Friday, February 18, 2022

What I’m Watching: Inventing Anna (Series Finale)

Inventing Anna: Season 1, Episode 9 “Dangerously Close” (B+)

I don’t know that a final episode at any point in this show’s run could have satisfactorily concluded it, but this one came pretty close, honing in on the trial and the way in which Anna and Todd looked at what was happening. Todd trying so hard to prove that Anna was never “dangerously close” to committing a serious crime undermined Anna’s brand and legitimacy, and she was so focused on her courtroom fashion that she couldn’t see how obviously guilty she came off on most of the charges. Beating the one brought by Rachel was a minor victory, but that one wasn’t too hard to guess given how little sympathy Rachel elicited when Todd got her to confirm how much money she was making from telling her story, not to mention the fact that Amex just forgave her debt. Todd and Anna poured so much of themselves into this case, and this episode was a great showcase for both Arian Moayed and Anna Chlumsky to show that frustrated devotion. Getting a peek into who the real people are and what happened after all this is always interesting, and it was jarring to learn that Anna did end up in jail for only a short time, and then got picked up by ICE for overstaying her visa after, which leaves her still in custody with her future unknown. This show managed to both satiate my appetite for this story and its drama and leave me eager to learn more about the real thing. I hope this show is given many accolades come awards time, not just for the fantastic Julia Garner but also for a great ensemble and technical elements.

Series grade: A-
Series MVP: Julia Garner

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