S01.E08: Check One, Check Other

[Meredith Quill]

Quote

Ginny draws inspiration from her dad when writing an essay she hopes to submit to a prestigious contest — but the result breeds friction with Hunter.

 

[paulvdb]

So Kenny was not the first guy Georgia killed. I was not surprised by that reveal. And of course Marcus got in an accident. Never ride your motorcycle in anger. They're dangerous enough without the added distraction.

[kieyra]

I thought the fight with Ginny and Hunter was interesting, and also showed us a side of Hunter we haven't seen before (i.e., anything other than 'perfect boyfriend'). 

I loved Georgia's impromptu slam poetry performance about finding Marcus climbing in through the window. The actress’s delivery is everything.

I have weird defenses against/intense dislike of shows trying to sell me a 'redeemed bad boy love triangle' arc, which obviously has been coming all season, but I'm beginning to cave a bit with Marcus. Of course, that's only happening because they've done a 180 on his personality. From apathetic d-bag to sobbing romantic to injured victim. Which I guess is why I hate these arcs. 

I appreciate the way we are seeing Abby slowly crumble in the background, while no one notices. They've been relatively subtle (for this show) with it. With some of the ways she acts out, I wonder if she's secretly in love with Max. 

Ginny's self harm: I have a feeling I missed a scene or two. I recall the self-harm PSA tags on earlier episodes, and not being sure why they were there. The stuff with the lighter came out of nowhere for me. I guess this episode wasn't its first appearance?

A couple of episodes to go, and still way more invested in this show than I would typically be for this kind of offering. (I admittedly have to ignore the whole "Georgia is a serial killer" arc, because nah.)

[peachmangosteen]

4 hours ago, kieyra said:

Ginny's self harm: I have a feeling I missed a scene or two. I recall the self-harm PSA tags on earlier episodes, and not being sure why they were there. The stuff with the lighter came out of nowhere for me. I guess this episode wasn't its first appearance?

Yea, she’s done it to her lower stomach with a lighter twice before I believe. And she also burned her hand/finger on a candle once.

For such a silly fluff piece there is a lot of darkness in this. I kinda like how they’re doing that, although they are piling on a bit too much trauma imo.

[Whimsy]

On 2/27/2021 at 4:11 PM, peachmangosteen said:

Yea, she’s done it to her lower stomach with a lighter twice before I believe. And she also burned her hand/finger on a candle once.

For such a silly fluff piece there is a lot of darkness in this. I kinda like how they’re doing that, although they are piling on a bit too much trauma imo.

Pretty sure it was her upper thigh, but yeah, they’ve showed it at least once before. 

[kieyra]

I can watch Georgia doing the “Motherhood” poetry performance basically on loop.

Abbywatch: yep, I officially want to see the version of this show that’s from her POV. 

[dubbel zout]

On 2/27/2021 at 11:47 AM, kieyra said:

I thought the fight with Ginny and Hunter was interesting, and also showed us a side of Hunter we haven't seen before (i.e., anything other than 'perfect boyfriend'). 

That was the most interesting and authentic he's been, IMO.

On 3/1/2021 at 12:20 PM, Whimsy said:

Pretty sure it was her upper thigh, but yeah, they’ve showed it at least once before. 

It is her upper thigh.

3 hours ago, kieyra said:

I can watch Georgia doing the “Motherhood” poetry performance basically on loop.

That was great, and I loved how impressed Zion was. Hee.

[ShortyMac]

6 hours ago, kieyra said:

I can watch Georgia doing the “Motherhood” poetry performance basically on loop.

Same.

[PrincessPurrsALot]

I liked the scene with Hunter and Ginny.  That was real talk coming from someone who is so often painted as too perfect and above the fray.  Ginny's piece was impressive but it did not meet the brief.  The teacher, who may well have a racial/gender bias, can still be making this particular decision based on the type of work he has seen best succeed at the next level in the competition. 

I do like how they are showcasing that Ginny's friends know the ins and outs of the college admissions process whereas she has had no guidance up until now.  I hear all of their extracurriculars and wonder how they ever have time for parties and hallway chats. 

