I had hoped for it all along, and then it finally happened, and was so worth it. Allison returned to tell Kevin she was alive, and then as soon as she told him she wanted a divorce, the laugh track suddenly disappeared. I have to commend Eric Petersen on his subtlety in that scene, no longer a caricature but instead someone capable of nuanced gaslighting and abuse. Threatening to destroy had a terrifying intentionality to it, something that we haven’t typically seen from him, and it was the perfect way to say goodbye to a character who, in a different light and with people laughing, didn’t seem nearly as toxic and horrible as he was. That the show ended on Allison and Patty and not on Kevin was also purposeful, and the notion of them dying alone together highlights the worth of healthy friendships over toxic relationships. No one got a particularly happy ending, with Tammy and Patty breaking up because Patty just couldn’t leave her home and Neil told to move out and dumped by Diane when he tried to make their relationship too real. Molly’s presence felt sudden but she was gone just as quickly, namely because she really was just a plot device for Kevin not to feel alone, and meeting Allison and understanding the absurdity of his manipulation was enough to send her running for the door. This show has certainly been creative and memorable, and I’m glad to see it end on such a poignant and worthwhile note.
Series finale: B+
Series grade: B+
Season MVP: Mary Hollis Inboden as Patty
Season grade: B+
Series MVP: Annie Murphy as Allison
Best Season: Season 2
Best Episode: Series finale
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