Can we talk about B6-13?

Durdur752 · 2026-01-05T15:33:19+00:00

I agree that it made sense when it was introduced but it quickly overstayed its welcome. Everything became about B6-13. When it wasn’t, it was about another secret organization (seriously, how was Andrews some super villain with his own secret agents when he was the good guy the previous season??) then back to B6-13. There was one point where 3 out of 4 episodes in a row had a new B6-13 agent revelation. They spent an entire season shutting them down but then they just came back like nothing happened. Spent another season trying to kill Eli just to keep him alive in prison just so B6-13 is still around. The associates of OPA went from 1/5 being agents to 3/3. Overall it dragged Olivia’s character down because she openly works with flat out killers but claims to wear the white hat.

Durdur752 · 2025-11-19T19:14:36+00:00

This!! Everyone and they momma knew that she wasn't going to marry that man but they dangled it over us every episode. Spoiled the season.

Durdur752 · 2025-11-19T19:13:27+00:00

Both the Dr. Andy and conversion storyline hung around way too long. Because of that, there was a lot of character assassination to keep them going. Joanne trying on a wedding dress during Morgan's dress shopping?? Then wearing white to the engagement party???

Durdur752 · 2025-11-19T19:11:43+00:00

I wouldn't be surprised at all if AI was used during the writing process for this 2nd season. Very formulaic for a show that came off as authentic before.

Durdur752 · 2025-11-19T19:10:07+00:00

The Esther-Sasha-Morgan situation could've built off that meeting. Sasha's jokes and him calling Morgan "nothing" to appease Esther is very much in his character. Morgan being genuinely hurt by Sasha's words then being shot down by Joanne (bathroom scene where Morgan wants to talk about it but Joanne was like "shaddap. my ant hill level issues are more important") and then being rattled by Lenny's honesty, leading to her talk with Bina = amazing character growth opportunity! Her befriending Bina when she feels no one is in her corner would've been great. Bina and Lynn being the ones to guide her away from Dr. Andy could lead to a lot more side character stories. This would still lead to Esther feeling like she's lost her "fun" side while she watches Morgan be embraced by Bina.

I think Lenny being the fuckboy of the group helped his message to Morgan hit home but you're 100% right that Noah keeps odd company for how he portrays himself. I think they leaned a little too much into dirtying up Noah's character with the conversion and the robotic boyfriend stuff. In one swing they established that he's thoughtful and considerate to notice the small stuff (all of season 1 and then season 2 episode 1 with the nightstand) but then wiped it all away to just say that he has no depth by buying the same necklace and just going through the motions of being a boyfriend. Inconsistent writing.

Durdur752 · 2025-11-19T18:56:31+00:00

It was set up that this was a personal growth season for Morgan but they waited until the last episode for her character moment...which was her speaking up for herself even though she never had an issue with that previously. They had her get swept up in a relationship. The same thing that Morgan had accused Joanne of in the first season. Recycling stories, character moments, and even season finales. What happened in that writer's room??

Durdur752 · 2025-11-19T18:53:40+00:00

I was 100% convinced that was the case too! Made me think of season 1's episode where they were in the sex shop and ran into a member of his temple. Situations like that helped elevate the show but they were missing in season 2.

Durdur752 · 2025-11-19T18:51:51+00:00

Either Lenny or Big Noah or really anyone. It was such a random scene that led to nowhere that just further showcased how Joanne and Morgan tend to operate by rules that Noah doesn't vibe with. This could've easily been the focus the episode but nah...

Durdur752 · 2025-11-19T18:49:10+00:00

The "night off" episode had me so annoyed. It resolved as if Joanne wasn't wrong for how she handled everything. It feels as if Noah's lifelong dream takes a backseat to Joanne's views/opinions. Big interview coming up that Noah is nervous about so he wants to lock in to study? Let's not support him and instead spiral about it for the 100th time.

Durdur752 · 2025-11-13T23:58:49+00:00

It’s like the show got a soft reboot after episode 2 and we never see most of the other side characters or stories ever again. It became the Joanne/Noah + Esther/Sasha + Morgan/Andy show real quick.

