Season02.E06

[aghst]

Quote

Elliot and Helen are running out of time to end the escalating tensions between the McDonnells and the Cassidys. Elliot makes one last-ditch attempt to develop a relationship with his family, which may prove to have disastrous consequences.

So this season, like the first is about discovery of Elliot's past life.  He's a tourist in his own biography.  Even the last scene of the season finale, he's discovering something about himself, like hearing Swan Lake brings out his love of ballet and he rediscovers the muscle memory.

But the file that burns in the Dutch oven reveals another layer, another identity, than the one which unfolded in this season.

The process involves both Elliot and Helen having doubts about his character, his core being, whether he was a monster, as his family and their arch rivals say that he was, as much of a gangster as they show themselves to be.

They could have been content just being together, not learn anything more about his past.  But Helen pushes or encourages him to go back to Ireland, based on the message, which turns out to be a ruse or bait to lure him back into a life he doesn't want to be a part of.

The seasons are short so maybe they can do this for another season, maybe two at most to reveal more and more of his biography.  If there are additional seasons, that would seem to be the plan.

The supporting characters are crazy.  Ethan actually provides comic relief at key moments and Ruairi, I guess it was suppose to be genuine grief and some emotional issues but in the end he didn't harm anyone.

Both Elliot and Helen get abducted, could have been killed, but survive.  Maybe that was the point of the Ruairi character, to show both of them enduring all kinds of stress and yet they return to each other?

Helen apparently loved being a cop, even in the middle of nowhere in rural Australia and had aspirations to be a detective.  So her inclination is to dig, to unearth things, like those letters which Niamh buried.  So once they find out about this new identity from Elliot's past, she's probably going to be more driven than he is to find out more about it.

[HollyG]

I really like this series. I loved the surprise ending in this episode. It seems like a great set up for season 3... if there is one.

[Irlandesa]

I know some people didn't like this as much as the first season but I did.  I also found it easier to follow. 

I think the ending hints at a possible S3 but also works as a coda on this season where Helen has decided to give in to trusting Elliott/Eugene even with the lack of proof while proof that there may be more "good guy" about him is burning in the fireplace. 

[anniebird]

I loved watching him dance. That alone made me love this season.

[Paloma]

Guess I'm alone here, but I was disappointed in this season and didn't like the ending. I might have been able to buy that Helen didn't need to read the file and was willing to trust Elliott except for one big unanswered question: Did he force women to transport drugs in their bodies, as Lena accused him of? Helen was all about accountability with Ruairi--she made him promise to turn himself in--but she's fine with letting Elliott live a guilt-free life with her despite being responsible for the deaths of those women? And what makes her think they are safe now, especially since she didn't die like Lena wanted? 

And if Elliott didn't force the women to transport drugs, who did (assuming Lena was telling the truth)--his look-alike brother? But I don't think that's possible because the brother was apparently killed many years ago, when Donal found out his wife was pregnant with Elliott's son. 

I may also be alone in saying how much I hate Ethan's character taking up space in the story. I guess they wanted to keep him for comic relief, but I didn't find him funny. He was just obnoxious and, in following Helen to Ireland, a stalker.  

[aghst]

Ethan was definitely an annoyance but there were a couple of tense scenes where he'd interject himself and I couldn't help but to laugh.

Somehow, Elliot and Helen managed not to lose it with him hovering over them.

[chediavolo]

I have a lot of unanswered questions. And there is no Fing way in hell it wouldn’t have read that file. You’ve got to be kidding me! 

[Madding crowd]

I didn’t like this season as much as the first but I’m enjoying Jamie’s performance. Some parts were ridiculous like Elliot getting kidnapped or held at gunpoint every episode but never getting hurt. I didn’t like Helen as much this season and thought her kidnapping and ex-fiancé returning was just over the top. I did think at first that Eugene’s brother must have been the one behind the drug mule stuff but I don’t know now that we found out he was an agent of some kind. 

[peachmangosteen]

On 3/6/2024 at 10:59 AM, Paloma said:

Helen was all about accountability with Ruairi--she made him promise to turn himself in--but she's fine with letting Elliott live a guilt-free life with her despite being responsible for the deaths of those women?

