This is a bramble Jam podcast.

Welcome to Girls Gone Hallmark, a Hallmark review podcast, so sometimes detours into Netflix.

I'm Megan and I'm a longtime Hallmark fan.

I'm Wendy.

I'm a former Hallmark hater.

On today's episode, we are discussing Ripple episode five, titled The Flyer, which is currently available to stream on Netflix.

If you want to talk Hallmark, if you want to talk Netflix, if you just want to talk with people who like TV, hop into our Girls Gone Hallmark Facebook group.

It's easy to find.

It's just called Girls Gone Hallmark.

That's it, just Girls Gone Hallmark.

Give it a search, request to join.

If you are a real person and not a a Hallmark spammer, we'll let you in.

You know, I recently changed the questions.

That's so funny that you say that, because I just and we were sitting here, go ahead, let somebody into the group.

I saw a request and I clicked on it, and it was like, what's your favorite Hallmark movie?

And I was like what.

Honestly, you and I don't usually handle the group requests, so I don't look at them all that often.

And I had a brief moment of I don't even think I knew that.

That's question there.

What was the answer, Cherry Lane, Wow, yeah, that's surprising.

And then the other question was how did you find this group?

And I said, girls got Homemark podcast?

Oh good, But it's reasonable that those could have been the questions like when we set it up, Yeah, we had no questions.

It was just basically like, do you agree with the group rules?

Yeah?

Interest because I figured, look, I want to know one you're a real You're a real person who who watches Hallmark or Hallmark adjacent content?

Yea, And two I'm curious how you landed on us.

Those are great questions, so I appreciate you making that change.

Hey, if you want more from us, Megan and Windy, come give us a follow over.

On the pay platform Patreon dot com slash Megan and Windy, we offer four new episodes per month for the bargain price of five bucks.

We were recently told we're under charging over there, but we don't have any plans to change that rate, don't.

I don't see any reason too, no, but we'd love to have more people sharing that five dollars.

Keep the lights on over here allows us to outsource a few things.

Yes, those are four bonus content episodes from us.

They're a good time.

If you like the vibe over here on these Rebel episodes, you might like those.

And your first week is completely free to check them out and see if you like what we got going on.

I have one more plug before we jump into Ripple episode five.

If you are a Netflix streamer, yeah, we're adding a Netflix review next week.

We are what's it called the People you Meet on Vacation?

I see you're rereading the book over there.

I am so that drops on Netflix later this week and we're going to review it next week.

I'm glad I'm rereading it because I have no memory none as I'm reading it.

I mean, like there's maybe slight tickles at the back of my brain, but there is no part of me that's like, oh yeah I remember.

Nope, it's a very popular book, right, Yeah, I read it I think four years ago.

Are you excited to watch the movie?

Yeah, I'm excited to you.

I don't I couldn't tell you right now, like who's in it or either anything about it.

I couldn't even tell you the synopsis.

I have no idea.

I'm guessing it takes place on vacation somewhere.

I think thats a good guest.

Other than that, no idea, but I am looking forward to it.

Yeah, come back for that review if you're here for the netflix of it all.

Yeah, well let's hear as anopsis of Ripple episode five.

After a personal tragedy, Aria receives a comforting visit from Chris, and exhausted Nate rallies to celebrate his birthday with familiar faces.

Womp, womp.

I just felt like we took a full one to eighty turn, you know, you and I last episode we're talking about like I'm worried about all of these people, and I feel like it's all I'm really worried about Nate and Finn and everybody.

Yeah, yeah, I know.

So I was watching this this episode last night, and while I really enjoyed this show, this episode, I was just like, what's happening here?

We're just like on a course collision course, collision course to disasters.

Yes, for so many people.

Yes, And I'm like I want to jump ship, not literally because I I will finish.

I like the show that much, like I'm gonna watch the end of it, but I'm like this, there's is it's not feel good television.

And we're so used to Hallmark and having like a perfectly happy ending every single time, and now I'm like, Okay, maybe this is why Hallmark walked away from this, because they're like, this isn't going to land with our audience.

Maybe.

