If you haven’t watched a great episode of HBO yet Someone’s SomewhereI envy you so much. If you choose to hit play, you have the experience of a lifetime to look forward to. But you will not be alone in your doubts. The first season of the half-hour drama aired last year to rave reviews and a string of award nominations, but it still remains under most people’s radar.
It might not sound like that on paper: It’s a slice-of-life story about a woman named Sam (Bridget Everett) trying to pick up the pieces after she returns to pay attention to her small Kansas hometown. of his terminally ill sister. That alone should be enough to turn anyone looking for HBO-level bets off. Someone’s SomewhereA comedy without black humor that premiered its second season on Sunday night. barryand a drama without brutal narcissism Subrogation.
In fact, it knits between these two species at such a fast but completely imperceptible speed that it’s not at all difficult to put it in a box. (It’s worth noting that it seems strategic for the network’s programmers to place this as a bedtime throwback after these two shows.)
For a seemingly unique series, Someone’s Somewhere There is no relationship problem. It is this striking empathy that gives this little show its believable side. in its second season, Someone’s Somewhere it copies everything the first seven episodes did so well without ever feeling like it was reworked. This latest beauty party confirms that the series is one of the best of the decade, thanks to its delightful cast and ability to elaborate life’s details in equal measure with seriousness and disrespect.
It doesn’t take time to settle down again Someone’s Somewherecharm. After spending the first season developing best friendships with former high school show choir peer Joel (Jeff Hiller), Sam is finally adjusting to life in Manhattan, Kansas. After his sister’s death, Sam spent Season 1 in a state of flux, trying to figure out if there was room for him in the town where he grew up. brought Joel; Joel may have reminded Sam of his abandoned dream of becoming a singer, but he brought back Sam’s voice. Slowly, Sam’s shattered heart was repaired. But the more hits you take, the slower they heal.
Life didn’t stop punching Sam, either. Things are in just as much turmoil as in Season 1. Sam has gotten even better at handling these issues, thanks in large part to Joel and the team of misfits he’s brought into his orbit. Joel and Sam occasionally stay in the same room as Joel learns how lucrative (and fraught with cleaning costs) renting his home on Airbnb can be. This clever narrative device allows the couple to engage in all sorts of mischief together—from teeny nights out to high school choir recitals and gossip—so the show can enjoy the pleasant comforts of their dynamics without their relationship getting too tangled. fraudulent
While the two have been having louder fun together this season, the important emotional foundation on which the show is built never shakes. Since we last checked on Sam’s family, his alcoholic mother, Mary Jo (Jane Brody) has suffered a stroke, and his father, Ed (the late Mike Hagerty), has left the family farm to visit his brother in Texas. Ed was a charming, down-to-earth character full of humor and nuance. Hagerty’s death is very much felt in this season’s narrative. Although Ed’s absence was written into the series, Someone’s Somewhere honors Hagerty by treating her character’s departure as a death and letting the weight of that grief affect the season.
In the premiere, this culminates in a moving sequence in which Sam is fascinated by the vitality of his father, who is still alive in his stables and on the land even while he is away. Anyone who experiences the exciting, intense feeling of having to rummage through a loved one’s belongings after they’re gone will be impressed and perhaps even overwhelmed by the moment. But it’s a perfect example of how well this show does, perhaps better than anything else currently airing. Someone’s Somewhere it digs up the facts of life and pours them out messy and jagged so we can admire their rough edges and beauty together.
Everett and Hiller have been rewarded with these quietly introspective (and utterly Emmy-worthy) moments, both together and separately. The two are a match made in scripted television heaven, and their natural chemistry pervades the entire production.
Therefore, for all bumps in the road Someone’s Somewhere‘s characters feel somberly personal, as if we’re surrounded by our own friends caught in a rift. Both seasons of the show are only seven episodes long, but packed with so much originality that each feels like long glimpses at true stories. This also means that the highs are equally perceptible. Season 2 isn’t afraid to move the emotional needle and send it all over the charts—and as fast as Sam and Joel’s steps in the park (to get people watching and complaining together).
Nothing here feels irrevocably tense or so chaotic that you have to pick a special time to sit and watch. Someone’s Somewhere It’s a perfectly laid back fare that’s brilliantly left behind with a soft brass score running through each episode. The melody that moves throughout the show is important. Music, in all its forms, is an integral part of life. Someone’s Somewhere. The show continues to serve as a platform for Everett to showcase his vocal talents, this time doubling down on their exciting weight. Singing remains Sam’s secret passion, and when he is asked to bring it to light for an event, he reveals all of his regrets and the feelings of loss that come with it.
Watching this show is opening your heart to existence as it is: beautiful and ugly at the same time. No show off, no show off. This isn’t feel-good TV, it’s feel-everything TV. The only thing unrealistic Someone’s Somewhere He expects viewers to be content with seven episodes while we need 700.
Did you like this review? Sign up to receive weekly See. Skip newsletter Every Tuesday and find out which new shows and movies are worth watching and which are not.