Boo, Bitch undermines its massive plot twist

It takes until the final moments of the first episode of the Netflix series, Boo, Bitch, to get to the meat of what the series will be. After a pilot episode of Erika Vu and her best friend Gia’s struggle to handle a high school party, Erika realizes the insane discovery that she is a ghost, having been killed after the party by a rogue animal that got hit by a truck.

The following episodes try to take on an entertaining stab at watching Erika struggle to grasp what her unfinished business is and why, as a ghost, she can still actively interact with other people. Erika can be seen and heard by everyone, cannot walk through walls, and shows no real signs of ghostly behavior other than flickering lights, messing with technology, and lowering temperature.

Still, Boo, Bitch commits to the understanding that this is Erika’s story and journey as she strives to move on from her ghost form before being trapped between life and death. Unfortunately, while the series does show slight hints and teases as to what is genuinely happening, by the time Boo, Bitch reveals its major plot twist, it is too late.

Boo, Bitch relied on Erika’s perspective and questioned how to move on. But, in the end, that journey was never Erika’s. In the final episodes of the limited series, Boo, Bitch reveals that Gia had been the ghost all along and had tricked Erika into believing she was dead.

Regardless of what that behavior and choice means for Gia as a person, Boo, Bitch never has enough time to dive into what that plot twist means for Gia and Erika emotionally. Erika has already transformed into a power-hungry and self-centered person by the reveal. Meanwhile, other than a quick flashback to the night of Gia’s death and her seconds-long frantic response, Gia never gains the time needed to mourn, accept, or handle her situation.

It is not a plot twist that works in the show’s favor because it refuses to truly address and discuss grief and what it means for both characters. However, the decision also comes with several major plot holes.

Although Gia may be entirely invisible to the student body, there is also the continued element that none of the teachers seem to notice or care that Gia continually never shows up to class. Likewise, no one ever looks at Erika strangely for speaking to the air, given only Erika and Gavin, a medium, can see Gia. While Boo, Bitch finds ways to hide its plot twist well, the effort to hide the truth only works against the series.

Gia is upset no one realizes a house party is hers as well as Erika’s. But Gia already knows she is a ghost at this point, so why is she so upset? Is it because she is a ghost and knows no one can see her?

Boo, Bitch is never quite clear about what is going on. Although that is what the show wants to do to secure the suggestion that Erika is dead, it also helps the show fall apart when the truth comes out.