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The Oklahoma gang has returned with a new season of dark elements, humor, and more on Reservation Dogs. The latest season of Reservation Dogs picked up from the aftermath of season 1, where the characters were separated from each other.
Created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi for FX Productions, the series follows four teenagers in rural Oklahoma who spend their days committing crime and fighting it too. While they wish to move to California much like their late friend Daniel wished to, they still have several loose ends to tie.
Note: This article reflects the writer's opinions and contains spoilers.
Reservation Dogs Season 2: Episode 1 & 2 showcases a community recovering from a tornado
Season 2 of Reservation Dogs opened with the quartet picking up the pieces of their lives after a tornado ripped through town. While they may not be united in terms of proximity after season 1, they are still connected by their shared pain. Their heart-wrenching backstories from the previous season have only strengthened them as they slowly learned to process their trauma in their ways.
Despite each of them processing the loss, Willie Jack seemed to do it most proactively. Her search for a reverse curse might turn into a lesson about life and how everything cannot be fixed, and sometimes one has to deal with the consequences.
Complex characters
While this season, the writers of Reservation Dogs seemed to be focusing on each of them and their stories, nothing seemed to have changed, which is a good thing for the viewer. The bigger picture remains the reservation itself, with its own purpose and backstory.
One thing that has always made Reservation Dogs stand out as a series is how it takes issues like trauma, grief, and systemic inequalities and portrays them through humor without making any of them less palatable.
The hardships of life
It is not the kind of series that promotes laughter as the best medicine to get through the hardships of life, but it weaves it in through absurd pieces like Lil Mike and Funny Bone’s rapping duo Mose and Mekko. The show reminds viewers that joy can be found when least expected, and the script establishes this through its ensemble cast.
Daniel's death in the series still affected his friends in a very relatable and natural way. But it also pushed them to reassess their lives and pave paths for themselves, even if breaking away from the trauma seems impossible.
Tackling trauma
Season 2 saw the quartet struggle with moving forward with the pain and loss. Rather than pushing away the trauma, the series tackled it correctly. This proves that the show is not only much-needed for a correct way of representation but also the kind of humor it propagates.
The series captures a slice of the life of a community that had to make do with whatever they had and were offered. With storm clouds clearing up and an uncertain journey ahead, the comedy-drama continues to draw in viewers with its dynamic yet complex characters.
Stream the first two episodes of Reservation Dogs Season 2 on Hulu. The new episodes will air every Wednesday.
