In the second season of Russian Doll, the New York subway is the most horrible that has ever appeared on screen, and that really says something. The train of 6 transforms into a gateway for Nadia Vulvokov (Natasha Lyonne) and Alan Zaveri (Charlie Barnett) to unwittingly travel back in time. The duo spent the first season trying to escape a diabolical time loop where they kept dying at the same time, only to start again at a certain point. Four years after escaping this fate, they are again at the mercy of temporary madness. Several train trips unfold their family past, putting Nadia on a path to possibly change her future. The result is seven magical, bizarre and visually impressive episodes. The exciting Netflix show debuted three years ago. It incorporates impeccable metaphysical elements with a sharp humor, ipso facto – he – has been characterized as a science fiction drama. But categorizing the Russian Doll as one thing makes it bad. It is a fruitful study of character at its core. The show follows an ingenious and tender approach to an established plot device (as seen from Groundhog Day to Palm Springs and in between). The goal is not to improve Nadia or Alan as individuals with each passing loop, but to help them deal with the buried trauma so that they can ultimately help each other escape their dark fate. ONE-
Russian doll
Created by
Natasha Lyonne, Leslye Headland, Amy Poehler
Protagonist
Natasha Lyonne, Charlie Barnett, Greta Lee, Elizabeth Ashley, Chloë Sevigny, Annie Murphy, Brendan Saxton III, Rebecca Henderson, Sharlto Copley, Carolyn Michelle Smith, Ritesh Rajan
Premieres
April 20 on Netflix
Form
Half an hour dramedy; full second season watched for review Loops in time, time travel and stories with many universes are a very hot commodity in pop culture right now, as is the case with all converging Spider-Men, Everything Everywhere All At Once or upcoming shows like Shining Apple TV + Girls and HBO’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. The audience is experiencing their own deja vu, so why see it again? Moreover, the surreal and perfect ending of the Russian Doll undoubtedly justifies not repeating the show at all. Fortunately, the second season justifies its existence. He reinvents his protagonists and his mythology, using the intricate origins of the duo as an intestinal punch to further develop them. Russian Doll now changes between years and countries. is restrained and expansive at the same time. A few days before her 40th birthday, Nadia is dragged to New York in the 80’s when she enters a wormhole of a train cabin. She arrives at the same time as her dead mother, Lenora (a fictional Chloë Sevigny, in the heels of The Girl From Plainville) and witnesses first hand Lenora’s hard relationship with her own mom (also known as Nadia’s grandmother) . In the chaos – which abounds, especially in the last episodes – the show finds a grounded emotional resonance. Nadia is trying to correct mistakes that directly affected her upbringing. Makes choices that raise eyebrows (specifically one is completely stressful) that blur the meaning of reality. The new season is finally a strange but poetic appearance of intergenerational trauma for Vulvokov women all these years. It is strange and unpredictable. But it is also a Russian Doll at its unique best. Natasha Lyonne and Annie Murphy in Russian Doll Season 2 Photo: Netflix Nadia finds an unexpected friend in the character played by Annie Murphy (revealing more about the role of Schitt’s Creek actress on the verge of spoiler). The Russian Doll is not a serious, complete futuristic show, so time travel does not follow strict rules. Nadia often goes from 1982 to 2022, as well as to some other places. The riveting parallels between all her worlds elevate the suspense, which carries the essence of a time robbery. Nadia’s best friend Maxine (the extreme comedian Greta Lee) and Ruth’s godmother (Elizabeth Ashley) also go down in history a little more. Alan, meanwhile, is browsing his family history through train rides that take him to parts of Europe. It may seem special at first, but its arc weaves most of the narrative in equally wild ways. The Russian Doll is maneuvering in its “timeline box”, as Nadia mentions in the finale of the first season, through carefully constructed details. No interaction is accidental. (Reader, this viewer recommends re-watching two episodes right from the start of the season after it ‘s over to catch all the Easter eggs, from some dialogue to seemingly irrelevant people). One of the most compelling parts of the first season was the inexplicable chemistry of Lyon and Barnett. The overwhelming experiences of their characters together in the purgatory of the genre led Nadia and Alan to form a unique relationship. The Russian Doll lags behind in this in the second season, because each of them is on its own path. While their pieces finally converge, it comes more or less slowly. Charlie Barnett in Russian Doll Season 2 Photo: Netflix The screenwriters, led by the co-creators of the series Lyonne, Leslye Headland and Amy Poehler, once again offer top caustic humor. Do not worry, there are organic references to previous jokes such as “What a concept” and Lyonne who murmurs “cock-a-roach” with her special style. Even Harry Nilsson’s “Gotta Get Up” is finding its way back. The set is top notch, with Lee climbing as Maxine gets better material. Murphy is also an incredible addition. But nothing surpasses the Lyonne crack of a show. is extremely expensive but releases irrevocably. He finds new depths in Nadia’s pain and misery without ever wasting her comic time. It is a delicate balance and Lyon crushes it. Russian Doll leaves a strong legacy as one of the most exciting experimental and stylish shows in recent years. There is no indication whether it will return for another dose. It is, after all, a risky trick, and not every show needs to extend its lifespan, especially not this one. Two-season time travel adventures have established the Russian Doll as one of Netflix’s most intriguing and remarkable prototypes (at least from the US). Hopefully it will end on this high note.