[dubbel zout]

29 minutes ago, PrincessPurrsALot said:

Ginny's piece was impressive but it did not meet the brief.  The teacher, who may well have a racial/gender bias, can still be making this particular decision based on the type of work he has seen best succeed at the next level in the competition. 

I was kind of torn over this. The rules did specify an essay, but Ginny's piece wasn't that far outside the brief. I wish the teacher had decided that it was worth pushing the envelope here because Ginny's piece was so obviously the better one, judged objectively. Had Hunter done something like that (he wouldn't, but never mind), I bet he still would have won because the teacher really had it in for Ginny.

I also felt like the teacher was more concerned about the school getting an enhanced reputation with Hunter's essay more than what it meant for Hunter himself. (Though it's not as if Hunter needed more for his college application!)

[truthaboutluv]

On 3/22/2021 at 5:50 PM, dubbel zout said:

I was kind of torn over this. The rules did specify an essay, but Ginny's piece wasn't that far outside the brief. I wish the teacher had decided that it was worth pushing the envelope here because Ginny's piece was so obviously the better one, judged objectively. Had Hunter done something like that (he wouldn't, but never mind), I bet he still would have won because the teacher really had it in for Ginny.

I also felt like the teacher was more concerned about the school getting an enhanced reputation with Hunter's essay more than what it meant for Hunter himself. (Though it's not as if Hunter needed more for his college application!)

To be honest, other than the fact that Ginny and the teacher had a previous run in in one of the earlier episodes, I didn't feel like the episode gave enough to read so much into the teacher's motivation. Like from what was shown only in this episode, I thought the reasons for his decision made sense. 

Because to be honest, the whole time Ginny was presenting, I kept thinking, "okay she's now decided she's a slam poet after going to the slam poetry with her dad but this isn't exactly meeting the criteria for the assignment". Also, I may have missed it but in the whole presentation, did she ever answer the question of where is the place she feels she most belongs?

So yeah Hunter's essay sounded as dull and predictable as he'd been up to that point but I can see the teacher, having likely worked with other students for this competition, knowing that it was the better fit. 

Watching this show officially makes me feel old (like Georgia I too was traumatized when the girls called Britney Spears vintage) because I feel like 15 year old me would be more into and understanding of Ginny and instead, while I know where her pain is coming from, I just find her really unpleasant the last two episodes.

I hate to say it but when she was screaming at Hunter about the stereotypes about black women (which by the way is very true and I have personally stood up against these stereotypes plenty), a part of me was cringing thinking, "well no offense Ginny but you kind of have been plenty aggressive and angry these last couple episodes to everyone". She's just constantly screeching at someone. Of course that's less black woman and more angsty, raging teenager. 

[Niuxita]

On 2/27/2021 at 11:47 AM, kieyra said:

I loved Georgia's impromptu slam poetry performance about finding Marcus climbing in through the window. The actress’s delivery is everything.

Agreed. That was BRILLIANT. When she was going, "Rage. Rage." I thought she was gonna add in "Flames! On the side of my face!", but maybe it would've been too on-the-nose.

Sigh, I know she's a murderer or whatever, but dammit, Georgia is my favourite character. (To be fair, though, the now 2 men we've seen her kill exhibited really inappropriate behaviour either towards herself or her daughter, so it's not like she goes around killing people for funsies. I have zero sympathy for grown men who sexually harass teenage girls).

On 4/2/2021 at 10:20 PM, truthaboutluv said:

Watching this show officially makes me feel old (like Georgia I too was traumatized when the girls called Britney Spears vintage) because I feel like 15 year old me would be more into and understanding of Ginny and instead, while I know where her pain is coming from, I just find her really unpleasant the last two episodes.

