Remember our first impression of Isabella? Well, it turns out that version never went away.
Whether or not Isabella would face jail time was only the tip of the iceberg on an emotionally wrought Good Trouble Season 4 Episode 15.
Things escalated in shocking ways between Isabella and Gael; Dennis showcased how incredible his personal journey has been and displayed his growth. Davia is a saving grace in Elliott and Asher’s lives.
But let’s delve into Mariana’s love triangle first.
Things are shifting toward her personal and romantic life having all the drama, but that isn’t to say there aren’t complications at Bulk Beauty.
The girls are thriving, working well together, finding success, and having a nice rhythm. They landed an impressive account that changed the game for them.
But Zelda, who they thought would be an asset to take them to the next level, may become their downfall.
Some women believe that non-binary and trans people should be excluded from things meant only for women
Mariana
It’s amazing how one small moment and a few words can ruin everything. Everything was fine until Zelda heard the tagline for the hygiene products company. “For People who have periods” is a simple yet effective line that showcases how inclusive the company is.
But Zelda was not a fan of the notion that there are trans and non-binary individuals who have menstrual cycles where the term “woman” doesn’t apply to them.
It sucked when the BB girls spent a few moments trying to give her the benefit of the doubt because they not only couldn’t believe that she was transphobic, but they also knew the repercussions that would have on their business now that they’re tied to her.
We got whisked away from this storyline reasonably quickly, but you already know the fallout is about to be a nightmare for them just when the girls had gotten on their feet as a company.
But the focus shifted to Mariana and Evan, so it was hard to complain about that. What is it about those two? If for a moment you feel as if you’re over them, or you’re rooting for them to move on, they’ll share these scenes and moments that suck you right back into the fold.
It didn’t get any more trope-ish and cliche than the two of them getting stuck in a stairwell and forced to hash out their feelings.
Evan has kept Mariana at a distance ever since he saw her and Joaquin’s kiss. Understandably, he’s trying to protect his heart. But nothing good comes from their inability to communicate with each other.
They made such progress in that stairwell. They both got to clear the air, and Mariana explained that, at the time, there was nothing between her and Joaquin.
It felt like we were going somewhere with them, but then Evan freaked out when he learned that she and Joaquin got involved after she felt rejected by him.
I love Evan to pieces, and we all know that he has neuro-atypical tendencies that can impact how he communicates and responds to things, but he needs to use his Big Boy words and accept his role in how things play out.
They could’ve avoided all of this if he had spoken to her instead of retreating like a child. Mariana made multiple attempts to speak to him and address things, and he’s the one who shut her down. Mariana isn’t wrong for moving on or seeking some comfort from a friend.
Mariana: Do you really hate being around me that much?
Evan: Of course not.
Mariana: Well, you could’ve fooled me.
And, of course, Mariana and Joaquin have an interesting dynamic because they genuinely are good friends with one another. I think their friendship and attraction are strong, but it’s not distinctly romantic.
However, it’s possible that despite Joaquin’s words, he has caught feelings for Mariana and wants something serious. At the very least, he’ll have a hard time if and when their dynamic shifts again and they’re no longer having hot sex together.
Joaquin and Mariana are no Davia and Dennis, but they can have that type of deep friendship despite their sexual history, and hopefully, that’s where things can head.
Dennis and Davia are back in their friendship phase, but it reads as if Dennis was jealous of Davia’s blossoming connection with Asher.
Ironically, his concern about Davia finding a man that may require “fixing” and instilling some boundaries was valid. He comes from the place of a man who dealt with that with Davia, blurring lines, and so forth.
It’s partly why their relationship is as complicated as it is now.
And while Davia has been a godsend to Asher and Elliott, it is concerning that she’s in another position where she has to play this supportive, nurturing role to this degree.
Right now, she practically got catapulted into this maternal role with Elliott, and it feels like a lot for some 20-something-year-old with no kids of her own.
Of course, it doesn’t change that Davia is correct in everything she says and does regarding these two. And as resistant and defensive as Asher gets, he eventually relinquishes to her and takes her advice and input into account.
It’s done wonders in opening up his relationship with Elliott, and it feels like they’re accessible to each other in a way they weren’t before Davia arrived.
