Netflix has been blessing us with new shows this year. Some of them have been good and others have been … controversial. But, I think we can all agree that they keep us all entertained. One of the new shows that Netflix has come out with is “Ginny and Georgia” and it seems like a lot of people have things to say about the show. Some people say that there’s too much going on. Others have issues with certain characters and the way that they handle situations regarding/concerning race.
Now, I’ve seen the show, in its entirety, twice. And I’ve seen some episodes way more than twice. Just like everyone else, there were things that I loved about the show and things that I didn’t really care for. If you’ve seen the show, let me know if any of my thoughts resonated with you! (WARNING: may contain spoilers!)
My first impressions of the show were mostly positive. If you’ve never seen or heard of it, it follows Ginny, a biracial teenage girl, and Georgia, her single Caucasian mother. We get to see how Ginny navigates starting at a new school and making friends, while her mother navigates her tricky love life and dirty past.
There’s a little bit of mystery, a love triangle, murder, and comedy. It’s pretty much all of my favorite things to watch in one show. But there are also some darker themes like dealing with depression and eating disorders. I lived for Georgia and her little manipulative ways. I loved Ginny’s side piece, Marcus. And I really liked the way the show handled showing so much of the main characters’ lives. If nothing else, the show is super entertaining.
Getting into the things I didn’t like is a little bit harder for me — I have a list. I didn’t really care for any of Ginny’s choices. Her boyfriend, Hunter was very annoying and way too nice. (Plus, I think he might come out in season two, but that’s a different conversation.) I didn’t really like the way that the show handled the situations or conversations regarding race. At one point, Ginny and Hunter had a “who’s more oppressed” style battle/argument and it just didn’t sit well with me.
Ginny also points out that she doesn’t feel accepted by Black people because she isn’t “Black enough,” but also ignores all of the black people at school (even when they try to befriend her). In my opinion, she alienates herself on purpose, which I can understand (kind of). I just don’t like the way that she does it and then complains about it. The show is inclusive when it comes to LGBTQ+ characters, nontraditional families, and deaf characters, which I liked. But, sometimes Max is a bit too much for me. And Ginny’s other friends were very problematic as well.
Like I mentioned before, some people feel as though this show could have done without some of their plot points. I can agree with that to a certain extent. Where some people didn’t care for the murder and crime side plot, I enjoyed it a lot. But, I think we could have done without some of the other problematic things in the show. There is a lot going on and it is a lot to keep up with. But, overall, I didn’t really mind that. I mean, I enjoyed it so much that I watched the entire show twice. I think that there are some places that the show can improve on in the next season.
I think that it’s definitely worth the watch. In every show, there are things that are hit and miss. I don’t think this show’s misses should prevent anyone from watching it. If anything, they just mean that the show has room to grow and the writers can learn from these fan reactions. I hope that none of my opinions upset or offended anyone! If you haven’t seen the show, please give it a watch! (This is not sponsored.) Maybe next time, I’ll write about my predictions for season two? Happy watching!