A Máquina do Destino

As others have mentioned, if you're looking for an obvious "realist" explanation for anything here you'll probably not enjoy the ride. That's kinda the point. It's not totally surreal mind you, but there is a great deal of "suspension of disbelief", which will turn people off. For instance, It starts plot driven, but actually ends up being mostly character studies. And of course, not all characters are equally interesting...

However, some of the card reveals are quite intriguing, and there are enough chuckles along the way to make this a fun watch. Some ideas are well executed and remind me of the Oracle talking with Neo from The Matrix. Other times, the motivations or ideas are just a mess. (You'll know which episode I mean.)

I am usually let down by these multi-season puzzle shows, but knowing the pitfalls I still think it has potential.

We watched Season 1 and quite enjoyed it mostly because of the excellent character work by a strong ensemble. Yes, you had to suspend belief, but that seemed obvious from the premise before watching a single episode. We are loving Season 2. If you enjoyed the characters in Season 1, you will really love how they are developed in Season 2. You see so much more of the hearts of each character and the connections between the characters in really lovely ways. No, it's not a comedy like Schitt's Creek, but if you loved the small town sense of community and connectedness from Schitt's creek, you will really love Season 2 of The Big Door Prize.

You're going to either really like it or find it dull. I think it'll depend on how old you are. If you are young, the future and your life's potential seem limitless, and a show about a machine that tells you your life's potential seem trivial and perhaps stupid, that people in this town would be so impacted by it. But if you are older, and looking back at your life more than looking forward, one may understand there's more to it. There is a reason why many people want to know if they've lived a full life, before the end comes.

The show doesn't tackle this subject with a heavy hand. It's light hearted, but serious when it needs to be. For some, it's satisfying to know you've achieved your potential, while others would find that upsetting; and some are excited by the possibility of something different, while others fear it as doubts and second guessing sets in. Each episode so far covers these aspects of "what if"through various characters who live in this town, and while these first episodes feel slow at times, it's thought provoking at the very least to watch them unfold.

While the show could certainly turn dark and more sinister, I rather enjoy the humor and the mysteries of how some people's lives are going to change and others who are trying to change.

It starts off a bit slow but with so many characters invested in the story, it ramps up quickly. Really strong cast and great conversations about how people might react and perceive life changes when given one word. No spoiler alert, but the last word is very thought provoking. Great writers! Chris as always is such a wonderful, likeable person that is so gentle with his thoughts and words that I want to sit and have coffee with him. All the school students' different personalities and perspectives give the show a lot to work with in future episodes and I hope it keeps its momentum for more seasons.

Only three episodes have been released so it's too early to give a whole-hearted rating or review but here is what I can tell you right now. The townspeople are.mostly quirky and seemingly carefree for the most part which makes what starts to happen to them even more interesting. But I'm surprised this is called a comedy (even though there are some humorous moments) because there's something really weird going on in Deerfield.

The writing is good and the cliffhanger endings are great, making this a very bingeable show. The viewer will quickly become really curious to find out where the story is going. Since it's categorized as a "comedy", it can't get too dark- but it sure feels like it will go there. I'm a fan so far and intrigued almost as much as I was with Severance.