TV Review: The Other Two Are My Main Ones On HBO Max
A miracle has happened for The Other Two. It is officially an HBO Max original, and, like Titans Season 3, the show gets excellently revamped by a network notorious for its originality. Premiering August 26, he show rises in raunch and riches to give the world a deep, hilarious look into its own youth, wealth, and celebrity obsessed nature.
I always found its strangely toxic our obsession with rich and famous people that have seemingly found the only supply of SOMA tablets (Brave New World reference) making them look 32 at age 92. (coughs* Jane Fonda coughs*) Part of our attraction/ frustration with Brooke (Heléne Yorke) and Cary (Drew Tarver) is that they totally tap in older Millennials youthful, rally cry of spite, “Why they hell am I still living like a 25 year old when I am 35?” Of course, there will always be a Boomer to confuse Gen Alpha, Gen Z, and Gen Mill with each other, but part of that confusion stems from a harsh truth; they all pretty much share the same economy status: their parents.
Listen, I am NOT coming for Millies and nor is The Other Two. Comedy is about choosing to laugh at tragedy rather than give it another tear, but that does not take away that it is sad. This season does better at showing Brooke and Cary are hustlers. They are not wayward, lazy thirty-somethings as much as two people with no luck at building themselves beyond their mom and younger brother’s own growing empires. Yet, THEY ALWAYS TRY! In essence, they are two unlucky people that got lucky to be related to two much luckier people. Hence, they end up in a whirlwind of odd situations and jobs in an attempt to fight the reality they know; they are the other two to a “main two.”
I think what I most liked about Season 2 is that the characters felt more human than caricatures. Of course, I am NOT knocking season 1. It was funny, moving, and impressive enough for HBO Max to pick it up and make it even more heart-warming. I guess what I am really trying to admit is that I am a “mushy” person. I like that there are more, small moments when Brooke encourages Chase, Cary sees that his mom, Pat (Molly Shannon) is actually a good, positive person, and both actually grieve the fact that they really deserve more for how much they try. Naturally, Molly Shannon is EXCELLENT and Case Walker is a charm as Chase Dreams, of which they round out a cast and story that is surprisingly more relatable than what a trailer might present. Ultimately, The Other Two is about good people trying to “go big” while feeling really small.
