick would’ve stayed in prison for long. My guess is if that the show continued, it would have been Beth and Rio versus Nick.
Overall, I like where the storyline ended up, but the final few episodes felt so choppy that I kept wondering if I missed something.
The road was also frustrating.
Season 1 was a massive success because the show was so thrilling and revolutionary, however, everything that came after was a bit “meh” because Beth and the ladies constantly got caught up in the same problems over and over. They kept making the same mistakes and never seemed to learn their lesson.
But now, Beth finally reached her full potential. It would’ve been interesting to see it manifest on screen, and it’s a shame we never will.
What did you think of the Good Girls two-hour series finale?
The Buccaneers
The Buccaneers Season 1 Episode 5 Review – Failed Betrayal

The Buccaneers Season 1 Episode 5 reunited Nan, Theo and Guy, a friendship that took on a very weird vibe following Guy’s very candid telegram in which he poured his heart out for his best friend’s fiancé. A telegram that Nan, unfortunately, never received and that ended up in the hands of Theo instead.
Now, before you start feeling sorry for Theo, he showed a different side of himself during the episode, a side that Nan has never seen before, and I’d argue one that revealed his true colors. He later informed her that he wasn’t being himself during the Bonfire night at Guy’s (celebrating Guy Fawke’s failed Gunpowder Plot, no less, which allowed them to deliver some very on-the-nose lines about Theo “burning Guy to the ground” without anyone batting an eyelash), however, is that really the way anyone treats their best friend… a best friend that he knows is going through another kind of hell in the aftermath of his mother’s death?
Theo basically throws it in Guy’s face that he’s poor now and can’t afford the servants and staff, which is just ugly and telling. Of course, his attempt at belittling Guy comes from a place of insecurity as he knows how Guy feels about Nan, and he’s desperately afraid of losing her. If he hadn’t revealed that Guy’s whole plan was to find an American girl with money to save the family fortune, Nan likely would’ve remained very conflicted about her feelings for both men, but once she realized what Guy was playing at—which we know was his initial motivation before he actually fell for her—she shot him down as both a friend and a romantic interest. It was brutal and heartbreaking, especially when you consider that it’s not that far off from what Lord Seadown’s parents were doing by marrying him off to Jinny. Why was it a problem when Guy wanted someone wealthy but not when the others did?
The unfortunate truth is that Guy’s feelings were, in fact, authentic, and the passion displayed between them when they shared a kiss was proof that Nan should’ve followed her heart to the man who would be her equal. Theo can apologize all he wants, but his actions speak far louder, and he went out of his way to invite Jean, on Guy’s behalf, to get him away from Nan. And when Guy expressed zero interest in Jean, he suggested that she’s a “very nice girl”–ahem, someone with money–whom he should give another chance.
Also, it would have been great if Nan pieced together that Theo’s actions were a result of seeing the telegram as it was fairly obvious what was going on.
We already have one St. George sister in a toxic and controlling marriage, and not that I think Theo is anywhere as bad as Seadown, but there are definitely red flags.
Speaking of Jinny and Seadown, the poor girl is walking on eggshells around him and apologizing for being such a disappointment. The more we see this relationship, the more we see him breaking down her spirit, a glimmer we see return when she and Lizzy ditch the maze and go off for a fun day together. Lizzy is determined to make Seadown pay for the shame he caused her, particularly after the heartwarming and inspiring conversation she shares with Guy, who informs her that it’s not her shame to carry.
She antagonizes Seadown at every turn—and I can’t blame her, it’s too easy. It was just heartbreaking to see Jinny sit outside of the bedroom when he locked her out as punishment.
There’s also Mabel and Honoria, who had a moment of bliss together playing pretend before Mabel broke her heart by informing her that she’s so tired of playing pretend when all of her friends are praised and celebrated for their romantic endeavors–many of which are far worse than an LGBTQ relationship, but you know, the times.
And then there’s Conchita and Dick, who are madly in love with each other but not on the same page when it comes to their life together. From their brief interaction, it’s revealed that she made the decision to move out with her baby, which Dick supports, though he knows it’s not going to sit well with his parents. However, it seems like he begins to doubt his decision when he sees how happy Conchie is and remembers how much he loves her—maybe trading in his power for freedom would be the wise choice in this situation.
Of course, there’s so much we still don’t know about Dick, including his prior relationship with Mrs. Testvalley, so it’s hard to determine where his heart lies or whether he’ll be brave enough to risk it all for his family.
By the end of the episode, it’s clear that none of these newfound relationships are actually rooted in happiness, though everyone is going above and beyond to pretend that they are. Nan has chosen to stick by Theo’s side and go through with the wedding, though I anticipate many bumps in the road as she’s unable to shake her feelings for Guy. She may be heartbroken and disappointed by the revelation that he was using her, but that doesn’t mean getting over him or forgetting about him will be any easier, especially as he’s always going to be around as her fiancè’s bestie.
Will Lizzy hold her ground or will Seadown scare her off? Will Jinny eventually confide in her girls that she’s married to the devil? How will Mabel and Honoria move on with their relationship? And will Conchita and Dick find a way to be together?
