Ginny & GeorgiaSeason 3 has a lot going on, with Georgia’s (Brianne Howey) trial, Ginny (Antonia Gentry) experiencing family and relationship drama, Marcus (Felix Mallard) still struggling despite his family’s best efforts to help him, and so much more. But, for the first time,Season 3dives into the emotional struggles ofanother important character, Maxine (Sara Waisglass). Season 3, Episode 9, “It’s Time for My Solo,” actually includes Max’s narration, showing a new side of her. I have to say, it changed the way I see Maxine Baker.
The energetic theater kid tends to be focused on herself, butSeason 3 makes Max sympathetic by showing how deeply she cares about othersand why she feels ignored. Between the trouble her brother finds himself in, the sorry state of her love life, and the drama constantly surrounding her friend group, Max has a lot to deal with in Season 3, and everyone trivializes her problems. She may be over the top at times, but Max deserves someone who respects all the emotions she feels.
‘Ginny & Georgia’s Max Is Flawed
Max’s introduction to the series is innocent enough, as the enthusiastic neighbor who is quick to befriend Ginny. But she quickly shows a different side bybecoming controlling and self-centered.Max is seemingly the leader among her friends, largely because she makes choices without consulting others. InSeason 1, she announces to Abby (Katie Douglas) and Norah (Chelsea Clark) that Ginny is part of their group without giving anyone else a say, and Abby and Norah are unsure how they feel about opening up their close circle to someone they just met. Max also tends to force every conversation back to her own relationship drama rather than listening to those around her. Honestly, I was annoyed by this behavior, even from behind a screen. Her brother Marcus calls out this trait during a fight between the siblings, saying it is a habit Max has long had.
However, Max hits a low point during theend of Season 1, when she cuts Ginny off for sleeping with Marcus and not telling her. To be fair, this is not Ginny’s best decision, as she was in a relationship with Hunter (Mason Temple) at the time, but Max takes it as a personal betrayal. At the same time, she lashes out at Abby for discovering Ginny and Marcus’ relationship and not telling her, when it wasn’t Abby’s secret to tell. I’d argue that this reaction is bad enough, but the incident carries on well intoSeason 2as she refuses to speak to either Ginny or Abby, and is angry with Nora when she does. I couldn’t help but notice how she was only interested in resolution after the two of them became friends without her.Like most of Max’s choices, it was selfish, all-about-me behavior,and it made me question if Ginny was better off finding another group of friends. However, Season 3 changed my mind about Max completely.
In ‘Ginny & Georgia’ Season 3, Max Experiences the Toxicity of MANG
In Season 3 ofGinny & Georgia, Max is actively trying to change and be a better friend. She does her best to ensure Ginny has support at school, goes for a run with Ginny, and chases off other students trying to get a video of her, but Ginny simply doesn’t want to talk about the subject with Max, which Max accepts. However, when she learns that Ginny has instead sought help from Bracia (Tameka Griffiths), Max feels hurt. I’ll admit that Ginny has no obligation to trust her, especially given her history, butMax is trying so hard to be there for her friend in an impossible situation. I feel bad for her, especially when she’s trying to stop making things about herself.
Worse than that is the fact that the rest of MANG bonds without Max, sharing secrets and egging Abby’s dad’s house. They don’t intend to leave her out, but when they do,they agree not to tell her and end up lying to her.This friend group has been toxic since day one, so it’s not entirely surprising, but as they dig their heels in and refuse to apologize for making Max feel isolated, it only gets worse.When Max tries to have an honest conversation, Abby cuts her offand refuses to listen, writing Max off as dramatic. When Max brings up a similar conversation with Ginnyin the finale,Ginny also dismisses her, saying they’ve grown apart when that’s the very thing Max is trying to fix. The fact that they all fail to recognize Max’s pain proves that she is not the only one who is a little bit self-centered.
But I think the thing that is the most heartbreaking is that whenMax goes to her mother, Ellen(Jennifer Robertson), for advice, Ellen tells her not to talk about it, because that will make it worse. She essentiallyaccuses Max of being the problem, rather than her exclusionary friends.Of course, everyone has their own struggles going on, but in Season 3, I noticed that none of her supposed friends are willing to listen to Max’s issues. This is what finally sold me on supporting Max regardless of her past, because how is Max supposed to grow if no one acknowledges her pain?
“I’m Not Netflix”: ‘Ginny & Georgia’ Creator on Season 5 Chances of 75% Rotten Tomatoes Series
“There’s more story here.”
Max Faces Real Problems at Home in ‘Ginny & Georgia’ Season 3
Max can often come across as frivolous, but in Season 3, she is put in a terrible situation as she watches Marcus struggle. Of course, Marcus' journey with hismental healthis not about Max, butshe is caught between her brother and her parents. Max sees his drinking habits and, concerned for her brother, she wants to tell her parents how bad it truly is, but Marcus begs her not to. When Max finally does, Marcus accuses her of making it about herself again.
However, Max doesn’t get the attention she needs at home because Ellen and Clint (Chris Kenopic) are focused onhelping Marcus. Like everyone else,they see Max’s bubbly confidence and assume she’s fine, but her narration reveals she is a nervous wreck and, like her brother, has no one she can talk to. Her personality is a facade, and beneath it, she is as self-conscious and vulnerable as everyone else.
‘Ginny & Georgia’ Season 3 Doesn’t Give Max a Girlfriend She Can Rely On
In previous seasons, Max has been veryfocused on her love life, but even that is a disaster in Season 3. Her ex, Sophie (Humberly González), tries to edge her way back into Max’s life just when she finally moves on, and her new relationship with Marcus' friend, Silver (Katelyn Wells), falls apart. Silver is not easily reachable, which is incompatible with Max, and worse,Silver is so chill that she dismisses Max’s emotional concerns.When Max expresses her fear that Marcus is drinking too much, which is a completely valid thing for her to worry about, Silver repeatedly blows it off, all the while providing Marcus with alcohol.
I was impressed by Max’s personal growth this season, not only in her attempts to have honest and direct conversations with both her friends and Marcus, but in how she handles the relationship drama, cutting off both Sophie and Silver when they can’t give her what she needs. However, this also leaves her totally alone.Max has shown the most positive growth in the series, but no one is willing to forgive hermistakes or even pay attention to her, and I think she deserves better.As the series goes forward, I need Max to find someone to respect her and her feelings, however dramatic they may seem. Despite her flaws, Max is genuinely trying to be a good friend and sister, and honestly, she’s doing a better job than most ofGinny & Georgia’s characters.
