I originally watched season 1 (great experience), then I skipped seasons 2 and 3 because of the bad feedback. Decided to check out season 4 because I like the setting and Jodie Foster. Season 4 was solid, but I didn’t like the ending.

So one day I decided to check out Season 2 (I knew nothing about it beyond a few actors that were in it and that a lot of people were complaining online); “how bad could it be?” I thought.

I was shocked how much I liked Season 2. It felt down-to-earth, a more naturalistic experience if you will. I really liked the ending, not that common for US series. A refreshing dose of realism.

There were some stupid parts in season 2. There was one episode where the over-the-top action didn’t feel real. Occasionally there was too much drama. I also couldn’t take Vince Vaughn seriously, although I did get the impression that he was genuinely trying (and I liked his character).

While season 1 was very good, it was fundamentally more style over substance. It was more of a fairytale for adults. Season 2 on the other was more of a story about life. One that requires more thought than the relatively stereotypical plot setting of season 1. Season has a “low risk” setting. Season 2 had a much more bold setting and they were willing to try something radically new and not build off the core viewer expectations set in Season 1.

I do think season 2 was better than season 1 because it explored more complex motifs and because of the refreshing gritty ending. Season 2 was also more original than season 1.