Sullivan's Crossing
Sullivan’s Crossing Season 1 Episode 8 Review – Aftershock

Sullivan’s Crossing Season 1 Episode 8 has finally given the people what they wanted.
Maggie and Andrew’s breakup was immediately followed by Maggie and Cal’s first (and very passionate) kiss. As far as first kisses go on television, this one was pretty solid.
And it didn’t feel wrong either or like it was Maggie’s rebound—it felt right. And that’s likely because of the build-up to the moment, which happened not only through their friendship from the first episode when Maggie stepped foot into Sullivan’s Crossing but also throughout the episode as she checked in on him and confided in him.
Maggie and Cal seem to gravitate toward each other without much of an effort; it all comes so easily for them. Part of what Maggie finds attractive also includes Cal’s deep interest in her. He actually listens to what she has to say, which, as she notes, is rare for the men in her life.
When Cal takes her on a picnic to his favorite spot, it turns out to be her favorite spot town as well, and it’s not lost on audiences that his excitement for this little date makes up for the lack of excitement Andrew displayed when she brought him to the same location.
Maggie and Cal, who we find out is actually named California Jones in a full moment of trust (fitting since his parents were nomads but also, was that a little shoutout to A Cinderella Story fans? We see you nomad 609!), fit like a glove, and when things just make sense, it’s hard to fight them. When everything is so complicated, it’s hard to fight the thing that is easy.
Of course, in a tense promo for the upcoming episode, both Maggie and Cal try to brush off what happened saying that it was an emotional day for both of them, but that’s clearly Cal’s attempt at minimizing it because he thinks it’s too soon for Maggie. However, as I mentioned above, Maggie may be confused about a lot of things, but she’s not confused about her feelings for Cal, which she’s been fighting since day one.
She wasn’t able to tell Andrew she loved him because deep down inside, she knew she didn’t and that he wasn’t the one. Everything happens for a reason, and it’s fair to need some time and space to get over a breakup, it’s not always necessary when that relationship was done in your mind for a very long time.
Andrew picked up on all of this, and so, in a way, we should be thanking him for walking away and giving Maggie the space to figure it out and find the right man for her. Life’s too short to force a relationship with someone you aren’t excited about spending the rest of your life with.
Cal knows all too well just how short life is having arrived in Sullivan’s Crossing to pick up the pieces following Lynne’s death. While it seems as though the loss is recent, he’s clearly done the work of moving on, acknowledging that while he’ll always love her, he promised her that he’d find someone else worthy of sharing his life with. I don’t think Cal took the kiss lightly at all, though he’s respectable and will give Maggie all the space she needs to figure everything out.
Maggie is in a weird place as she’s not ready to make any big life decisions, something Andrew should’ve figured when he proposed and tried to buy them a house, while she’s anticipating this career-defining trial. Cal seems to understand that, allowing Maggie to move at her own pace and giving her tools to deal with the stress and anxiety rather than pressuring her to do anything she’s uncomfortable with.
The trial will have a huge effect on her life, but she’s mostly worried about losing everything she’s worked for, whereas her conversation with Cal begs the question—is that the life she even wants? Cal also went to law school and after Lynne’s death, he realized there are so many better things to be doing than working a job you’re not passionate about.
From where I’m standing, Maggie can make good use of her medical education by helping the town she grew up in—there’s no shortage of events and issues demanding her attention. We get to see a snippet of it when she assists Jackson, who fell during a climb. Maggie did mention she’s an adrenaline junkie, so working out in the field is not only to give her the needed dose, but she’ll feel rewarded helping the people she cares about.
A career pivot is often necessary if it makes you happy and reframe your outlook on life.
Maggie might also stay out of a necessity to help Sully salvage the campground now that she’s been made aware of his financial troubles. It’s so like Sully to shield her from the reality of the situation.
I like Maggie, but man, she gives him such a hard time and never considers how losing her affected him. She needs to look at things big picture and stop painting Sully as the enemy when he was also a victim of her mother Phoebe’s actions. Maggie went through a ton of trauma and heartache losing her father, but it wasn’t easy on him either, and I hope she realizes that sooner rather than later—and hopefully before her cutting words lead him to pick up the bottle again.
Sully informed Frank that he was doing alright despite his minor relapse, and let’s hope that’s the case. Frank was too scared to tell his friend about his upcoming trip with Edna because he felt personally responsible for Sully’s wellbeing, however, that’s too much of a burden to place on anyone. They’re positive influences, surely, but the decision to stay sober has to be internal.
Maggie’s presence, despite their fraught relationship, will be helpful during their absence, but I don’t know how Sully will recover from Jackson’s injury while climbing.
Other moments in the episode included Sydney and Rafe going on their first date (though the other two blooming couples on the series, Maggie and Cal and Jackson and Kaleb somehow had way more chemistry than these two) to get to know each other a little better, though things took a bit of a downturn when Rafe mentioned her modeling in New York. Something clearly happened during her short-lived modeling career that causes distress whenever it’s mentioned.
