I think that I have always had a thing for a mother/daughter story. They’re complicated relationships but they are relationships that teach you a lot about who a person is and who a person thinks they are and who they can be.
I have to admit that I am not sure of what type of relationship we are getting with Ginny & Georgia, 1×01 “Pilot,” or the show in general, but I don’t want to say that they are a modern day Gilmore Girls, because I believe that they are more than that. They are a relationship that I haven’t seen yet, and that’s not a bad thing.
Georgia had Ginny when she was 15. Everything that Georgia does is unconventional, because she’s unconventional. But even though she gave Ginny an unconventional life, she gave her the best life that she could.
And Georgia told Ginny when she was seven, that sex, men want it but you should never give anything unless you’re getting something in return. With sex you only get passion or power, but you better makes sure you’re getting something or you’re just getting screwed.
You know at seven that may be a little too much to share with a child, but it’s something that has stuck with Ginny.
She’s learned from her Mom and though she may not always agree with her Mom, or want to be like her, she is protective of her. Georgia isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but no matter what the issues, she’s still Ginny’s Mom. And that bond – well, that bond is strong.
Ginny, Georgia and Austin (Ginny’s little brother) are moving to Massachusetts. Georgia’s husband – the kids step father – has passed away and they are starting over. It’s something that the kids are somewhat used to. But they want this to be a time with just their Mom. They don’t want her to find a man. They don’t want her to get pregnant.
They just want time with their Mom.
When they get to Massachusetts they find themselves in a beautiful house, a big step up from where they came from. But for Georgia, it reminds her of just how far she’s come. We see flashbacks of her being young and abused.
And I have to admit that I found myself in tears.
POT, OH SHIT, AND A VIBRATOR
Moving into a new neighborhood, you find yourself getting to know the people around you. Well, if you’re unlucky. I personally like to get to know no one. I feel like not knowing they neighbor isn’t a bad thing.
Georgia sees a Mom and son arguing. The Mom is pissed – she caught her son smoking weed on the corner in front of everyone. The kid doesn’t care, but the Mom does.
But this is a neighborhood where you’re supposed to care about perception. And so the Mom ends up coming over to introduce herself. Her name is Ellen Baker. She’s one of those prim and proper Moms and when she find out that Georgia had a daughter at 15, she’s in shock.
But hey, something tells me that Ellen’s always in shock.
Meanwhile, Ginny’s on the phone with her Dad and she’s noticing the boy across the street sneaking out. You can tell she’s taken with him – but hey – we all find someone who captures our attention.
Leave it to Georgia to ruin the moment. She wants all the attention on her. She’s trying to be a good Mom and help her daughter fit in – so she brings her a cable knit sweater. Sure, not my idea of a good time, but who am I? Ginny ain’t wearing it and Georgia’s feeling bad about herself. She doesn’t want hate on Mom time, she wants their relationship to be the way it should be, as they’ve always been like the Gilmore Girls, only with bigger boobs. For Georgia, it’s always been her and her kids against the world.
But Georgia doesn’t know how to tell her kids how she really feels and can’t sleep. Everything is weighing on her mind. She tries to use her vibrator, but it’s out of charge. So there’s a lot of wine and pacing while waiting for a recharge.
And a lot of remembering her past.
But for Georgia, she’s about to make an impression. She sees the kid across the street trying to sneak back in and goes running over to ask him for bud. Marcus gives it to her and as she takes it and runs off, she tells him not to do drugs.
FIRST DAYS OF A NEW LIFE
Now if my Mom showed up at school dressed like Georgia – I would freak the fuck out. But for Austin, his Mom is his hero. She tells him that Harry Potter wouldn’t be scared, but Austin – well he says Ron would. She tells him Ron’s a pussy and I feel like that’s the best thing she coulda said.
Moms – filled with all sorts of wisdom.
Georgia gives her son pep talk and he hugs her. I love the love he has for his Mom. He needs it. And she needs it. She doesn’t like seeing the kids making fun of him hugging her and you can just tell that Georgia loves him so much. She may not be the world’s best mom, but she is filled with a lot of love.
The class Moms come and introduce themselves. It’s like a pack of Stepford wives that are there to torment anyone younger and prettier. They ask her about organic produce, if she thinks its necessary and how she feels about it. The kids don’t have access to it. She says that is a problem and they are glad she sees it that way. They want her to go to the school board meeting and finds herself roped into going.
Georgia has the want to always fit in. She needs to run the good con and have things her way. That is her way of surviving. I get that.
Meanwhile, Ginny is at her first day at a new school. The teacher is talking down to her – if she can’t handle AP English she should move down to regular English. This is how he starts it off with her. She’s not having his bullshit. Ginny’s over it quickly and I love seeing her reaction so much.
The teacher is ignoring her and says that its an excellent time for a pop quiz. Teacher tells her that he doesn’t expect her to take it, as she didn’t have time to read it. She is tired of being talked down to so points out that the reading list is mostly white men, that there is one POC author that she bets will come up for Black History Month, and she’s worried about the list and Ginny puts him in his place. The other kids applaud her. Hell, I legitimately stood up and applauded her.
Ginny’s bad ass.
FRIENDS AND LIES
Ginny is at her locker, when she finds Marcus behind the locker door. He’s talking and you can tell he’s making her nervous. Maxine, from her English class tells him to go away and for Ginny to come with her.
