This season has some really good side plots, like Francesca looking for a match (I ADORE her and John!) and struggling to fit in with her loud and chaotic family, and Eloise and Cressida’s unexpected friendship (who would’ve thought I would LIKE Cressida? Not me). Even the Featherington girls are a really fun comic relief.
Unfortunately I don’t vibe with Colin and Penelope as a couple lol. All this talk about Colin being this sensitive guy who lives for others… all I remember of him from previous seasons is him traveling and blowing the family money to indulge his own whims lol. And I don’t mind a character whoring around a bit but for me if a romance is to work I don’t want to see that character STILL whoring around once they realize their feelings for their one true love. Colin is not a true yearner and I don’t respect him! I also just find the chemistry between him and Pen lacking. I can see why they had to send Kate and Anthony on a second honeymoon because their chemistry would make the lack thereof between the season’s main couple obvious. Even Fran and John are outselling them without speaking to each other.
Dare I say… best episode of Loki yet? Definitely the best this season. Everything about it was PERFECT.
Loki: so how should I approach Sylvie, the woman I have feelings for and just tortured a guy to find
Also Loki: ah yes, showing up in full TVA gear with a prisoner in a jumpsuit like the one she was forced to wear as a child and immediately yammering about the TVA and how I saw her there in the future even though I know full well it's the organization that ruined her life and she hates it deeply will surely do the trick. it's not like it's gonna set a totally wrong tone for this reunion I've been laser focused on since the moment she pushed me through the time door. 10/10 zero flaws in that plan.
Bro really needs to get some game QUICK like I understand he's never been in love before but what the hell was that :sneezing_face:
This episode is so funny when you remember the network literally fired AJ Cook to save a buck on production costs and it backfired so spectacularly that they brought her back a season later. And they tried to make this episode all sad about JJ leaving but like… y’all did that lmfao that’s on you
Warning: some mild spoilers for the books ahead!
As someone who loved season 1 so much that I proceeded to read all the books in the Grishaverse (and ended up becoming a HUGE fan of the books), watching season 2 was kind of like a fever dream. I've been waiting for it for 2 years, basically counting down the days, and now that I've binged the whole thing I feel overwhelmed and underwhelmed at once.
Season 1 already wasn't a very faithful adaptation since the Crows don't exist in the original trilogy at all and their storyline and the way it intersected with Alina's was completely made up for the show, but it worked nicely. In season 2, they took even more creative liberties, and the result is basically a huge remix of no less than 4 (FOUR!) books (the remaining two installments in the Shadow and Bone trilogy + both Six of Crows books to some degree). It's just... way too much to cram into eight episodes. I understand the decision to add the Crows into the show since the S&B trilogy IMO doesn't have enough material to fill that much screentime (especially the second book, Siege and Storm, which is weirdly paced and not that much happens), but they really tried to do too much too fast. They also messed with the book timeline and chronology beyond recognition, especially in regards to the Crows. The Ice Court heist from the first book in the duology is set up in the last minutes of the finale with Kaz talking about "their biggest job yet" and the jurda parem reveal, but at the same time they... basically blew the plot of the second book (except watered down) on the whole Pekka Rollins conflict from the first half of the season? Choices were made.
I also have to criticize the fact that the writers seem so eager to get their SoC spin-off that they are completely uninterested in properly exploring Alina's story. And don't get me wrong, the S&B trilogy is probably my least favorite series in the Grishaverse, and the Crows are BY FAR the most popular characters in this fandom, and I actually liked s1 Alina much more than her book counterpart, but there were still so many elements in her arc and her relationship with the Darkling that were worth exploring in more depth on screen. Their dynamic in the books is complex and Alina struggles with the pull towards darkness and towards him much more. In the show, it seems that she's made up her mind about him being beyond redemption and stuck to it the whole season, which is kind of boring since it doesn't allow for character growth. She has some very brief moments where we see the conflicting emotions, but overall it's not really given much spotlight. Considering that the show is called Shadow & Bone and Jessie Mei Li is the first person on the call sheet, they could've done a better job of properly telling the actual Shadow and Bone story.
(But I do have to say, I appreciated the ending they gave Alina in the show compared to the book. The corruption arc of Alina Starkov is certainly a compelling setup that I'd love to see explored further.)
