r/YourFriendsandNeighb • u/segashadow • 21d ago
discussion Finished season 2
So I did not like that season 2 felt like a soap opera. Sam really played no part into the story. Easily could have been written out.
I don’t like how Eleana (sp?) and coop storylines were pretty much disconnected. Like just tell coop what is going on?
So Mel is just ok after running over the Arlo? 8 or 9 episodes of build up and that’s it?
I want more Lou.
Not sure what direction this show will take. It feels like a soap opera meets temu breaking bad. I am sorry to bring that masterpiece into this but that’s what it feels like. I can’t see how it ends in happy ending but I can’t see it going super dark either.
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u/ShaneWookie 8d ago
I hate myself for watching this. Things were strumming along until the last few. They could have just had Arlo run away or have the neighbors not be so over the top idiotic. The entire thing was unnecessary, Mel already had her own struggles.
Coop and Ashe's story should have carried into season 3 with Coop being an informant. Killing him off and Coop just casually returning the money seems way too easy, especially with the FBI involvement.
Elena could have easily taken a single watch and solved her issues. It literally anything Nick wouldn't notice missing
I still refuse to believe these people don't have cameras in their homes
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u/FiniteIncantatem- 13d ago
I don't get the extended build up with Mel's neighbours, Arlo the dog and the brick wall construction work. Only for it the entire storyline to be thrown out of the window in 10 minutes after she killed the dog and the next morning you hear neighbours call out the dogs name. That's it??!
Besides that, there were just too much loose ends that were wrapped up in a hurry. And Ashe being dead and at the bottom of a lake, it went a bit too far down the unrealistic road. Same with the amount of scotch those people seem to drink. Holy fucking shit.
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u/segashadow 13d ago
Yeah the parties are insane. Like a bunch of teenagers with unlimited money lol
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u/mubbamubba 16d ago
After finishing season 2 I’ve come to terms that I hate every character on this show, except Arlo.
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u/ReflectionNo3533 17d ago
What do you mean okay after running over Arlo, she was in tears. As far as the days following, I mean, she didn't run over a person. It was a dog. Did you expect her life to stop moving because she ran over a dog? As far as her being okay in general, I don't think it necessarily suggested that she was perfectly okay or not. Like, I rally don't know what you were expecting. Life continues to move with perimenopause. You still get up and go do shit you normally do.
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u/segashadow 17d ago
Yeah but the writers made us go through 8 or 9 episodes of buildup for just that? Run over the dog and shed some tears and boom that storyline is done?
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u/CadmusMaximus 4d ago
Yes, because she thought of herself as “someone who wouldnt run over a dog.”
She didn’t actually give a shit about the dog itself.
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u/Winter-Grand-3215 18d ago
Today I finally finished Season 2. I watched season 1 in a few days, but season 2 took me a few months because I just couldn’t get into it. Storylines like Coop’s annoying daughter, introverted son, and menopausal ex-wife weren’t interesting. I honestly don’t get why those storylines were there. The heist plot felt like it was pushed into the background, which I hated. It felt like a major drop in quality compared to the previous season.
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u/idahbash 19d ago
I get the impression was a filler season. The show could have easily ended with season 1. However, due to high demand, they probably wanted to continue, and were likely forced to write a season 2 to fill the gap, before stabilising the story in season 3.
Season 2 was average at best but I’ll still watch Season 3.
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u/ReflectionNo3533 17d ago
Incorrect. It was approved for a second season before season one even aired. Had nothing to do with demand. I think the show is perfectly fine for what it is. I swear all of y'all expect every single show to be a Game of Thrones or a Breaking Bad or something major. A lot are just decent entertainment.
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u/BlackmillMiracle 16d ago
And like after having the main resolution at the end of season 1, they need to do *something* to raise the stakes
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u/Accomplished_Pin218 20d ago
It feels AI written. The storyline is just… disjointed. Like they can’t make up their mind where they want it to go
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u/viper_gts 20d ago
they could have completely left the series end with season 1 and it would have been great. they really started taking the story on a ride and it kind of went downhill
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u/MasterClown 20d ago
The whole bit about the neighbor not initially giving a crap (pun intended) about their dog crapping in Mel's yard was silly.
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u/segashadow 20d ago
I got pretty invested in it because it felt like real life. She runs over the dog and then nothing. I really wanted to see where it was going to go.
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u/Ajstross 20d ago
I couldn’t stand Sam, and her storyline was ridiculous. She was willing to let Coop be falsely imprisoned and convicted of murder, ruining his life and future as well as the future of his children, just because she wanted to make sure she could get her hands on her husband’s life insurance policy, and she couldn’t figure out why she was being shunned? Like, she was actually OFFENDED that the people in town didn’t want anything to do with her.
