‘Easy’ Season 2 Review: Grading Every Episode of Joe Swanberg’s Intimate and Exciting Netflix Series
3. “Open Marriage” (Episode 2)
Starring: Michael Chernus, Elizabeth Reaser
There’s a point in “Open Marriage” where it feels like you know what’s coming next. Kyle (Michael Chernus) has a crush on his co-worker, Amy (Lindsay Burdge), but he’s really nervous about asking her out. Those nerves stem from the same anxious place we all feel when we’re about to expose our feelings, but Kyle is also trying to accept a new reality: He’s in an open marriage. At least, that’s what he and his wife, Andi (Elizabeth Reaser) have agreed upon, but Kyle is having trouble taking the next step.
So when Andi tells him she’s got a date and won’t be home until late, instead of asking Amy out directly, Kyle asks her out to drinks with him and their shared co-worker. That co-worker has mentioned how he’s new to the city and kind of lonely, so it seems inevitable he’ll swoop in and steal Amy from the too-tentative Kyle. Such a move could ruin his confidence and spoil the open marriage experiment altogether — especially since Andi’s date didn’t go well, either.
But that’s not what happens. “Open Marriage” ends on the married couple in bed together, snuggling, smiling, and saying, “I love you,” to one another. Kyle had a fun fling. Andi met a mysterious stranger. They both got lucky (to varying degrees) and they both seem happier for it — both separately and as a couple. Moreover, these characters were so frustrated in Season 1, it’s encouraging to see a glimpse of them at their happiest. Who knows where this road will take them, but that’s not the point: They’re not being judged by anyone. They’re not conforming to societal norms. They’re doing what makes them happy and with respect for each other. It’s an inspiring message in success alone, but it’s just such a fresh story, told so well, that it stands out from the pack.
Grade: A-
2. “Lady Cha Cha” (Episode 7)
Starring: Kiersey Clemons, Jacqueline Toboni
The line between art and pornography can be a thin one, at times, and “Lady Cha Cha” examines not only where that line is, but how instincts and feelings can corrupt the best intentions and firmest beliefs. Chase (Kiersey Clemons) and Jo (Jacqueline Toboni) are still together (after pairing up in their Season 1 episode, “Vegan Cinderella”), and both are engaged in various progressive pursuits. Jo is running an art show supporting feminist work, and Chase is getting into her burlesque class so much that she wants to put on her own show.
The events that follow can be a tad predictable, but in a way that feels humanly inevitable more so than in any way mundane. Chase and Jo are both very smart about what they’re doing and why they’re doing it, but Jo can’t help but feel possessive of her girlfriend and superior about her art vs. Chase’s.
Rather than writing Jo as ignorant of her internal and external contradictions, Swanberg allows her to struggle with it, and that struggle becomes the focus of the episode. By the end, you recognize both sides, but it’s not a fight, a choice, or an argument for one or the other. It’s an examination of understanding and how difficult it can be to reach a true understanding, even when you want to. Oh, and Clemons and Toboni both knock it out of the park. Brava.
Grade: A
1. “Prodigal Daughter” (Episode 6)
Starring: Danielle MacDonald, Judy Greer, Peter Gwinn, Jacqueline Toboni
It’s official: Judy Greer makes everything better. The talented star of “Marriage,” “Archer,” “Casual,” “Arrested Development” and more certainly elevates her role in “Easy,” but even if she wasn’t a part of the episode, “Prodigal Daughter” would be exquisite television.
The sixth episode primarily follows Grace (Danielle MacDonald), a high school senior who gets caught making out with a boy in her room. Her parents, Andy (Peter Gwinn) and Gretchen (Greer), punish her by forcing Grace to go to church every Sunday until she leaves for college. On the first day she attends, the priest delivers a homily about a part of scripture essentially saying rich people won’t get into heaven. Grace pushes back on the idea to deaf ears, so in an act of rebellion, she donates her life’s savings to the church.
Now, for some families, that might not be a big deal. Many high school seniors only have a couple hundred dollars or so. But Grace had just over $48,000. And she gave it all away.
What happens next is surprising, challenging, and quite powerful. Not only does Grace learn an unexpected lesson without giving up any of her agency or insight, but her parents do, too. It’s not an attack on religion, as it appears to be at the onset, nor does it let faith-based organizations off the hook. The faithful and faithless will have plenty to discuss when it’s all said and done.
If most TV series could handle teen-parent relationships with this level of maturity, the medium would be a much better place. Hire Joe Swanberg to write more. Hire Danielle MacDonald to play more teens. And obviously, keep hiring Judy Greer.
Grade: A
Season 2 Grade: A-
“Easy” Season 2 is streaming now on Netflix.
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