This season is a miracle. Besides a slight misstep in the third episode, it’s utter perfection through and through. Potentially the most engaged I’ve ever been with a show, not once feeling like taking a break or not clicking next episode. One of the strongest central plots and THE best atmosphere of any tv season are the reason for that. The mixture of the music, lighting, locations, and of course cinematography made for such a dreamlike and, for lack of a better word, gorgeous atmosphere. Episodes 6, 8, and 10 especially were just wow, its always hard to describe what good atmosphere is but this season just has it. This season shines most though in its characters. Kevin’s journey here is one of the greatest in media and I do not say that lightly. He had a ridiculous amount of peaks and three of the best scenes I have ever witnessed in the well scene, homeward bound, and 2x10’s ending. Theroux’s performance is one for the ages and this will go down as one of my favorite character primes (if it even is his prime). Unlike last season though, he isn’t the only draw. The side cast’s quality increased dramatically with the introduction of the Murphy family and the more appropriate and meaningful use of the side cast. Jill and Tom surprised me the most, especially the former. It’s a serious feat for me to go from rolling my eyes at the sight of them to loving them and immediately crying when I saw them in that masterpiece of a season finale. Nora & Matt also obviously shined with their respective POV episodes both being 10/10s, but I don’t think much elaboration needs to go there. As for the Murphy’s, originally I found them uninteresting and strange, but by the end I loved all except Evie and I believe their development and the unveiling of their backstories to be some of the most masterful in the medium. I didn’t realize it at the time, but episode 1 set up so many small mysteries and important ideas with them that slowly got revealed episoded by episode until eventually we know what makes them tick and can’t help but sympathize with them and their deeply tragic backstories. John especially is so fucking good, his dynamic with Kevin is PEAK and he was unbelievable in those last moments of the finale. All in all, I think it’s pretty clear this is one of my favorite seasons and arcs of all time. It moved me in a way only SFU and Mr. Robot have, and I’m never forgetting that first experience watching some of the episodes here, especially I Live Here Now which still has me in awe. And for the record I still am not counting episode 9 though it has grown on me a bit. 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐒 𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐄𝐃 1.) I Live Here Now (T5) 2.) International Assassin (T20) 3.) A Most Powerful Adversary 4.) No Room at the Inn 5.) Lens 6.) Orange Sticker 7.) A Matter of Geography 8.) Axis Mundi 9.) Off Ramp 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐋 #5-7 Season 11/10