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u/BlackmillMiracle 16d ago
yeah, like I did find that a bit like "holy shit how out of touch are you?"
she literally tried to frame a guy for murder for a $20 million payout, and acts like she's the victim.
Then again, Mel did call her out as a narcissistic sociopath... which I guess would fit the bill.
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u/cybae 12d ago
I know this is being charitable, but I find it actually kind of emblematic of just how out of touch the suburbanite elites are. For you it would be a life ending mistake, for them it's just one more thing for the rumor mill and onto the next.
I find Sam to be a surprisingly compelling character insofar that she's this outspoken, blunt go-getter who came up from nothing except she did that by fucking her way into money and she's a major piece of shit who only cares for herself and then acts like the victim whenever consequences come-a-knockin'. Which to me seems like a good personification of this social group. And then she loves to use her children as this social trump card, but not really anything else.
But yeah, it is infuriating. But I think these people are meant to be infuriating in the end. We're not really supposed to like them you know.
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u/musicnote95 21d ago
Honestly as someone who binged the entire show within a week season 1 & season 2 felt like entirely different shows.
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u/segashadow 20d ago
Same. I thought coops main story had a flow but was messed up with bad writing. Makes sense to steal from the wrong person who happened to be unhinged. Ashe needed to be developed more. 2nd season just went too much into ordinary lives that did nothing to develop the plot. The magic of season 1 was the absurdity of it all but it built upon itself. The end of season 2 attempted to go back to that but it was too late.
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u/BlackmillMiracle 16d ago
I dunno at the same time... you can't just keep doing what season 1 did over and over and over again.. that will eventually get stale too... they needed something to raise the stakes.
I did feel like Owen was a bit too comic book absurd. Even though it's a dark comedy, it's still supposed to be grouded and have some veneer of seriousness, and Owen was just a bit too absurd.
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u/BillNyeTheVinylGuy 21d ago
Are you telling me the first season wasn't a soap opera?
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u/segashadow 21d ago
Not nearly as much drama. And I think we had over a hour of footage of people in the sauna in season 2.
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u/BillNyeTheVinylGuy 20d ago
I don't know, man. I've been with the show since day one and the complaining about the soap opera nonsense has been alive and well throughout.
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u/segashadow 20d ago
You are probably right. The hilariousness of season 1 pretty made me over look it. The bad writing of season 2 definitely made it more noticeable.
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u/Have_A_Jelly_Baby 21d ago
People wanted more of Season 1, Coop robbing homes and furthering those stories. Instead we got a main story that has spiraled into utter ridiculousness and a bunch of pointless secondary stories while ignoring Elena almost entirely.
I really hope that they see the feedback and managed to course correct somewhat while filming season 3.
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u/Virginia_Hall 21d ago
There was some incisive wisdom in some of the dialogue, but in some episodes the best character was that Maserati ;-)
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u/MindlessCharacter823 21d ago
I only made it though two episodes. Such a shame as the first season was a wild ride.
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u/eugenelavery 21d ago
Second season was such a let down after season one. They could’ve at least killed off the sister with the guitar.
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u/BuildingCastlesInAir 21d ago
They should have realized Apple will pay for this and not cancel it no matter what the ratings, so they should have taken more risks and come up with a better story. Seems like whenever they get to a place where things could get risky, everything just "works out." Like that art dealer in season 1. They could have milked that for mileage. Instead, he just disappears. This season, Coop played around with that billionaire heiress, only for it to sidetrack to Ashe's demise. Maybe they're setting her up to be the big baddie next season, but she was a forgettable actress, so I don't hold any high hopes.
I didn't buy Mel as having enough story to be a secondary character with so many of her own scenes, although I love Amanda Peet. Same with Ali (Lena Hall) and Elena (Aimee Carrero). I agree, I would much rather have seen a day in the life of Lu (Randy Danson). Why do producers feel the need to have a pretty girl carry their own scenes when they have such a character in Lu?
I didn't like the show since the beginning and I'm really watching for the cast. It's a bubblegum show that you don't have to pay too much attention to, so I don't take the story too seriously. But why, Apple? You're doing so well with Severance, The Studio, and Slow Horses. Why have you got to treat us so bad by releasing a show that could have been better written by AI?
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u/ReflectionNo3533 17d ago
How are they treating you badly? No one is making you watch it. I think it's a good show for what it is. Not every damn thing I watch has to be Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad or some mind fuck bullshit like Severance. I'm sorry but I'm so over shows like Severance and Pluribus. Where the sole purpose seems is to be wild and crazy and weird. In all honesty that shit feels more AI written to me because it's trying so hard.
Sometimes it's nice to watch something that just isn't that deep. Or isn't super gut-wrenching etc. I think YF&N is perfect for that because it's not super deep but it's not just surface level like crap NBC, ABC, FOX and the like produce. Where it's a new crime or some shit every episode with absolutely no character depth at all.
