Good Behavior: Season 2/ Episode 1 “The Heart Attack Is The Best Way” [Season Premiere] – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Good Behavior returns and unlike a lot of shows entering their second season, it doesn’t miss a step.

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Previous Recap: Good Behavior: Season 1/ Episode 10 “All The Things” [Season Finale]

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Darkest Moments: Letty, Javier

Despite a promise to one another that there would be no more stealing or killing, in each other’s darkest moments, it is their go to. For Letty, it is mostly handbags, stealing some clothes for Jacob, you know, just keeping in practice. For Javier though, it isn’t so much keeping his skills sharp but trying to make sure bills are paid. After all, both he and Letty are used to a certain lifestyle and his line order cook job isn’t going to cover a vacation house, private school for Jacob, and everything else asked or required of him.

Only The Best For Michael: Jacob, Letty, Javier

But that whole private school thing may be a difficult order. If only because it is the middle of the year, there is a waiting list, and Letty might be in a racist part of Georgia. Though, luckily for her, while he may not have inherited her stealing skills, yet, Jacob has gained his mother’s people skills. Which can be said because, through this girl Apple (Alexa Nisenson), it seems he may have found a way to get into a private school.

You see, Jacob invited Apple and her mother Carin (Laura Bell Bundy) over for dinner, Javier cooks, and Letty thinks she seals the deal. However, then Eric (Jason MacDonald), Carin’s husband, comes over and ruins everything. To the point, it isn’t clear if Carin can really help or if she was just sprouting nonsense so that Letty, under the name Lindsay, Javier as Emile, would be her friend.

The Hunt For Javier: Lashever, Javier, Christian, Estelle, Letty, Ava

Though, all things considered, maybe Eric showing up when he did was good. After all, in Javier’s trunk, in the garage, was a dead person. Someone who, apparently, was hired to kill Javier. But here is the real kicker – the person who hired the now dead hitman may have hired someone to also kill Silk too. Someone who didn’t win in his tussle and now has been cremated. Thus leaving Javier without a convenient way to get rid of bodies. But, one positive is it does give him an excuse to see Ava who still is upset with her brother – to say the least.

However, one person who surely will be happy that Javier lost his crematorium will be Agent Lashever. For after the embarrassment Letty caused her, of she is hot on that ass. She is talking to Estelle, pestering, and still sleeping with, Christian, and just wants answers. She just wants justice. So with Javier’s eventual money problems and no easy way to handle dead bodies, so comes the question if he can still make a living. Especially if he can’t just induce heart attacks like he prefers to do.

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. Did Apple lead anyone else to think she may have a thing for Jacob, or wants to experience what it would be like to have a Black friend, if not boyfriend?

Highlights

Letty’s Struggles with Going Legit

While kicking her drug habit was hard enough, not stealing? That seems downright impossible. After all, similar to her TNT cousin Polly (from Claws), one could argue that Letty has certain expectations out of life that her background didn’t make easily possible. Hence why becoming a grifter has been a career for her. However, like any criminal trying to go legit, so comes the question of how to maintain the life you had when you were doing illegal activities?

Which is especially hard since Letty is trying to compensate for all the time she was out of Jacob’s life and makes no mention of getting a job. Something I assume is her last hold onto some privileged life that she isn’t likely to have.

Javier: The Semi-Perfect Boyfriend

I just want to put the spotlight on Javier real quick. He is with a woman that betrayed him, but apologized, is sort of acting as a father figure, and also the only consistent breadwinner. On top of that, he cooks, cleans, is learning to go along with Letty’s elaborate lies, and has pretty much adapted to whatever she plans or throws at him. Doesn’t he deserve props for that?

Jacob Picking Up On His Mom’s People Skills

I’d argue the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree when it comes to Jacob. For while he may not be stealing, and hopefully never picks up the habit, he does seem like a people person. The type who, with a mother and father like his, could pick up on those who could lead him to get what he wants. Such as the case with Apple. She is a girl with a mother who claims influence and Jacob just wants to get into school. So who better to connect with?

Plus, with how isolated Jacob has been, and him approaching being a teenager, who better than some girl already talking about losing virginity to be friends with? Which, I should add, is what Jacob seems to be pursuing right now – friendship. Apple seems the one more amused with Jacob and Blackness.

On The Fence

Apple’s Black Curiosity

Something interesting to see but also gives me pause. If only because it isn’t clear if she may fetishize or even treat Jacob as the all-knowing magical Negro. I mean, maybe I’m being paranoid but the idea of this white girl and this Black boy just instantly becoming friends in Georgia and her asking all these questions is side-eye worthy. Especially with there being, what, 3 or so Black kids at her school? Much less she is running for school president on a diversity platform. Meaning, “Hey, look at my Black friend” seems like it may be part of the narrative.

Though, my hopes are that their friendship, maybe even an eventual relationship, goes beyond that. Like a sort of opposite of what happened between Shaun and Letty. That is, a functional interracial relationship which has complex cultural differences. One which addresses what it means to be with someone of a different ethnicity and culture at their age. Including the odd moments like Apple noting how Black hair care products are segregated so white people don’t pick them up, return them, and complain.

The Hunt for Javier

As much as I love Ann Dowd, I gotta admit Agent Lashever is handicapped by mostly sharing scenes with Christian. That and with Javier being the main character, there isn’t this sense he is going to get caught and put in prison. For while it would be interesting to see Letty completely on her own, at the same time, this show would flop without her and Javier’s chemistry.

Thus making the whole hunt for Javier barely of interest unless Agent Lashever starts really putting pressure on Letty or Javier’s family. Till then, her trying to push Estelle or messing with Christian? Pretty much that is a waste of Dowd’s talents.

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