‘Good Girls’: Why Rio Isn’t Going to Kill Beth Just Yet
Good Girls hit viewers with a fake-out in the opening scene of episode two on Sunday night. For a moment, it seemed like prime time’s favorite gangster would do one of his slick pop-up visits on Beth, letting her know he was still alive.
It was teased the entire hour until the very end when Rio showed up at the bar in Rhea’s stead. Whew! Now that the cat is out of “witness protection,” he has a few scores to settle, and checked one off his list by taking out Agent Turner.
The good girls and fans know what he is capable of, but will he go into killer mode with Beth? Probably not, and here’s why.
Rio and Beth have a complicated history
After tap dancing around the sexual tension for months, Beth and Rio hooked up during season two, shifting the dynamic in their business relationship. Beth had to first earn his respect as an amateur criminal and while that took months for her to do, their attraction grew.
But if you’ve been watching, you already know this. Could Rio still be harboring a hint of affection even though Beth shot him and left him for dead? Perhaps, but there is a more plausible reason for him to not put her in the dirt.
It makes good business sense to keep her alive
Confirmed by the man himself, Manny Montana made a quick mention about his character’s path this season. He said fans will get to learn more about Rio and his son, but Rio is on a rampage. Rampage!
“You’re gonna see so much. You’ll learn a lot about my kid, a little bit more about my backstory. But really I feel like Rio’s coming back and he’s just on a rampage trying to get revenge for what happened at the end of season two.
He just comes back and he’s trying to get vengeance and, you know, the writers are doing such a great job this season that they do it in a way that we have to continue working together – me and my archnemesis, Beth.”
Got that? It’s not the most ideal setup for Rio, but out of necessity, he’s going to have to join forces with her. Who knows how long that arrangement will last before one betrays the other?
Rio will probably dish out payback in a different way
More than anything, Rio can – and probably will – engage in some type of psychological torture with Beth. It will keep her on toes and afraid to make the wrong move, and she and the other ladies have a habit of getting jittery around him anyway because they know he’s down for a murder.
Rio is clever and knows how to play the long game, as evidenced by his setup of Agent Turner and his smooth break from federal protective custody.
Whatever he has planned for Beth is sure to keep fans on the edge of their seats too, but we shouldn’t be surprised if someone’s heart softens and the two reluctant partners in crime make up.
