You know that specific feeling when a fictional woman finally loses her mind, commits a light felony, or perhaps burns down a Victorian estate, and instead of being horrified, you just nod in approval? That's the good for them meme. It’s the internet’s collective "pat on the back" for female characters who choose violence, revenge, or just a very expensive divorce.
It’s weird. It’s dark. Honestly, it’s one of the most resilient bits of internet culture we’ve seen in the last decade.
While most memes die within a week—shoutout to whatever happened to "Cratelife" or those 3D dancing hamsters—the "Good for her" or "Good for them" energy has persisted. It’s not just a caption. It’s a genre of appreciation for the "unhinged woman" trope. It tells us a lot about how we watch movies now.
Where did the Good For Them Meme actually come from?
Most people think this started with Gone Girl. It makes sense, right? Rosamund Pike’s Amy Dunne is the patron saint of being terrifyingly organized and vengeful. But the actual spark for the specific phrase "Good for her" is usually traced back to a specific screenshot of Lucille Bluth from Arrested Development.
Jessica Walter, playing the martini-clutching matriarch, watches a news report about a woman who drove her car into a lake because she was "tired of her life." Lucille just shrugs and says, "Good for her."
It’s a perfect three-word distillation of upper-class apathy and gendered solidarity.
Then came 2019. This was the year the meme went nuclear. We got Midsommar. If you’ve seen it, you know the final shot. Dani, played by Florence Pugh, is wrapped in a literal mountain of flowers, watching a temple burn with her terrible boyfriend inside. She smiles. It’s a horrifying smile. But on Twitter? Everyone just posted the screenshot with the caption: good for them meme energy.
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It isn't just about murder, though
We have to be clear here. You don’t have to commit arson to qualify for the meme, though it definitely helps your "rankings" on Tumblr.
Sometimes, the meme applies to much smaller victories. Did a character finally leave her deadbeat husband in a Hallmark movie? Good for her. Did a celebrity post a slightly "messy" Instagram story after a public breakup? Good for them.
The meme acts as a subversion of the "likable female lead" requirement. For decades, Hollywood told us women had to be sweet, or at least redeemable. The meme rejects that. It says, "I don’t care if she’s the villain; I support her rights and her wrongs."
This shift is huge. Think about The Witch (2015). When Thomasin decides to "live deliciously" and head into the woods to join a coven, the audience used to see that as a tragedy. Now? It’s a liberation.
The "Unhinged Woman" Cinematic Universe
If you're looking for the core pillars of this meme, you're looking at a very specific watchlist. These aren't just movies; they are the fuel for the good for them meme fire.
- Gone Girl (2014): The "Cool Girl" monologue is the manifesto. Amy Dunne didn't just win; she reinvented the game.
- Midsommar (2019): This moved the meme into the "A24 Aesthetic" territory. It made the meme feel artsy and floral.
- Promising Young Woman (2020): Cassie’s entire existence is a "Good for her" moment until it very much isn't.
- Pearl (2022): Mia Goth's breakdown is the ultimate "I’m an international star!" moment that the internet obsessed over.
There’s a common thread here. These characters are often pushed to a breaking point by a society (or a man) that doesn't listen. When they finally snap, the "Good for her" response from the audience is a way of saying "I get it." We might not actually want to poison our husband's tea, but we’ve all felt the urge to scream in a field while wearing a flower crown.
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Why does it resonate so hard?
Pop culture critics, like those at Bitch Media or The Take, have pointed out that this meme is a form of "feminist catharsis."
Life is stressful. The world feels like it's perpetually on fire. Seeing a woman on screen who simply stops trying to be "good" and starts being "effective" (however lethally) is a massive relief. It’s a power fantasy.
There's also the "them" part of the good for them meme. It transitioned from "her" to "them" to include groups or non-binary characters who find their own chaotic path to happiness. It’s an inclusive way of celebrating the downfall of a traditional, boring antagonist.
The backlash and the "Yassification" of villains
Not everyone thinks the meme is a harmless joke. Some critics argue that by saying "Good for her" to characters like Amy Dunne, we are ignoring the fact that she is, well, a murderer who ruined an innocent man’s life (mostly innocent, anyway).
But that’s kind of the point.
The meme is ironic. Most people posting it don't actually condone the behavior. They are participating in a performance of support. It’s "camp." It’s leaning into the absurdity of the situation.
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When you see a tweet with the good for them meme attached to a picture of a hurricane destroying a billionaire’s yacht, people aren't literally saying the hurricane is a feminist icon. Or maybe they are. That’s the beauty of internet slang—it’s flexible.
How to use the meme today
If you're trying to stay relevant with your meme usage, don't just post it for everything. It needs to have a bit of "edge."
- The Trigger: A character or person must have been wronged or underestimated.
- The Reaction: They do something drastic, slightly insane, or incredibly self-serving.
- The Context: It should feel like a victory, even if it’s a dark one.
You’ll see it a lot in the "Coquette" or "Female Rage" corners of TikTok. It’s often paired with Lana Del Rey music or slow-reverb versions of pop songs. It has become a visual language for a specific type of modern angst.
What's next for the "Good For Them" energy?
As we move into 2026, the meme is evolving. We’re seeing it move away from just "movies" and into real-world news. When a massive corporation gets fined or a politician has a very public, very embarrassing tech glitch, you’ll see the "Good for them" (usually sarcastic) or "Good for her" (directed at the person who caused the glitch) pop up.
It has become a shorthand for "I am enjoying this chaos."
Actionable Insights for Content Creators and Fans
- Watch for the "Breaking Point": If you're a writer or creator, understand that audiences now crave the "snap." Characters who remain perfect are boring. The good for them meme proves we want flaws.
- Understand the Irony: Don't take the meme literally. It’s about the emotional release of seeing someone stop following the rules.
- Curate the Aesthetic: If you’re making content in this vein, focus on the "A24" look—high contrast, dramatic faces, and a sense of "prestige" mixed with "horror."
- Respect the OGs: Always remember Lucille Bluth. Without her martini and her lack of empathy, we wouldn't have the "Good for her" foundation we stand on today.
The next time you see a fictional woman burning down the patriarchy (or just a really annoying office building), you know exactly what to say.
Good for her.