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TV Media Weekly | February 24 - March 2, 2018 By Kat Mulligan TV Media I t's hard to truly prepare for how challenging life can be. Sure, there are moments of pure joy, but the endless layering of re- sponsibilities and bills makes it dif- ficult to remain optimistic. It's easy to fall behind, to become lost with- in a whirlwind of debt and to learn, in those moments, that those who you thought would be there for you are no longer around. This is particularly true for wom- en, who, despite the efforts of vari- ous feminist waves, still struggle with being perceived as "nice" while attempting to be strong- willed and self-reliant. Rather than continue to suffer these challeng- es, three mothers from various backgrounds are kicking hardship to the curb when "Good Girls" pre- mieres Monday, Feb. 26, on NBC. "Good Girls" centers around the lives of three suburban moms, each struggling to keep her family and finances afloat. Beth (Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men") contends with an unfaithful husband, Dean (Matthew Lillard, "Twin Peaks"), who all too easily seems to mis- place or misuse the family finances. Annie (Mae Whitman, "Parent- hood"), Beth's little sister, works way too hard for far too little at a supermarket, trying to provide for herself and her child. Ruby (Retta, "Parks and Recreation"), Beth's lifelong friend, knows exactly the kind of medical treatment her daughter needs, but the cost is seemingly insurmountable for her and her husband, Stan (Reno Wil- son, "Mike & Molly"). When it all becomes too much, these mommas and best friends devise a master plan: rob the local supermarket and walk away with $30,000. Things go a little too easi- ly, however, and the ladies wind up with a lot more dough than they'd anticipated, along with some new challenges. Initially, the series seems a bit difficult to place. A first look makes it seem as though it will be a standard sitcom, but the depth to the show makes it more akin, perhaps, to a crime dramedy. The humor acts as a bit of relief from the difficulties these women are facing, challenges not simply bound to gender and relatable to a large segment of North Ameri- ca's working class. With sleek production and a plot built on ac- tion, emotion and a nice dash of sarcasm, "Good Girls" is as in- triguing as it is inviting. Despite being a broadly relat- able show, the emphasis on fe- males and the lives of women is clear and cannot be denied. Cre- ator and screenwriter Jenna Bans, known for her work on both "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal," had a clear vision for "Good Girls." While discussing the series during an NBC promo, Bans delved into the concept be- hind the show: "What I really tried to get at with this script is the idea of female empowerment — the idea that you wake up, as a woman in your late 30s, early 40s, and go, 'Oh my God, where did my power go?' Whether it's having a bunch of kids, or a husband that doesn't re- ally see you anymore, or these fi- nancial restrictions that these women are under." This desire to see real, com- plex relationships between women come to life on the small screen was a huge driving force for Bans. The fact that the relat- ability factor is so high, despite the fact that most women will never commit a robbery to re- solve their own financial and marital woes, speaks to the care Bans has put into the develop- ment of "Good Girls." These sentiments are deeply re- flective of modern times, as even the show's title itself forces view- ers to re-examine their notions of what it means to be "good girls." Rather than shying away and com- mitting to outdated stereotypes, women are increasingly opening up about the challenges and trau- ma they've faced, along with the need for more visible, empowered role models. While discussing the series with NBC's promotional team, Whitman explained "Good Girls" achieves this, as it is "a great show, with ex- cellent women at the helm of it," and it's been a long time coming "for there to be way more shows with the females being the leads ... especially right now, with every- thing that's going on." For Whit- man, there's "never been a more important time for there to be strong, independent, quirky, inter- esting, different, real, full women, telling their stories and being heard." The potential for success with "Good Girls" is not merely in its historically relevant timing, but the fact that these women truly are reflective of the lives so many women lead daily. To have a se- ries willing to encourage support and solidarity over catfights and jealousy is reflective of how broad-reaching social change can be. Women are standing up and demanding to be heard, just as Beth, Annie and Ruth are de- manding to have control over their own lives, finances and families' futures. It seems unfortunate that femi- nism has had to experience so many waves, yet so little erosion has occurred along the shoreline. Thankfully, the water may finally be carving out the stones of resis- tance, with more and more women taking the helm of productions on both the big and small screen. It's important to remember, however, that this series and other female- led productions aren't looking for a takeover, rather simply desiring for acceptance and respect. Ambi- tious, engaging and humorous, "Good Girls" is on course to make quite the impact when the series premieres Monday, Feb. 26, on NBC. 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