‘Good Girls’: Is Rio in Love With Beth?
Good Girls fans have watched the relationship between Rio (Manny Montana) and Beth (Christina Hendricks) on NBC for four seasons. The two crossed paths in season 1 when Beth, her sister Annie (Mae Whitman), and her best friend Ruby (Retta) robbed the grocery store where Rio operated his money-laundering business. Although the two are entirely different, some fans want to see “Brio” go the distance. However, does Rio love Beth?
Rio and Beth had a brief affair in ‘Good Girls’ Season 2
In Good Girls Season 1, viewers met Beth, Annie, and Ruby as three suburban moms attempting to make ends meet. After Beth’s husband, Dean (Matthew Lillard), runs his car business into the ground, she devises a plan to rob cash registers at the grocery store Annie works. Because Annie and Ruby could also use the extra money, they agree to rob only one store. They soon end up cleaning money for Rio to pay back the money they stole from the crime lord.
Once Beth and Rio started working together, some fans instantly noticed their tense relationship. Neither of them trusted each other, but they often exchanged long, sensual glances when they were together.
During Good Girls Season 2, the tension between Rio and Beth finally got addressed. In episode 4, “Pick Your Poison,” Rio pushes Beth against a bar bathroom wall, and the two share a passionate kiss. In the short scene, the pair had sex in the room. Afterward, they went back to the bar and didn’t discuss it further. Although Beth ultimately told Ruby and Annie about the sexual encounter, she and Dean stayed together.
‘Good Girls’ showrunner Bill Krebs hinted that Rio is in love with Beth
Since their encounter in season 2, Rio and Beth have only maintained their business relationship. However, their sexual tension increased as the seasons progressed. In season 3, Beth continued to work with Rio even after he had her co-worker, Lucy (Charlyne Yi).
Good Girls Season 4 premiered on NBC in March 2021. Before the series returned, showrunner Bill Krebs spoke to Distractify about Beth and Rio’s relationship. He said viewers would learn more of Rio’s origin story throughout the season. Krebs also said there’s potential for more of Rio and Beth’s “love story” in season 4.
“That’s kind of the basis of Season 4 and in terms of the love story,” he said. “A lot of the fans and the audience are high on Rio, and they also want to know what makes Rio tick and what makes him this sort of dark, brooding awesome dude who gets out of everything.”
Why Rio may never kill Beth
In Good Girls Season 3, Beth became fed up with Rio’s actions. After he killed Lucy, she plotted to have her crime boss murdered. However, the shooter didn’t kill Rio, who later found out that Beth set him up. Instead of killing Beth and her loved ones, he teamed up with her to operate another scheme.
Good Girls showrunner Jenna Bans said Rio’s decision not to kill Beth might have something to do with his love for the mother of four. The writer agreed with Dean’s suspicions that Beth and Rio connect on a deeper level.
“They have a twisted obsession with each other.” Bans told Distractify. “I do think Dean’s right in that Rio won’t kill anything he loves and/or that he’s twistedly sort of obsessed with sexually and in terms of her potential in crime. What we see this season is a very sort of clear recognition of that.
“What Beth doesn’t realize is that it doesn’t mean he won’t hurt anyone else,” she continued. It doesn’t mean he won’t take his frustration and anger out on Annie and Ruby. That’s where it gets complicated.”
