Three Women Season 1 Episode 2 Review: Lina

While Three Women Season 1 Episode 1 introduced us to our leading ladies, the next several installments will focus on only one central story per episode.

Three Women’s Season 1 Episode 2 focused on Lina. Her story seemed the most relatable, and my heart broke for her. She was in a loveless marriage. Her husband hadn’t touched her in 45 days, and she implied she hadn’t been in love since she was with Aidan in high school.

So many red flags made me wonder why Lina and Ed got married in the first place. This was modern times, yet their marriage seemed so antiquated.

It sometimes seemed like Ed married Lina only to breed children.

There was no warmth between them like you often see between married couples, not even a simple caress of a shoulder or appreciation for what she did around the house.

It made sense why Lina became so overwhelmed caring for their boys and keeping house that she escaped to the bathroom for a minute’s peace.

Many moms do that, though I’m unsure if many would admit to using their vibrator with their kids in the next room.

She couldn’t handle pots overflowing and children constantly screaming with no breathing time. While she didn’t have a heart attack, she had a panic attack, which mimicked several of the same symptoms.

Poor Lina was surrounded by people who cared more about her image and her breakdown than her actual pain.

Her family was just as terrible as her husband. It almost sounded like they were in cahoots with Ed since they had heard about her “breakdown” from him.

Lina was different from her family, who believed she should have been grateful for what Ed provided for her. They were very biblical and believed that the man was the head of the household.

While Lina used to believe that, her views had evolved. Talking about her marriage at the women’s group helped her. She saw other people struggling, too, which gave her more confidence to stand up for herself.

I loved the parallels between her marriage and James Bond and The Quantum of Solace. She learned that you needed at least basic humanity in marriage for it to survive. If it only has cruel indifference, you can’t return from that.

Her marriage has had such low standards. Ed will help around the house, but he won’t touch her.

It was limited to household chores, though. Ed barely raised his own sons and complained when Lina went to a women’s group and her friend’s bachelorette party.

Not to be crude, but he helped make them, and he can help raise them and give her some time off. Parenting is not just women’s work.

After only a few meetings, Lina and Gia’s relationship seems important. Gia sought Lina out first for her book because her views about relationships were unique, and she loved that Lina had a second chance at love.

Lina: Actually, I think nothing you do for love is crazy.

Gia: Do you really think that, though? That nothing you do for love is crazy?

Lina: I think giving up on love is crazy.

While Gia desired to write about Lina, Gia also needed a friend. We don’t know yet what Gia’s troubles are, but it’s apparent she’s been broken, too, and she needs Lina for more than a client.

It’s easy to see why Gia wanted to write about Lina. How many people reconnect with their high school sweetheart years later and still have smoking chemistry? Even after everything she’s been through, Lina still believed in love.

It’s difficult to discern this early if Lina and Aidan have an actual chance or if she’s merely recreating the good old days. No one has shown Lina any attention, and she deserves to be loved.

The series did an excellent job casting the teenage versions of Lina and Aidan, and it was easy to tell why she craved being wanted like that again.

All the leading actresses are wonderful, but Betty Gilpin (Lina) lights up the screen and steals the show, from emotional breakdowns to sexy dancing scenes.

Gilpin has the best emotional range and is the epitome of a “Dancing Queen.” She needed to get her confidence back, feel sexy, and feel wanted.

She gave such a layered performance as a dutiful wife, torn between breaking her vows to a woman experiencing her first exploding orgasm.

Feeling wanted helped her take the plunge in her relationship with Aidan.

There were more sex scenes in this episode, and they were raw, beautiful, and honest. The series didn’t hide from showing the nudity or the passion that Lina felt and had longed for.

Watching Lina change the radio from a biblical sermon to a song that reminded her about Aidan after that romp was such a radical change for her.

We’ve only scratched the surface of Lina’s journey, but at least she’s realized she deserves happiness. I’m still unsure what’s so endearing about Aidan calling her “kid,” but maybe we’ll learn later, and it works for them.

However, she and Aidan aren’t kids anymore, and finding real happiness with a married man is difficult. In illicit affairs, someone usually gets hurt

We’ll have to see how their relationship progresses as the series evolves. Aidan made her come alive.

The next installment focuses on Sloane. Are you enjoying these character-centric episodes, or do you prefer including all the leading ladies together?

We would love to hear your thoughts, so please share them with us in the comments below.