Good Bad Girl Season 1: A Deep Dive into a Flawed Yet Fascinating Tale of Lies and Ambition

Good Bad Girl (2022), a SonyLIV original series created by Vikas Bahl and directed by Abhishek Sengupta, presents an ambitious narrative centered around Maya Ahuja, a character whose life is defined by her unapologetic penchant for lying. Spanning nine episodes, the series attempts to weave a unique story of a middle-class girl turned lawyer who manipulates truth to navigate her way through personal and professional challenges. While the concept promises a fresh take on morality, ambition, and identity, the execution stumbles, leaving viewers with a polarizing mix of compelling performances and frustrating narrative choices. This review explores the strengths, weaknesses, and untapped potential of Good Bad Girl Season 1, offering a critical lens on its themes, character development, and storytelling.

The Premise: A Life Built on Lies

At its core, Good Bad Girl follows Maya Ahuja, a character who thrives on deception. Portrayed across three timelines—childhood, college, and adulthood—Maya (played by Samridhi Dewan in her adult years and Aradhya Ajana as a child) is a compulsive liar who uses her fabrications to achieve her goals, whether it’s social acceptance, professional success, or personal gain. The series opens with Maya’s latest scheme: falsely claiming she has breast cancer to manipulate those around her, a lie that spirals into increasingly uncomfortable territory. Through flashbacks, we see how her childhood experiences shaped her deceptive nature, offering a psychological lens on her behavior.

The show’s central thesis is provocative: life isn’t always black-and-white, and strategic lying can sometimes be a tool for survival in a competitive world. This morally gray perspective sets Good Bad Girl apart from conventional dramas, inviting viewers to question whether Maya’s actions are cunning or reprehensible. However, the series struggles to balance this intriguing premise with coherent storytelling, often leaving its audience more frustrated than captivated.

Strengths: A Standout Performance and a Bold Concept

One of the undeniable highlights of Good Bad Girl is Samridhi Dewan’s portrayal of Maya Ahuja. Dewan brings a magnetic energy to the role, embodying Maya’s charisma, cunning, and vulnerability with remarkable finesse. She navigates the character’s contradictions—charming yet selfish, ambitious yet morally questionable—with a performance that keeps viewers engaged even when the plot falters. Aradhya Ajana’s depiction of young Maya is equally compelling, offering a glimpse into the formative experiences that shaped her manipulative tendencies. These performances anchor the series, providing emotional depth to a character who could easily have been one-dimensional.

The show’s concept is another strength, at least on paper. By exploring how childhood experiences influence adult behavior, Good Bad Girl attempts to delve into the psychology of lying. Flashbacks to Maya’s youth reveal how adults’ secrets and bribes shaped her worldview, suggesting that her dishonesty is a learned survival mechanism. This thematic exploration of how environment molds personality is a refreshing departure from typical portrayals of women in Indian web series, which often lean on glamour or victimhood. The series also avoids the trope of portraying women as uniformly virtuous, instead presenting Maya as a complex antihero who defies traditional expectations.

The background music, while divisive, occasionally complements the narrative, particularly in moments of high tension. Certain scenes are elevated by well-timed scores that underscore Maya’s audacious schemes, though the music’s overall impact is inconsistent.

Weaknesses: A Slow, Scattered Narrative

Despite its bold premise, Good Bad Girl falters in its execution, primarily due to a sluggish and unfocused screenplay. The nine-episode arc feels unnecessarily protracted, with repetitive plot points that dilute the story’s momentum. The series meanders through Maya’s childhood, college years, and professional life without effectively tying these timelines together, resulting in a disjointed narrative that fails to evoke nostalgia or emotional resonance. Critics have noted that the show’s pacing is “extremely slow” for a story that should be dynamic and fast-paced, given its focus on deception and intrigue.

The attempt to blend genres—comedy, drama, and psychological thriller—falls flat. The show aims for dark comedy but rarely lands its humorous beats, with forced attempts at wit that feel out of place. Dialogue, in particular, is a weak point, often described as “cheap and unconvincing,” lacking the authenticity needed to make Maya’s world feel lived-in. Courtroom scenes, a staple of the series given Maya’s legal career, are criticized for being nonsensical and poorly integrated, failing to add stakes or depth to the plot.

