Master Of None - Netflix

Anyone watch season 2? It's such an amazing season - even better than the first. Season two is really ambitious with a European (specifically Italian) theme that just builds and builds until the final episode. But there are also standalone episodes mixed in that delve into random personal lives of people that are often overlooked. It's just so well done and artfully shot.

Alessandra Mastronardi, who plays Francesca, has such a wonderful screen presence and chemistry with Aziz Ansari, that I devoured every scene she was in.

And to cap off all this amazingness, there is a wonderful and unconventional soundtrack that perfectly complements its scenes.

Highly recommended.

 

Agreed! We are six episodes into the second season now and it is excellent. The show has always been so well-produced, written and filmed, but they stepped up their game this year. I have loved Aziz Ansari for years--his work on Parks and Recreation and his great stand-up specials.

My favorite episodes so far are "Religion" (which artfully deals with how religion/faith impacts the lives of all kinds of families) and the debut episode "The Thief." For those film buffs out there, that first episode is a black and white homage to the classic Italian film Bicycle Thieves. I saw the film in a film class when I was in college and it was absolutely devastating--beautiful to see such a well-done homage to it.

 

Really loved the first season and will start soon to watch the second.

I like how the show has both genuine humor ( actually laugh out loud) and thoughtful narrative development (Human relationships).
Shades of Seinfeld in the humor.

 

You're right, though I would have said it's closer to Louie than Seinfeld.

 

My favorite episode was "Thanksgiving". A really touching look at the progression of Dev and Denise's relationship, and Denise's journey of self discovery and her relationship with her mother (brilliantly played by a sublime Angela Bassett). The scene where Dev is trying to confirm Nikki's "nipplesandtoes" Instagram name was hilarious, along with Aunt Joyce (the very funny Kim Whitley) screaming at Dev "Don't ask another ----in' question!". By the end I was in tears.
The other thing about this season was the tension building up with Dev and Francesca. I was screaming at the TV "Grab her and kiss her you fool!", even though that would have been so wrong.
Overall the season was a huge win, and, in breaking news, Aziz Ansari has a very bright future as a director.

 

I really loved 90% of this season, but found that last episode dreadful and poorly executed. I've read a few articles with the creators and they admit they went back and forth many times on just how to end it and I feel like that really shows. Very anti-climatic and not at all what I would consider to be a cliff hanger (I guess because I found their relationship to be the second least interesting thing all season, beside the whole Chef Jeff stuff).

I will say that what I enjoyed the most were the "one-off" episodes that played like mini movies. The first episode was probably my favourite, followed by the one about the doorman.

 

Really? Why? I thought it ended realistically given that one party is in a long-term relationship and with other responsibilities, but also leaving leaving the door partly open for next season (if they chose to pursue it). I didn't have a problem with it.

 

i tried watching this, but meh...

and to be honest, aziz ansari is soooo annoying on p&r. i know hes supposed to be, but i just dont find the guy funny...

maybe ill give master of none another try

 

Yeah I agree it might have been realistic, but I feel like the writing throughout the season was consistently at a very high level with all kinds of surprising twists in how people talk and interact. Then to just end with a couple cut scenes of her looking all pensive and concerned just kind of felt like a feather drop of an ending. It felt a bit inconsistent to the rest of the series.

But again, it's a great show.

 

Just binge-watched all of season 2 yesterday with my wife - such a well-made show.

 

I somewhat agree. I thought the finale was one of the least interesting episodes of the season. I thought the revelations about Chef Jeff were not foreshadowed very well. He had mentioned women and their looks in earlier episodes, but not in a pervy way at all--in fact, he seemed like a supportive friend who was making sure that Dev didn't get hurt by Francesca. It felt at the end like they weren't sure how to end that storyline. The scenes on "Raven" were kind of painful.

But I loved the really long episode right before the finale. Pretty magical.

 

The best episodes/parts were the ones that didn't deal directly with Dev's love life. I'm about the same age as Aziz/Dev, but maybe since I've been happily married for seven years now I just can't relate to all the Millennial angst on display. Especially considering how great Dev's life is (nice Manhattan apartment, great friends, high-paying/easy job, loving parents, etc.)

The ending, to me, was obviously a semi-lazy way for them to leave the door open to any possibility for an eventual third season. It was left ambiguous enough to where if they don't decide to have Dev and Francesca be together, it can be explained as a dream. Or if they want them together for season three, it was real.