Elliott deserves all the help he can get to manage his anxiety and allow him to return to school and have a healthy social life.
Asher thought he knew best, but some of his methods were merely a band-aid that glossed over the issue rather than faced it head-on.
I’m not trying to save anyone. I learned my lesson with you.
Davia
However, it was clear that some of his reservations about Elliott were because of his own issues. I genuinely felt for the guy when he started talking during the therapy session about his wife. He and his son are battling some of the same problems, but in his effort to be strong for Elliott, he made the boy feel more alone and as if he didn’t care.
The romantic tension between Davia and Asher is definitely there. While I’m still not sure if she’s into him in that manner, it certainly feels like he has developed feelings for her. It’s a wonder when he’ll make a move and how she’ll receive it.
Did anyone else think that Davia would enlist Dennis to speak to Elliott?
Instead, Dennis was battling his own issues. The opening scene of Dennis frolicking in the field with his son via a dream was heartrending.
Dennis is healing bit by bit, and it’s a beautiful and emotional thing to witness every time. Dennis’ dream about his son didn’t cause him pain, which was such progress.
Instead, it made him think about his wants and needs. He’s been pondering his future and what he wants his life to look like a great deal.
He genuinely seems content with Ryan and where things are headed with them, and despite the short amount of time we’ve spent with this pairing, you can buy into how serious he’s taking this relationship.
He had her believing that he’d be interested in having more children, but then he found himself wondering if it was truly something he was open to, and his discussion with Gael was one of the best scenes of the hour.
But where he got to showcase his growth and how far he’s come was in how he was able to speak his mind with Ryan. They had a heartfelt, honest conversation about his feelings and where he stood. It’s the type of open communication that we’ve sadly missed with Davia.
Did anyone’s heart soar when Dennis happily spent time with the kids when he and Ryan volunteered? He’s so good with them!
Maybe he’ll get to exercise his role as Uncle Dennis when Isabella has her baby.
Of course, that’s assuming that Isabella’s parents fail in having her declared unfit. It’s interesting because when Isabella was first introduced into the series, she had some unhinged, for lack of a better word, qualities to her that made her unlikable to much of the fandom.
Over time, the series softened her and gave her more depth; it almost felt like a retcon of the character. She was always the character who people implied was “crazy,” but then all of that seemingly disappeared until now.
It’s hard to say if the series doubling back and bringing the impulsive, reckless, unstable qualities back and putting them under a microscope, heightening them; this late into the game was the smartest idea, but it’s where we are now.
All the bliss and goodwill between Isabella and Gael as their relationship evolved is up in the air now that she’s having emotional, erratic outbursts that essentially are proving her parents right.
Isabella’s parents are awful, and even though she has some issues, it doesn’t change how despicable they are. Two things can be true at once.
We love our daughter, but she is not fit to be a mother.
Mr. Tavez
She managed to only plea to a misdemeanor and has community service, but much more damage was done.
Her freaking out and unleashing on Gael, seemingly out of nowhere, was an escalation of the last time she had a tearful fit when she thought he was abandoning her.
But this time, it got infinitely scarier when she threw something at him and hit him in the head. Chances are that Isabella is battling some mental illness, and her pregnancy and stress have heightened things for her.
But she needs some serious help. The timing of this revelation with Isabella couldn’t be worse. The baby is due within weeks. Isabella’s parents will likely do anything to ensure that she doesn’t get to keep the child, but it’s Gael’s baby too.
And we’ve already discussed the issues that could arise with their living situation and so forth.
But still, Isabella isn’t well right now, and that puts even more pressure on Gael, who is already shouldering a lot, to take care of their child and look after her.
Gael probably feels like he’s drowning. No wonder he reached out to Dennis in the middle of the night. Fortunately, he has the Coterie behind him, but that’s a lot for one person to carry.
And it does make you wonder if he’s reconsidering his relationship with Isabella, especially since he proposed.
Gael: I’m sorry I woke you up.
Dennis: It’s okay. What’s going on?
Gael: I’m really freaking out, man.
Over to you, Good Trouble Fanatics. Are the Tavezes right about their daughter, after all? How are you feeling about Dennis and Ryan getting serious? Does Evan need to get over things and be with Mariana? Sound off below!
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Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.