Critic’s Rating: 4 / 5.0
4
Boundaries are essential in relationships for them to thrive.
Poor Gia. Neither Jack nor Lina respected her boundaries at times in Three Women Season 1 Episode 7. It almost felt like they were competing to be the most important person in her life, and Gia didn’t need that.
Focusing only on Gia and Jack’s and Lina and Aiden’s relationships and how they are intertwined allowed these arcs to breathe better, unlike the choppy and abrupt cuts in Three Women Season 1 Episode 6.
Gia has often had issues with boundaries and trauma. Since I read the book, I was excited they included the backstory about Gia’s mom being followed by a man who masturbated and got turned on by her mom’s legs.
That was an essential part of Lisa Taddeo’s book and now Gia’s story. As Gia noted, her mom never discussed what she wanted, which may have shaped who Gia was.
It was evident that Lisa Taddeo and Laura Eason wrote this episode jointly, as it included many actual scenes from the book.
Gia was terrified of letting people in after losing her parents and miscarrying her baby.
There was a fine line between Jack pursuing her, trying to support her, not giving her space, and respecting her boundaries.
Something was endearing about Jack. He believed in true love, but calling Gia an idiot was the worst thing he could do.
I’m unsure why she jumped back into his arms unless he was the only man who saw her.
There was something about him. He meant well, implying they all have issues and maybe they could try for another baby later. But insinuating that Gia was crazy when he had stalker tendencies just seemed off.
Lina wasn’t much better. Although they had become good friends, they didn’t seem close enough that Lina could drop her children off randomly so she could have a sex date.
Lina was practically oblivious that Gia and Jack were in the middle of something. However, Jack leaped at the chance to watch the boys and prove to Gia that they were good with kids.
It almost seemed like Gia tried to become more responsible, and Lina tried to leave her old life behind. Since Lina’s family was religious and judgemental, it was difficult to blame her except when she pawned her kids off on multiple people.
In some ways, Lina was similar to Jack. She re-arranged her entire life to fit into Aidan’s world and started to feel the sting of dating a married man.
Their sex scenes were some of the hottest in the series. However, again, he tells her he doesn’t have much time after she altered her schedule for him.
After being sex-starved for so many years, it made sense why Lina had become a sex maniac. She deserved someone who put her first, where she wasn’t a quickie in the backseat of a car.
I wish I had faith that they’d make it cause Lina and Aidan have smoking chemistry, but she separated so they could be together, and he’s still married.
This was such a conflicting episode because Lina deserved happiness and freedom, but she acted like the world revolved around her.
She seriously thought Gia should drop everything the minute she texted, and she could pound on her door all hours of the night. Only life-long friends do that and in dire situations.
She never even asked how Gia was or how Gia was handling having Jack back in her life. Lina had no idea that Gia was pregnant again or the confusion Gia felt.
Gia and Lina were exact opposites. She was afraid to jump into love and would sell everything she owned to be self-sufficent and raise her baby.
Gia had a boyfriend who was willing to sell his car to buy back her mother’s pearls, move across the country for her, and raise a baby with her, and it terrified her.
She didn’t think anything good had ever happened to her, and if it did, then she was punished for it.
On the other hand, Lina believed her break-up with Aidan in high school was the worst thing that ever happened to her, even worse than being sexually assaulted by four boys in high school.
Lina reminded me of Nora from Law and Order : SVU Season 26 Episode 3 because she worried more about Aidan’s reaction to her assault than her trauma. Lina refused to think of it as rape and still saw it as her cheating on Aidan.
If she had listened to Gia, she would have admitted that Aidan wasn’t her Prince Charming and that he had failed her.
Betty Gilpin and Shailene Woodley are the powerhouses of this series. They gave emotional performances as they painful truths at each other.
While their relationship started off as more of a client and subject, they evolved almost into a dysfunctional sisterly bond. Even if their romantic relationships don’t work out, they will have each other.
Lina needed to decide if she could stay with Aidan, even though he doesn’t remember her past. He only lives in the present, which may affect their future, too.
However, Gia needs to trust love before the baby is born. There is nothing wrong with fierce and independent women, but having someone to help you along the way is helpful.
Gia has such a close, enmeshed bond with Lina. However, she has barely interacted with Sloane or Maggie yet.
From the final scene, I’m eager to see what Sloane reveals about her situation with Will and Richard and how Gia will react. She’s experienced many things sexually, so not much should shock her.
What did you think of this week’s Three Women, TV Fanatics? Did you enjoy learning more about Gia and Lina’s relationship?
Do either of them have a chance of real happiness?
Help us get the discussion going by chiming in below in the comments.
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