There were a few aspects of the trilogy that were well done. Genya's arc was beautiful and Daisy Head SLAYED (best acting this season alongside Ben Barnes and Freddy Carter). Nikolai was pretty much perfect, as were Tamar and Tolya. Zoya, my favorite bitch, was given a tiny bit more screentime, which is a win in my book. On the Crows' side, Wylan's introduction and Nina's incorporation into the group were both great. The cast has always been this show's strongest part for me and it's genuinely incredible how perfectly everyone embodies their characters. I just wish the Crows' arc had been done better and that they hadn't blown every impactful emotional beat from the books so willy-nilly, and I wish we'd spent more time exploring Alina's mindset and her connection with the Darkling.
Overall, this was kind of a mess, but there was some good stuff in there and the cast really delivered for me. The main reason why I still want a season 3 (though we all know how cancellation-happy Netflix is) is because the actors are just an amazing bunch and I love watching them, even if the writing and the story leave something to be desired. I'm curious to see how they would proceed with adapting the book material now that they've majorly changed the S&B ending. At this point, I basically approach the show like I'd approach a fanfic, and that way, I actually had a pretty good time watching this season, especially with friends who are not book readers. As long as you can separate the book canon from the show canon and don't expect a word-for-word adaptation, it's a fun ride. It could've been improved with some better writing and cramming less stuff in there, though.
I’ve only had Johanna Constantine for 40 minutes but if anything happens to her I’ll kill everyone in this room and then myself
So nice to have Jenna Coleman back on my screen again. This was my favorite episode so far.
Pride month ended yesterday and Stranger Things really said let’s make our gay characters suffer lmao
Also so glad Brenner is dead, that bitch really had it coming
This was a pretty bad first episode, but it was so cringy that I'm actually lowkey obsessed lol. There didn't need to be that much voiceover exposition and I HATE the trend of putting pop music in every single scene, like please just hire a composer instead of using your gen Z intern's Spotify playlist. I'm also not totally sold on the chemistry between the two leads. All that being said, if you are looking for a show to watch with your 13-year-old sister while you eat pizza and make snarky comments about the story, it's definitely a good choice.
Chibnall is a hit-and-miss storyteller, but I am going to give him some brownie points for not shying away from Yaz falling in love with Thirteen and vice versa. I never in a million years expected it to actually happen, so the last couple of specials were a pleasant surprise. I really liked the scene on the beach (callback to TenRose?). It felt very Broadchurch-y to me, which is a good thing.
That "coming soon" preview at the end of the episode really hit me in the feels. Perhaps I'm in the minority (but then again, my favorite Doctor/companion duo is Twelve and Clara, so maybe I'm just cursed to always have unpopular opinions when it comes to this show), but I will miss Jodie dearly. I really love her Doctor. I'm sure I'll like whoever replaces her, but I expect there will be lots of ugly crying on my part when it's time to say goodbye to her.
Edith is trash for accepting Bertie's proposal without telling him the truth. Whatever Mary's motivations, she did Bertie a favor. Who knows how long it would've taken Edith to come clean. I wouldn't put it past her to keep him in the dark forever, which would've been unfair to him and Marigold.
Honestly, people who like Edith mystify me. She's supposed to be the nice one, yet I struggle to think of a single instance where she went out of her way to help anyone. The soldiers in the hospital during the war, I guess, but that's about it, and I bet she wouldn't have been half as enthusiastic about it if it was women she was taking care of, ultimate pick-me girl that she is. Meanwhile, we've seen Mary be kind on numerous occasions and help many people, including Anna, Tom, Carson, Lavinia, Rose, Mrs Hughes, even Barrow. But Edith's storyline is always about her: her love life, her child, her magazine. She seems to have little interest in anyone outside of herself. Mary can be a bitch like nobody's business, but Edith is self-involved to the max and I can't take to her at all.
Also, Tom's meddling in Mary's relationship was just weird and out of line. And I can't believe it didn't occur to anyone that Mary may be hesitant to marry a dude who drives for a living after her last husband literally died in a car crash.
Can't believe this episode ended with them hugging and absolutely nothing else happened after that.