She made him promise to turn himself in but he didn’t and she didn’t seem to care too much tbh.

I didn’t enjoy this season as much as season 1 but it still had some good moments. It’s at its best when it’s leaning into the humor imo.

It also got very soapy this season, which I liked.

I couldn’t even see what the file said so I was like ‘huh’ when I was reading about the surprise ending lol. I had to rewatch it. I hope they get a season 3 to visit that.

Edited March 14 by peachmangosteen

[MaggieG]

On 3/6/2024 at 11:27 AM, aghst said:

Ethan was definitely an annoyance but there were a couple of tense scenes where he'd interject himself and I couldn't help but to laugh.

Somehow, Elliot and Helen managed not to lose it with him hovering over them.

The scene where he used the whistle to distract the guy that was beating up Elliott 😅 I actually laughed out loud. 

I did think it was a bit random that they ended up in Amsterdam. And Helen will be a PI? Do either of them speak Dutch?

I do hope they make another season, this show is the perfect mix of drama, suspense and comedy. 

[SeanBug]

I loved Season 1 but this season felt like they were trying to cram in too many story lines, and I got tired of trying to figure out who everyone was and how they were involved.   I lost interest in it by Epi 4, and I didn't have anything to watch so I figured I might as well finish the season, like two weeks later. 

And Helen's coma/dream?  Come on. 

The last two episodes were tortuously slow and boring, IMO.  Also after everything, Helen and Eugene didn't want to read the file?  And what Niamh hid was love letters?  So she was the by product of an affair between the two feuding families, and she gives Eugene shit about same? 

I

[yourmomiseasy]

On 3/19/2024 at 7:12 AM, MaggieG said:

I did think it was a bit random that they ended up in Amsterdam. And Helen will be a PI? Do either of them speak Dutch?

There's not really a language barrier in Amsterdam if you speak English, which Helen and Elliot/Eugene do.  Basically everyone there speaks English and if I recall correctly most things are printed in both languages.  They also apparently traveled extensively between seasons and are probably use to getting by in non-English countries. 

[blackwing]

On 4/19/2024 at 8:57 AM, SeanBug said:

I loved Season 1 but this season felt like they were trying to cram in too many story lines, and I got tired of trying to figure out who everyone was and how they were involved.   I lost interest in it by Epi 4, and I didn't have anything to watch so I figured I might as well finish the season, like two weeks later. 

And Helen's coma/dream?  Come on. 

The last two episodes were tortuously slow and boring, IMO.  Also after everything, Helen and Eugene didn't want to read the file?  And what Niamh hid was love letters?  So she was the by product of an affair between the two feuding families, and she gives Eugene shit about same? 

I

I liked this season but I agree that there were too many storylines.  I don't understand the point of the Ruari character at all, he was completely extraneous.  I know that Connor MacNeill is good friends with Jamie Dornan (both from Belfast) so I am assuming the Dornan had a hand in getting him cast.

I didn't really understand Niamh's motivations either.  She is ashamed that her biological father is a Donnelly instead of a Cassidy?  And because of this she has continued the bloody feud that these two families have had for years?  It did seem like there was a resolution at the end, so I don't get why they didn't just try and resolve everything years ago.

I can't believe that neither Eugene/Elliott nor Helen wanted to read the file.  After spending all these months not knowing who he is and trying to find out more information about who he is, it just seems inconceivable to me that he wouldn't have read the file.  Now if there is a Season 3, is it going to be about him learning that he is a special agent (I'm assuming of the Irish equivalent of the CIA or FBI?) working undercover?  And it would take place in Amsterdam?

 

On 3/6/2024 at 9:59 AM, Paloma said:

I may also be alone in saying how much I hate Ethan's character taking up space in the story. I guess they wanted to keep him for comic relief, but I didn't find him funny. He was just obnoxious and, in following Helen to Ireland, a stalker.  

I loathed Ethan.  I hated him during Season 1 and I hated him even more during Season 2.  I know we are supposed to laugh about how clueless and awkward he is, but come on.  He tracked her down to Ireland and was determined to follow her around even though she didn't want him there.  If there is a Season 3, I'm sure they will find a way to inject him into the story, again.  Even though IRL even the densest fool would know to stay away from Helen.