The best thing the show’s writers ever did was realize that Joe wasn’t the most interesting character. Later seasons reveal the disintegration of his complex, as he finds himself confronting the limits of his charisma and the consequences of his actions. It’s the death of the hero, and in its place rises a show bursting with new life, as the budding business partnership between its two lead female characters becomes the central narrative.
The opening sequence of Season 2 sets up this wonderfully energetic change of pace with a three-minute scene shot entirely in one take. The handheld camera moves around a suburban house full of cords, construction equipment and cables scattered on the ground. It’s a cinematographic expression of the intense energy, messiness and everything in between between people taking the risk of creating something new. Here, we meet Mutiny, Donna and Cameron’s video game subscription service that takes center stage in seasons 2 and 3.
As the two navigate the passion and difficulties of running a startup, the melodramatic tension of the first season is replaced by palpable lightness and ambition. There are still plenty of great dramatic revelations and story beats, but none of it feels forced or in service of a half-hearted antihero arc. The stakes feel real and emotionally powerful.
The partnership between Donna and Cameron is largely the inspiration for this. I can’t think of a better portrayal of female friendship on television that I’ve seen than this show. Instead of being defined by her relationship with Joe and Gordon or by ridicule like being a working mother, she’s given agency and allowed to be flawed and ambitious and all the other things the media constantly tells women not to do.
Cameron, who grew up learning to survive on her own, is willing to cooperate with and trust others – but lives in constant fear of losing the company she has dedicated her entire life to. Donna, who has experienced the grief of a failed product once before, comes into her own as a leader – but, by always trying to make the most logical decisions for the company, she loses the partnership she needed most.
The progression of their friendship – the way they support, hurt and ultimately forgive each other – is treated with such nuance, and it’s truly a dynamic relationship to watch unfold.
Their bond is one of many complex dynamics explored by the show. As the show matures, so do its characters. One who learns to understand the importance of the people around him – that people are not only a means to an end, but also the end themselves. Gordon, who was so eager to prove himself and be remembered for something in the first season, finds confidence and peace in the present, and leaves a legacy that will long resonate with characters and viewers alike. As these characters grow and evolve, what remains at their core is what brought them together in the first place: a shared ambition to create something that changes the world.
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