Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Welcome to 1963, specifically November 15th of that year. The day Five leaves the time warp and is forced to try to stop another apocalypse.
| Director(s) | Sylvain White, Stephen Surjik |
| Writer(s) | Steve Blackman, Mark Goffman |
| Aired (Netflix) | 7/31/2020 |
| Introduced In These Episodes | |
| Sissy | Marin Ireland |
| Lila | Ritu Arya |
| The Swedes | Kris Holden-Ried, Jason Bryden, Tom Sinclair |
| Mr. Mason | Richard Waugh |
| Raymond | Yusuf Gatewood |
| Carl | Stephen Bogaert |
| Elliott | Kevin Rankin |
| Harlan | Justin Paul Kelly |
| Jack Ruby | John Kapelos |
This content contains pertinent spoilers.
Recap
Episode 1 “Right Back Where We Started”
So, because Five hasn’t really mastered time travel, he and his family end up in various years ranging from 1960 to 1963. For some, this isn’t so bad. Vanya shows up in October of 1963 and finds herself taken in by a nice family, and the mother of said family, Sissy, becomes a close friend. For Allison, who arrives in 1961, while experiencing the racism of Dallas, Texas is an adjustment, she does find love with a local civil rights activist and is happily married!
As for the boys? Well, Ben and Klaus were the first to arrive, in 1960, and a lot of their story is skipped. Mainly whatever happened out in San Francisco, which has led to Klaus driving them back to Dallas. Which, with Klaus being Klaus, isn’t a smooth and easy ride since their car breaks down, Ben decides to be petty, and Klaus gets caught after stealing someone’s car.
Leaving us with Five and Diego. Diego shows up in September of 1963, and no sooner than he realizes what year it is, he plans to prevent the assassination of JFK. Which, in the process of revealing what he is trying to do, it leads to him being committed to a mental asylum. Where he meets Lila, who later helps him escape, despite Five trying to keep him held to prevent one possible reason for the world now ending on 11/25/1963, thanks to nuclear war.
Oh, and Luther arrives in 1962, gets emotional about no one being there or finding him for more than a year so he seemingly isn’t going to be much help for now. He just wants to be in a local fight club and play someone’s muscle.
Episode 2 “The Frankel Footage”
Remember “The Handler?” Five’s former boss, alongside Hazel and Cha-Cha? Yeah, she lived thanks to a metal plate in her head, but when she returns to The Commission, she gets downgraded. Oh yes, she gets a desk job and said desk is Five’s, so she is all the way pissed. But, if it is any compensation for how she feels, Five and his family are being hunted by a team known as “The Swedes” who are utterly insane.
However, like their predecessors, they don’t seem able to get to Five or his family that well. For example, they miss their chance to get Allison when her husband, Raymond, gets arrested for Allison whooping Mr. Mason’s ass in public. They also miss their chance to get Klaus, who ends up in the cell next to Raymond, before the governor of Texas lets him out, and Klaus ends up in a rather nice, and empty mansion.
Which leads us to Vanya and Luther. After dismissing Five, Luther heads outside and sees Vanya getting Sissy’s husband, Carl, who is pissed drunk, and this triggers his memories, but not necessarily hers. And with his memories triggered, and the idea Vanya could be the key to the apocalypse that Five speaks of, it seems he planned to kill her. But with no memory of who she is, and no exhibition of her powers, nevermind Sissy with a gun to his back, he decides to leave well enough alone.
Bringing us to Five. He wrangles Diego and Lila and uses Elliott to watch some footage Hazel slipped him, and they come to learn their father is in town. Strangely, he was even close to where JFK was shot! So they try to investigate him, but between baby Pogo getting the best of Five and dad defeating Diego, as Lila stays with Elliott, they don’t really learn anything. Well, besides confirming their father’s location.
Episode 3 “The Swedish Job”
In episode 3, the family starts coming together, and while it is a beautiful reunion for Klaus and Allison, Luther learning about Ray sends him on a dark path. One in which he allows himself to be beaten up, so his emotional pain matches his physical. Though unbeknownst to him, thanks to him meeting Ray and Ray getting a bit weirded out about Alice’s brothers, things are now difficult between the two. In fact, due to a sit-in which was about to turn deadly, Allison used her powers for the first time since Vanya slashed her throat.
Now, as for why she didn’t use it? Well, as noted in season one, when it came to her previous life, she got so much from that power that to now earn things on her own, including having influence without using the rumor spell, it’s empowering. However, Ray hasn’t been told or exposed to most of this so even with her saving his life, he runs off in fear.
Switching things to Five and Diego, both decide to leave their father alone, for now, as Five seeks out Vanya, who is shocked that she has a brother, but doesn’t question it much. As for Diego? Well, he and Lila grow close, have sex even, which ends up being unfortunate for she works for, and is the daughter of, The Handler.
Oh, and as for the title of the episode, The Swedes try to take on and out Vanya, but are repelled. So they fail at their job yet again.
Things To Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered
Episode 1 “Right Back Where We Started”
- Modern-day earth was destroyed 4/1/2019
- 2/11/1960 is when Klaus and Ben arrive
- Diego arrives 9/1/1963
- Varna arrives 10/12/1963
- Day 1 is 11/15/1963 and Five has 10 days now to save the world
- Hazel dies, and Agnes, from season 1, is dead.
Episode 2 “The Frankel Footage”
- Luther’s boss is Jack Ruby, the gangster who shot Oswald
- We’re just ending day 1
- Is Harlan, Sissy, and Carl’s son, autistic?