And that's not to say, like, oh now, guys, former Hallmark hater here, that's not what I want from like television.

I want compelling television.

This is this is compelling television for sure, But I'm like, I'm like, I just feel at sorts watching it.

Yeah, I hear you, I do hear you that.

I'm gonna tell you that Ian Hurting is such a good actor that I'm like, I'm so worried about you and your health.

Oh you find him very believable.

Yes, yeah, I know he's good.

He's really good.

You know.

I forgot that we were going to talk about like the details of the episode.

Yeah.

Melanie or directed episode five.

She has thirty two directing credits.

She most recently directs did four out of six episodes of the recent Mistletoe Murders season.

Her other work includes Sullivan's Crossing, The Hardy Boys, and the Spencer sisters.

If you are, by chance here just stumbled upon our podcast looking for a Ripple review, right, and you're like, what the hell is Mistletoe Murders?

I think you should go check it out.

To be honest, it's a really good show.

Two seasons.

How many episodes?

Six?

Six each season?

Yeah?

Watch that show?

Really good.

Eva Taylor is the writer on this episode.

She had previously written episodes one, two, in three.

Her other writing experience includes the series Good Trouble.

Did you watch that show?

I did watch the first season?

I did it.

Yeah, I watched the first season.

After that, I couldn't like stick with it for some reason.

I think I had a hard time relating.

Perhaps that was just going to say, I'm like a completely different time of life.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

We have our returning cast, with the exception of a Linea.

Jordan joins in this episode.

She plays Mo.

She is the Internet customer service rep.

Let's take a quick break and come right back with our first impressions.

Hey, Wendy, what's your first impression of episode five of Ripple?

My first impression is that everyone on this show needs therapy.

Yeah.

Yeah.

When Aria suggests Nate needs therapy, I'm like, yeah, Nate do that.

Yeah.

If anybody needs therapy, it's you.

Yeah.

My first impression is they did it again.

I remain impressed by the way these characters are interconnected.

Is it too much for you?

It's not too much for me.

It's the premise of the show and at the beginning when we have mo who we don't know who she is walking down the street, like, oh, how's she gonna die in?

What's gonna Who is she?

Who's she talking to?

And honestly I didn't guess.

I should have didn't guess, not until the end they're like, oh oh.

At first I was like, oh, maybe she's Claire's sister, but no, no, Yeah, I Like I said this previously, I enjoy this interconnected world.

But also I'm like, I hate that I'm watching going like, let me try to figure it out.

Yeah, I try to figure it out.

I don't.

I don't want to do that.

I just want to consume the content.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But so I started watching Pluripus last night on Apple TV Plus.

Have you seen that show?

No?

And the whole time I'm like, what is happening?

Where are we going with this?

So it's not just the fact that we're reviewing this, like there are other shows that make me go, what is going on here?

You know?

Mm hmm.

Anyway, let's talk what we liked.

Okay, so we talked about Moe a little bit.

I would like to talk a little bit more about Mo.

I liked her arc.

I like the introduction of this new character.

I like the way she was woven into their lives, the reveal that she is Finn's mom's sister, she's Finn's aunt.

But I also liked the role she played in breaking Aria out of her bedrodding phase.

Yes, and the way she expresses that when people are having a hard time, it's hard on people around them as well, right, So that kind of is the thing that pushes Aria out.

She's like, I don't want to make life harder for these other people.

I think, oh, interesting that I want to take a little bit of a burden off of them so they don't have to continue worrying about me.

I didn't come away from that though.

There was the scene when Aria gets the invitation the text message for Nate's party and she breaks down crying.

So maybe there I can see like, because I was like, why is she so upset?

She can't show up for people.

Maybe she felt she couldn't show up for people.

I don't know.

I don't know.

Yeah, I don't fully understand what's going on in Aria's head at all times.

You know, the problem is that we know everything about Aria's relationship that she doesn't know.

Y've seen so many of these things happen, and so when I see her, like with John, I think, how could you not know?

How could you not sense something?

When she meets Deisi in the bar, right, and she's just pleasant to her and she knows.

