I ended my review of the first season saying that I loved it, but I wasn't sure a second season was entirely necessary. If I only had one line for my second season review, it would be "I loved it, but I'm really not sure that a third season is entirely necessary".
The first season ends with Jeff Pickles (Jim Carrey) running over his estranged wife's boyfriend Peter (Justin Kirk) with his car. The season opens with Peter being rushed to hospital and Jeff struggling with whether to tell Jill (Judy Greer) the truth about why the accident happened. With Peter's conditioning worsening, he needs a liver transplant and naturally Jeff, as a universal doner, is slated to donate.
That synopsis is really just the season opener. It's doesn't really begin to delve into the themes of loss, grief and ultimately acceptance that permeate what is perhaps the most moving season of TV I've ever seen. It think all this reaches its zenith in "Episode 3101" in which we see the first episode of a new season of "Puppet Time" in its entirety, as Jill joins Jeff on the show and they talk to the puppet cast about why they need to get divorced and arrive at a storyline reason why some of the characters need to leave the show, culminating with Jeff signing the papers. Michel Gondry directs in what has to be the Emmy nomination for the year (assuming that the Emmy's still take place this year). It is heartbreakingly beautiful. It's not alone though, the show later has flashbacks to Jeff and Jill's relationship starting, which again is devastating knowing that they won't make it, and why - and the series culminates in such a perfect moment, I really can't see the need for any more.
I've said all that, without commenting on the fact the show still finds the ability to be regularly funny, wonderfully performed (I haven't even talked about Frank Langella, Cole Allen or Catherine Keener's storylines from this season) and endlessly creative. It was, in a word, wonderful.
