Rating: 8/10
When the first season of the Netflix original “Ginny & Georgia” aired, it was called a less enjoyable copycat of “Gilmore Girls.”
It was expected to fade away into obscurity the way most Netflix shows seem to do after one season. The show most likely would have remained relatively unknown and been canceled if not for Taylor Swift’s controversial tweet about it.
The singer posted a screen grab where the teenage character, Ginny, is arguing with her mother, Georgia, and tells her that she goes through men “faster than Taylor Swift.”
Swift was upset about the line and called out the series and Netflix for being sexist. This tweet backfired on Swift, however, as her tweet seemingly caused the show to jump in viewership, with the show listed on Netflix’s top 10 list in the weeks following the tweet.
Despite a lot of these views likely being the result of people “hate-watching” the comedy-drama, also referred to as a “dark comedy” by one of the lead stars, the show managed to gain enough viewership for a second season.
While the first season of the hit show was hailed as a guilty pleasure due to its cringeworthy dialogue, the second season is being praised for its execution of heavy topics such as mental health and the external struggles faced because of it.
Despite the more serious tone of the sophomore season, there is still a lot of humor and romance to latch onto, making the 10-episode stretch a well-rounded watching experience.
Ginny (Antonia Gentry) and Marcus (Felix Mallard) have palpable chemistry and stand out in the season, even with Brianne Howey’s show-stealing performance as Georgia Miller, a single mom with a tragic upbringing.
The show’s central dynamic, Ginny and her mom, Georgia, has grown increasingly complex throughout the show. Ginny and Georgia lived most of Ginny’s childhood in poverty, as Georgia ran from her home at 14 and was 15 years old when she had Ginny.
Despite never fully understanding her, Ginny always loved her mother and thought of her as a best friend. Her childhood was positive because Georgia could make anything sound like an adventure.
Still, the rose-tinted glasses Ginny had about her mother were shattered by the revelation that her mother had killed multiple of her husbands. But only one of the deaths had been intentional. Georgia, to her core, is a survivor and did anything she could to get herself and her kids out of a bad situation.
Austin Miller, the youngest child of Georgia played by Diesel La Torraca, also shines this season as he adjusts to his father getting out of prison and how his reintroduction into Austin’s life unearths some problematic memories for Georgia.
While the familial and romantic storylines are well executed, Ginny’s friend group dynamic leaves much to be desired. While two of her friends, Abby and Bracia, are likable and realistic, Maxine is obnoxious, and Nora’s character might as well have been left on the cutting room floor for the lack of impact she has on the plot.
If the show gets a third season, it would be beneficial to lessen the scenes involving Ginny’s friends. The show should continue focusing Ginny’s storylines on her therapy journey and delving into her identity as a biracial young woman who has spent most of her adolescence raised by her white mom, who has a tendency to murder.
However, the most criminal thing about season two of “Ginny & Georgia” is that despite the audiences asking for more Joe after season one, he managed to be in season two even less.
Come on Netflix, we are all rooting for him to end up with Georgia.
