season two
was all setting pieces in place because they were all new pieces or had to be moved, i always figured that would be a problem especially with the garbage season one finale outside of the scary as hell street encounter (which got a great frightening callback) and it did work far better watching multiple episodes at a time because it did seem like far more were three episodes of content in a normal show smashed together and then chopped up into three 40 minutes segments to be episodes than the first season, entire episodes just "end" and then everything in say three up front plot lines happens in one episode, etc.
i think i commented before after watching it, the largest problem was Sam got the whole season to direct himself, which led to both the best moments and the worst moments, brilliant work and overindulgence that doesn't remember when to stop, he's got brilliant framing skills and shows he knows less is often more BUT because he wants suspense he leaves scenes running far longer than that to where they go past suspense into impatience...a lot of Whiterose's stuff got battered due to this...a lot of the episodes do this*
i'm personally totally on board with it overall because a show where the audience is kept in dark as much as the main character and toys with the medium like this does i allow it its indulgences and the "we have to do this for people" stuff, i actually hope that what it has telegraphed is just it, that there isn't more to it like people want, the "more" just continuing to be unforeseen fallout
not really spoilers but will anyway just because
spoiler (click to show/hide)
*like the prison, it didn't need half an episode showing you everything, LOOK THE COURT IS IN THE YARD, THE DINER IS THE CAFETERIA, HE'S TALKING ABOUT SEINFELD BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU GET INSIDE, it's better, like the Darlene reveal (the good reveal) in the first season to just drop the curtain and make you think back on how it explains all those prior events and questions with one simple piece of information (an example from the plot line that did work? no double fake out on you, Leon had a purpose and was part of the act)
the 80s sitcom thing was made up for by Angela's hacking adventure, the silk road nonsense is made up for by the chinese embassy/meeting and dom in general, tyrell coming back and having a crazy hideout is made up for by joanna's concept of revenge and dom walking darlene through the FBI to the big board which was the scene of the season for me
edit: wtf how can you leave out the walk to here? usa fail smh alt-righters
the main thing is i wish he would announce how many seasons already, after the first season he suggested four, perhaps five and i hope he's sticking to that, ideally four imo
