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2 • February 25 - March 3, 2018 • Brainerd Dispatch 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 responsi- bilities and bills makes it difficult to remain optimistic. It's easy to fall behind, to become lost within 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 women, who, despite the efforts of various feminist waves, still strug- gle 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" premieres 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 (Christi- na Hendricks, "Mad Men") con- tends with an unfaithful husband, Dean (Matthew Lillard, "Twin Peaks"), who all too easily seems to misplace or misuse the family fi- nances. Annie (Mae Whitman, "Parenthood"), Beth's little sister, works way too hard for far too lit- tle at a supermarket, trying to pro- vide for herself and her child. Ruby (Retta, "Parks and Recreation"), Beth's lifelong friend, knows ex- actly the kind of medical treat- ment her daughter needs, but the cost is seemingly insurmountable for her and her husband, Stan (Reno Wilson, "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 eas- ily, 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 America's working class. With sleek produc- tion and a plot built on action, emotion and a nice dash of sar- casm, "Good Girls" is as intriguing 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 behind the show: "What I really tried to get at with this script is the idea of fe- male 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 really see you anymore, or these fi- nancial restrictions that these women are under." This desire to see real, complex relationships between women come to life on the small screen was a huge driving force for Bans. The fact that the relatability factor is so high, despite the fact that most women will never commit a robbery to resolve their own finan- cial and marital woes, speaks to the care Bans has put into the de- velopment 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 series willing to encourage support and solidarity over catfights and jeal- ousy is reflective of how broad- reaching social change can be. Women are standing up and de- manding to be heard, just as Beth, Annie and Ruth are demanding 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. Done with desperation: Three moms are tired of being 'Good Girls' Cover Story this week Reno Wilson stars in "Good Girls" Conan The preserved forearm of a 16th-century saint is on a tour across Canada. And get this — tickets are still available. Justin Timberlake says there will be no 'N Sync reunion during the Super Bowl. The Patriots are upset because now it means they'll be the most hated guys on the field. The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon The Cleveland Indians announced that they will no longer use Chief Wahoo as their logo beginning in 2019. They admitted that the logo is extremely offensive, so they're only going to wear it for 162 more games. Tickets to the State of the Union had to be reprinted after they originally said State of the "Uniom." Even the guy who sent that false missile alert in Hawaii was like, "How do you mess that up?" The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Tomorrow night is President Trump's first State of the Union address. He's not scheduled to appear in front of Congress again until the impeachment hearings. Here's one unusual thing we found out right before the speech — the first lady traveled to the speech in a separate car. I guess Melania didn't want anything from the Burger King drive-thru. The Late Show With James Corden A flight from Norway to Germany that was carrying 84 plumbers to a work conference had to turn back because, get this, the plane's toilet wasn't working. The only way this could be more ironic is if the plane had 84 plumbers and Alanis Morissette. Jimmy Kimmel Live To call Devin Nunez Donald Trump's lap dog would be an insult to dogs. And laps. Late Night With Seth Meyers The Super Bowl is this Sunday, between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. The game will determine whether Philadelphia is burned to the ground by happy fans or sad fans. In a new interview, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi should, quote, "smile a lot more often." And that Sen. Ted Cruz should smile never. Late Laughs COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR ALL MAKES, ALL MODELS 501 W Washington St., Brainerd, MN | 218-828-1823 | www.heartlandtireservice.com 001684024r1

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