this post was submitted on 21 Mar 2025
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I can't believe I'm reading all these comments about this season being "padded". I've watched through the whole season again this week in advance of the finale and I just couldn't disagree more. We gained CRUCIAL information and back story throughout. Every episode was riveting. I don't get where everyone's coming from.
I'm of two minds about this.
The sweet vitriol episode built out the world in a really interesting and character-centered way, but it interrupted a really important development that was moving the story forward so it felt like slamming on the breaks
If that episode had come after the return of Irving, Dillan, and Hellena instead of right after Mark's ayahuasca trip, it wouldn't have felt quite so jarring.
It's a shame because I really liked that episode, I just couldn't enjoy it as much because I was dying to know what happened with Mark (I'm still kind of dying for more details)
Pun intended?
Yeah, I do get that. I really liked how they took full episode deviations and explored the world more, like an episode 4 in Woe's Hollow or Sweet Vitriol. Chikhai Bardo definitely leaves you hanging with Sweet Vitriol right after... But it gives you another week to think about it. Same with episode 1, then 2. They're telling stories of the exact same time frame, but you're off the Severed floor for a full week until Who's Alive - and episode 3 definitely paid off both episodes for me.
I'm pretty much on your camp. I was fascinated by every episode. I won't say I enjoyed each episode equally though! :D
With a finale like that, I have to admit, I broke the rule too!
I completely agree that there was no padding. The only thing close is the setup in episode 9, in order to give episode 10 the flow it needed.
For example if we look at Gwendolyn Christie's Goat caretaker character we could have used a filler episode to better show her journey. If we watch her scenes back to back it isn't surprising she turned on Drummond. We could have used an episode where Mark is just wandering and talking to her again as a reminder. Unfortunately there isn't time after her first appearance where that could have happened.
Similarly Cobel is absent for half the season. We could have used something to keep her story alive, but instead we get a one episode character dump. That isn't a mistake. Slowly drip feeding her story is an option, but the one episode build up and reveal was an excellent choice.
We canceled our Apple TV+ subscription tonight after watching. With this season's pacing and disappointments, I'll likely wait until the next season is complete and watch it all in one month.
I honestly don't mean to be argumentative. I think this is the best show on television full stop. I'm just trying to wrap my head around all the critical comments. I'm a little shocked to see it.
Sure, I said REwatched though. And I never had an issue with the pacing in the first watch week to week either. Do you feel like the pacing was any different from season 1? I'm not so sure it is any slower. Both seasons really slow down and let you soak in the artistry. Season 1 left you with questions and not many answers. And this season was spent answering all sorts of questions from season 1... Honestly I thought they crammed a ton into this season.
I certainly didn't get that feeling. For every Season 1 question they answered, they raised 3 more in Season two. I found it very unsatisfying for most episodes this season to get to the end of an episode with little to know forward movement in the reveal.
I have no problem with a slow paced show, but its got to move forward. I started getting annoyed with the lack of forward progress and the artistry lost its value and simply was an annoyance. For the second half of the season I found myself on the 10-second-skip-foward button for a good chunk of the episodes.
Well everyone's certainly entitled to their opinions, and you're clearly not alone. I see where you're coming from better now, even if it just doesn't make me feel the same way.
Re: goal post shifting - my point wasn't that my experience rewatching was what informed my decision, I wasn't trying to imply that at all. It was simply that it was all fresh in my mind is all I meant. Sorry I wasn't more clear.