The thing with Cynthia is more complicated, but lets just say that he wasn't the married one, and her husband couldn't know or understand any of it.

And also - remember that time Zion slept with Georgia when she was in a relationship and he didn't care?

As for the "violence".. I'm glad Joe punched Gil in the face for his domestic violence against Georgia. At least someone cared and didn't just turn it on Georgia and blame her for keeping him in the house with Ginny. Cause yeah, Zion did that.

the excuse it’s just a piece of paper 😂 but you think Georgia had loyalty to Paul after 2 weeks when she slept with Zion like make it make sense and the Joe sleeping with Cynthia in the same house her man was literally dying in talking about some he wouldn’t know like that matters point is he shouldn’t be saying loyalty and mention all the time while being a hypocrite or cry about his ex cheating on him hello like what also why he acting like Georgia won’t do that again with Zion?

Add on to that his betrayal in taking Ginny from her in season 3, his blame game at her, and the horror in what she's done - they're done like that.

The thing with Cynthia is more complicated, but lets just say that he wasn't the married one, and her husband couldn't know or understand any of it.

And also - remember that time Zion slept with Georgia when she was in a relationship and he didn't care?

As for the "violence".. I'm glad Joe punched Gil in the face for his domestic violence against Georgia. At least someone cared and didn't just turn it on Georgia and blame her for keeping him in the house with Ginny. Cause yeah, Zion did that.

We don't get to see Joe's reaction to learning her name. Paul interrupts them before she can tell Joe.

I know its kind of a stretch, but she she was wearing the sunglasses as they drove to Wellsbury. He had to be on her mind a little bit. Did the writes know what they were doing from the pilot?

Their meeting when they were 15 meant a lot to Georgia. As said by Ginny - the sunglasses he gave her represented hope to her, and that her life "could always get better." She came to Wellsbury for her kids and to give them a good life that she could see in the kids at that rest stop, but also it was a chance for her too.

I know part of it is that Joe’s screentime is relatively shorter than the other male love interests, but barely anyone in Georgia’s life has clocked the vibe between them yet and I can count on one hand the amount of times anyone’s come even remotely close. Ellen’s clocked a bit of a vibe but she’s not a huge plot driver so that’s pretty low stakes, same with Georgia’s sister. Cynthia knows Joe has feelings for Georgia, but at this point I think she fully believes they are unrequited and that Georgia views him more as a plaything (which is funny given Cynthia was cheating on her dying husband with Joe so she should be the one who knows best that he’s completely capable of stealing someone’s wife). Paul made one comment once about Joe having a crush on Georgia but he meant it half as a joke and again genuinely doesn’t see Joe as a threat??? and like no one does??? which is crazy to me??? but, even though he is a beautiful man who owns his own business and worships the ground Georgia walks on, do you know why no one knows to be worried? because JOE MAKES MOVES IN SILENCE LIKE A REAL MAN!!!

I just find it so interesting that Joe does an insanely good job of keeping his mouth shut around Paul, Zion, Gil, etc. and giving no one anything to suspect. I think a large part of that isn’t even intentional; Joe’s just not competing with them. he’s not competing, PERIOD. his focus is on genuinely caring for her. it’s refreshing because Zion and Paul’s respective relationships with Georgia all involve multiple players: Zion has to consider Ginny, Simone, his parents, Gil, and Paul. Paul has to consider the kids, Zion, and even the city/his reputation as mayor.

And can I just add that the next episode after *that*, Zion and Paul went after her to talk/console her after the 'disastrous dinner' but she sought out Joe who was the one to make her feel better.

I mean I don’t know if you’re simply referring to them having scenes, because obviously they were going to do that for the fans, but anything of a romantic/implied romantic nature would be forced and ridiculous. Because it’s out of nowhere whether it be following from their Riverdale selves - where, you know, Betty wanted to marry Archie and hadn’t been with Jughead for 8 years. Or whether it be their 50′s selves where they’ve had minimal interaction. Even presenting them as an important relationship is hard to believe.