She says, own, you must work together, and he knows me so well, and we, as the keepers of this information, are like, no, see through him.

And they have a really nice moment in the kitchen.

The next morning, she's like, I made you coffee and I'm writing songs because I'm in a good place.

Yeah.

Again the collision course with Desa.

You know, it's funny how you how you mentioned we know what's going on with her, right, But then they're the other characters we don't know, right.

I know, that's like a movie making tactic where like the audience is aware something like we're anticipating, like something that's coming up but it's interesting where we have like so many characters here in this show, and we know the details about her that way, but we don't know them about the others.

There's so much unknown about these other people.

Yeah, and still Aria's story, her backstory is still such a mystery too.

We have not circled back at all to her father, her father, the guy with the mysterious tattoo on the arm, and all that being connected, we do see the backstory of her mom really pushing her to be a pianist instead of something else.

Yeah, the mom, I was like, God, I hope I have never been a parent like that, right, and I probably have had my own dream, yes, and to the point that extreme though, God, to the point she slams the thing down on her fingers, And then the mom's reaction was, let me reschedule the Oh my god, Oh my god.

Yeah, that was borderline abusive to me.

Feels dramatic to say, but just watching that scene and seeing the way the mom is so focused on the prestige of being a classical pianist and getting into Juilliard and not her daughter's true passion.

Yeah, fine, she has a talent for it, but it's clear that's not what she wants to do.

So interesting.

I'm okay.

So we're on episode five.

There's is there eight or ten episodes?

There's eight?

I mean, how much are we gonna work out here in the next three episodes?

I can't imagine we come to a resolution with Aria and her mom.

I hope we get a little more information about her dad.

Her mom's not gonna change, right, It's gonna come down to Aria having to accept that that's who her mom is and making a decision about what that means for their relationship.

And I feel like Aria's life is just going to completely implode.

Yep.

The truth about John and Desi is going to come to the surface.

And they reminded us of that by having Desi show up at the bar.

How small their world is.

She's right there and Chris making their putting NICs together.

Yeah, exactly.

That is another point that says this isn't over yikes, and that I'm telling you this is where I get to like, I'm like, I don't I don't want to watch this happen, Like I don't want to see these characters like experience all this tragedy.

Well, and the other thing is Carrie, Chris is protesging.

Sure gives Aria her business card and that sets up you know, Ari's kind of committed herself to Chris.

But you can see that having this big record label behind you and having them be interested in you would be appealing.

Sure artists as opposed to having this indie record label being their first artist.

So is she going to betray Chris in that way?

I don't know.

Again, It's just the disasters exist in multiple directions.

Here.

Are you surprised to see like how close these people are to each other in this like short timeframe.

It does it feel realistic to you?

I'm not letting myself care about if it feels realistic, because it feels nice.

Like I love that they have this place to go.

I love that they're existing in this bar.

Like you and I have talked about this before, but like my husband and I don't have a lot of like couple friends, a lot of like we don't.

I wish we had a place, you know.

It's it's why friends is so appealing.

They have yeah, Central perk cheers, which I don't really like, but it's the same concept, the idea of having this place and having these friends that feel like family.

It's so desirable to me to have a group like that, Like I can show up at my local bar and I know that some iteration of my friend group is gonna be there.

Yeah, It's it's nice, right, especially given what they're all going through.

Yeah, I know there was there was a scene I think it was between Nate and Aria and he's like, oh, you should be celebrating with friends and she's like, I am.

I don't remember what they were celebrating though, that she had written her for song.

I think that's what the details were.

Let's tack Nate for a second.

Yeah, Now, as a parent, this was a rough watch for me, especially being a parent who has dealt with my own illness at one point and like not being able to fully engage with your child.

That was really hard and difficult to watch.

And I and I felt like, prior to this episode, we had Nate with this diagnosis and like, Okay, we're gonna do this in this and have surgery and it's gonna be great.

Well, those are not the outcomes that we had expected, and now like you have to do this instead, and maybe he is like really struggling with his mortality here and like what he how he can be present in his life.

That's a hard watch.

