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    NOS4A2 S02E01 Review: Bad Mother – Looking forward to Christmas in July!

    By Salome G
    | June 22, 2020
    TV Blogs

    It’s been almost a year since the first season finale of NOS4A2. But in the world of the show, we’re rejoining them 8 years later. In case you forgot, when we last left Vic, she had returned to Gunbarrel, Colorado, to work for Lou while she, oh yeah, grows a child.

    Now 8 years later, she has that child, a boy named Wayne (Jason David), and she and Lou are in a much more romantic relationship. And on the whole, she seems to be doing alright. Yeah, she hates Christmas and she usually spends it in a drunken fog, but that’s not that unusual. The reasoning behind it is, of course, but a lot of people have a bad time at Christmas.

    NOS4A2 S02e01 Ashleigh Cummings Vic Mcqueen

    Nice ink, Vic. She has a carefully curated life, though. That is, until one day when Wayne asks her, “Who’s Charlie Manx?” Thankfully, though, he’s not asking because he got some transmission from Christmasland. Instead, the news is reporting that Charlie Manx has died. Vic immediately starts trying to figure out how to get another knife.

    And as she’ll explain later to Lou, it’s not that she doesn’t believe the TV reporters or the doctors or the coroner. It’s just something she has to see for herself. She has to see that he’s dead before she can fully accept it. And she doesn’t just try finding the knife. She also tries to get Maggie to help her.

    Maggie, however, is living happily with her girlfriend Tabitha (Ashley Romans). Tabitha already kinda thinks Vic is bad news, so that explains part of Maggie’s hesitation. The other part is that using her tiles seems to be even more dangerous now.

    NOS4A2 S02e01 Jonathan Langdon Jason David Lou Carmody Wayne Mcqueen

    Vic does find a knife, though, as if it were fate. A friend tips her off to an old Triumph, coincidentally the same kind of bike Steve McQueen used to ride. Like Steve McQueen, all I need’s a fast machine…

    Vic tries to hold off, though, and attend to her responsibilities. The past keeps pushing in, though. Manx’s feral daughter, Millie, is calling from Christmasland, because the lights are going out and the boundaries are fading. Soon, the children inside will, too.

    So Vic takes the Triumph over the Shorter Way and ends up in a hospital. Although the tiles are telling Maggie that Manx is really dead, Vic gets to see it. Make sure, I urge her, as she picks up a scalpel. She leaves it buried in what passes for his heart.

    Unfortunately, when she returns to Gunbarrel, her home is on fire. Wayne is safe, but Lou is furious. She left her son alone, but not before accidentally setting the house on fire. She loves Lou and her son, but like her daddy before her, she’s going to be a Walkaway Joe. Or Jane, I guess.

    NOS4A2 S02e01 Jonathan Langdon Ashleigh Cummings Lou Carmody Vic Mcqueen

    Because that’s exactly what she does after Lou and Wayne fall asleep. Unlike her father, though, she says goodbye to Wayne before she leaves. But what exactly is it she thinks she’s leaving for? Again, I think she just has to be sure of everything.

    And you know, it’s a good thing, because Bing, of course, is still out there. After 8 years, he’s finally located the Wraith. And although an artist has bought it, removed the engine, and is working to transform it into a work of art, Bing and his gingerbread smoke say otherwise. With the artist’s help (under duress), Bing gets the engine back in. And as soon as the Wraith starts coming together, so does old Charlie Manx’s decrepit body. Why, his heart grew three sizes! Wait, that’s another Christmas villain. But Manx’s heart does appear to start beating. And I see young Charlie Manx in the previews for this season, so yeah. He’s back.

    8/10 – While a time jump can be risky, I think the show has pulled it off. I believe the view we got of Vic is realistic for her and for the time that’s passed. I do like her relationship with Lou and I hope she doesn’t lose it because of Manx machinations. Anyway, looking forward to Christmas in July!

    I’m sorry, I’m being told that it is somehow still June.

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    FrankOz45D
    FrankOz45
    1 year ago

    Okay I’ll be honest in that I haven’t heard of this show. The review looks good. I’m interested to see what this Christmasland is all about. I’m going to go look for season 1.

    1
    Reply
    Snarky-GuruD
    Snarky-Guru
    1 year ago

    I adore Lou! He’s so good for Vic and Wayne. He’s my new favourite character. It’s hard to believe that Jahkara Smith got her start on YouTube. She’s such a compelling actress that you’d think she was in loads of shows before.

    1
    Reply
    DrewsiD
    Drewsi
    1 year ago
    Reply to  Snarky-Guru

    Lou is good for them but will Vic come back? I’m afraid she will get tangled up and not make it back for her son. I think Lou will keep Wayne safe.
    I didn’t know that tidbit about YouTube.

