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Freedom looks different for a whole lot of people.
And for some of the clan on Filthy Rich Season 1 Episode 7, freedom looked a heck of a lot like some good old fashion sinning.
It was another solid hour of this fun and filthy soap drama.
The scripture of the hour was 2 Corinthians 3: 17, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
Freedom looked different for the Monreauxs and their associates, but it also came with danger and those consequences Becky warned about midway through the installment.
Becky: I’m so trapped.
Ginger: Life shouldn’t be about surrender. It should be about freedom. There are no rules.
Becky: Only consequences.
Speaking of Becky, what an engaging character she has become in the past couple of installments. It took until the midway point, but they finally evolved her outside of the sassy narrator and walking gimmicky lines with coifed hair.
It should come as no surprise that she became more interesting once she broke away from her role as Eric’s wife and Paul’s sister and carved out space for herself.
Like many of the women on Filthy Rich, she’s battling identity issues and struggling with how to center herself. She let go for the first time in ages or ever when she initiated that kiss with Ginger, and the floodgates opened.
She didn’t have the freakout you would expect either; instead, it was a less turbulent shift as she took her time poking and prodding, quietly trying to determine what all of this mean for her and self-reflecting.
She let her guard down and the bitchy exterior too, and once she did that, her interactions with the other women were rather fun.
It’s evident by the hour that Becky is unaccustomed to engaging with other women in a friendly manner, and when she got a taste of it, she didn’t want to let it go.
My judgments of Becky aside, she’s a rather tragic character in that sense. She’s well into a pregnancy within, a marriage that she didn’t get anything out of now, and Becky’s just now discovering herself and what she wants.
Becky: I just got confused seeing you with a man that’s all.
Ginger: A person doesn’t have to be just one thing, Becky. I am attracted to individuals — men and women. And I let myself act on those impulses. I don’t hold back, but you are married to my brother, so if you want to kiss me again, you might want to take that into consideration.
It’s better late than never, but it’s also sad that it took this long at all. How much happier could Becky have been if she had these discoveries earlier in her life?
For all her criticism of Margaret, she’s so much like her, isn’t she? And the parallels of these women continue to be an ongoing theme interwoven well.
Becky’s confrontation with Rachel was rather refreshing. She knew the second she saw Rachel that she was the one sleeping with Eric. But she didn’t have anything negative to say about the woman.
It’s a complicated mess of feeling and conflicts, and the two women at least understand all of this.
Becky: It’s you, isn’t it? You’re the one who has been sleeping with Eric.
Rachel: Becky, I’m so sorry. I never thought about you as an actual person.
Becky: I haven’t thought of me as an actual person either.
Rachel’s comment about how she didn’t think of Becky as a real person was illuminating as to how she could continue carrying on this emotional affair with a married father-to-be, and Becky agreeing that she didn’t see herself that way either was a gut-punch.
In a way, Rachel, Becky, and even Eric are all victims of circumstance. None of their lives have turned out the way they envisioned, and they’re unhappy for a host of reasons.
With the help of Rose’s fashion show and Ginger’s encouragement, Becky, for the first time, felt seen by everyone, walking down the runway in that wedding dress. The wings were apropos as she looked stunning and positively angelic.
Eric saw her for the first time, but unfortunately, between that and his previous conversation where he feared becoming a man like his father, it prompted him to cut ties with Rachel and focus on Becky.
He’s trying to do the honorable thing and be a better man and person, and it’s commendable. While he and Rachel are adorable together, it was a bit disconcerting that on his quest for righteousness, he slept with her and had no guilt about it when it came to Becky.
It’s the first time he grappled with his actions, so it felt right for him to make such a bold move, even though it came at Rachel’s expense, and Becky has succumbed to her urges and set herself free.
Ginger has no qualms about kissing or sleeping with her brother’s pregnant wife. I guess there are no surprises there, but damn if their moments together aren’t endearing.
It’s something about Ginger gently but confidently explaining to Becky what her sexuality is and how it doesn’t have limitations or how she encouraged Becky to stop disappearing that that made all of their scenes some of the best of the hour.
Ginger: So you did for pregnancy what Madonna did for moles.
Becky: I don’t want to go home.
Ginger: Let’s get you out of this dress.
Becky: Set me free. Please.
By the time they got to the “set me free” dress scene with Ginger peppering Becky with gentle kisses, I mean, who isn’t ‘shipping those two?
Hopefully, Becky and Eric can sit down and have a deep, honest talk with one another to resolve things. They both deserve to find their own way and be happy. Life is too short to live it not staying true to yourself.
Margaret is someone who has done this her entire life; look at where it got her?
The flashbacks to Margaret and Franklin’s childhood has shown how close they were. They were each other’s everything, and in any other scenario, they would’ve been together this entire time.
However, Margaret’s mother wanted Margaret to pull them out of their servant status by courting Eugene. And that’s what happened.
It’s doubtful there was ever any real love between Eugene and Margaret, and young Eugene was an entitled, rich asshole. It was disturbing to see him making moves on Margaret in his bedroom quarters before the Cotillion.
It was worse knowing that Margaret’s mother sent her there. As Franklin said, Margaret’s mother threw her to the wolves.
Life would’ve been so different if Margaret could follow a path she forged and her heart instead of succumbing to expectations. I’m glad she’s starting to see how she imposes the same things on her children and those around her.
Margaret: Now everyone can leave, but not you. You promise?
Franklin: I promise. Margaret, what are we to each other, really?
Margaret: You know that answer. Everything.
It’s more evident than ever how Ginger giving her such a hard time and doing whatever she pleases probably leaves Margaret in awe. Margaret never dared to be that bold, unapologetic, and brave.
