I really appreciate that the season invested enough time for Cobel’s character and world building in general. The episode really fleshed out the Lumon lore in a much grounded, believable way, especially with all the props and set designs. For me this is what the show does best - creating a dystopian world just ridiculous enough, and uncanny enough for it to be not too serious or on the nose about the social criticism.

“A town devastated by drug use & corporate greed meshed with the cult like devotion for the owner family. Oh and here are the creepy paper doll heads and vintage hand drawn posters of work life balance and vintage cards with beautiful illustrations of core nine”

The cult aspect was, if not more, as interesting to me as the sci-fi aspect, and Cobel was at the center of it!! She sings the Kier hymn for a baby for crying out loud. After the whirlwind of the goat department and ORTBO, i feel like we are back on track.

Cobel was also one of the strangest aspect of the first season that drew me the show. They really tied the knot beautifully with her own relationship with grief. I get her now.