Just finished watching season two last night, and I loved it. The finale was pretty much perfect in the way it concluded many of the year's threads.
Overall, I liked season one more, but it was good how the show became more of an ensemble. It ensured that there was good character development, by giving flashbacks to more of the recurring cast. I missed Alex a great deal initially, but having her freed was an interesting way of accommodating Laura Prepon's schedule. This in turn aided the move away from Piper as the main character, but I'm glad she'll be back properly next year.
The only episode I remember feeling bored all the way through was Taystee's backstory, which surprised me as I lover her usually. I think it was mostly as I didn't particularly like Vi, and then lo and behold, she's a main character.
Her presence certainly brought interesting conflict to the characters. I damn near cried when she manipulated Taystee into staying away from Poussey. Their delightful friendship was one of the best things in season one, so to see it disappear for a while was horrible.
I'm not quite sure why I didn't like her. The other antagonists we've had in the past were a lot more interesting to watch - Pennsatucky and Pornstach particularly. Perhaps if Vi had been portrayed differently, or written with more humour? Oh well. Her being hit by the bus was brilliant.
Susanne was very interesting this year. I loved seeing her backstory, which led to a grim understanding of why she was so happy to be Vi's lapdog.
Rosa was a revelation. I wasn't quite sure just who that flashback was about until later in the episode she mentioned having been a bank robber. I think she mentioned it in a previous episode too, but I didn't make the connection until she mentioned it again.
She had so many great scenes, particularly with the angry teen that also had cancer. And of course, running Vi over was brilliant retribution for how she had been treated by her. Can I say again how much I liked the finale?
I should also squeeze in how much I enjoyed Morello's backstory. When we found out that her fiance was really just the victim of her stalking him, and that his girlfriend could have been murdered, it all makes her seem just a tad crazy. But the way it was written, and of course Yael Stone's performance made it all so heartwarming, if bittersweet.
Oh my. What to say about Larry and Polly? I was less surprised of the dickishness towards Piper, as she was the one that cheated first, which led to the breakup. But Polly cheating on her baby's father was in very bad taste, and I wonder if it was done to try and keep Larry relevant?
The only episode I remember feeling bored all the way through was Taystee's backstory, which surprised me as I lover her usually. I think it was mostly as I didn't particularly like Vi, and then lo and behold, she's a main character.
Her presence certainly brought interesting conflict to the characters. I damn near cried when she manipulated Taystee into staying away from Poussey. Their delightful friendship was one of the best things in season one, so to see it disappear for a while was horrible.
I'm not quite sure why I didn't like her. The other antagonists we've had in the past were a lot more interesting to watch - Pennsatucky and Pornstach particularly. Perhaps if Vi had been portrayed differently, or written with more humour? Oh well. Her being hit by the bus was brilliant.
Susanne was very interesting this year. I loved seeing her backstory, which led to a grim understanding of why she was so happy to be Vi's lapdog.
Rosa was a revelation. I wasn't quite sure just who that flashback was about until later in the episode she mentioned having been a bank robber. I think she mentioned it in a previous episode too, but I didn't make the connection until she mentioned it again.
She had so many great scenes, particularly with the angry teen that also had cancer. And of course, running Vi over was brilliant retribution for how she had been treated by her. Can I say again how much I liked the finale?
I should also squeeze in how much I enjoyed Morello's backstory. When we found out that her fiance was really just the victim of her stalking him, and that his girlfriend could have been murdered, it all makes her seem just a tad crazy. But the way it was written, and of course Yael Stone's performance made it all so heartwarming, if bittersweet.
Oh my. What to say about Larry and Polly? I was less surprised of the dickishness towards Piper, as she was the one that cheated first, which led to the breakup. But Polly cheating on her baby's father was in very bad taste, and I wonder if it was done to try and keep Larry relevant?
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