No Funerals

My overall review of the season up to this episode was excellent, as basically you could have ended with just a season with just part of this final episode. But NO, like an artist who created a magnificent painting but can't stop thinking of ways to adjust it the wheels fell off in not just one storyline but multiple. If I was to guess these guys are not sure season 3 is guaranteed so they decided to get an early start but instead of getting us more intrigued they burned all they built in the first 2 seasons to the ground? What amazes me in how well they built up so many story lines and interweaved them over all of season 1,2 but rather than celebrate let the end breath and let us enjoy it... they quickly trigger a whole new set of dark and foreboding storylines.

Reminds me of Lost, so much potential built with the end being the defining moment!!! BAM with the snap of a finger within the last 20+ minutes they attempt to T everything up for another season and cast all the journey's into disarray and doom. How are you supposed to walk away from that and say "That was a Great season!?"

I enjoyed all the characters and the world that was created before our eyes. I enjoyed the depth of each character and the complexity of each' s journey.

A disappointing final episode will give me pause to attempt to watch another or recommend the show.

Good/strong ending episodes...and who CARES what the characters of the books would have done? Who ARE these people who are, supPOSEDly reviewing a series and rating the series based on a BOOK? This is NOT a BOOK review site, in case those people haven't noticed... i thought the second season had a lot of ups and downs...some very strong moments and, unfortunately, really weak ones. I felt the first season was a lot more 'even keeled' which, yes, is a pun of sorts...this includes the density of the characters themselves...and not because of the actors...i think they all did a good job, given how they were written. And that is where the weaknesses occurred in places. In the writing.

If i DO watch the 3rd season, assuming there IS one...i will give it two episodes to decide whether or not i want to watch the whole season. It will HAVE to be better than this second season for me to want to watch the whole thing.

I enjoyed this whole show as a whole but I feel like it's really set up to be two shows that have crossover episodes rather than all in one show. I feel like both story lines suffer for it but especially the Crows who I may be biased towards because I read that duology rather than Shadow & Bone- but I actually really like Alina and Mal too. I really hope that this can be a splitting off point for the shows- I think the Ice Court Heist would make a fantastic miniseries and we have already set up many of the characters and relationships so there would be time to expand them. Inej in particular I think deserves more time spent on her story.

(This is more of a season review) This season feels like a fever dream, something that could happen in an alternate universe. It's not that completely new things are introduced. Most of the decisions the characters make are at least considered in the book (if that makes sense). For example, Mal realizes in the book and in the show that his only purpose of his existence was technically just Alina. And in the show he acts on it by the end wants to find his way. He gets to be an interesting character (at least somewhat).

There is a lot of narrative whiplash and clunkiness. One plot point jumps to the other and the viewer is dragged along with little time to breathe. This happens throughout the whole season.

That being said, I get that this show is technically 'based on' the books of Leigh Bardugo, but half way through it does change quite a bit. A new McGuffin is introduced, which I don't mind. It is a way to introduce Shu Han earlier in the story and gives the crows something to do, but like the other things in the season, it is rushed.

There are nods to the books that I enjoyed (elements of dialogue and character interaction) but some of them felt misplaced, especially certain lines that were seemingly just picked from the books and thrown into the show without the intended context and that removed the meaning entirely.

Obviously the books are a presence and something for the show to fall back on, but I feel like the show would have difficulty standing on its own-if there weren't any books to read up on. I mean the show draws from moments of the book so heavily (not story-wise) that it forgets that there might be viewers that haven't read the books.

For example the show often assumes that character dynamics are already known by the viewer before it bothers to introduce those dynamics which is not good. It never dives deeper into those characters. Inej and Kaz for example: I know what their deal is and why they mean so much to each other because I read the books, but I can imagine that for an average viewer their relationship might just come off as weird. And that is kind of what I'm getting at. This show isn't for the 'average viewer' but for those who read the books, which is sad because the point of an adaptation is to draw in more potential fans (without them necessarily having to read up on everything).

The new dynamics we get-between Inej and Tolya for example-is something I enjoy and I imagine the average viewer enjoys as well, because I feel like this was the only dynamic that doesn't assume anything already established in the books because it is new.

An example of a relationship dynamic that is rushed would be Zoya and Alina, Nina and Inej, Waylan and Inej (I found it weird that he was concerned after she got hurt when he didn't really interact with her in a way before that made me think that he'd be concerned about her).

In the end, the story diverts a lot from the books and I didn't mind it. I think the show will dive into Alina's hunger for power that was merely brushed upon in the books. I also like how Mal gets to be an actual character in the end.

But the problems i had with the first season are also present in the second: rushing the story, weird dialogue, plot convinces and clunky action scenes and sequences (sorry, but the fight Nikolai and company against Kirigan's minions was ridiculous). There are once again many convinces (the crows showing up at the final moment, Inej with superhuman-like abilities, Nina sorta sticking around in case she is needed and than taken out and then returning again (if you've seen the last episode, I think you get what I'm on about)).

The set design and costumes were great. The score as well and this season is enjoyable, but I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't able to gain more fans outside of those who read the books and can appreciate the characters being thrown into all kinds of situations.

Rating of second season: 7/10.

A solid season entry in the realms of the show bearing thrill, action , adventure and some drama. It could have been more solid like the previous season and have the same shininess.

Unfortunately, it got lost in endless semi-realistic picturesque romance that the series didn't obligatory need, too few bright action sequences in each episode, though episode 7 was one bright one and the ending makes me wish there would be a season 3.

Alina Starkov never ceases to amaze me!

• Screenplay/storyline/plots: 7
• Development: 8
• Realism: 7
• Entertainment: 7
• Acting: 8
• Filming/photography/cinematography: 8
• VFX: 9
• Music/score/sound: 8
• Depth: 7
• Logic: 3
• Flow: 7
• Action/adventure/drama: 7.5
• Ending: 7.