Here’s something that I never thought I would say – Good Trouble was actually GOOD. It was not a bunch of people whining over life and pining over shit that doesn’t matter. It actually took the opportunity in life to tell a good story, a relevant story, and make sure that it made an impact.
It wasn’t Mariana whining over life and being passive. It wasn’t Callie being all woah is me while trying to make an impact. It wasn’t Davia being all selfish. It wasn’t Gael deciding who he wanted to be with.
It was actually a good episode about adults coming together for a cause. It was a good episode about where you stand, your ethics, your morals, and standing up for what is right.
And in the same breathe it was wrapping up a storyline while opening up to every character in this show growing and coming into their adulthood. It’s about every character in this show figuring out their path.
And it was powerful.
THE IMPULSE BUY
Callie has a new job and it’s her first day as a lawyer. She’s excited, but who wouldn’t be when everything that you’ve worked for is finally coming to fruition? I have to say, even I am excited for her, even though I am really not a fan of her pantsuit.
I mean, hey, I am a fan of a good pantsuit, but sometimes, they just don’t fit a person. And though I know that lawyers are drab, but like show some personality.
The guys at the new firm call Callie the “impulse buy” because apparently Kathleen is not normally impulsive, but apparently she is now. Who knows why she chose Callie, but the truth is – I am not really sure that I want to know.
Kathleen arrives at work and everyone is so far up her ass, but Callie. Callie isn’t that person. But Kathleen, she tells them all that they are going to the courthouse to get clients.
And the thing is that may be the best for Callie, because there is nothing like being completely immersed and having to learn by trial under fire.
She goes in to meet her first client and she’s not sure of what she’s supposed to do. How does she act? But she learns quickly and goes in to see her client, but she’s surprised. Because right there is Malika.
No one knew that Malika was in jail – well no one from the coterie. And it’s kind of sad to hear why Malika didn’t tell them all. She didn’t want to be a burden, but Malika is not a burden.
She’s a fierce fighter.
And that’s what makes this episode so good – we see the way that everyone bands together to be there for Malika. We see the way that these characters fit in and affect each other.
But we see their love for each other and the way that they stand together. No matter what.
THE IMPULSE LIE
Callies client is a young woman who was arrested for indecent exposure. She was in a car making out with her girlfriend. Callie tries to explain to her that she can get her out, but she wants to take a plea deal.
Her parents don’t know that she’s queer and her father would punish her. She’s not sure of what he would do, but Callie gets it. And she wants to protect her. She gets it.
But when she goes to Kathleen, she’s not having it. She says that she needs to convince her client to not take the plea. Callie doesn’t feel like she can do that, so Kathleen takes the case and says that she will do it.
And she does.
Now, I have been around enough lawyers in my life to know that part of the job is theatrics. And Kathleen is great at putting on a show. She puts on one that the judge is even distracted, doesn’t question, and follows her in stride. Even Callie is entranced with what she is doing.
And Callie believes that Kathleen did exactly what she couldn’t and wouldn’t do – call the clients Dad. But Kathleen didn’t. Sure, we all believed it – but it was a show. Kathleen told Callie that being a lawyer is all about putting on a show. Read the jury, read the judge.
And that’s valuable advice.
Because as Callie takes on her next client, she does just that. She puts on a show. Her colleague had made an ass in front of the judge and he told him that he shouldn’t act like he knew what he was doing if he didn’t. So Callie decides her strategy and asks her client to trust her.
Callie acts like she doesn’t know what she is doing and though she kinda doesn’t – she does an amazing job. Kathleen knows what she’s doing and applauds Callie as she gets her client bail.
THE IMPULSE TO FIX IT ALL ALONE
Malika is in jail, as we know because the judge upped her bail. The group that she volunteers for is trying to crowdfund her bail and are working on getting her out. She’s scared – terrified really. But Malika is always trying to be strong.
And when Callie saw her, she didn’t ask for help for herself. She asked for help for a woman in with her. A woman who the system had failed, that had made it impossible for her to show up, because she needed to take care of her kids. And if she didn’t get out of jail that night, she could loose her job and loose her kids.
Malika was scared when she got in holding, but the women in there tried to immediately to make her feel at ease. They knew what it was like to be in there, to be alone, and to be scared.
And for Malika it was a sign. A sign that she needed to help. That she needed to be there for them.
While everyone is gathering for Malika – she’s worried about everyone else.
