The first series of Unstable started well - not absolutely hilarious, but very funny - and set up several interesting character dynamics and plot lines. The end of series 1 saw Rob Lowe's character, Ellis, menacingly walking away from a burning car, having just torched his dead wife's friend Jean's ride because she conspired against his son. It was an oddly dramatic end to a mostly light-hearted comedy show, but it worked: it hinted at Ellis' continued instability, a possible darker side (surely a man that successful must have some ruthlessness in him somewhere?) and demonstrated the true depth of Ellis' feelings for his son Jackson. Also - let me say this again - Ellis torched his dead wife's friend's car. Just set that thing on fire in front of her damn house! It's a bold move, and one you'd think the writers would be keen to explore in series 2. Well, think again.
The whole incident is resolved in two minutes and hardly spoken of again. Also largely absent from series 2 is the aforementioned dead wife (remember her? Around whom the entire premise of the show is contrived?) and the grief that Ellis and Jackson must still be experiencing. Instead, storylines centre on their weird rivalry and controlling relationship, at the expense of more interesting, and much funnier, dynamics.
The standout star is Sian Clifford as Ellis' CFO, Anna, essentially reprising her role as the sarcastic and abrasive sister from 'Fleabag'. It's a character she plays incredibly well and I could watch her do it forever. It also helps that she's given lots of very, very funny material, and Dragon (Ellis' company) has no shortage of loveable fools and man-children deserving of Anna's sharp tongue. Sadly, we see less of Anna in this second series, and scientists Ruby (Emma Ferreira) and Luna (Rachel Marsh) have also been sidelined. Both actors are wonderful in their roles - as is everyone in the show - and it's disappointing that series 2 has neglected to develop the characters or their stories.
Series 1 established a classic will-they-won't-they love triangle between Ruby, Luna and Jackson. Yes, it's kinda of cliché but it gives the audience a relationship to root for. The more confident Ruby was first to make a move but viewers could see it was really the awkward, geeky Luna who could properly capture Jackson's heart. Unfortunately the Jackson-Luna relationship is yet another story arc that fizzles out in series 2, replaced by a slow-burn relationship with Anna's step-daughter, Georgia (Iris Apatow). Long-running American series are arguably the best at handling these arcs - Friends, Fraiser and the US Office come to mind - and I wonder whether shows on the famously unpredictable and cancel-happy Netflix lack the security required to develop narratives over multiple seasons.
After a promising start, Unstable ultimately left me feeling disappointed. It has the potential to be a quirky, interesting black-comedy with elements of drama and real emotional depth. Instead, it settles for a goofy workplace romp centred around an unsatisfying relationship between two increasingly unlikeable characters, resulting in less emotional integrity and far fewer laughs.
The whole incident is resolved in two minutes and hardly spoken of again. Also largely absent from series 2 is the aforementioned dead wife (remember her? Around whom the entire premise of the show is contrived?) and the grief that Ellis and Jackson must still be experiencing. Instead, storylines centre on their weird rivalry and controlling relationship, at the expense of more interesting, and much funnier, dynamics.
The standout star is Sian Clifford as Ellis' CFO, Anna, essentially reprising her role as the sarcastic and abrasive sister from 'Fleabag'. It's a character she plays incredibly well and I could watch her do it forever. It also helps that she's given lots of very, very funny material, and Dragon (Ellis' company) has no shortage of loveable fools and man-children deserving of Anna's sharp tongue. Sadly, we see less of Anna in this second series, and scientists Ruby (Emma Ferreira) and Luna (Rachel Marsh) have also been sidelined. Both actors are wonderful in their roles - as is everyone in the show - and it's disappointing that series 2 has neglected to develop the characters or their stories.
Series 1 established a classic will-they-won't-they love triangle between Ruby, Luna and Jackson. Yes, it's kinda of cliché but it gives the audience a relationship to root for. The more confident Ruby was first to make a move but viewers could see it was really the awkward, geeky Luna who could properly capture Jackson's heart. Unfortunately the Jackson-Luna relationship is yet another story arc that fizzles out in series 2, replaced by a slow-burn relationship with Anna's step-daughter, Georgia (Iris Apatow). Long-running American series are arguably the best at handling these arcs - Friends, Fraiser and the US Office come to mind - and I wonder whether shows on the famously unpredictable and cancel-happy Netflix lack the security required to develop narratives over multiple seasons.
After a promising start, Unstable ultimately left me feeling disappointed. It has the potential to be a quirky, interesting black-comedy with elements of drama and real emotional depth. Instead, it settles for a goofy workplace romp centred around an unsatisfying relationship between two increasingly unlikeable characters, resulting in less emotional integrity and far fewer laughs.