I had fun finally catching up on this, but honestly, gah. It was so good in season 1 and now it’s an entirely different show. I’m not exactly done with it (I will totally keep watching) but it feels to me like it’s pretty much just queerbaiting all wrapped up in wonderful actresses and production values, and some…

Sean, thanks for some incredibly beautiful and insightful recaps/reviews each week. I’ve been wanting to watch this ever since I heard about it, so was delighted to finally get to experience it.

I found this profoundly sad, violent, brutal, and terrifying. I also thought it was equally beautiful, sensitive, and even…

I think you’re confusing two characters (which is easy to do here, as both are dark-haired, blue-eyed, and handsome). That wasn’t Jopson, that was Little, who wanted to lead the rescue party after Crozier was taken. Jopson was already bedridden at that point.

Jopson was one of the men left behind, and the one who…

I agree on poor Jopson! It broke my heart.

I disagree on the Tuunbaq. I found it really, strangely effective. It was death and vengeance personified, the spiritual revenge of the land against the invaders who had harmed, killed, and then cruelly disrespected its family in death.

And yet still -- what was the worst thing…

I thought the same thing! That the Tuunbaq began to look less bear-like and more and more human, the more depraved the humans became. (Or, along similar lines, the more humans it ‘punished’ and ate?)

Nah, I paused it and looked closely and the piercings are spaced and deliberate across his face. He has made something almost inhuman of himself at that point.

It didn’t bother me. The Tuunbaq was shown to be somewhat sentient so that was consistent all along. For instance, it understood the rituals enough to take part, and to bring the seal to Silna. And it only appeared when the crews took the lives of indigenous people in its ‘family’ of sorts.

My impression was that it…

I actually wondered if, in some odd way, Crozier’s superior diet for a longer period (as a captain and officer) combined with his alcoholism may have protected him from a greater ingestion of the lead that has been poisoning them all? But then there’s poor James, also a captain, who was hit so hard by it, so who knows.

Me too! Harris gives Crozier this unshakable gentleness, courage, and humanity. I adore Crozier so much.

OMG! Blanky is Ian Hart? I love that guy! A great character actor. And what a fantastic character.

Lauri, thank you for sharing that powerful memory — I have caregiven two terminally ill parents, and the experiences will never leave me.

This show has brought up some of those memories for me too — especially the love, gentleness, and companionship Crozier has shown those of his men who died. Harris has been…

I’ve been bingeing this show over the holidays, and am having increasing trouble staying the course here. I just didn’t buy so many of the characters’ choices here, beyond “because the writers said so.”

I especially felt like the final falling-out between Nico and Eve was clumsily written and acted, and ultimately out…

“Darkly funny” definitely does not have to imply mean-spirited.

I’d argue it’s a little more subtle than that, in that it can involve grim situations that aren’t necessarily “mean” to the participants.

Like the argument about the bloody car interior from “Pulp Fiction.” Or the (spoiler) ashes memorial scene on the beach…

“SIDEWAYS” SPOILERS! (JUST IN CASE!)

But Madsen isn’t Giamatti’s saving angel. She is every bit as mistreated and lied to as Oh’s character, and she reacts (thank goodness) with real, understandable anger when she realizes that.

Yes, she loves wine, has a fantastic palate, and finds Giamatti subversively attractive —…

Years later, I disagree. Virginia Madsen’s character was phenomenal. In fact both Oh and Madsen’s characters were SO much more complex and interesting than the two man-children SIDEWAYS was purportedly about.

I have firsthand experience with this in my work for a hospital network. CPS will come out, look around, if they don’t see any thing egregious, they’ll leave. No CPS in Harlan is gonna look twice at Mags, a local community leader and heroine, that everyone loves, who has taken in this sweet kid while her father is…

I didn’t see anyone answer this, although I’m sure in the intervening years you got the answer. But in case anyone else wants to know, it’s Brad Paisley, “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive.”

These wonderful reviews and discussions actually sent me back on a rewatch. My favorite moment, ever, is Boyd’s heartfelt and heartbreaking admission to Boyd, at gunpoint in the final few moments:

BOYD: You gonna shoot to stop me?
RAYLAN: Maybe.
BOYD: I’m pretty sure you’re empty.
RAYLAN: You gonna bet your life on that?
BO…

Long live Cut Man. Still one of the funniest episodes of TV of my life:

Chuck ‘The Cut Man’ Kimmel: Well, I hate to correct you on your own show, Casey, but there’s 52 states with Alaska and Rhode Island.

Sure, Weevil’s mad at Veronica right now. But he doesn’t want her dead. They’re practically family. They have history that includes so much love and mutual support.

So his showing up to save her made me legitimately start crying right there. Because he has always had her back. He’s always been there for her. And him…