It's a hard watch, and I think I think it's very different to be Okay, here's our plan and then living the plan the reality of recovering from surgery and the toll that chemo has taken on his body.

And so it's not just step one, step two, step three.

I'm better, it's step one, step two, step three.

All of that middle place is bad too, Yeah, and has all of these lingering effects.

I'm still uncomfortable with the Claire stuff.

Yeah, I do feel like she's super supportive of him, but like he just he's very clearly not in that relationship I know.

But what I struggle with is that he's getting that from Chris.

Yes, right, and it's very flirty, like obviously, like I feel like they have tons of natural chemistry, but they haven't really like taken it there into like a romantic not really level hold hands.

It's intimate.

Yes, Yes.

What I'm just wondering is like, are they trauma bonding here?

You know, like say Nate recovers.

Do they have something?

I mean, they bonded before he was sick, they had an attraction before he knew he was sick, right, Okay, that's fair, or before she knew he was sick at least, Yeah, that's fair.

I kind of feel like these things are just happening concurrently to their relationship, and their relationship isn't a result of this trauma.

If you're Chris, do you want to get involved with somebody who has this illness?

I mean, all things being equal, if you could say, like, do you want to be with someone who's battling a scary diagnosis, who's mid divorce, is that the choice you choose?

Probably not.

But she met him and she has feelings for him, and so she cares about the person as opposed to what he is.

A circumstance.

Yeah, the circumstance.

Yeah, that's how I leave this show.

Yeah, some of the ensemble stuff added some nice texture.

In this episode.

We have Ellis and Ellis's girlfriend and I can't remember, Yeah, so you know her and Walter's It's it's like setting the foundation there, you know, Walter eventually meeting Marcia gay Harden.

Yeah, I don't even know who her, what her character name is, but I don't even think they've established that.

And then we have Tara and Sylvie and they're like navigating the jumping in together so quickly.

I did think the joke about lesbian's moving grade too quickly was very funny.

Yeah.

I love Terror's response.

I love that you even knew to make that joke.

And I'll you and I were like, what's going on there?

And she breaks it down.

She's like, I like her, but I'm not ready for her to be in my space all the time.

So fair, And then Sylvie's like, guess it's gonna be a little while longer.

I want Tera to be like, I'm sorry, but find alternate accommodation.

Yeah.

Yeah, because they rushed to this phase of a relationship that they weren't in yet.

But I feel for Tara too, because it is hard to have that conversation without it coming off as a negative.

Right, let's talk wishes, all right.

I'm struggling with Finn's storyline.

Yeah, it's hard to watch a child deal with illness like this.

And you know, at some point we see her the mom saying like she's done, she doesn't want to do this anymore.

Again, We're on a collision course and I don't want to be here.

She's clearly sicker than she was in previous episodes.

You know, she looks different, her attitude is different.

And I, on the one hand, I appreciate that because in the previous episode she was Yes, she was dealing with cancer treatment, but she was fun and she was funny, and she was engaging and she was easy to be around.

And now we see her being kid who is sick and the results of that.

And there's a lot that I need clarity on in this And one of those things is I thought it was really interesting.

I loved when Chris shows up and she and Finn's mom have that Exchangement's like, yeah, don't quit your day jobs.

Yeah, real funny, and then she and Finn have a real cute exchange.

I really like their dynamic together.

What the heck is going on?

Is it one?

I think it's just one.

There's like a gnat in this house is circling in between our microphones.

That's driving me banigana us.

I like Finn and Chris's dynamic, and I thought it was really funny.

She's like, oh, therapeutic music day.

Yeah.

I only like that.

But at the other hand, as far as I know, Chris only met Finn once and Finn's mom wasn't there.

So when Chris shows up with this box of goodies for Finn, I was like, when when did all of this happen?

When did this relationship happen?

Yeah, and to expand on that, the timeline of this show is unclear to me because Tara talked about Sylvie having been there for weeks now, but it seems like Nate and Chris just reconnect.

So it's been weeks since she left and came back and they haven't had a com and and Aria is still in bed weeks later.

It's like that timeline seems like it's only been a few days.

Nate and Chris seems like it's only been a few days.

