What a tremendous, underrated, perfect show.

I recall initially watching this show when it premiered back in 2014. The synopsis was up my alley, but do to life events at the time, I found more excuses to watch less and less, and this one unfortunately made the cut. Years later, and after developing a love for everything that HBO comes out, I decided that it was time to finally watch this in its entirety. I saw somewhere where the first season gained mostly positive reviews, while the second and third season has gained a cult following, and I couldn’t agree more. The first season is amazing, but the second and third season is unlike any other television I have ever seen.

The first season will either make you hooked or not hooked. The show juggles a lot of different things between characters and themes that by its midway point, I can see where people would be turned off. By the end of the season, I could really see what the overall point was and what direction this show was going. I thought about this as I was watching, but I think this season works even better as we are managing a post-pandemic world. As these characters try to live in a world of normalcy, they really never can’t, because of the ramifications of this life-changing event. That felt very poignant to me as we are too trying to get back to a sense of normalcy.

The second season really steps up its game. We really explore Justin Theroux’s character, Kevin Garvey, even further. As mentioned, the first season really makes all of its characters very complicated. Amongst others, Theroux is the major standout as it really shows that he is trying to be a good person, but is tempted to do bad things due to past trauma. That is a super relatable theme across all characters that really shows why the second season is some of the best TV out there.

Then, there is the third season. This season focuses on letting go and acceptance, rather than control and seeking answers. We, as viewers, have been wanting control on what is going on in the show to seek the answers that we want. Unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way. We have all gone through moments where we ask why we went through what we did, and experience regret and question what we could have done to change the outcome in a more positive light. The truth is, we will never know, and I’d say that this show will allow viewers to accept that in a very therauptic way, while also feeling closure to this story and characters that they have followed.

I do believe that every technical aspect throughout this series improves season by season. By the third season, the technique of cinematography is mastered. The music is so well-utilized to represent the emotions of the characters rather than for the viewers. The story is also extremely captivating by bringing closure across the board yet keeping things open-ended enough to last in viewer’s minds for as long as possible. Lastly, Kevin and Nora is probably one of the best on-screen relationships I have ever seen.

Overall, this is a perfect show that will no doubt reach my top 10 favorite shows. The way the show manages to tackle it many themes without being too on the nose and allowing for its actors to really embody their characters allows for the show to be so captivating. I am glad that this show got the opportunity to end on its own terms rather than getting cancelled.

VERDICT: 5/5 (Perfect)