The Ladies Hit a Roadblock in ‘Powerful’ Episode of ‘Good Girls’ (VIDEO)
Good Girls continues to shake things up on NBC as the women proceed with their counterfeiting scheme, but are Beth (Christina Hendricks), Annie (Mae Whitman) and Ruby (Retta) in trouble?
The last we saw them, they were busy making money, but a new face appears to be on their case as Lauren Lapkus joins the fray as Agent Phoebe Donnegan. TV Insider has an exclusive first look at “Incentive” — the episode airing Sunday, April 19 — which teases how this new character’s presence could disrupt the ladies.
In the clip above, see how the counterfeit production could be in jeopardy without one key ingredient. And below, episode director Sara Zandieh (A Simple Wedding) offers more insight on what’s to come in the exciting installment. She also talks about her involvement with the show through NBC’s Female Forward program, which aims to achieve gender parity by giving female directors the opportunity to gain their first TV directing credits.
How did you become involved with the Female Forward program?
Sara Zandieh: I learned about the NBC Female Forward Program through a friend who participated the year before, in their inaugural class. I applied for the program’s second year and was accepted. It’s been an amazing journey and the NBC Female Forward team has been a tremendous support to my career.
(Credit: NBC)
Were you a fan of Good Girls before joining as a director?
Yes, absolutely. It was one of my favorite network shows, so it was an honor to be hired to direct an episode. I love that it tells a feminist story and features strong, complex female characters. It explores female ambition and the drive to make money in an interesting way. It also has a cool look – a cinematic visual style that keeps the lens on its characters.
The dynamic between the stars is great onscreen, what was it like getting to see that play out from behind the camera?
Brilliant! They are such a fun trio – humorous, heart-warming, and witty. The girls have a great professional and personal dynamic, they support and inspire each other. As the director of this episode, I tried to give them enough room to play and find what’s interesting about each scene. They made the process very easy because they are pros! They’ve also been playing their characters for three seasons, so they know them very well. They would nail their performances on the first or second take. It was a joy to work with them!
What can you tease about this episode?
It’s a unique and powerful episode because of the emotional storylines. There are many tender scenes where the characters reveal their emotional truths in a new way – whether it’s the tense mother/daughter relationship between Ruby and Sara, or husband and wife Dean and Beth, and how their relationship has been tested again and again on the show. Annie also has a particularly vulnerable session with Josh. The performances in this episode are very special.
(Credit: Jordin Althaus/NBC)
What has set this experience apart from your other directing?
The culture on this show is wonderful. I loved all of my collaborators – from the cast, to the DP, to the editor. It was inspired and fun. The infrastructure and support were unparalleled. Jenna Bans has created an outstanding world within this show. It was an absolute pleasure to work with this cast and crew!
Good Girls, Sundays, 10/9c, NBC