Same. I really wanted to like Ginny, but she doesn't make it very easy. I especially dislike the way she talks to/about her mom. I was very glad that Zion stood up for her in this episode. Also, hadn't she and Georgia made up already? Why was Ginny suddenly back to calling her a "psycho" and still hung up on the Maddie thing? Didn't Georgia literally JUST tell her about the abuse from her stepfather? That said, I don't particularly mind that this relationship is not very Gilmore-like, because I think this is way more realistic. I just wish Ginny was less of an asshole sometimes.

I too wonder if they're trying to imply that Abby harbours a secret crush on Max. I've said it in another episode thread, but I would actually fully support that because, much as I love my gay disaster child, I think Max needs someone at her maturity level. I don't see how a relationship with Sophie could last.

Also, that PI put it together fairly quickly re: the Wolfsbane, lol. If I were looking at pictures of the person I was following watering plants, the last thing I would think of searching for would be the name of the plant, but maybe that's why I would make a terrible PI.

Edited April 15, 2021 by Niuxita

[ShortyMac]

20 hours ago, Niuxita said:

Agreed. That was BRILLIANT. When she was going, "Rage. Rage." I thought she was gonna add in "Flames! On the side of my face!", but maybe it would've been too on-the-nose.

So great. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Why did they have to torpedo Hunter like that what the fuck man!!!!!  😄😄. Absolute destruction...... why, just why!??!!?  😁

[ShellsandCheese]

Brianne Howey totally reminds me of a young Julia Roberts! She's great. I am also oddly enough really starting to like Paul, especially his scenes with Austin. Austin is in desperate need of someone to spend time with him and be a parent to him. Georgia is really dropping the ball when it comes to Austin, and I feel so bad for him.  

[colinarnoldjt13]

I rewatched the entire series only because of Brianne Howey, she is the icon! She motivated me a lot in believing in myself and my powers. I have started to participate in more clubs, I even attended the writing club and I really liked it, I have to mention that writing was never my strong point. And there I have found out about this website where I have found a good editing service to use when I am writing an important essay.

Edited February 4, 2022 by colinarnoldjt13

[Kirsty]

I thought this was a really good episode. Jam-packed and very entertaining.

Marcus is hot and he has chemistry with Ginny, but in this episode I finally got his role on the show. He's just like her dad, with the bike and the art and the unconventional choices, but most of all with the unavailability! Her dad drops into her life when it suits him and drops out again. She can text him but she can't go to him. Marcus literally drops in her window whenever he feels like it, but he doesn't do commitment or girlfriends, and he wasn't receptive to her the one time she tried approaching him in school. No wonder she's attracted to him and his enigmatic loner routine.

I find the self-harm disturbing. But I totally bought Ginny's reaction to Marcus finding out. She didn't just get angry; she burned down their entire relationship and (metaphorically) stabbed him in the guts for good measure. That's one way to make sure he doesn't talk about what he just saw. Marcus definitely chose an unfortunate time to risk making himself vulnerable to her. And the show has already established that he is fragile and lonely since his friend's death, so it makes sense that he did not cope well with getting hurt by her.

I also like that Ginny knows her parents' relationship pattern and she warned each of them individually in a calm, adult manner about falling back into old routines. She told each of them what she needed from them. She did everything right! And it still didn't work. They still fell into bed together and Ginny feels like her needs don't matter to them.

I basically have to ignore the fact that Georgia is an actual serial killer. 🙈 I guess she has been stealing thousands of dollars from the mayor's election campaign and from the school fundraiser too. I wish the show would ditch the double murder backstory because the theft is enough to try to get past by itself. Honestly, I'd feel worse about Georgia cheating on the nice mayor if she wasn't already a serial killer who steals from him! 😆 Like, you dodged a bullet there, Paul.

Edited August 17, 2022 by Kirsty

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 1/21/2022 at 12:32 PM, ShellsandCheese said:

Brianne Howey totally reminds me of a young Julia Roberts! She's great. I am also oddly enough really starting to like Paul, especially his scenes with Austin. Austin is in desperate need of someone to spend time with him and be a parent to him. Georgia is really dropping the ball when it comes to Austin, and I feel so bad for him.  

Sometimes she sounds and looks just like her.

[SoWindsor]

Why is Max so mean to her brother?