In the February 19 episode of Freeform’s Good Trouble, “Swipe Right,” one of the ladies living in the Coderie celebrates having her first threesome by bragging to all her friends. After all, a man would never "feel weird" about it.
In this case, Mariana Adams Foster (Cierra Ramirez) is unwittingly drawn into a threesome. She is rescued from a boring date by a handsome guy named Eli at a nearby table. He candidly admits to her that he has a girlfriend at home and then invites Mariana back to their place for a drink. She agrees and is soon introduced to his girlfriend Lara.
After her night with her new friends, Mariana was only too happy to boast to her sister, Callie (Maia Mitchell), about having a threesome. She thinks it’s just the ticket to cure her low self-esteem brought on by working with mostly men at the software design company. Being new to this kind of sexual encounter, Mariana is confused that Lara “goes postal” the next morning when Mariana is still in bed with Eli without her.
Callie: Where have you been all night?
Mariana: Out with some friends. A couple. I spent the night. Okay, I had a threesome.
Callie: What?
Mariana: I know.
Callie: I warned you about that dress.
Mariana: It wasn't the dress, it was me. I'm just... I felt so rejected ever since we moved to la and... And you get to be the center of someone's attention. And I was. They were all about me. Except in the morning, the girlfriend went postal.
Lara: Oh, my God! What the hell are you doing? I was...
Eli: What? I was half asleep. don't know. Where were you?
Lara: Getting dressed for work!
Mariana: I'm sorry, I'm confused. What's going on?
Lara: I thought we were friends. How could you do this to me?
Mariana: We are friends. Uh... What about last night?
Lara: I... No, we only do this together.
Eli: She didn't know.
Mariana: Yeah.
Lara: You know the rules. Are you kidding me?
Mariana: I'm new to this, I don't know the rules.
Lara: Okay, well, get out.
Mariana: Got it.
Lara: Maybe move a little faster.
Mariana: Ugh. Why is it so hard to find a nice couple in this town?
At the end of the episode, Mariana is talking with the other women to hear about their dates. Mariana explained what happened with her date and then admitted it was an empowering experience for her. Ugh. Third wave feminism is really messed up. Mariana was kicked out of the couple’s house, for heaven’s sake. How does that amount to empowerment?
Alice: Three is the devil's number, okay? Someone always gets left out. Trust me.
Davia: Okay, no shame. Did you enjoy the sex?
Mariana: Yeah.
Davia: And do you feel empowered as a woman in your sexuality?
Mariana: Yes, I do.
Davia: Okay, then you had a successful night. You think a man feels weird about having a three-way? Absolutely not.
Alice: True.
This show is marketed to teens and twenty-somethings. The message from this show is little more than if it feels good, do it, no shame. But you could tell that just by the oxymoronic title Good Trouble.