Moreover, the series struggles with its supporting characters. The law firm where Maya works feels oddly small, revolving around just two or three people, which undermines the credibility of the setting. Secondary characters, including Maya’s college friends and colleagues, lack depth and fail to leave a lasting impact. The absence of a strong antagonist further weakens the narrative, as Maya’s schemes face little meaningful opposition, reducing the sense of tension or consequence.

Perhaps the most polarizing aspect is the show’s handling of sensitive topics, particularly Maya’s fabricated cancer diagnosis. While intended to highlight her moral ambiguity, this plotline crosses into insensitivity, with one reviewer noting discomfort at Maya being asked to become an “influencer with breast cancer.” This choice risks trivializing a serious illness, alienating viewers who might otherwise sympathize with her flawed character.

Thematic Analysis: Ambition, Morality, and the Cost of Lies

Good Bad Girl attempts to explore complex themes, but its execution often undermines its ambitions. The series posits that lying can be a strategic tool for navigating societal barriers, particularly for a middle-class woman in a competitive urban landscape. Maya’s deceptions are framed as a response to a world that rewards privilege and conformity, a perspective that could have been powerful if explored with more nuance. Instead, the show leans heavily on Maya’s selfishness, portraying her as a character with “no empathy and consideration towards others,” which makes it difficult for viewers to root for her.

The exploration of how childhood trauma shapes adult behavior is another missed opportunity. While the flashbacks to Maya’s youth are well-acted, they feel repetitive and fail to build toward a cohesive understanding of her psyche. The series hints at a fusion of “psycho and normal behavior” but doesn’t fully commit to a psychological thriller tone that could have elevated its impact. A darker, more introspective approach might have made Maya’s journey more compelling, allowing viewers to grapple with the ethics of her actions rather than dismissing her as unlikeable.

The Cliffhanger: A Risky Gamble

The season ends on a cliffhanger, a choice that has drawn significant criticism. Rather than providing a satisfying resolution, the finale leaves key questions unanswered, banking on a second season to tie up loose ends. This decision feels particularly frustrating given the show’s lack of narrative momentum, as the cliffhanger fails to generate anticipation for what’s next. Reviewers have noted that the ending “doesn’t even make you want to know what happens next,” underscoring the series’ struggle to maintain viewer investment.

Critical Reception: A Polarized Response

The critical response to Good Bad Girl is mixed, reflecting its uneven execution. Some praise its unique premise and Dewan’s performance, with one reviewer calling it a “very different Hatke movie” that stands out for its portrayal of a flawed, ambitious woman. Others, however, find it “completely skippable,” citing its predictable plot, lackluster dialogue, and failure to capitalize on its potential. The series has been described as “SonyLIV’s one of the few weakest releases of 2022,” a stark contrast to the platform’s typically strong original content.

Could It Have Been Better?

Good Bad Girl had the ingredients for a standout series: a bold premise, a talented lead, and a willingness to explore moral ambiguity. However, its execution suggests a lack of clarity in its vision. A tighter narrative, perhaps condensed into a feature-length film or a shorter series, could have sharpened its focus. Embracing a darker, more psychological tone might have elevated the stakes, allowing viewers to engage with Maya’s complexity rather than recoil at her insensitivity. Stronger supporting characters and a more cohesive integration of the three timelines could have added depth, making the story feel less fragmented.

Final Verdict

Good Bad Girl Season 1 is a frustrating paradox—a series with a bold, unconventional premise that fails to deliver on its promise. Samridhi Dewan’s stellar performance and the show’s exploration of lying as a survival mechanism offer moments of intrigue, but the sluggish pacing, weak dialogue, and mishandling of sensitive themes undermine its potential. For viewers seeking a character-driven drama with a morally complex protagonist, the series offers glimpses of brilliance but ultimately falls short of being a must-watch. Those intrigued by Maya’s story may find enough to keep them engaged, but others may struggle to look past its flaws.

Rating: 2.5/5
While Good Bad Girl dares to be different, it struggles to balance its ambitious ideas with compelling storytelling, leaving viewers with a show that’s as exasperating as it is intriguing. For a deeper exploration of similar themes, consider watching The Undoing or Your Honor, which tackle moral ambiguity with greater finesse.¹