Spoiler warning for season two of “Ginny and Georgia.”
Georgia “Peach” Miller murders, steals, blackmails and uses her charm to get her way — so why do we love this character?
“Ginny and Georgia” is a whirlwind TV show many viewers have compared to a twisted “Gilmore Girls” story — a mom grows up with her daughter and son after teenage pregnancies, abusive relationships and running away from home at 14.
The audience understands through flashbacks the hardships Georgia faced as a teenager at the hands of abusive parents and boyfriends. She fought her whole life to keep her head above water in order for her and her kids to survive. Her motto is “be the one to sting first if you see a bee coming.” The quote says a lot about the way she grew up and how that shaped her relationships throughout her life. Georgia is constantly in survival mode and goes to extreme lengths to protect herself and her kids.
These traits are admirable because the character is fighting for equality. We are constantly rooting for Georgia and see her fiery side when people try to cross her. The audience is placed as Georgia’s shadows — we identify with her. People are disposable to Georgia because she has lived a life of disposable relationships. In the scene where Georgia’s husband, Kenny, gropes her daughter Ginny, the audience is shown Georgia’s protective instinct although the action is not instigated immediately. He thinks her mother is not looking and Ginny is portrayed as vulnerable; so Georgia comes to the rescue and we excuse her action of poisoning him. Another example is when Georgia’s son, Austin, sees his father at Georgia’s throat and shoots him in the arm. As bizarre as it is for an audience to be on the side of a nine-year-old holding a gun, we are thankful Georgia is there to clean up the mess: “I’m not proud of how I got us here, but I’m proud I got us here.” Viewers have confidence and pride in Georgia.
Aside from relatable topics of mental health and racial equality, “Ginny and Georgia” successfully captures the female experience. Even if most women do not face the harsh realities Georgia does, watching her desperation to defend herself is a familiar feeling many girls can acknowledge. Georgia struts into every situation confidently with a structured blazer and cat-eye sunglasses — always two steps ahead of everyone in the room. She knows how to look the part of a put-together single mom in the conservative and expensive Wellsbury neighborhood. Despite not going to college, she proves she is a hard-working woman at the mayor’s office advocating for the town. Though the moms of the neighborhood gossip and judge her, Georgia still comforts Ellen, a neighborhood mom, telling her she is not a bad mom after her son lies to her in season one. She provides emotional support to Cynthia, another neighborhood mom, when her husband is dying in season two. Georgia knows when it is appropriate to show kindness even to people who are undeserving at times.
With her wide smile and mesmerizing eyes, Georgia’s own kids never truly understand the guilt and trauma that she carries. Ginny recounts, “as a kid, I used to think she was kind of magic.” She went to jail, lost custody of Ginny, ran away from home, which her younger sister guilt trips her for, and was determined to raise her daughter on her own without the help of Zion, Ginny’s dad. But in response to those dark secrets, she showers Ginny and Austin with dance parties, dessert for breakfast and a laid-back parenting style. Georgia deals with the struggles of motherhood, adapting to a new town, fitting in with privileged families and tackling past traumas with humor and a southern belle accent. Her character is self-sufficient, confident and determined — nothing and nobody gets in her way because of her outstanding endurance. These are qualities many women strive to attain which is why I believe “Ginny and Georgia” is such a captivating show.
Season two ends with Georgia being arrested for the murder of Cynthia’s husband at her own wedding to Paul. She will now have to face serious consequences after many escaped crimes. For the first time, Georgia will have to be vulnerable in front of society and cannot hop to another town to escape the drama. What do you think about Georgia being a hero or an anti-hero?