SummaryAspiring journalist Annie (Aidy Bryant) juggles her boyfriend (Luka Jones), her mom (Julia Sweeney) and her boss (John Cameron Mitchell) in this comedy based on Lindy West's memoir.
SummaryAspiring journalist Annie (Aidy Bryant) juggles her boyfriend (Luka Jones), her mom (Julia Sweeney) and her boss (John Cameron Mitchell) in this comedy based on Lindy West's memoir.
This season of "Shrill," much like the last, manages to find itself in a very sweet spot between true-to-life and heartwarming. It's sugared, but not saccharine, and as Annie says drunkenly at the roller rink, it's ready to have "a real honesty talk with you," the viewer.
The real surprise this season is Patti Harrison‘s deliciously dark and bizarre office assistant Ruthie, hereby dubbed Ruthie the Ruthless, a wonderfull macabre agent of chaos. The scripting is also especially sharp in Season 2, with so many wry lines you’re likely to miss some of the best jokes your first time around.
In its second season, the show isn’t screaming for our attention. Instead, it trusts that a smart and funny woman’s steady progression into a fuller life is its own kind of battle cry.
The show seems to have raced way past the idea that Annie shouldn’t be solely defined by her weight, and decided that it should no longer be a primary subject at all. Without that, and/or more significant character growth, there’s not a lot to the new season beyond the appeal of the performers.
The show's second season underscores its weaknesses while barely developing its characters. ... It doesn't help that this follow-up season tacks more toward satire and comedy, exposing how brutally unfunny the show can be.