    1
    Reply
    Salome G
    Author
    Salome G
    1 year ago
    Reply to  Snarky-Guru

    Yeah, I really like her.

    0
    Reply
    Samuel234D
    Samuel234
    1 year ago

    This was great! 8 years later and it was believable! What in the world was Vic thinking leaving her son! I don’t blame her for not forgetting her past but she left her son.

    1
    Reply
    EvieD
    Evie
    1 year ago
    Reply to  Samuel234

    That’s what I’m thinking too. Don’t turn your back on the past. We did see Manx in the previews. That will surely be interesting to watch. Loud will take good care of Wayne I hope!

    1
    Reply
    DrewsiD
    Drewsi
    1 year ago
    Reply to  Samuel234

    I thought the jump 8 years was done brilliantly! A lot of times shows jump and the writer’s get it all wrong. This was believable! Great first episode of the season.

    0
    Reply
    SilverD
    Silver
    1 year ago

    I don’t really get Vic’s concern over the children at Christmasland. They’re little vampires at this point. It’s not like she or anyone else can save them. Maybe it’s me, but it seemed like Vic had more empathy for those children than she did for her own son.

    2
    Reply
    BostonAustinD
    BostonAustin
    1 year ago
    Reply to  Silver

    Same here, especially since the children he “rescues” are usually in pretty terrible situations to begin with. At a certain point, Christmasland looks like the better option.

    1
    Reply
    Fade-to-BlackD
    Fade-to-Black
    1 year ago

    I’m glad to see there’s less teen angst so far. I chuckled a bit at Vic leaving her son with a man who isn’t his father. How many times have we seen that play out with the opposite gender in movies and TV shows? It’s always the man who leaves. Vic will come back for him though.

    1
    Reply
    Samuel234D
    Samuel234
    1 year ago
    Reply to  Fade-to-Black

    True story! It’s usually the other way around. I was surprised to see her leave her son. Do you really think she will come back? I’m not sold on that yet.

    1
    Reply
    ArabellaD
    Arabella
    1 year ago

    I’m in the UK so I’m a bit behind the release date, but just from the previews I have to say it’s amazing how they’ve managed to make Vic age. She actually looks eight years older. Maybe it’s the tattoos.

    1
    Reply
    Snarky-GuruD
    Snarky-Guru
    1 year ago

    I thought Manx killed Bing during the last season. I haven’t seen this episode so it might have covered it. It feels like years since season one was on. I’m surprised that Vic would leave her child behind. It doesn’t sound like her even if she’s just repeating her father’s behavior. She gave up school to have that kid. Vic should’ve also known that the only way to kill Manx is to destroy the Wraith. I hope this programme is on in the UK right now. I think we had to wait a bit last time.

    1
    Reply
    Salome G
    Author
    Salome G
    1 year ago
    Reply to  Snarky-Guru

    Manx was supposed to come for Bing after he was finished with Vic. That didn’t happen, of course, so the last we saw of Bing, he was working as a janitor in a dentist’s office.
     
    I’m very surprised at the way Vic’s acting. I mean, the number one thing Manx needs is children; I wouldn’t leave mine unattended if I were Vic.

    0
    Reply
    EvieD
    Evie
    1 year ago
    Reply to  Salome G

    I don’t understand this either. He needs children and she doesn’t believe he isn’t dead. Why in the world would she leave Wayne alone? I’m just glad he wasn’t hurt in the fire!

    1
    Reply
    Salome G
    Author
    Salome G
    1 year ago
    Reply to  Snarky-Guru

    Oh, you actually will get Christmas in July. The show is scheduled to start airing 7 July on AMC UK. So, a little over a week. Not too bad.

    0
    Reply
    ShelbiiD
    Shelbii
    1 year ago

    Wow… this show looks right up my alley. I have never heard of it until reading this. I really hope that I can find season 1 somewhere so i can start at the beginning.

    1
    Reply
    Salome G
    Author
    Salome G
    1 year ago
    Reply to  Shelbii

    If you’re in the United States, you should be able to watch the first season on AMC’s website or through their app. It may also be available on demand.

    0
    Reply
    Fade-to-BlackD
    Fade-to-Black
    1 year ago
    Reply to  Shelbii

    I checked Amazon Prime and it’s not included for free with Prime Video unfortunately. However, if you haven’t already activated your free trial to Shudder, you can do that now. The trial lasts for seven days, which is long enough to see the whole series (lots of cliffhangers so you’re gonna want to binge anyway).

    1
    Reply

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