So, the hubs and I binged  “The First Wives Club” on Netflix, and let me tell you, the first season was absolutely AWESOME! However, the second and third seasons, well, not so much. Allow me to break it down:

In that first season, we were served raw realness at its finest. We witnessed Ari’s husband, um, self-indulging in some adult content before even thinking about intimacy with his wife. It was a stark portrayal of a marriage lacking in intimacy and, dare I say, love. Fast forward to season two, and the once hard-charging husband who seemed like the quintessential workaholic had transformed into a meeker, more naive version of himself. A complete departure from his original character. Now, the idea that almost losing his wife at the end of season one could lead to such a profound personality change? It’s a bit of a stretch, to say the least. Suspension of disbelief? Not happening here.

Let’s talk about Bree. In season one, she grapples with her husband’s infidelity while juggling her career as an orthopedic surgeon. The first season painted a picture of a self-made woman struggling to balance work, kids, and her husband. It hinted that this imbalance might have played a role in the infidelity (we all know that’s not the whole story, right?). Bree tries to take the high road and let go of Gary, but she ultimately decides to fight for her husband and their relationship. This was the relationship that really got me hooked.

I loved seeing this flawed couple turning to therapy to foster conversation and healing. However, in season two, Bree’s character took a nosedive into illogical self-sabotage territory. Season three only made it worse. At every turn, Bree made choices that contradicted the strong, disciplined, and resilient character I thought she was. I turned to my husband and said, “Bree is a surgeon, and a Black Woman at that. That does not happen by coincidence and yet this character that embodies all of that, is being characterized as someone who can’t control their urges and is intent on ruining the relationship they worked so hard to strengthened. It makes no sense.”

Don’t get me wrong; to me Bree’s character in season one was ♥, but in seasons two and three, Bree turned into this goofy, self-sabotaging sidekick for comedic relief.

Now, onto Hazel, who had such a powerful start! Her journey of breaking free from a manipulative relationship and finding her independence had me giving a standing ovation in front of the TV. But once again, seasons two and three brought us an illogically stubborn Hazel. It took her ages to make decisions that an average person would’ve made in a heartbeat. On a positive note, Hazel’s character transformation wasn’t as abrupt as the others. Her growth trajectory remained somewhat logical when compared to the rest.

Despite these character quirks, I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling aspect of the TV show. It had that nostalgic vibe of watching the fiery drama of 90s telenovelas. Jill Scott’s acting is AMAZING [chef’s kiss]. So, yes, I’ll keep watching. I can’t help but feel that someone had their creative pen on overdrive during season one and then decided to take it easy afterward.