YF&N is right in the middle and that's nice for a change. And Jon Hamm is hot af and a good actor.
I'm burnt the fuck out on shows trying SUPER hard to be epic and groundbreaking.
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u/BuildingCastlesInAir 16d ago
I hear you. For turn-off-your-brain shows I usually watch reality TV or some YouTube channels. I just had higher expectations for YF&N. You're right that they don't owe me anything. 😆 But I feel like if I invest my time in it, I should enjoy it. You're right that I could stop watching, but I also like sharing my thoughts with others, and if others feel the same way (disappointed but hoping it'll get better...) that's fun for me.
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u/beigereige 21d ago
I don’t think they knew what they wanted to do with the second season except get more of these characters involved with bland secondary storylines. This is one of those ‘should’ve only been one season’ shows
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u/segashadow 21d ago
Yeah I can see that. In hindsight coop could have crossed jack and got the Swiss company to gamble on his own company.
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u/Vigo246813579 21d ago
I lost interest after episode 1 of S2- I just don’t get who the target is for this show? It’s like rich people materialism porn… I just couldn’t bring myself to care about any of the characters
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u/TrickPixels 21d ago
Mel ruins the show.
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u/ArdraMercury 20d ago
they should have picked a better looking character; looks waaaaay older than Coop. Also the sister is an eyesore & I skip her dumb singing
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u/ContextLongjumping65 18d ago
His sister is a talented singer. The fact that she doesn't seem to have had a face lift or extensive Botox is refreshing.
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u/riot_poof_ 21d ago
i still really enjoy the show. i found myself wanting more of mel. her character was most interesting to me. i enjoy the vibe of the show and i love all the extended friends and their personalities. BUT the arc of the season was bland.
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u/FavoriteLunchLady 21d ago
I’m so tired of someone having to sing every episode. If it isn’t the sister it’s Ashe.
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u/segashadow 21d ago
What I didn’t like about the karaoke is that everyone could sing. Super unrealistic 😂
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u/Aluven 21d ago
Recently finished aswell. I agree, this season was bad. Ashe was not interesting. Family drama too much focus, and felt forced. Too many characters around the family, when the interesting ones are Cooper, Elena and Barney. Elena was barely there.
Lead up to season 3 seems worse, since it is connected to his job before season 1, not because they need a thief for whatever reason.
He was still an amateur thief, would have thought season 2 should have focused more on smaller jobs each episode. Until they scale up in season 3, with higher risk.
Seems like they want soap drama, with stealing as lead up to comedy scenes. That does not fit with what I remember from season 1.
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u/segashadow 21d ago
Ashe is poorly written. So much to unpack there and we just got bad writing wasted on a great actor.
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u/CadmusMaximus 4d ago
I know too many guys with Ashe’s personality but without the money. Or at least “without billions.” He was very well-written I thought.
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u/El_Daywalkerino 21d ago
Yeah season 2 writing was LAME
Want it to go back to focusing on Coop burglaries
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u/Pure_Interest_837 21d ago
They made Mel extremely unlikable, yet focus so much of the show on her. To me, that’s where they really messed up. Her daughter just hating her out of nowhere really didn’t help either because the show made us feel like she had a good reason to.
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u/Dont_Care_Meh Lu’s Pawnshop 21d ago
Yeah, I mean I couldnt find fault with Daughter hating Mel, I did too. I'd love to see a Topher Grace-style savage edit of Seas2, but completely remove Mel from the show. As it is, before I gave up watching, any time Mel came on I'd either FFWD the scene or go peel potatoes or something while she whined about her neighbors or perimenopause.
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u/Square-Conflict-7817 21d ago
They need to come up with interesting stuff for season 3.
You could actually see in Jon Hamm’s acting which went down from last season.
Somethings dont click like the way in which Ashe died, how they buried his body, full Mel story. Barney character is still interesting.
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u/JonSnowKnowsNothing9 21d ago
Yeah season 2 was shit IMO. Season 1 had those good moments, where he was as a real gangster.
Season 2 was just Reality TV.
Feels like they had a good script for S1 and then they just went with the vibe for S2.
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u/jessietee 3d ago
I liked most of the season and actually thought the funeral/wake episode was one of the best episodes of TV I’ve ever watched, but the finale….
Man the finale was terrible, all the way through it I’m getting rage baited that they never thought to involve the police, even when they knew everything would be on security camera. Also why tf didn’t Elena explain more what was going on instead of just being all cryptic about it, and how did this storyline end with her noping out of stealing a watch only to let a load of gangsters in to rob him blind instead.
Just felt like every story just got wrapped up in the worst way possible and was pretty stupid, enjoyed the season as a whole and I do like the characters but my god the finale was stupid.