But somehow Sylvie has been in Tara's apartment for weeks and the whole Walter of it all, While I don't have a timeline of that, it has got to have been months for them to be hinting at a future love interest.

Yeah, him, Yeah, So the whole timeline's very wonky to me.

Yeah, I agree.

A couple of small things like Nate's refusal for therapy, like that needs more digging, Like obviously Nate, you know they talk about nabing like you know, healthy, like how he's like on this healthy, how doesn't eat sugar and all this other stuff like what's the backstory with like his parents and like where he's at and like there just seems like a lot to unpack there, Like we don't really know a ton about Nate.

Yeah, that's true.

I don't know what the story is there.

And then I'm ready for this Aria, John and Desi's situation to come to a head.

I think it will.

You know she sees when Desi sees Aria wearing the bracelet, I was like, yikes, yikes, all of it is yikes.

I need to expose John.

Yeah, but it's just going to throw Aria back into Yeah, the one who gets hurt here is Aria exactly as much as I want John to get what he deserves.

The person who's gonna suffer the most is Yep.

Yep.

We see just a hint of it.

But Rebecca the physical therapist grabs a flyer, yes, which is about you know, the thread the through line on the seat on this episode.

Indeed, it's multiple flyers and it talks about body workers and wide open spaces.

Is she planning to leave?

Is this going to devastate Ellis, I don't know, seems so happy with her, and they have their little you know, she works with Walter.

They're like, oh, their own little family.

Yeah.

I mean Ellis comes like busting in during their physical therapy session to talk about planning needs birthday.

Yeah.

That see, that's what again, Like the timeline is so wonky, like some of these people are so close to each other, I don't need an understanding.

Yeah, but yes, I wonder how this is going to affect Ellis because Ellis is an artist, right, yeah she is, hmmm, but like she's so needed by Nate right now.

So I don't know, I don't know.

I'm curious to see if that leads somewhere.

I'm sure, I'm sure it does.

That's all I got for wishes.

Well, let's talk to you.

You say that I only have one.

Okay, in Nate and Clara's house, like they're in the living room and they have what appears to be like a bathroom light fixture on the wall, just like it's like a super random looking bathroom light fixture, one that would hang over like a sink.

Yes, just on the wall, yep.

And it has like a picture underneath it and then that's it.

It's it's just a bizarre interest conclusion.

That's all we talked about Chris and Nate's connection.

I don't have true jujitsy that moment, but this really stood out to me.

When they go outside at the bar and they're talking about like where she's been.

He didn't he thought he thought she had disappeared because this is all too much for her, and she's like, my dad died, yeah, and he realized what's going on with her that moment is so she kind of tries to brush it off and he's like, could you just let me be here for you, which is a great line.

Yeah, he just holds her hands.

Yeah.

And for me, I'm having thoughts of Claire in this moment and in the nebulous state of all of his relationships.

But I just really love him and Chris for each other.

When they walk back into the bar, still holding hands, it's just a it solidifies to me.

I want these two to still be heading in this same direction, like this is a relationship.

I am going to be devastated if this isn't continuing at the end of this series, Like if all of this devastation also blows back on the two of them.

Oh god, it's going to hurt me.

Is there any word about a nothing second season?

Nothing yet?

Nothing?

Nothing yet?

Uh?

Did you for a split second when Aria calls the Internet company think there was going to be some weird reveal about John, like financially something.

They're like, oh, the bill has a paid in six months.

Oh no, I didn't even that.

I hadn't even crossed my mind.

Okay, that's a wrap on this episode, recap and review of Ripple.

We'll be back next week with episode six.

There are eight episodes in this season, so we're in the back half.

And if you are just listening to us for Ripples, stick around and check out some of our Hallmark reviews.

We'll be back next time with more Hallmark chatter.

Goodbye, bye, all right friends, before we go, just a quick heads up.

You're about to hear some ads.

Thee Little Gems help us keep the show running and the hull Park love flowing.

So do with that info what you will, grab a s neck, hit the skip button, or maybe just maybe listen in and discover your new favorite product.

Bye.