And everyone is gathering for her. They’ve got a petition that requests that the charges against Malika be dropped. They are dealing with the DA who is more worried about being re-elected than anything else. She’s not paying attention to the BLM members, but stopping to pose with white supremicists.
And none of them are standing for it. What I loved about this episode was that everyone came together for Malika, but also that everyone came together for what is right.
I don’t pretend to understand what Malika is going through, but I am educating myself. And what I am loving about Good Trouble is that it’s pushing you as a viewer to pay attention and make sure that you are educating yourself about all of the issues out there.
Malika doesn’t deserve to be in jail. What she does deserve is the people that are standing up for her and having her back. What she does deserve it a fair shot.
And a fair shot is what she isn’t getting.
Mariana is trying to help crowd fund Malika’s bail on her app, but the app has been flooded with white supremicists who are the worst of the worst.
Mariana doesn’t want to tell Evan. She wants to ban the people who are doing it and get it under control. But her team is working as hard as they can and for every account they get down – five more pop up.
Mariana is accosted by the white supremicist protestors outside the courthouse and Gael is right there to help her. He’s taping them and helping her get inside. She’s obviously rattled and afraid.
It’s driving her to want to do everything that she can (though she already wanted to cause she wanted to help Malika) to get these bigots off the app. She’s messaging her team, checking in, and seeing what she can do.
But there is little that she can do. She may not want to see it, but the damage has been done.
And her app is going to be associated with the white supremicists. All the work that her and her team have done is going to shit.
She finally realizes that she needs to go to Evan. This is bigger than her.
GIVING TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT MORE
Malika is in jail, but the good news is that her bail was raised. She has a way out. And the lawyer is coming to get her.
But remember those women that made her feel safe. The ones that listened to her story and she listened to theirs. The ones with families who they need to be there for.
Malika asks that the bail that is raised to help her is used to bail these women out who need it more than her. She is putting them before herself and honestly, I am blown away. Fear would get the best of me, but Malika is doing what is right, which all of us should have to the courage to do.
But we rarely do.
THE QUIT
But it is her doing what is right that changes the way that the others are doing things. Mariana goes back to speculate and tells Evan that they need to take the app down. But Evan says no.
He says that they can’t take it down, it wouldn’t be good for business, even if they don’t agree with what the people are saying.
He tells her that he’s sorry, but he has to think of everyone there and he has to put the business first.
Mariana is a better woman than me, cause I woulda slapped a bitch. Like this is a matter of what is right and wrong. And this is wrong. I was so fucking pissed to see Evan so whatever about the whole thing. But I applauded Mariana because of what she did next.
She quit. She straight up QUIT. She was like nope, this is a matter of what is right or wrong and this is wrong. Evan is more like worried about his relationship with her – which makes him gross.
Look, I get business. But when something is wrong, you say it’s wrong. You do something about it.
Mariana’s entire team leaves with her. They are like fuck it, we’ll start our own startup. And I applaud them.
THE COTERIE FAMILY
Mariana and Callie are back in their room talking about their day. They’ve both has a really shit day and they are there for each other. I love their sisterhood.
The rest of the peeps are in the kitchen area and talking. The coterie team is all there for each other.
And they are all there to hear Alice’s good news. She got a spot in the comedy diversity group – even though she skipped her audition because she was at the sit in for Malika.
And as they are all standing there and figuring out what to do, worried about Malika, and trying to figure out what is happening – people come walking in and we find out that Malika has been released and the charges have been dropped.
I may have straight up cried.
Malika’s charges have been hanging over last season and this season. It’s a breathe of relief that she now can live her life and do things without the fear that she had because of these specific charges. Her journey is just beginning but the changes that she will make in the world and the impact she will have – that’s going to be beautiful.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- I want to like Davia, but I don’t. And I am so confused by the way she acts. She is way too afraid of things, doesn’t know her own worth, and needs to learn it. Am I glad she finally stood up for her students and the put herself on the line? Yes. But I think it should have come sooner.
- I really kinda want Gael and Callie together. I’m glad Jamie isn’t in our faces, but I have a feeling that he’ll be back.
- I like the fact that Callie isn’t working for legal aide, but I am a little afraid of how her new job will impact her.
- Did I mention I like Gael this season?
- Alice was actually pretty funny.
- The video that Gael and that dude made and the impact that it made. PROUD. Use your skills to make an impact.
Good Trouble airs Wednesday on Freeform.
