S02.E00: Trouble Don't Last Always Pt.1

[aghst]

Quote

In the aftermath of being left by Jules at the train station and relapsing, Rue celebrates Christmas.

Aired 12/6/2020.

 

[aghst]

I'd forgotten all that happened during the season, especially the end.

So it wasn't really surprising to see Jules and Rue have some cozy living situation.

But it should be surprising, since Rue was feeling abandoned at the end of season 1.  Also the fact that she was living at home in season 1 so where did they get the money to have their own place?

They're very affectionate so it seems all lovey-dovey.  Then Jules leaves and Rue fishes out some drugs to take.

Next scene she's at a diner with Ali on Christmas Eve and she starts out trying to say how there's great "balance" in her life.

Ali sees right through it, sees that she's high, tells her she's going to struggle all her life with her addiction.  He challenges her not believing in God (but his goal isn't to push faith on her) and says something about not having someone as a reason to fight her addiction.  He talks a bit about his past too, tells Rue that she has nothing on him when it comes to the horrible things addicts do. 

Rue tells Ali that she doesn't expect to be around that long.

Really intense conversation that takes up the bulk of the episode.  Beyond the teenage sex and drugs antics of season 1, the characters, especially Rue is showing their raw selves, presumably.

Inside the Episode, they said they were on the verge of starting to shoot S2 but then they were shut down like a couple of days before they were slated to start.

Zendaya said she couldn't wait to start season 2 again.

So this special is apparently an attempt to get something out that they felt they couldn't wait to have air.  Sam Levinson (show runner) says the long diner conversation scene was their concession to the limitations of shooting during the pandemic.

It might have been a scene or two in a season 2 episode but they decided to really expand it.  So the goal is to reveal more of Rue and also Ali than we'd see in a typical episode.

Edited December 7, 2020 by aghst

[SeanC]

It was great to see some of the characters again.

Zendaya is so talented.  Even when I'm consciously appreciating her acting, she still makes you feel for the character.  Domingo, also really good here.

This was basically an opportunity for Levinson to write a one-act play, and apparently he'd be really good at that.

 

[Marley]

I love this show but I hate episodes like this. I need things to happen not just watch people talk for the whole episode. I thought this was going to be an actual episode so this was a huge disappointment for me. 

[vb68]

This was thoroughly downbeat and just sad as expected, but the acting was exquisite. Zendaya and Colman Domingo brought it.  This episode reminded me a lot in tone and structure of a prior HBO show, In Treatment except it being in a restaurant.

The ending didn't offer much hope. I guess Ali was going to drop Rue back to where ever she was staying, and I didn't think that was a great idea to just leave her after that conversation.  

[candall]

Way too slow.  Zendaya is beautiful, but I can't watch any teenager curl her lip for 40 minutes.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Although I appreciate that the show was trying to find a way to shoot with fewer people on set to minimize COVID risks, this episode came off as a self indulgent one act play for a drama class project.

[MissScarlett]

So this wasn't the most action-oriented episode but I thought it was good. Rue finally came out to Ali with what was weighing on her. True thoughts and feelings were shared. Very therapeutic overall. I wasn't sure if Rue was really living with Jules or if that was like a dream sequence. Only because when she was talking with Ali, she avoided Jules' "I miss you" message. 

Man, Zendaya is such a good actress. I very much look forward to watching Season 2.

[heatherchandler]

On 12/7/2020 at 1:05 AM, Marley said:

I love this show but I hate episodes like this. I need things to happen not just watch people talk for the whole episode. I thought this was going to be an actual episode so this was a huge disappointment for me. 

This episode was... not good.  I started to fast forward, to get through the conversation, but then realized that it was the whole episode.  I don't normally mind conversations, but I don't really care about this guy or his kids.  I don't think there was anything groundbreaking going on during the convo.

[Nande]

Favourite episode out of the entire show

[Scarlett45]

I found the special episodes. (HBOMax had them listed out separately from the series. )

”That’s how people get into relationships Rue- they talk about it.”

I kind of like this one act play style. Zendaya looks so vulnerable and unsure of herself. Her facial work is superb.