It’s been a whole year, but we’re finally going to see how the rest of season 3 of Grown-ish will play out. In a few plotlines, we were left in the lurch. Storylines like Doug and Jazz, potentially hitting the pause button on their relationship. Or Zoey and Aaron sharing yet another frustratingly casual kiss. Now we’re back, and Zoey is no longer a Cal U student but a fully blown stylist to the stars. However, some things never change. And the Grown-ish characters are still toeing that delicate line between an immature teenager and a rational adult.
In the new episodes, Zoey proves herself to be an excellent stylist. But she still struggles to voice her fashion advice to her temperamental clients. On the other hand, it appears as though her personal life is falling into place. She finally confesses her feeling to Aaron. But that ship sails and promptly sinks when Zoey learns of Aaron’s new relationship status. Zoey finds herself alone and trying to change her ways by becoming a supportive friend to Aaron and asking for nothing in return but his friendship. It’s another small step for Zoey to consider herself grown.
Zoey isn’t the only one struggling with her love life. Jazz and Doug’s hiatus proves to be confusing as neither knows where they stand. Their decision to make their separation official comes as a shock. But the couple still left us a glimmer of hope for a reunion when Jazz asks Doug to make sure he doesn’t fall in love with anyone else for a while.
Ana and Javier dig a little deeper into their relationship this season. And Javier threw us a curveball when he announced his celibacy. Ana was a little weirded out, and we were too. But the sudden turn of events only serves to grow the couple’s relationship. Ana attends church with Javier and learns why he chose to take a vow of celibacy, finding strength in pursuing his faith. It’s an unconventional move to portray a couple who abstain from sex. But it’s also an illustration that there’s more than one way people can share their life.
The biggest storyline in the new episodes of Grown-ish (besides the fact Vivek finally got a girlfriend) echoes the turmoil felt in the world over the last year. Aaron gets the chance to grow as an activist when he uncovers some shady dealings concerning Cal U’s student tuition investments and how they affect the Black and Brown students on campus. Aaron learns there’s a lot more to activism than having an opinion. And he enlists the help of his friends to organize a protest of the university’s administration. Jazz and Sky also find themselves unexpectedly involved in the unrest. As the new subjects of Jillian’s student film about their journey to the Olympic trials, Jazz and Sky have to decide whether they value their ambition over standing up for change.
The Grown-ish characters continue to make mistakes, some more with more awkward outcomes than others, and life and learning continue. It’s been a shaky year. And stories that show us other people are having just as much trouble finding their footing help us realize we’re not alone. Be sure to check out the new episodes of Grown-ish on Freeform.
