Content warning: The following article contains discussions of bullying, abuse, and self-harm.
With many trademarks of a good teen show, from a small-town setting to dating drama, it's no wonder that Netflix's Ginny & Georgia has gotten so much attention. The story of a young mother bringing her two kids to Wellsbury is a compelling one, and there's a mix of juicy storylines and serious subject matter.
The show has a fairly dark tone and the characters struggle in every episode. Ginny, Georgia, and their friends and love interests experience many difficult moments both in past and present and this allows the series to examine important topics.
Bullying
While Ginny & Georgia focuses on the mother-daughter bond, the show is also about Georgia's son Austin and the hard times he faces at his new school.
Austin is bullied by a mean kid who thinks that he's different, and Austin bullies him back by hurting him with a pencil. While bullying is often shown on TV, especially on teen dramas, this is an approach that highlights how fast a situation at school can turn violent. While Georgia is a good parent, she doesn't mind that Austin hurt another kid, which is a little odd.
Racism
Racism is another serious topic that Ginny & Georgia deals with. Ginny is biracial and the show delves deep into her experiences. Hunter and Ginny have a big argument in the episode "Check One, Check Other" after Hunter wins an essay contest and Ginny loses because she performed a spoken word poem instead of a traditional essay. Ginny knows her teacher is racist as he treats her with disrespect when she speaks up in class and he even mentions an offensive word and then says, "Right, Ginny?" Hunter says he won the contest so the teacher isn't racist. Hunter explains what it's like to be half-Taiwanese, and Ginny says he doesn't get how she feels. This is the fight that essentially ends their relationship, although more drama ensues after that.
When Ginny goes to the washroom, she has a discussion with Bracia, who supports her. Ginny has drama with her friends often and the show makes the point that they don't see things from Ginny's perspective.
Abuse
Fans wonder how Georgia's past will play out in season 2 as she murdered Kenny, her second husband. Something terrible also happened to her first husband, a man she married so she could have a place to live and stay out of trouble.
Viewers learned that Georgia was abused as a child and that was why she ran away from home. She knew she had to get as far away from there as possible. Meeting Zion opened up a whole new world and when she became pregnant, she held onto that idea of family. Unfortunately and tragically, Zion's parents wanted to keep Ginny, and so Georgia had to leave again and fend for herself. Georgia has a lot of pain and she has trouble sleeping because of her bad memories.
Co-Parenting
Georgia and Zion have a strange yet compelling way of co-parenting. While they seem to have a fairly positive relationship, they don't appear to be in touch, and Zion seems to just show up whenever he feels like it.
Georgia is caught between Zion and Paul, and she knows that it's important for Ginny to have her father in her life. Georgia is definitely open to Zion being around more, but she also wants to be strong and independent, so there's often that tension there.
Running From Your Past
From the very first episode, it's clear that Georgia has a disturbing and sad past and that she is trying to put it behind her, but it probably won't work very well.
It seems like Georgia murdered both of her husbands, as she attempted to poison the man she married so she could live in his hotel, and she did poison Kenny by putting a flower into his smoothie. The show examines what it's like when someone has committed terrible crimes and is running away.
Negative Body Image And Self-Harm
Ginny & Georgia shows what it's like to live with a negative body image every day. Abby is having an awful time with her parents' failing marriage and she becomes obsessed with looking thinner.
Ginny & Georgia also deals with the topic of self-harm. It seems like a realistic portrayal, as she hurts herself when she's alone and feeling particularly isolated and unsure how to deal with her many feelings. Ginny is one of the smartest characters on the show and she thinks about things much more deeply than her peers. She doesn't have anyone who she feels that she can really talk to, and that results in her hurting herself, which is heartbreaking to watch.
Embezzling Money
While Georgia and Paul for each other and even get engaged, Paul has no idea that Georgia stole money from the city and that she's not the best person to have working for him.
Cynthia finds out what happened and while Georgia manipulates everyone and makes them think that Cynthia is just stressed from the mayoral election, of course, Cynthia was right. Georgia always has a plan and she's always up to no good.
Losing Your Virginity And Discovering Your Sexuality
A lot of attention is given to Ginny's love triangle with Hunter and Marcus, but Ginny's best friend Max has an active love life as well.
The show deals with teenagers who are thinking about losing their virginity and discovering their sexuality. It paints a realistic picture of first love as Max falls in love with Sophie and wants to have sex with her. Sophie can tell that Max isn't ready yet, and she's so kind and caring. While they're only together for a brief time, this is a meaningful and special experience for Max. Ginny also loses her virginity to Marcus and has some sexual experiences with Hunter. Ginny & Georgia is very open and honest about these topics.
The Privilege Of Planning A Perfect Future
When Ginny arrives in her new town, she realizes pretty quickly that the high schoolers are obsessed with getting into a good college and they want to do everything they can to make it happen.
Ginny has never really thought about what she would do after high school as she has moved around her whole life and has never felt stable. She realizes that the teens of Wellsbury are so rich and privileged that they're able to plan a perfect future. It's never a question; it's a guarantee. This is a serious, deep issue that is often explored in teen dramas, and it's treated respectfully here.
The Power Plays Of Politics
When Georgia starts working at Paul's mayoral office, she has some good ideas for helping him be re-elected, and they're in a tough spot since Cynthia is running against Paul.
Cynthia's campaign is that as a mother, she cares a lot and will do anything she can for the town. Ginny & Georgia is a show about a mother and daughter, but it also shows the power plays that come up during a political campaign.