A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER: Episodes 1.1-1.2

Name: A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER: Episodes 1.1-1.2
Item: A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER: Episodes 1.1-1.2
Author: Review

"Pip’s Cold Case"

Content: -3 Excessive sex, violence, immorality, and/or worldview problems. (Sometimes excessive content such as violence is in otherwise redemptive movies.)

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Violence
Sex
Nudity

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What You Need To Know:

In the first two episodes of A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER on Netflix, a teenage girl named Pippa, or Pip for short, becomes fascinated with a local cold case of a presumed murder and suicide. She refuses to accept the conventional wisdom that most take as gospel. Five years later, people are still not okay with discussing the case. So, Pip begins an informal investigation. When she finds some new evidence, can she convince anyone to reopen the closed file?

Based on a novel by Holly Jackson, the first two episodes of A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER is a well done, if very adult, affair. The first two episodes have an intriguing atmosphere that’s both homey and eerie, plus good performances. However, viewers can tell things are going to get darker. The episodes have a mixed worldview. The title character is zealous for the truth, morally upstanding, and genuinely cares for others. However, her British smalltown culture revolves around promiscuity, deceit, crude talk, and drugs, for both teenagers and adults. So, A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER is unacceptable.

Content:

(PaPa, RoRo, BB, HoHo, PCPC, LL, V, SS, AA, DD, M):

Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:

Strong mixed pagan worldview strong Romantic elements mixed with strong moral elements about seeking truth, plus homosexuality is seen as normal;

Foul Language:

Episode 1.1: Three obscenities (including two “f” words), Episode 1.2: Eight obscenities (including seven “f” words);

Violence:

A teenage girl is shown in an opening scene with matted blood all over the back of her head and in her hair, a teenage girl receives a typed note telling her to “stop digging”;

Sex:

Many sexual references, mild to strong, includes teenagers often talk about sex with references to everything from oral sex to sex toys and homosexuality has been normalized;

Nudity:

No nudity, but a teenage girl is undressing in a locker room after a tennis match when another teenage girl comes in to interview her (her bare back and legs are shown briefly);

Alcohol Use:

Teenage students buy alcohol illegally while a friend covers for them;

Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:

No smoking, but a character is revealed to be a drug dealer, and other people are revealed to be his clients; and,

Miscellaneous Immorality:

A girl is used as a decoy by friends so they can illegally buy something from the store.

More Detail:

In A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER on Netflix, Pippa “Pip” Fitz-Amobi, is fascinated with a local cold case of a presumed murder and suicide. She refuses to accept the conventional wisdom that most others take as gospel. “Obviously, Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then committed suicide. End of story.” Pip isn’t so sure, however.

Now, five years later, people are still not okay with talking about this case. So, Pip begins an informal investigation. This gets a lot more formal when she finds her first hard bit of evidence supporting her suspicion. The assumed murderer’s brother supplies Pip with this evidence and becomes Pip’s first ally in her hunt for the truth.

Pip goes into full Nancy Drew mode, but can she convince anyone else to reopen a seemingly closed file?

Based on Holly Jackson’s debut novel, this Netflix series is a well done, but very adult, affair. The first three episodes of the series are classic British mystery fare, with an excellent collaboration between BBC and Netflix. It has an intriguing atmosphere, at once homey and eerie. The detecting and detective’s personal connection to the case draws viewers, the acting is fitting to the story, the cinematography and writing are excellent, and the regular reveals and multiple angles of interest are compelling. Actress Emma Myers’ indefatigable teenage protagonist is smart, engaging, and likable. The rabbit hole that one finds oneself eagerly diving into as a viewer is unique and keeps one guessing. However, one can tell by the first three episodes that things are going to get darker.

The first two episodes of A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER have a strong mixed worldview. Pip is zealous for the truth, morally upstanding and genuinely cares for others. The thought that she might have, as a young girl, inadvertently affected the deadly events of the past bespeaks her deep sense of right and wrong. That said, she’s one of the only characters who manifests these qualities. Her 2020s British smalltown culture revolves around promiscuity, deceit, crude talk, and illicit drugs. The young people in the series drink, use each other, do drugs, and try to cover up the truth. Also, homosexuality is seen as normal. So, ultimately, A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER is unacceptable.