In all seriousness, I thought we as a society were over killing sapphic characters for shock value, but I guess not. What a disappointing conclusion to a horrible season. Phoebe Waller-Bridge created such a fantastic show and Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer consistently knocked their performances out of the park, and for what? Season 2 was already a letdown, but after that the show just became a parody of itself and it was clear the new showrunners had no idea what to do with these characters. The last 3 minutes of this ep were pure clownery. How groundbreaking to kill off one of the leads and leave the other in anguish. I hope Laura Neal doesn't cut herself on all that edge.
I guess at least Sandra got a Golden Globe, Jodie got an Emmy, and they got to dive tongue first into each other's mouths. Good for them. I hope their next projects treat them better.
I loved this season so much. The chemistry between the two leads was off the charts and the yearning nearly killed me. Kate and Anthony have me in a chokehold.
How did that sex scene manage to be less graphic yet so much hotter than the ones between Simon and Daphne? Anthony and Kate truly outsold
I can't feel any sympathy for Edith when she's basically uprooting Marigold's entire life at whim. First she ripped her from a family in Switzerland that presumably loved her like their own child, now she's constantly harassing the Drewes and planning to take the child away from them too because they're (rightfully) setting boundaries. She seems to have no consideration for her daughter's wellbeing or the feelings of her caretakers. Being tossed from place to place can't be good for a child, especially one this young. But of course Edith only cares about herself and what she wants, and I guess Mrs Drewe is a bad guy for standing in the way of that, even though she's the one who actually cares about what's best for Marigold.
So I'm supposed to feel bad for Edith because she won't be able to sneak around with a married man anymore? And to think she had the audacity to call Mary a slut for what happened with Pamuk...
My roommate and I binged this in one sitting, and on episode 3 I turned to him and said that I was sure the kid did it. Three dead women in her life? That's not a coincidence, and the father seemed too obvious. No one ever suspects a cute kid. He didn't believe me, so I was very happy to rub it in his face when it turned out I was right.
So Lauren really wore a nasty unwashed jersey to the operating room huh
Also can’t wait for Max’s ass to get arrested for performing invasive medical procedures in an alley
I loved the birth scene. I bet Teresa Palmer had a lot of input into how it was filmed (she's a mom of four and she creates a lot of content devoted to pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood - she's even written a book). It felt powerful and raw in a way not many birth scenes do.
So I guess that's it for Barbara and possibly for Donna as well (although the latter might still return in some capacity). Shame, I really like both of them. Especially Barbara has really been a standout character this season.
Also love the recurring theme of Dick being a total dad and constantly getting new modes of transportation that can accommodate his ever-growing bunch of superpowered children.
Please let there be a season 2. This revival is so much fun. Also anyone who says that Gina Bellman is too old to be the Grifter anymore is a coward. That scene where Sophie was explaining the heist to Bligh was hot as fuck. I actually think she has never looked better, not even on the original show.
Man, Teagan Croft looks so grown up all of a sudden. I almost didn't recognize her at first.
I'm glad Donna and Rachel are finally back. Can't wait for them to rejoin the team. Donna, Rachel, Starfire and Barbara all together on one screen will be epic.
Netflix loves to cancel its shows without warning, and it especially loves canceling them after 3 seasons, so I'm about 60% sure this is goodbye. But then again, Sex Education has been a huge hit for them, so I guess we might get a renewal.
If this is the series finale, it's pretty good. Unlike last season, there aren't any major loose ends left. The only storyline that hasn't been resolved is the paternity of baby Joy. Judging by Jean's reaction, it's not good news for Jakob.
As much as I disliked Hope all season, I enjoyed her conversation with Otis. It made her feel a bit more human, even if she is still deeply terrible.
The Groffs had a great storyline. I loved seeing Adam and Michael grow in their own ways. If we do get another season, I hope they explore their relationship a bit more. It's sad that things didn't work out for Adam and Eric, but maybe it's for the best. Eric clearly has some things to work through before he's ready to commit to one person. And seeing Adam discover his talent and passion was lovely. He didn't win, but he still achieved something really impressive all on his own.
