Parents' Guide to Good Girls

Watching "good" characters break bad is a delight in this twisty, soapy comedy staffed with actors you already love, let loose on roles they're clearly relishing. Mae Whitman, who's perhaps best known for playing bland Ann Veal in Arrested Development, is a saucy cashier at the Fine & Frugal and mom to quirky Sadie, who may be in need of a private school. What about Catholic school, wonders her patronizing ex, who's battling Annie for custody. "She's an atheist who enjoys a jaunty bow tie -- Catholic school's not for her," retorts Annie. Retta's Ruby is given fewer snappy lines than Parks and Recreation fans may expect. Her daughter's sick, and needs medication that costs $10K a month; Ruby's going to figure out a way to get it, even if it kills someone. And for her part, Christina Hendricks' Beth is going to find the money she needs to stay in her suburban house with her kids -- even if she has to shed her faithless spouse Dean (Matthew Lillard) in the process.

Desperate women with desperate problems -- it proves an irresistible hook in Good Girls. Female-led comedies are rare on TV, much less a trio of women who viewers will quickly grow to sympathize with, particularly once their heist goes awry and the complications pile up. "Nobody's going to fix this," says Beth, getting tough in her gleaming kitchen on a quiet suburban street. "We're going to have to do it ourselves." Good thing they make being bad look like so much fun.