What I’m Watching: Enlightened (Season Premiere)

Enlightened: Season 2, Episode 1 “The Key” (B+)

I had forgotten just how unique this show’s spirit is during its long time off the air, and billboards around LA hadn’t adequately reminded me of its appeal. The “previously on” segment was a good reminder of the show’s specific plot developments, but the opening scene, in which Amy talked to her entirely unsympathetic mother about fate, was the perfect refresher of this show’s idealism and eccentricity. It looks like Tyler is going to have a much bigger role in this season, as he continues to find himself manipulated by a well-meaning but oblivious Amy, who forced him to drive her to LA only to make him stay in the car. Amy’s excitement about being a whistleblower is the very thing that’s clearly going to get her caught, and her lack of self-awareness is, as always, mesmerizing since she really does live in her own world. Dermot Mulroney’s reporter should be an interesting ally for Amy, since he seems convinced of her endgame but less so by the specific evidence she presents and her motivations for trying to bring the truth to light. As viewers of the show, we understand that her point about the company having no social conscience really does reflect how she feels, but it’s easy to understand how that doesn’t exactly sound convincing. “I’m so sick of dying” was a memorable way of summing up her situation, and the episode’s ending shot, coupled with her narration about kingdoms falling, was a haunting way to close out the first installment of what’s sure to be an enthralling season.