The situation with Veronica, Franklin’s words, and her fall helped her reflect on her life and relationship with Franklin. And boy, he, along with Becky, owned the hour. Franklin wasn’t here for any of the sh*t.
It must have been hard for Franklin. He spent his entire life protecting Margaret and loving her. And he got mixed signals as to what he meant to her.
He didn’t get the best deal out of any of this. He has been Margaret’s trusty confidant and protector for their entire lives. Franklin didn’t get her love as he hoped, and he had to protect her husband, who he doesn’t like.
Franklin: We do this, it changes everything.
Margaret: I hope so.
Everyone who interacts with him dismisses him as Margaret’s lackey, and it’s such an ugly, layered assumption. But it makes it sting more when Franklin is often left wondering if after everything he’s gone through with that family, especially Margaret if he’s just the help.
It shouldn’t have taken this long for Margaret to see Franklin, but she did. She can handle everyone else leaving her, but she can’t bear him stepping away.
The unfortunate thing about Margaret is how she uses certain things to manipulate others, so the timing of her kissing him and walking him to her bedroom was a bit cringe. I’m choosing to believe she had a come to Jesus moment and was genuine with her love of Franklin.
Paul was an ass again. Townes killed himself, and Virgil went down. They also think Eugene is dead, and wooing Eric isn’t going smoothly, so NOW Paul wants to recruit Franklin into the 18:20 Old Boys Club.
If Paul was sincere, then he would’ve done it ages ago. Franklin calling Paul out on being a charlatan more than a Christian and not turning him down was the best.
No one wants to be a second, third, or whatever else choice and the 18:20’s aesthetic was saying things without them ever having to do it.
Unfortunately, Paul is a wily one, and he got his clutches into Mark by way of Veronica. Since Veronica is angry at Franklin and Margaret, and she seems to sip the Reverend Paul Kool-Aid, then this development with Mark is about to bite everyone else in the ass. That killer confession is worrisome.
Franklin: Are you trying to recruit me?
Paul: We’ve long admired your skills. You can name your price. Good Christian men, we ought to stand together.
Franklin: I’m Baptist, and you damn sure ain’t a Christian, so no matter what I choose, It won’t be you.
For so long, Mark was the one nobody outside of Rose was paying attention to, and perhaps this is why. He had to kill his brother, the real Jason, and it was devastating for him.
He’s lost, and then Veronica dumped the truth that she’s Jason’s mother on him.
Mark is looking for comfort in all the wrong places. The Monreaux family is too much for him, including Rose.
If Veronica is giving him her shares of the Sunshine Network, assuming that he’s Jason, and Paul has a hook into “Jason” now, then he’s closer to taking over the Network than any of the rest of them realize.
He and Bouchard are also getting a firm grip on Antonio. Don took Yopi so he could arrange a deal with Antonio to profit off of a trilogy of fights.
Paul’s ability to use religion to justify anything never ceases to amaze. The parallel he chose to draw between Jesus, the Carpenter, and Antonio, the MMA fighter, was funny.
And damn if his prayers over Mark/Jason didn’t give you a chill or two. He’s just too good at being this manipulative and evil.
Yopi’s honest discussion with Antonio peeled back another layer to her character, and the show does well with showing that there is more to each person than what you initially see.
For so long, she came across as someone who used Antonio as a pawn. She was a gambler and exploited him, and she’s always working an angle.
But then you find out about what the 18:20 did to her when she found out she was pregnant, and it puts her actions into perspective.
She, too, was an up and coming fighter. When she found out she was pregnant, they offered to pay her a million dollars for an abortion, but she couldn’t get rid of her baby.
Her defiance and lack of submission to her will led to them breaking this young, pregnant fighter’s hands so she couldn’t fight anymore. How monstrous is that?
Yopi wants them to pay in any way that she can get them to pay. In her mind, it’s the least they can do, and she poured into Antonio everything she could to make him great.
In a way, Antonio is Yopi’s redemption, and his success means that everything she endured was worth it.
Rose’s success came in the form of taking a stand against Margaret and doing her fashion show. It must be hard on Rose having a mother who nitpicks and smothers her so much.
Margaret probably doesn’t even realize how she stifles Rose and crushes her dreams. But with Ginger, Rose was able to step into herself.
Eugene was looking on, proud of her girls, but is anyone else thrown off by how they continue to lionize this man when he was clearly the worst?
Eugene is so many different things to various people. He was a kind, loving man to Tina and the love of her life.
But young Eugene in flashbacks was an asshole to Franklin and a sleaze to Margaret.
Eugene: I want to testify. It is the Lord’s will
Luke: You’re supposed to be dead!
Eugene got wrapped up in the 18:20, and he’s culpable in a lot of despicable things. He cheated on his wife, endangered so many women, and wasn’t the best father to his children.
He had kids out there he wasn’t taking care of and kept quiet. He’s not a saint, but yet, Ginger and Rose lionize the man, Eric is disgusted and working not to be like him at all.
Margaret is disappointed and has suffered because of the colossal mess Eugene left her. And Eugene is off in the shadows.
At least he was in the shadows. I’m gathering now that he has revealed himself to Luke, Eugene has some things to say, and he’s ready to spill all the tea.
Bring it on, already! It’s taking too long.
Eugene isn’t the scariest person lurking in the shadows. Hagamond is in the shadows, raving like a religious lunatic, and he has eyes on “Saving” baby Jesus and thinks Becky’s unborn child is evil. Good Lord, help us all. Not the babies!
Over to you, Filthy Rich Fanatics. Which pairing are you enjoying the most? What do you think Eugene will say?
Do you think Mark will align with Paul and wreak havoc? Hit the comments below.
You can watch Filthy Rich online here via TV Fanatic.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.