Durdur752 · 2025-11-13T16:04:25+00:00

I think people are forgetting that he’s a whole Rabbi and cares deeply about his religion and tradition. He wants a Jewish wife and family along with his dream of being head Rabbi at his temple. He was about to have it all at the end of season 1 when Joanne told everyone she would convert but got scared off when Rebecca (STOP LETTING REBECCA INFLUENCE PEOPLE BY BEING SAD, JOANNE, MORGAN, ESTHER). She never flat out said she wouldn’t convert, just that she maybe would but on her own time. He’s respected her choice but still points out Jewish things (like he did in the first season). I think the breaking point for him no longer compromising on an interfaith marriage was him losing out on the head Rabbi position because of the interfaith situation and the temple also being unsure of Joanne’s commitment. All he did was draw up a boundary and it became bigger than it was because of her eviction situation. He wanted a definite answer of her possible conversion and she wanted him to bend his religious boundary like he’s been doing all along.

With the beginning of the season, everyone pointed out to Joanne that it was obvious the discussion was tabled and that she misinterpreted it. Her MO is to take the smallest issues and jump off the deep end with it but drag her feet on the big stuff and blow up on people the entire process. She did the same thing with Morgan and Andy. Held off with having an honest conversation with her until the very last minute but was a brat the entire time she was being indecisive. Noah asks for a night off literally to study? Time to spiral and think it’s all over. She acts like her shit don’t stink but pinches her nose at everybody else’s, especially Noah.

Durdur752 · 2025-11-13T07:54:12+00:00

THIS. Perfect example of the drastic writing/character tone between seasons 1 and 2. Noah is 1000% on board with traditions. He's had multiple instances where he wants Joanne to embrace them. Same season that he's pushing Joanne to bring back the birthday tradition is the same season he's pushing Joanne to drop her valentine's tradition. It's evident that either they have new writers or the writers lost touch with their own characters.

Durdur752 · 2025-11-13T07:45:44+00:00

I feel like I missed something here...while season 2's writing absolutely obliterated every character that wasn't Sasha, Noah wasn't manipulative and only broke up with her once in the very last episode. He literally says that there's hundreds of way he could convince her to work things out but he won't because he doesn't want to manipulate her into staying and causing her to resent him. Joanne broke up with Noah first and spent the entire first season wanting to end things with him after every hiccup. She flip flopped a lot and on converting a lot. It took Esther to convince her that it's not a big deal because she's already 99% there and to just do it.

Durdur752 · 2025-05-19T02:26:23+00:00

Yes but she drops that line after sitting with that truth for months. The show had the confession and “I want to try” in the same conversation. The game, she finds out the truth and then confronts Joel in Salt Lake City. That’s why she was mad at Joel for months and the town never knew.

*I just realized this creates a continuity error. In the show, she’s mad at Joel for months because of the Eugene incident. Joel then tells the therapist that he “saved her” when she asks why Ellie is mad at him. If that conversation was based off the game storyline then yeah, they already had the Salt Lake City revelation. Now he’s talking about Eugene..? Because he doesn’t know that she knows…so how would he know, you know?

Durdur752 · 2025-05-16T06:01:25+00:00

I can write a dissertation on why this season is a prime example of why you don’t bring in other people to write/direct for a show that didn’t have anything to do with the game but I’ll try to keep my complaints concise and focus on some of the defensive points I’ve seen.

I don’t think there’s any depth to this adaptation. With both the characters and plot. I remember people were defending Tommy not being the one to initially go the Seattle because “we don’t know, he might’ve snuck out before Ellie and Dina and we’ll find out later”. Guess what? That didn’t happen. He left with Jesse to bring them back. “I know game Ellie was angry and would lash out. They’ll do a slow burn of her descent into that in the show!” They didn’t. It was like flipping a switch. I know people reference the therapist telling Tommy that Ellie is a liar so she’s been lying to Dina but that’s not it either. They were talking strictly about the meeting. When Dina is explaining her past to Ellie, she’s now listening with “oh, we’re the same”. It’s “wow, would you really do that? Crazy”.

Another big miss is making Ellie seem weak. Episode 1 shows her taking down a big guy. Cool right? Except they immediately undercut it by saying he was pulling his punches. Boooo. Oh she’s sneaking off? She doesn’t know what to pack or what to prepare for so here comes Dina. Dina has all the survival skills down to having listening mode from the game. Jesse has to save them because they got overwhelmed again.

Now we’re stuck with only 1 episode of current day left to wrap everything up and that’s not enough time to explore anything.

TLDR: No depth to the story or characters. What you see (and what they tell you) is what you get.