The thing about Max is that she’s outspoken and speaks so dramatically and she’s kind of annoying. But you kind of love her at the same time because she’s making Ginny feel at home. She introduces her to her group of friends which I personally think is great, because starting a new school sucks and no one wants to be alone.
Max is kinda the opposite of Ginny. She’s outspoken and loud and morbid (her word, not mine). She’s into podcasts that talk about girls getting murdered. But she just may be exactly what Ginny needs.
The two sneak off campus for food and it’s a good idea, but also one that is going to cause Ginny’s world to implode. She sees her Mom with a man – which is how shit always goes wrong for her and her brother. Not to mention the promises that her Mom made.
The man that Georgia is flirting with is the mayor. She’s playing a con and Ginny knows it.
Max says all thirsty Moms wants to throw their vag at him.
In the restaurant, Georgia asks Paul for a job. He asks her if she has experience in politics. He says he’s not hiring. But I have a feeling that’s not gonna stop Georgia from getting where she wants.
DON’T FUCK WITH GEORGIA’S KIDS
The thing that I love about Georgia is that her kids are important to her and she wants a better life for them than she has had. She doesn’t want them to suffer and she sure as fuck doesn’t want anyone picking on her kids.
When she goes to the school and sees kids pushing and bullying Austin, she takes the kid behind a bush and allows Austin to punch him. She threatens the kid to keep his mouth shut and then acts like a Mom that found him and wants to make sure that he’s okay.
When she sees Ginny start Marcus’s bike and go on a ride on it – she screams at her daughter. She doesn’t want her daughter making the same mistakes that she did. She sees herself in Ginny – the girl she was and the girl that she thought that she was going to be.
Ginny is pissed at her Mom. She knows that her Mom tells her the same stories over and over again and she doesn’t want to hear them. She’s not going to be her Mom. She doesn’t want to be her Mom. She wants to be herself. And yet she’s a lot like her Mom because she retaliates against her Mom by announcing she was with a man.
Ginny doesn’t want to hear her sob story and Austin doesn’t want to hear her lies.
FIRST DATES AND FINGERS
Ginny has her first date. Hunter seems like a nice kid, but I can guarantee that he has no clue what he is getting into when it comes to Ginny and her family.
Max is more excited for Ginny to go on a date with Hunter than Ginny is. Max is so excited that she says that she’ll be over at 6 to help her get ready. Now, I want to love Max, because she’s a good friend, but she’s a little too pushy for my taste.
And as a good thing happens for Ginny (being asked out on first date) her Mom shows up at school. Ginny hates when her Mom shows up and walks over pissed as fuck. I can’t blame her, because I would have verbally slayed my parents for showing up.
Georgia doesn’t like fighting with her daughter and wants to make up with her. So it’s time for a car picnic – which is an excuse to eat a shit ton of junk food in the car. Ginny ends up making up with her Mom and telling her about her first date.
Now, Hunter and Ginny’s first date is cute, but it’s no earth shattering anything. Hunter’s a cute guy – a good guy. But he’s not right for Ginny. We can all see that. But Ginny has a want to be loved and paid attention to. So, hey, I get it.
But what’s more shocking to me is that after her date, Marcus comes crawling through the window. Now, I’d scream and be like “be gone crazy,” and then kick him in the junk. But Ginny does something that feels way out of character to me – she sleeps with him. Like losing her virginity and not thinking twice about it. And that feels so off to me.
He’s of course cold about it and is like lets not tell anyone. Ugh, I hate Marcus, but at the same point I kinda get the allure of the bad boy.
However I do want to see him go down (not on her – but like I wanna see him suffer).
I LOVE A GOOD SCHEME
Ellen is not who I thought she was. She comes over to smoke weed she stole from Marcus before they have to go to the school board meeting. And quite honestly I didn’t think I would love the relationship that Georgia and Ellen would have, but I do. I feel like Ellen may be the underdog I end up rooting for.
They go to the school board meeting, where Georgia saves the day. Turns out she blackmailed the coffee shop/restaurant owner and I fucking love her for it. She’s a survivor. She’s also a schemer, but like whatever.
This impresses the mayor who gives her a job after asking how she did it. She says that she convinced him that it’s good for the community – but I mean what are you supposed to do? Say I blackmailed him? That doesn’t work well.
Paul (the mayor) will obviously be Georgia’s next mark – but something about him doesn’t make me feel bad for him.
But Georgia getting the guy to give low cost organic meal options – she’s made the Stepford moms happy which seems to be impossible in this town.
But I am all about rooting for the underdog.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- The flashbacks are important and even though at the beginning they will leave you confused, be sure to pay attention
- Ellen is not as Stepford as I thought – she an undercover cool Mom
- Max’s crush of Georgia is too cute. We find out that Max came out when she was 9 to Ellen and her husband Clint. Ellen states they are good with it. I mean, I’d hope so? That’s your kid.
- I don’t like Paul.
- I think Georgia killed her ex-husband by poisoning him and yet I am rooting for her cause if he hurt Ginny, all bets are off.
- The fact that Ginny put Marcus on notice made me stand up and clap! Don’t let a man take advantage of you!
Netflix usually have pretty eventful pilots but with this one, ooof! Really looking forward to watching the rest of the series!