How ‘Ginny And Georgia' Went From A Hate Watch With A Flair For Absurdity, To Its Best Series Yet

Elle

2 days ago

Ginny & Georgia has come a long way. Season three of the teen drama made its return to our screens on June 3, and in just seven days since its release, it's already smashed records it could have only dreamed of in its first seasons. As well as this, it has surpassed its teen counterparts including Never Have I Ever (a show acclaimed for its consistent quality) in IMDb ratings. But how did the once painfully embarrassing show get here?From the onset of season one, the teen drama aimed high, attempting to juggle themes of romance, teenage mental health, racism, trauma, and a frustrated mother-daughter relationship. At the best of times, the series fell short of providing its characters and storylines the necessary depth that was needed to realistically convey these themes.
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The odd intensely embarrassing and awkward scenes peppered throughout the first two seasons (Ginny saluting to Marcus, Hunter tap dancing down the school corridors) made the show fall into the category of cringeworthy teen drama. You'd be forgiven if the show made its way into your DNF pile, after coming across any of the clips that went viral on social media (for the wrong reasons).
Yet, four years on from the series' debut in 2021, Ginny and Georgia has managed to turn itself around and become one Netflix's highest rated coming-of-age teen dramas.
Season three marks a clear tonal shift - not just in the writing, but in how it treats its audience. Much like its characters, it has matured and finally acknowledges that while long-standing fans would keep on watching, the show deserved more than turning its supporters into reluctant fans and hate watchers - similar much like what has happened with And Just Like That and The Handmaid's Tale.
Georgia, who was once the chaotic centre of every storyline is given room to be more than just her lies. As viewers, we see a more human and relatable version of her during the aftermath of arrest - she is scared and unsure of herself. It's a side we have rarely seen in her adult character.
As for Ginny, she really comes into her own in the third season. No longer a teen protagonist that is overshadowed by her mum's life choices, we meet a far more likeable and grounded Ginny. As she grapples with her identity, independence and mental health, her character's growth feels aligned in a genuine sense of relatability, rather than coming across as performative.
Another reason for the show's success lays in its renewed treatment of its supporting characters, namely Max and Marcus. This time around, she has been given the space to enact in emotional breakdowns - plenty of Max's scenes have been real tearjerkers due to the honesty in them.
Like his sister, Marcus's struggle with depression has been heralded as an accurate depiction of how your mental health can take a turn for the worse, as by the end of the season we see him being driven off to rehab. Rather than being portrayed as a loner who struggles with internal conflicts, his depression is shown in its entirety and is handled with care and depth.
And it's not just the characters that have received a much-needed refresh. Season three made its return with an entirely different pacing. While sustaining its trademark flair for drama and absurdity, it has smoothed out its once jagged time jumps and changes between genres.
A far cry from season one, Ginny & Georgia can now confidently sit amongst its rivals as a show that is genuinely relatable and no longer tries to tick the box on every problematic issue that you can squeeze into a teen drama. So, if you were one of the many who gave up somewhere in the cringe depths of season one, season three might just be your reason to come back.
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