Watched first episode of season 2 of Resident Alien last night. The first season was enjoyable if a bit rough story wise. But episode 1 of season 2 felt like 8 different writers wrote skits and then someone stuck them all in the same episode with the only connection being they were characters in the same show. There were abrupt shifts between scenes with no segue.

There was the usual crazy humor. And yes, it’s not meant to be taken as reality (there is an alien, after all, who can look like a human because, well, he can), but at points the silly got to be not funny but just silly. There was a hint about where the story is going—more aliens coming to destroy Earth, but overall, it was a very uneven watch. There were serious scenes with little, to no, connection, such as the two cups of coffee. Perhaps foreshadowing?

My wife commented that it felt like the original season was written as a one off, did well, and suddenly the writers went—“Hey! We need to write more stuff.” I’ve been in that position and if you have enough time it works, but if it’s on a tight schedule, a lot harder to do, especially during a pandemic.

The Righteous Gemstones also debuted its second season after a wicked satire of a first season.

The problem seems to be one of tone. It’s dark comedy, but the dark is starting to overshadow the comedy. We’ve got murders and secrets and child abandonment while also seeing a silly baptism.

The bathroom scene is brilliant. Edi Patterson as Judy Gemstone was hilarious and one can easily see her in a Christopher Guest movie ad-libbing. But John Goodman’s father figure seems to be a dark brooding cloud over everything. Broken thumbs are in.

To come: Dexter finally ends; I finally binge all of Yellowstone and am following 1883. Also rewatched the 2nd Battlestar Galactica and am slogging through the last season and all the talk of God. Anyone else ever try to figure out what the hybrid is saying? I tried it on my wife earlier trying to distract her and she was not so easily fooled.

Anywho. Stay warm out there.