Servant returns January 15 on Apple TV+.
By Ariba Bhuvad
When it comes to absurd and unusual plots, filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan is up there with the best of them. So when it was announced that he’d be getting his own Apple TV+ series, I was intrigued, to say the least. The first season of Servant left us with a lot to think about and involved a shady nanny, Leanne (Nell Tiger Free) who left at the end of the season to rejoin a religious cult of sorts. And let’s not forget the whole “so, is this baby actually dead or what?” debacle.
The second season aims to pick up from where it left off as Sean (Toby Kebbell) and Dorothy (Lauren Ambrose) grapple with the loss of “Jericho”, which continues to remain a mindboggling mystery in the first seven episodes critics were given to watch. I wasn’t particularly blown away by what the second season had to offer which largely had to do with Shyamalan’s overly complicated nature of creating stories. Many truly enjoy that method of storytelling but I found myself scratching my head more than once throughout the seven episodes.
But there is a silver lining to a rather confusing second season–Rupert Grint. Yes, that’s right, the Harry Potter alum manages to steal the season with his hidden comedic talent, the likes of which didn’t get to surface in its entirety in season one. He carries the second season on his back providing comedic relief when it was quite necessary. In fact, the second season, in general, is far funnier than season one, and given the absurdity of what you’ll see in season two, it’s much needed.
The intensity of season two feels a bit scatter-brained, perhaps on purpose, as the characters attempt to make decisions far beyond their understanding. This almost creates a child-like vibe to it all, which personally left me a bit underwhelmed. Nonetheless, the cast is the best part about this show, so regardless of what the plot is, they single handedly make it worth watching–even if nothing makes sense. From Dorothy’s obliviousness, Leanne’s unknown intentions, Julian’s hilarious commentary, and Toby’s aloof nature, Servant becomes a rather strange but addicting watch.
In addition, I will say that the supernatural chaos and outlandish nature of season two do leave plenty for the imagination, and whether or not you’re enjoying the story, you are sort of left wanting more. And it’s perhaps this chaotic nature of Servant season two that will attract viewers to wherever the heck this story is going in all its madness.
I won’t say I was a fan, but I am eager to see how this season wraps up, and where the heck we’ll land with this Jericho (is he real or not?) dilemma. And after watching the first seven episodes, I’ll jump at any opportunity to see Grint in his comedic element, even in the darkest and most off-putting of situations.
I give Servant Season 2 a C-.
TV and City 