Jackson and Kaleb barely got to set out on their climb when the latter felt dizzy and nauseous and couldn’t get back up. Jackson sought Cal’s help, and thankfully, Maggie was there to assist, immediately recognizing the symptoms as vertigo. The epley maneuver is one to keep in your back pocket, folks, as it’s a lifesaver (when done right) if your crystals ever get displaced, which happens more than you’d imagine.
What did you think of the episode? Did you enjoy all the momentum surrounding Maggie and Cal’s romance? Will they hit the brakes as she tries to make sense of her life, or will she realize that her life is slowly beginning to make sense because of him?
The Santa Clauses
The Santa Clauses Season 2 Episode 4 Recap – Miracle on Dead Creek

Operation Save Easter is in full swing on The Santa Clauses Season 2 Episode 4. Easter was celebrated as the holiday became the North Pole’s problem after Sandra accidentally turned the Easter Bunny into an actual bunny.
While Scott isn’t used to hiding Easter eggs and delivering baskets, he is used to sneaking into homes unnoticed to drop off goodies, so all they really needed to adjust was the costume—a funny hat, an eggplant coat, and an invisibility cloak that could’ve been straight from Hogwarts.
Naturally, Cal assisted as part of his “Santa training,” which hasn’t been going so well, and while he definitely proved he has a long way to go when he mistakenly hid the Stink Eggs from the Basket of Tricks versus the actual eggs, it helped him get his mind off of Riley.
Everything was going pretty smoothly, in fact, aside from Cal and Scott needing to backtrack to a few houses until Scott decided to be a good dad and stop by Riley’s place so that his son could see her. We knew Cal’s love life was going to cause problems, but in a way, it’s also a good thing that it brought the whole Mad Santa situation into Scott’s orbit as the elves were never going to fess up. Plus, it helped him make sense of the visions he was having.
The arrival at Riley’s set off the alarms for Mad Santa, who put a whole plan into motion by using North Pole magic to turn Santaland into a premiere winter destination that rivaled the North Pole. Little did he know, Santa was actually in town for a different reason—and the elves chose to keep the North Pole magic being used in America a secret from Santa, as they were determined to keep him from finding out the truth about Mad Santa.
Was it the best decision? Likely not. But Noel is doing his best and hoping that it’s enough. Plus, they all vowed to protect Santa at all costs by closely monitoring him. When they realized he was on a collision course with Mad Santa, the emergency protocol was enacted just as Scott and Cal got caught in a trap set up by Olga.
Mrs. Clause was the true hero of the episode, however, taking her jetpack to save her husband and son once she found out the truth about the missing nutcracker coming to life in Chicago. She never panics or misses a beat, which was also evident when she enlisted Sandra’s help to scavenge the Easter Bunny’s house to save the holiday.
She use the opportunity to reconnect with Sandra, who was struggling from her fallout with La Befana and swore never to use magic again, despite the fact that she’s a witch.
While I don’t know if destroying the Easter Bunny’s house—and defending it by saying he’s so messy he won’t even notice it—was the right move, it was sweet that she helped Sandra find an outlet to channel all of that anger. As women, we often need to be reminded that it is okay to be angry, and there’s a healthy way of getting all those emotions out without repressing them and letting them fester and make us resentful.
Overall, there were a few key developments, but mostly, the episode felt more like a filler, especially all the scenes with the Sandman. Even though Scott learned of Magnus Antas’ existence and came face to face with him, we will have to wait until next week’s episode to see what comes of it. Will he be furious with the elves, especially poor Noel?
What happened to him when he got hit with the ball of fire? Will Cal and Sandra play a role in helping Santa Scott defeat Mad Santa?
And what’s Magnus’ plan now that Santa is aware of him? It feels like he’s run his course in Santaland. You’d think Kris would’ve realized by now that Mad Santa is actually a villain, but alas, he’s just happy that he can make his father proud with his Christmas-themed park now a roaring success.
Also, where is our girl Betty? Why aren’t we seeing more of her adventures in the real world?
What did you think of the episode? Are you enjoying the season thus far?
- Sullivan's Crossing3 weeks ago
Sullivan’s Crossing Season 1 Episode 6 Review – Boiling Point
- Upload3 weeks ago
Upload Season 3 Finale Recap Episodes 7 and 8 – Upload Day & Flesh and Blood
- Found3 weeks ago
Found Season 1 Episode 6 Review – Missing While Addicted
- The Buccaneers2 weeks ago
The Buccaneers Season 1 Episode 4 Recap – Homecoming
- Found2 weeks ago
Found Season 1 Episode 7 Recap – Missing While Indigenous
- Goosebumps3 weeks ago
Goosebumps Season 1 Episode 9 Review – Night of the Living Dummy: Part 2
- The Santa Clauses2 weeks ago
The Santa Clauses Season 2 Episode 3 Review – No Magic at the Dinner Table!
- The Santa Clauses6 days ago
The Santa Clauses Season 2 Episode 4 Recap – Miracle on Dead Creek
1 Comment