The Netflix sensation has already been repeated a number of times. Should it have continued to spin in circles?
In the second season of Russian Doll, existential explorer Nadia Vulvokov (Natasha Lyonne) is confronted with these problems. They’re also the concerns of the show, which is returning to Netflix after a three-year break with fresh episodes. The plot used a time loop to weave together Harry Nilsson, roast chicken, unresolved sadness, and New York’s East Village in the initial edition of Russian Doll, which seemed as unique as its cocreator and star, Lyonne. Russian Doll seems to have reached the end of its specific, finite plot by the time Nadia and fellow traveller Alan (Charlie Barnett) brought their vicious cycle to a stop. But it’s back now—or rather, it’s back again. Nadia is no stranger to leading from the front.
The difficulties brought up by Russian Doll’s return may be appropriate given the show’s concept, but they’re becoming increasingly common on television. TV has never been less limited to fixed schedules or classifications, both to the flexibility of streaming formats and the greater leverage that comes with “prestige.” Once-limited series, such as Big Little Lies, can be renewed; long-running shows, such as Curb Your Enthusiasm, can take longer vacations between seasons; and smash smashes, such as Atlanta, can choose to conclude on their own terms. However, the ability to make these judgments is accompanied by scrutiny of the results.
The Flight Attendant returns to HBO Max this week for a second season. Even before their respective premieres, the series, which follows a dishevelled 30-something woman whose extraordinary circumstances force her to stare in the mirror, worked well with Russian Doll. Unlike Russian Doll, The Flight Attendant was first advertised as a limited series before being cancelled due to its initial success. Both shows, however, tread a fine line. The premise (time travel caper, espionage thriller) is engrossing and tempting to want more of, but the deeper issues (a tumultuous childhood, a family history of alcoholism) demand intention and restraint, lest dragging the story out drain any of the emotional impact.
The Flight Attendant’s approach to that shared difficulty will be the subject of a future study. In this context, it’s mostly a reminder that Russian Doll isn’t the only recent award-winning hit that’s been attempting to determine whether lightning may strike twice. Russian Doll has already happened a number of times. After the departure of cocreator Leslye Headland, Lyonne—who is now functioning as showrunner and frequent director—continues to toy with time in the second act. It now only flows backwards.
Russian Doll can feel like a less polished retread of its earlier self, repeating similar themes while losing track of other components due to the shagginess. Russian Doll was already a deft deconstruction of how Nadia still carries Vera’s and Nora’s mental baggage, as moving as some of the flashbacks are. Meanwhile, Alan’s function is curtailed, shattering the unusual soulmates who gave Russian Doll its unrestrained anarchy a firm base. Alan has his own plotline, which involves a relationship to his Ghanaian grandmother and sends him to Berlin in the 1960s. It is, however, distinct from and smaller than Nadia’s adventure, a minor satellite in the show’s ever-expanding orbit. Russian Doll continues to spin out, and those who wish can continue chasing it down the rabbit hole.
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