November 2019 – TV Quick Hits & Misses

The End of the F***ing World: Season 2 (NETFLIX / BBC ONE) – After the decent but unremarkable sociopathological Romeo & Juliet-ish first season I didn’t have a lot of hope in this one to deliver an interesting second season. However, after flying through the show’s new eight episodes, totaling 158 minutes, I’m happy to report that I really rather loved it.

The series picks up two years after the close of the first season and sees a third wheel added to James (Alex Lawther) and Alyssa’s (Jessica Barden) already complicated drama. The events of the new season are comfortably tied to those of the former, and in a way that I gratefully hadn’t expected but clearly felt on an unexpectedly emotional level.

Note: I want to give props to the music department for this season’s soundtrack choices. They brought in a full complement of exceptional songs that bolster the emotion of the season.

Mayans M.C.: Season 2 (FX) – A far more easily digestible second season sees the deepening and unifying of the series’ familial drama. Due to this, the show initially feels way less about the motorcycle club, but it ultimately finds itself balanced out by season’s end and sets up some big things to come. So, while “Sons of Anarchy had set up its end game in the first few episodes of the series, “Mayans M.C.” has yet to do that, but you can clearly see the dark clouds on the horizon, and they’re worth being excited about.

Note: “Sons of Anarchy” creator, and “Mayans M.C.” co-creator Kurt Sutter, who wrote the first and last two episodes of this second season, was fired from the production in October 2019 due to multiple behavioral complaints and will not be returning in any capacity. Crossing my fingers, toes, and eyes that the series is able to thrive without him.

The Terror: Infamy (AMC) – Otherwise known as “The Terror: Season 2”, “Infamy” tells a completely new and unrelated story that moves the happenings from the 1845 Arctic setting of the first season to California in 1942, during the internment of Japanese Americans. The story itself explores an apparent haunting of a Japanese collective by what’s known as a Yurei, a ghost/poltergeist, who has an apparently vengeful reason for not staying dead and gone.

What is ultimately a far less riveting story than the first season provided, is made infinitely more intriguing than its predecessor by enlisting a far more interesting, and likeable, cast of characters. And while it all winds up a bit weak in the end, some of the getting there is absorbing, culturally accurate, and certainly spooky, although it never rises to the level of actually being frightening.

Note: There is no connection between the seasons of this show other than “The Terror” title.

Atypical: Season 3 (NETFLIX) – Another feel-good season sees the series’ core family members dealing with self-specific issues. Sam and Paige are off to differing colleges, Casey is dealing with relationship issues, and Sam’s parents are still cordially at odds. And yet, for a season that sees its characters so independently minded, it proves to be the most unifying-ly rich of the series, even Zahid, who’s still a bit annoying, delivers this season.

Note: I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed the scoring and soundtracking on this one too; constantly finding myself bopping and fidgeting/toe-tapping along in time.

Big Mouth: Season 3 (NETFLIX) – The one-off Valentine’s Day special, released earlier in 2019, kicks off this hilarious, and probably the most vulgar, season of the middle-school comedy series. Said comedy, from the dialogue to the songs (see “Anything Goes in Florida”) remains biting, cringe-worthy, and ultimately hilarious across the board.

Note: The show is a bit tough to binge because it’s so crass, but if you watch the series in roughly 2-4 episodes stints it’s a lot more fun.
 

Room 104: Season 3 (HBO) – Consisting again of twelve independent episodes that vary widely in tone and impact, this third season of the anthology series is seemingly no different than previous seasons: it’s not great, nor is it bad either, it’s just there and is a little trippy in stasis.

Note: The first episode of the season gives audiences a little bit of history on the room itself, a later episode includes musician Julianna Barwick, and episode 11: “Crossroads” is probably the most fun of the season.

-m-