‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ Season 2: Better or Worse Than Season 1?
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” is back! It’s hard to relay such news without matching the joyful pitch of the show’s titular protagonist, but there has been some notable critical discourse surrounding the new season that Kimmy might describe as “Mr. Sassafrass Jeans.” Though most reactions have been strongly positive — Season 2 sits at 82 on Metacritic and 95 percent on RottenTomatoes — some concern has been expressed over Fey and Carlock’s choice to cast Jane Krakowski as a Native American woman (in Season 1) and then to defend that choice by doubling down in Season 2, claiming Tituss Burgess’ Titus Andromedon was a geisha in a past life.
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The decision opens up the episode to focus specifically on how free speech can be repressed by Internet backlash, as Titus incurs when he tries to put on a one-man play as a geisha and is met by an angry mob of progressives. Episode 3, “Kimmy Goes to a Play!”, thus tackles the idea of an overwhelming, over-angry PC culture as well as the cacophonous echo chamber that is the Internet while simultaneously serving as a direct retort from Fey and Carlock, telling their harshest critics to “Back off!”
How you perceive the episode may also determine how you perceive Season 2. The new 13 episode set focuses on an internal journey for Kimmy, who is forced to explore the lasting effects of her imprisonment as opposed to the previous season when she had to come face to face with her oppressor (and put him in jail). Key additions to the new year include Tina Fey, as a therapist instead of a Marcia Clark-esque attorney, and plenty of extended, individual arcs for Titus, Jacqueline (Krakowski) and Lillian (Carol Kane). Is it better than last year, worse, or exactly the same? Everyone has their own opinion (even if everyone pretty much agrees “Kimmy” is great regardless of comparison).
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Indiewire TV Editor Liz Shannon Miller and TV Critic Ben Travers suss out the various arguments above in the latest episode of Very Good TV Podcast. Don’t forget to subscribe via Soundcloud or iTunes, and follow Indiewire on Twitter and Facebook for all your pertinent TV news. Check out Liz and Ben’s Twitter feeds for more, more, more — plus, don’t forget to listen to Indiewire’s other podcasts, Screen Talk with Eric Kohn and Anne Thompson, as well as Indiewire Influencers, hosted by Editor-in-Chief Dana Harris and featuring various guests relevant to anyone tracking independent film or the entertainment industry in general.
Related Articles and News:
– All done with “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” Season 2? We’ve got a review for that! Still wading through the 13? We’ve got a review for that, too! Liz has you covered, no matter what.
– The second-to-last season of “Girls” wrapped Sunday night with two top-notch episodes. Read the reviews for both right here at Indiewire.
– “Veep” is returning! “Veep” is returning! Get ready for Season 5 by watching Queen Julia Louis-Dreyfus on “SNL”!
– Did you watch Louis C.K.’s “Horace and Pete”? Did you know it was over? Get the details here.
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