I'm glad Aimee knocked some sense into Maeve. Their friendship is genuinely one of the best parts of the show. We didn't get a lot of Otis and Maeve in this episode, but if this is the end of the road, Maeve got a very fitting and satisfying ending. She finally has a family and she's off to do her thing in America. She deserves the world and finally she's getting it. And things with her and Otis are left open ended and hopeful. Even though they can't know if they'll still be right for each other when she returns, they're both willing to give it a shot. That's good enough for me.
I do hope this show comes back. I really do. There's something so quirky and unique about it, the storylines are great and the cast is excellent. It's truly a gem. But I'm keeping my expectations low just in case. Netflix has disappointed me many times before.
My two best girls making up and going on a road trip together was everything. And Erin finally decided to do the right thing for once in her life. I'm glad Elsie is safe and sound.
As soon as the open day at the school started, I knew we were in for something hilarious. The video didn't disappoint. Hope and Ruby getting into a cat fight was a thing of beauty. And Cal falling from the ceiling was the icing on the cake.
If someone had told me last season that I'd be rooting for Michael Groff, I wouldn't have believed them. I love his storyline. Why did they have to throw the salad on the floor though? Such a waste.
The final scene was absolutely perfect. The show has been building up to it since episode 1 and it was everything I wanted it to be. I need to know what happened with Jean though.
What is up with teen dramas and cheating? First Maeve, now Eric. Also the fact that a 17 year old went gallivanting around a strange city with an adult he just met is messed up. I know they didn't hook up, but the fact that the show made us think for a minute there that they did is gross. Like, sir, that is a literal minor, please go to jail.
The headmistress is evil evil. What she did to Adam, Lily and Cal was horrible. The students need to riot right now and get her removed.
Loved the simple moment of Adam's dad recreating the joy he felt cooking with his mom as a child. Very touching scene.
I know the teachers are supposed to be a little bit incompetent for comedic purposes, but how do you mistake two whole ass adults for a couple of teenagers? And what were those German tourists doing getting on a strange bus anyway?
I'm amused that Emma Mackey, a native French speaker, had to pretend she didn't know a lick of French in this episode.
The Kiss finally happened and when I tell you I screamed... But, of course, it's a shame that Maeve basically cheated on Isaac. That kind of ruined the moment a little bit.
The award for the most unexpectedly sweet moment of the season goes to Olivia and Anwar rushing to Ruby's side when she was hurting. Their friendship sometimes seems really superficial, but they truly do care about each other. I love that.
I'm still not on board with Maeve and Isaac, but I liked that their scene together showed a different kind of intimacy. It wasn't the usual graphic sex stuff, and it felt appropriate for the moment and for the characters.
The double date was so fun. It started off super awkward, but Adam unexpectedly giving Otis great advice regarding Ola and finding common ground with Ruby over the Kardashians of all things was really heartwarming to watch.
The headmistress offering to help fund Maeve's trip to America has earned her a tiny bit of good will. Maeve deserves so much after all that she's been through. The show really wants me to get on the Erin forgiveness train, but it's not happening. The way she's treated Maeve is too awful to get past IMO. You don't owe people second chances just because you're related to them.
The last scene was heartbreaking. It must've been so hard for Ruby to open up to Otis and let him see past the facade and when he didn't say I love you back you could see her heart shatter. I know he shouldn't say it if he's not sure or not ready, but still, I felt so bad for her.
Well, looks like this show subverted my expectations yet again. I was sure the Isaac thing was gonna be dragged out till the last possible moment. I'm pleasantly surprised.
In other news, Maeve's mom is still the worst, the headmistress has made the fastest change from hero to villain I've ever seen, Maeve and Aimee's friendship is everything to me, Adam's character development is great (I love that he's finding ways to change his harmful patterns of behavior, we stan) and Otis and Ruby might just be the first time I actually ship the couple that's in the way of another couple I'm rooting for.
Nothing like a sex montage to start off the new season.
Whoever gave Maeve that haircut needs to be shot. Someone really looked at the gorgeous Emma Mackey and thought it would be a good idea to give her these bangs. Disgraceful.
Even though I ship Maeve and Otis, he and Ruby are cute. Maeve and Isaac on the other hand are a big nope for me. I hope he stays firmly in the friend zone, but this show is a teen drama, so it could go either way at this point.
