Necrotongue

Once again, the story didn't progress much, with Amabella's celebration taking up a good chunk of time, reminiscent of last time with the school issue. These constant flashbacks are beginning to grate on me, much like Mary Louise. She's a pain, but I've got to hand it to the screenwriter for crafting her character and to Meryl Streep for bringing her to life.

The third episode hit a bit of a plateau in terms of plot development, so I'll keep this review brief. The main storyline didn't move forward much, but I did get a deeper dive into the American education system, reaffirming what I've long thought about it.

The second episode really stepped it up compared to the first one. While nothing major happened, the attention to detail was top-notch. Once again, the creators nailed the atmosphere, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I wasn't overly hyped for the second season, fearing it might just ride the coattails of the first one. Yet, the opening episode pleasantly surprised me. The pace was leisurely, as expected, but the plot intrigued me. Plus, Meryl Streep's portrayal of Mary Louise Wright was delightfully irritating, leaving me curious about what's next.

Honestly, I was expecting a disaster. To my great surprise, I had a good time for the most part, even though it occasionally creaked a little. Too bad that the creators couldn’t avoid playing on emotions as usual. On the other hand, it’s true that even the seventh season managed to offer a very decent drama not lacking in humor.

The finale stretched on like a full-length movie, which was a bit of a letdown. With less time, maybe the creators could have avoided the cringe-worthy scenes that tainted the entire episode for me. A simple, well-executed farewell during the closing credits would've sufficed. Larry's speech to Piper was particularly cringey. Without the unnecessary filler, it could've easily earned five stars from me.

Towards the end, the series really clicked for me. The creators struck the right balance between drama and humor once again. Though, I was taken aback by Poussey Washington's return at the end. I thought her storyline was already wrapped up. Nonetheless, the drama intensified with Tiffany Doggett, and surprisingly, Caputo didn't bring the laughs this time; his cynical partner took the lead in that department.

This episode had all the makings of a full-blast rating, but it's frustrating how it repeatedly echoes support for the MeToo movement and cancel culture.

I found the tenth episode pretty satisfying. The issues that popped up weren't as bad as in previous episodes. Plus, there was a good mix of solid drama and funny moments, so I didn't find much to grumble about. Larry's comeback startled me, but thankfully, he wasn't whining this time.

The ninth episode took a deep dive into family dynamics, and I was pleasantly surprised by how the creators handled the emotional aspects without going overboard. Piper even managed to keep me entertained for a change. And as Lorna Muccio's story unfolded, I found myself completely drawn in. Overall, a solid episode.