Good Trouble: Season 1, Episode 6 “Imposter” – Recap, Review (with Spoilers)

While the truth helps Callie flourish, Mariana is getting sick and tired of being sick and tired. Also, Jazmin returns and clues us into how difficult her life is.

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Network
FreeForm
Director(s)		Geoff Haley
Writer(s)		Megan Lynn, Wade Solomon
Air Date		2/12/2019
Introduced This Episode
Jennifer	Annie Little

The Truth Will Set You Free: Judge Wilson, Jamie, Callie, Dennis, Davia, Ben, Jennifer

To thwart Ben, Callie decides to tell Judge Wilson about her connection to Malika who is close with Sandra. Which, for him is fine and doesn’t play out as Callie would imagine. However, there is the slightest hint that Judge Wilson is giving her a pass for her discretion. After all, having a son, Taye, who fought an officer, got a DUI, and had a controlled substance, now with an ankle monitor, isn’t something you’d want circulating.

Hence why Callie goes to Jamie about this, for now she is curious about there being a conflict of interest. After all, with Judge Wilson being fair, but still on the side of the law, usually, finding a different, more liberal judge, could mean justice. Especially as the LAPD does backflips to cover up the crime.

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But, Judge Wilson isn’t the only one trying to keep things on the hush. Dennis’ soon to be ex-wife, Jennifer, shows up to the Coterie and of all people, Davia meets her. The person who constantly is taking digs at Dennis. However, with meeting his soon to be ex, there comes a conversation. One in which Davis recognizes she hasn’t been a good person and asks what happened. Now, rather than mention his son’s death, Dennis says he cheated. Something which may have happened or would be easier to own up to than saying his son died.

What It’s Like To Be Me: Jazmin, Gael, Callie, Jamie

Jazmin is having a hard time right now. Because her legal name is still Alejandro Martinez and her documents still note her assigned gender, she keeps having conflicts. The kind of conflicts which make it hard to exist because people keep invalidating her. She even got a felony for being mistreated at a club somewhere. Which complicated her changing her legal documents but, luckily for her, Callie is on the case.

Well, Callie and Jamie and this leads to what isn’t a conflict, but a very familiar love triangle. How? Well, almost word for word, Jamie asks what his competition and chances are just like Bryan did with Gael previously.

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Fight Club: Alex, Raj, Mariana, Casey, Evan

One of the things which make the Callie and Jamie situation complicated isn’t just Jamie’s feelings, but how that could affect Callie’s job and Jazmin’s case. Things aren’t so different for Mariana. Being that she is a woman, also an attractive woman, things are a bit complicated for her.

On the one hand, she has the Alex issue and him making her do dredge work and disrespecting her openly. On the other, there is Raj who she thinks could be an ally, maybe wants to be, but then he makes a move on her. With that, it’s put into perspective that his kindness may all have been based on trying to hook up. Which, since the Gael thing got shut down, has not even been on Mariana’s mind.

But, it isn’t just with him things are weird. Evan, who I swear is anywhere between socially awkward to maybe having Asperger’s, also seems to have an interest in Mariana. The kind which could be innocent, but also could be uncomfortable. However, he hasn’t done anything outright to Mariana for her to raise a red flag. He has just been a bit reserved.

However, between the Raj and Alex situation, then Mariana’s mentor, Casey, being flipped on publicly, Mariana decides things need to change. No longer can they have Speckulate say one thing on their website but, in practice, have a different culture. So, she decides to craft a fight club at work. One for the women at that job to do something and change Speckulate from the inside out.

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Highlights

What It Is Like To Be A Trans Woman

I’m catching up on season 5 of The Fosters and one of the big things focused on that season was Aaron’s experience as a trans man. Something you don’t see a lot of. The same could be said of Jazmin, especially out of one episode stints or shows like Pose which strictly focus on the experience of girls like her. But, with Pose taking place in the late 80s, while many things haven’t changed, it isn’t modern.

Because of that, Good Trouble addressing what it means to be a trans woman in modern times is vital in a multitude of ways. First and foremost, including it amongst stories that we are used to so that it seems like everyday issues. Not a special story to highlight a community and walk away. Second, breaking down, pass being fish (passing for the gender you identify with), issues trans women can have.

Just to hit a few notes: We have Jazmin catching a felony for being harassed as a club, and yet she was the one handled as if she did something. Then we have the difficulty of her changing her legal documents, her name, and gender marker, because of that incident. One which, by the way, she plead guilty to since, with her being trans, it means either solitary confinement or risking being in a general population where anything could happen.

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Following that, we have employment discrimination and while it isn’t touched on heavily, dating. A guy Jazmin works with takes interest, and she immediately discloses. This is an unfortunate must for the idea of being “tricked” could mean life or death for trans women. So rather than experience the joys you can read about in Janet Mock’s book “Redefining Realness,” in terms of her getting to know her now husband, then revealing she is trans, Jazmin doesn’t even wait for the wining and dining and hoping they’ll stay. She gets to the point so that if they aren’t okay with who she is, they can go without any worry or pressure. Something which is probably very frustrating.

Networking While A Woman

In a time when #MeToo and #TimesUp exists, there is a call for men to not only treat women equally but uplift them. The problem with that is, equality’s only incentive is not being publicly shamed, if not tried and put into prison. Hence why whether we’re talking about Casey, who is more laid back, or Mariana, who is more girly, both have issues infiltrating the boys club and integrating.

For Casey, as much as she may preach keeping your head down, doing your work, earning your spot, there will always be the issue of her being a woman, alongside a Latina. Then with Mariana, who is perhaps a bit more social, she has the added issue of being a bit flirty when she is friendly, and that being taken the wrong way. Now, luckily, as of now, that was with Raj who she shames the hell out of for trying to kiss her. But, as the cinematographer pushed you to see, her arm was resting on his inner knee, she kept commenting on his appearance, and he could claim “Mixed signals.”

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Which is the problem – Women have to be hyper-aware of everything they say and do for if it is work-related, they will potentially be judged more harshly and think they set themselves back. Then, in social situations, they have to be friendly enough to seem like one of the team, but not so friendly it seems like they are hitting on someone. Also, as seen with Raj and Jazmin, you have to figure where the line is between your dignity and you not wanting to pick a fight for the sake of picking a fight.

Combine that all together, and you can see why Mariana gets so frustrated with Raj. While a coward, he has the potential to not be and with it seeming his loyalty comes with strings attached, you understand why she flipped on him. For she was looking for a friend, especially on her team, but he was looking to perhaps get to Mariana before someone else did.

On The Fence

Gael and Callie’s Relationship Drama

With seeing Gael and Callie so close, it makes whatever sexual stuff Gael and Bryan have, alongside what semi-professional flirtationship Jamie and Callie have seem like a waste of time. If not the kind of relationships which slow things down so the end game couple don’t come about too soon. Then again, considering how Callie and Brandon seemed potentially end game at one time, maybe I’m off? It’s hard to say.

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However, I do find it interesting how Callie’s professional life is doing well as Mariana’s isn’t, and Mariana’s personal life is doing okay, drama free, but Callie’s isn’t. Here is hoping they balance that out. To be honest, I wouldn’t mind Mariana finding a nice guy.

Davia’s Reputation Recovery

Between how Davia aced when Stef and Lena came to visit, alongside how she decides to take Bryan’s side, and come at Dennis’ neck, she has a long road to redemption ahead of her. Reminding us how hard her life was, how lonely she can be, singing with Dennis, that is barely making the moves necessary for her to be seen as complicated, at the very least. Right now, it feels like the cheap and easy moves are being done to recover her reputation and it isn’t something I find easy to fall for.

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