- What’s up with the Swedes and them throwing a knife at one another to pass the time?
- Five hasn’t seen his father in 45 years
Episode 3 “The Swedish Job”
- Dave, someone who died in Vietnam, that was close to Klaus, is discovered and could be one of the factors that lead to nuclear war.
- Has The Handler gone rogue? Why is she out in the field, and how did she learn where Five and his family are?
- Was Lila on an assignment when she got put into the asylum with Diego, or was what she talked about with seeing her parents down real? There could be some truth to the lie, for what we know?
- What did The Handler whisper to the boy to make him pee himself?
Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs
Men have sides, women have secrets.
— Sissy (2.1)
Review
Highlights
Lila
What you have to love and appreciate about Lila, if not Arya in general, is that she knows how to create a character who can be robotic, like in “Humans” or a bit outlandish, like in “The Umbrella Academy” yet you still feel attached. Which is something you can’t say about many actors, especially since Lila may have become a love interest to Diego, under a ruse, but this doesn’t make you hate her.
Heck, whether or not she should be considered a villain now, I am hopeful, at worst, she becomes an anti-hero. For unlike Hazel and Cha-Cha, there is hope she isn’t a one-season character. Even if it means her doing something so horrible, she has to be in a third season because she went too far.
Vanya’s Joy
With how much suffering we saw Vanya go through, to see her be part of a family, and have a fresh slate, it warms your heart a bit. Especially her friendship with Sissy and her ability to work with Sissy’s assumed son, Harlan. And while Allison and Klaus are certainly more interesting characters than season 1, of the originals, Vanya continues to be a stand out you want to see develop further.
Allison’s New Life
In season 1, Allison had issues with having used her power to gain everything she had, and when she lost it, that didn’t have the intended impact. You recognized there was the possibility you should feel something, but it mostly fell flat. However, with seeing her with Ray and not using her power in years, and accomplishing so much, it’s hard to not feel happy for her.
Mainly due to the fact it shows her influence was because of her personality, way with words, and the loyalty she could naturally inspire. Her rumor power was just a shortcut. Then when you add in she is now a civil rights activist! Oh, the timing, considering what is going on in the world, couldn’t be more perfect.
Learning About Reginald’s Past – Maybe?
Beyond knowing Reginald was rich and a terrible father, we got a taste of his backstory in the season finale of season 1. Here is hoping they continue to flesh him out since he is a much younger man in the 1960s, and while we know part of the reason for his cruelty, maybe the kids can change fate and give him a reason to be the man they wanted? Granted, this could set up another Apocalypse but, you know between Klaus, Allison, or maybe even Diego, someone is going to change history, and it is going to affect the future.
Low Point
Luther
Do you care about Luther? Does him crying over Allison, being in some fight club, or working for a gangster interest you? Please comment on why down below because he is the weakest link to me right now.
On The Fence
Lackluster Villains – Again?
In season 1, “The Umbrella Academy” had an issue with its villains, and unless Lila becomes the main one, season 2 might be the same. Now, mind you, The Handler has personality, and The Swedes are heartless killers. However, you can’t just have one aspect of a great villain, you need multiple. At least if that one thing you have you don’t excel in greatly.
Unfortunately, such is the case for both. The Handler isn’t a physical threat, she just has the look and personality of someone worth taking note of – until she doesn’t follow up that initial hook. Same goes for the Swedes, their look and the violence could hook you, but they lack personality.
So, while I would love Lila to not get killed off, it seems she might have to since she is the only real threat here, and the likelihood of them keeping her, The Swedes, and The Handler around are slim.
Klaus
Until Dave was introduced, Klaus seemed like he was going to be that comic relief, eccentric character he was in season 1. Someone who may have had more charisma than the rest of his family, but didn’t have much beyond that. So we can only hope that, with Dave bringing Klaus down a few notches, and reminding us he is more than someone clearly not all there, he can show us a different side to Klaus.
Summary
Trajectory – Plateau
For nearly every improvement at the beginning of season 2, we either got an issue that remains or one that worsens, in the case of Luther.
Where To Watch
TV Shows We’re Covering This Season
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That burning hand moment was so satisfying and her storyline is so good considering the times we’re in.
But, like you said, that power lends itself to abuse. The fact she didn’t use it for multiple years is like Klaus not drinking – it’s shocking, notable, and worth applause.
Hey A, I’m so glad that TUA is back. It has been so long since the first season 1 ended. Season 2 is definitely a step up from the first season. The opening scene of the first episode alone was great. Great recap of the first three episodes. Spoilers down below if you haven’t seen the rest of the episodes!
Wow that coffee scene really shows what Allison is talking about when she says that using her power became an addiction and how it can become addictive. Also having Allison have one of the swedes kill his own brother, the rumor power is no joke. Her power is the scariest and most dangerous next to Vanya in my opinion. Having a power like that would cause anyone to go down a very dark path really quickly if they didn’t make sure to keep themselves in check, which Allison clearly realized after all of this time. Makes me want to see more flashbacks to when Allison got away from TUA and was on her own, how deep and far did she go with her powers beyond being able to get material things you know. Next Vanya it seems like the ither personally would not want to get upset or have her lose control of emotions would be Allison. A could really be a threat. She probably would have had that guy burn off his whole hand but also the coffee guy deserved it though lol
Lastly I loved A and K’s reunion in the pool! So sweet. A and K were so soft with each other throughout this season it was so sweet to see. They had little moments with each other throughout season 1 so I am glad they expanded on their relationship.