 

To your point about the future of the show, I think Aziz agrees with you that he has written everything he can from this particular perspective. Here's what he said about the possibility of a third season to Vulture,

"I don’t know if we’re going to do a season three. I wouldn’t be surprised if I needed a long break before I could come back to it [...] I’ve got to become a different guy before I write a third season, is my personal thought, I’ve got to get married or have a kid or something. I don’t have anything else to say about being a young guy being single in New York eating food around town all the time."


From that, I don't see the show returning for a few years and (if it does come back) it will be radically different.

 

This is the thing that actually irked me a fair bit. Early on, Chef Jeff came across as a bit for superficial 'star' who got by his looks and charm - a player, if you will. But as the episodes progressed and we saw his interactions with Dev, his character became much better rounded as he seemed to be genuinely friendly to Dev, helping him out professionally and in social situations. He became a close confidant. And then at the end, it was like someone flicked a switch and he turned into almost a caricature-like bad guy. I mean, I suppose there people like that (the troubles at a certain cable network come to mind), but within the context of the show, it felt forced.

 

We'll probably see another episode of Louie before Master Of None comes back.

Believe me I'm right there with you. And I didn't really enjoy the first season of Master Of None, or any of his standups. Sometimes it takes time for an artist to come into his own, and I think there's ample evidence of this with season 2.

 

Love this show, both seasons were great. It's one of the best shows on now imo

 

I thought this show was fantastic. The depth and ideas that went into it? Tremendous film making. The show about the various New Yorkers that wind up at "Black Castle"? Awesome! I loved everything about this series other than the kind of forced love triangle of Pino, Francesca, and Dev. That was a little heavy handed, but, overall, I thought this show was great.

 

I think the explanation is, other men have a different experience with that kind of guy than women do...

 

I thought season one was great and season two was even better! I enjoyed seeing Modena as a backdrop for the first two episodes having been there a couple of times over twenty years ago The storylines were quirky but excellent and the casting perfect. Aziz really produced a high quality series and I can't wait to see more from him.

 

This is the type of show where I'm constantly pulling up the Shazam app to identify the great music on the soundtrack or over the credits. From NME, here's a list of the songs featured in Season 2.

'Master of None' season two soundtrack features David Bowie, Kraftwerk, Tupac and more - NME

Episode 1
Ennio Morricone – ‘Alla Luce Del Giorno’

Episode 2
Ryan Paris – ‘La Dolce Vita’
Rainbow Team – ‘Bite the Apple’

Episode 3
TuPac – ‘Only God Can Judge Me’
Poison – ‘Nothing But a Good Time’
Bobby Charles – ‘I Must Be in a Good Place Now’

Episode 4
Kraftwerk – ‘Computer Love’
Sylvester – ‘I Need Somebody to Love Tonight’
Scatman John – ‘Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)’

Episode 5
Soft Cell – ‘Say Hello, Wave Goodbye’
John Legend – ‘I Can’t Help It’ (Michael Jackson cover)

Episode 6
Little Sister – ‘You’re the One’
Vengaboys – ‘We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)’
Bohannon – ‘Take the Country to New York City’
Canco Hamisi – ‘Umugabo w’ukuri’

Episode 7
Will Powers – ‘Adventures in Success’
David Bowie – ‘A New Career in a New Town’

Episode 8
Digable Planets – ‘Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like That)’
D’Angelo – ‘Brown Sugar’
Craig Mack – ‘Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)’ [ft. The Notorious B.I.G., Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J]
Musical Youth – ‘Pass the Dutchie’
New Edition – ‘Can You Stand the Rain’
Step by Step – ‘Time After Time’

Episode 9
Sergio Endrigo – ‘Canzone Per Te’
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons – ‘You’re a Song (That I Can’t Sing)’
Mr. Fingers – ‘Mystery of Love’
Walker Brothers – ‘I Can’t Let It Happen to You’
Lucio Battisti – ‘Amarsi Un Po’

Episode 10
Skeeter Davis – ‘Gonna Get Along Without You Now’
Timmy Thomas – ‘The Coldest Days of My Life’
Mina – ‘Se Piangi, Se Ridi’

 

Haven't started season two yet but based on these raves I think it'll be TREAT YO SELF night at the pdenny house!

 

Really loved season 1 but season 2 was too far up it's own ar$e.

 

Love the show. Loved season 2. Loved the nod to some classic movies filmed in Italy.

 

Season 1 was brilliant, looking forward to watching season 2, hopefully this weekend.

 

Absolutely loved the B&W first episode. Solid music and production throughout. Very good writing. It's Louie for younger or less depressed people.

It's interesting how we as the audience root for Dev over Pino but probably wouldn't if the roles were reversed...