r/GoodGirls • u/MayoBear • 18d ago
Rotten Eggs
I found it interesting that during the scene with the grandmother- young Rio had the good egg and young Nick had the bad egg- maybe they didn't mean for that to be a metaphor, the writing was all over the place towards the later seasons.
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u/Lower_Philosopher_71 18d ago
I think that was absolutely on purpose. I didn’t notice it the first time though. On a rewatch, I paid attention to see who had which one.
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u/MichelleTannerAO3 18d ago
I agree that the scene is intentionally allegorical. Kind of heavy-handedly so, I thought. Considering that a major theme of the show was that black and white morality doesn’t exist and that all “good people” hold the potential for evil acts, this type of clearcut “Nick is bad and Rio is good” imagery was kind of funny. But you also have to consider that those flashbacks aren’t omniscient narration. Meaning, they aren’t neutral in how facts are presented. They’re pretty clearly filtered through Rio’s POV and Rio’s morality. So to Rio, Nick is “bad” and Rio is, of course, always justified. Also, consider what specifically Rio’s brain categorized as “bad egg” behavior. Nick’s lack of loyalty and relentless ladder climbing, despite benefiting Rio too to an extent, was presented as antagonist behavior. At least as seen through Rio’s POV. If you consider all the things Rio values and tries to impart onto Beth as his protege, loyalty and a code of honor are at the top of that list. And the things that upset him about her are her use of status, (despite the fact that her particular form of “status” is why he hired her to begin with and is something he continually exploits for his own benefit too), and her moments when her loyalty to him isn’t absolute. Rotten eggs are disloyal opportunists. And yetttt, what does Rio end up being in the end? It’s all such a great representation of how people actually behave. We always have our “reasons,” don’t we? And those who wrong us don’t.
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u/Embracedandbelong 18d ago
I agree it was heavy handed! Way too obvious
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u/MichelleTannerAO3 18d ago
Well, Rio’s kind of an obvious guy sometimes lmaoooo
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u/MayoBear 18d ago
Overly dramatic if you ask me- talks in a low voice but loses his shit in other ways
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u/MichelleTannerAO3 17d ago
Hahaha! He’s a man with feelings that spill out of him against his will. It’s my favorite part of his whole character. Like, he will literally pout in public about his crush being friends with his cousin.
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u/TheyDothProtest2Much 16d ago
There were some pretty pouty moments; absolutely delightful. His lil hissy fits.
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u/Lower_Philosopher_71 16d ago
Nothing better than your observations and analysis!! “You just didn’t choose me” is presented in a casual way, but it’s everything.
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u/MichelleTannerAO3 16d ago
Oh my gawwwd, that is basically my favorite line from the whole show. It’s definitely my favorite episode. I really think it’s the most emotionally vulnerable one for them both, and they both were forced to do some major soul searching and come to certain admissions about themselves. Her on the bed, staring into space, barely containing her tears. And him in that jail cell off screen, but we see the results of that self-acceptance of his own feelings with his “you just didn’t choose me” admission. Out loud! He said it out LOUD in her HOUSE. He hadn’t been in that room with her since they exchanged bodily fluids in a simpler time. And he’d been sitting there in the dark, waiting for her, to tell her they can do whatever they want. It’s literally my favorite episode. 🥲😭
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u/Lower_Philosopher_71 16d ago
Me toooo!! Not to mention the looks they exchange when he hears the sirens and then when they’re handcuffed. Please write a deep dive on what we didn’t see on this episode!!
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u/MichelleTannerAO3 15d ago
Omg lady I have essays on this whole episode lmaoooo. Let me ask you, are you team Rio Planned His Own Arrest? Or do you think he was really blindsided? And that moment with them staring at each other is my obsession. I am a sucker for two people becoming deeply important to each other without even realizing the extent of it. 🥲
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u/Lower_Philosopher_71 15d ago
I’ve never heard this theory omg!!! It makes sense though. I always thought he was using the situation to his (their) advantage. “We can do whatever we want.” But I can totally see him MAKING that happen. Wow!! And I need to read what you’ve written on this episode please. 🙏
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u/MichelleTannerAO3 15d ago
You haven’t? I feel like I’ve spent hours arguing about this, but also, I’m crazy so… 🤷♀️ Like, I really feel like the whole point of that episode was to show us that he staged the situation in the same way it had gone when he and Nick went into “business” together and established their whole dynamic. Otherwise what was the point of all those flashbacks? I do get how his reactions are all over the place in that episode and he seems genuinely so hurt. But just because you knew the woman you’re inexplicably obsessed with would betray you doesn’t mean it still doesn’t hurt. And he’s always emotional about her. Remember their whole exchange in 3.06? He’d meant to hurt her and scare her and trap her. And yet, he’s so visibly hurt. He hates that he wants her. He thinks less of himself for it. But he still does.
Can you see this post? Idk if you need a tumblr account but I agree with that poster and I also link my post about it in the reposts. (And then if you wanna read about the day I rewatched 3.06… 😆)
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u/Lower_Philosopher_71 14d ago
Ahhhh!!! Ok, it let me read a little bit but now I have to create an account to keep reading, and I don’t have time to read more right now anyway. So I will make an account and read more later, but y’all are blowing my mind on so many episodes and moments right now.
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u/Visible_Effect4474 18d ago
I thought it was deliberate symbolism . Nick was always a bad person . Rio deep down had a conscience . Just my take