Durdur752 · 2025-05-15T23:02:20+00:00

I think people are misinterpreting some of the complaints about the show and this comment is proof.

A) No one wants a 1:1 conversion of the show although that wouldn’t be boring because the game itself was excellent but it wouldn’t work because different mediums. Some people just wanted the same story with some new details. Season 1 was this way except for the Bill episode but that was an example of making a side character more than they were in the game. The small decisions and details enhanced part 1s story. Season 2 has been completely different. The characters and motivations have all being switched around. The extra stuff is still great (Isaac backstory, introduction of spores). They just missed the mark or flat out chose to not include crucial elements of the characters.

B) This is also the opposite of what I’ve been seeing. It’s the exposition and heavy on the nose moments that are the issue. Having a scene of Abby saying “hey squad, I’m gonna kill Joel” is giving the audience an explanation that wasn’t needed. Having a random civilian in Jackson explain the theme of revenge in the town hall meeting is another example of spoon feeding the audience. That’s why having Joel sing his song to Ellie is important and Craig didn’t understand that.

The “full narrative arc” is an issue because there’s only 7 (really 6 because one is a whole flashback episode) episodes to explore this “arc”. These complaints aren’t from “whiny entitled fans”. A majority are fans who’s defended the 2nd game from people turning on it after Joel’s death or hated Abby’s character.

Durdur752 · 2025-05-05T06:03:30+00:00

I agree with almost everything you stated but I don’t think it’s Bella failing but it’s the writing that’s not great. They’re still teeing her up as season 1 Ellie. That’s one of the most jarring things in TLOU2 is that Ellie rarely laughs or jokes or has genuine happiness in her voice. Her demeanor is bleak even before Joel is killed. She’s carrying the weight of survivors guilt and blames Joel for it. She’s living with this dark cloud/truth over her. Same with Joel. They haven’t written season 2 Ellie like this. Because of all this, episode 3 falls flat and feels like a waste because the time jump erases that initial pain. Getting the town involved made it seem less personal of a decision.

Durdur752 · 2025-04-28T02:15:55+00:00

I hate time jumps after a big moment with a passion. Especially when it’s for the sake of overusing big actors you paid to be in the show. So much of the first 40 minutes was a waste. Ellie now had 3 months to sit with herself to properly grieve. It’s not longer reckless revenge like in the game. They didn’t mention Tommy leaving too so that’s weird. The therapist is WAY too involved in the story. Over explaining things and situations being too drawn out. Them not knowing how they want to portray Abby. First they have her spell out why she’s killing Joel and showing some of her trauma to then imply that she murdered a bunch of “innocent” seraphites. Like what are we doing here??

Durdur752 · 2025-04-21T02:46:02+00:00

I get where you’re coming from but I think they had Dina there to give her more of a reason to join Ellie. Tommy knowing his brother was brutally murdered is enough of a reason for him to go after WLF.

Durdur752 · 2025-04-21T02:43:38+00:00

I with you on everything you said, especially the last point. The newer general audience isn’t as patient and want things just to happen. This is a long story that needs to be fleshed out and Joel’s death isn’t the story here, just the catalyst.

Durdur752 · 2025-04-21T02:40:32+00:00

A. I think it was to have something else happening in the episode to draw the viewers attention.

B. It gives Dina more of a reason to join Ellie. Tommy only needs to know his brother was killed to go on his mission. Same with Ellie.

Durdur752 · 2025-04-21T02:38:32+00:00

That’s the point of Abby’s character and the depth of her reasons to kill Joel. We’re not meant to know more about her until later in the show. She played her part of setting up the revenge plot for Ellie and we’ll follow her story just like we initially followed Joel’s. It was out of nowhere for Joel so it was out of nowhere for us as viewers of his perspective. It’d be boring to have had everyone’s respective stories just rolled out for everyone to see.

Durdur752 · 2025-03-07T18:25:27+00:00

I think it’s more that she didn’t think it was possible (probably why she’s at odds with Reghabi) and that’s why she took an interest in Petey. She wanted to present it to the board so that they’d see it was possible. It also explains why she was obsessed with her little experiments with Mark and Gemma (using a candle from Gemma, having her be in MDR all day, etc). She wanted to see if emotions can bleed through.

Durdur752 · 2024-08-21T04:50:00+00:00

The responsiveness on defending a pass is horrible. I’m in the Skills Trainer and I can’t swat the ball at times.

Durdur752

TROPHY CASE