Good Trouble finale ties up loose ends but leaves us wanting more

Good Trouble ended its first season on a high note and has fans already anticipating a season 2 premiere. Here’s what we thought.

Usually when TV shows end a season, it’s a nice little break for TV watchers (and specifically for reviewers, like myself). It’s easy to get caught up in spending hours of your time thinking about the previous episode, or to be caught up in scenes from the previous night at work the next day. What I’m saying is that it’s nice to finally have your Tuesday nights back for a bit… Right?

Wrong!

The season finale of Good Trouble was everything I wanted in an episode of television, and then some. It had me laughing and crying and hoping for more. It had me wanting the season to never end. And that’s how you know a TV show left an impact.

So, let’s review.

“It’s not like I’d leave some big void in the world but it suddenly felt selfish. Like a betrayal of Jacob, who fought so hard to live.”

First things first, Dennis is alive. Thank you, Good Trouble writers. I knew they wouldn’t do that to us. I loved where they took Dennis’ story in this last episode, and I loved how he found something to hang on to when he was at his lowest moment. No, I’m not talking about Davia’s voice in his head telling him not to do it (although I do see them transforming into something romantic next season…). I mean how he realized how much he fought for his son to live, and that he would be disappointed with how his father handled his own life. It was a heart-breaking moment but an important one, and I’m glad that vulnerable side of both Dennis and Davia was shared in one scene. Look forward to that arc next season.

“I’m not moving back to Wisconsin.”

Speaking of Davia… I’ll admit that she’s growing on me. This season showed me sides of her that I didn’t really like, appreciate, or care for, but I think she’s finally learning self love and responsibility now.

We’ve seen a lot of character growth with her, and I’m happy that she’s committing to staying in Los Angeles another year and getting her masters in education. Whether it’s her student or Malika to blame for that, I’m just happy that she finally saw she’s worth so much more than what she previously thought.

“I did it. I hacked into HR and posted the salaries online.”

As a woman who has worked in multiple fields and work places that are male dominated, I relate to a lot of the story being told about Mariana. I have certainly felt undermined, underpaid, and overlooked by my male counterparts. I’ve had to work extraordinarily harder to gain the respect and recognition that I deserved. I’ve had to put up with my fair share of inappropriate jokes, conversations, and questions. So I really loved how this story played out and I think it was incredibly relatable to the average mid-twenties woman experiencing this misogyny for the first time.

So many things happened with Mariana in this final episode that I couldn’t even keep up.

First things first, this episode showed female (and male) solidarity at its finest. I was ready to stand up and say, “I did it! I hacked into HR and posted the salaries online!” It was the icing on the cake after watching the “Byte Club” figure out how to get these pay gaps out into the open, and the fact that Angela was actually the one behind it blew my mind. We stan!

Speaking of stanning… Raj and Mariana, Raj and Mariana! Finally. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: those two have had chemistry since the beginning. There’s no denying that. Sure, it might have been inappropriate when Raj first tried to kiss Mariana, but I’m glad Mariana realized that she might have some feelings for Raj too. What are we thinking for their ship name!?

I was psyched to see who Evan Speck actually was as a boss through the journey of this first season, and I hate to say that I’m not liking what I’m seeing right now. Is he going to latch onto Mariana like he did Amanda, or are we just not getting the full story? I guess only time will tell.

“Black lives matter. Jamal Thompon’s life mattered.”

Jamal Thompson’s case was hard to watch for me. I say that with the fortune, yet obvious privilege, that I, personally, have never lost anyone close to me to police brutality. I’m thankful, of course. But it’s certainly an eye-opener, and something that I need to be more invested in.

And if this episode was hard to watch for me then I can’t even imagine how hard it must be for African-Americans and any other people who are targeted with violence and discrimination because of the color of their skin.

How is any of this fair? Jamal Thompson’s life mattered, just like every single black man or woman who have been hurt or killed by police brutality. All of them mattered. Watching this season of Good Trouble inspired me to stop sitting on the sidelines of issues like this and be present in igniting change. It’s taught me to be a Callie in a world of Judge Wilsons.

Final Thoughts:

• Okay, but who released the files that Judge Wilson was hiding? Jamie, was that you?
• The scene between Alice and her parents at the end was everything I needed.
• That was kind of a butthead move of Gael to tell Callie that he basically broke up with Bryan because of her and then tells her that he knows she’s dating Jamie but if she has “any doubts that he’s the guy for her”… Like, dude. You know she’s dating Jamie.
• Also, I can’t even find the words to write about that Jamie/Callie/Gael tango scene. Don’t ever do that again, Freeform.

Season 2 of Good Trouble will premiere on June 18 on Freeform. Check back here at Culturess for more news and reviews.