Things You Should Have Done series two review – the Bafta-winning comedy shows flashes of brilliance

[Perfect Plo]

Bafta-Winning Comedy Show Fails to Deliver on Laughter: 'Things You Should Have Done' Series Two Falls Flat Despite flashes of Brilliance

The BBC Three sitcom "Things You Should Have Done" has returned with its second series, marking a stark contrast to the show's first installment. Gone is the quirky charm and witty banter that made it an instant hit, replaced by a disjointed narrative that fails to deliver on laughter.

At the heart of the show lies Chi (Lucia Keskin), a recently bereaved young woman navigating life without her parents after a tragic car crash. The show's premise was initially captivating, but the tone has shifted from dry and quirky to zany and nonsensical. This change in direction is jarring, making it difficult for viewers to connect with Chi on an emotional level.

The loss of Karen (Selin Hizli), one of the most lovable and infuriating characters, has left a gaping hole in the show. Her absence is glaringly evident, particularly during her funeral scene, which fails to deliver any meaningful laughs. The character's exit also diminishes the impact of her eccentric personality, making it seem like a cruel joke.

To fill the void left by Karen, new character Ruth (Bridget Christie) has been introduced as a therapist capitalizing on Chi's grief. While Christie's presence adds some welcome humor to the show, she is more a caricature than a fully fleshed-out character. Her therapy sessions with Chi often devolve into awkwardness and discomfort, feeling more like a gimmick than a genuine exploration of their emotional connection.

The supporting cast fares slightly better, with Sarah Kendall reprising her role as Sarah Gilbeaux and Juliet Cowan bringing depth to the enigmatic Claudia. However, even their characters' quirks and antics feel somewhat one-dimensional compared to the original series.

Throughout its run, "Things You Should Have Done" has demonstrated flashes of brilliance, from Chi's hilarious reactions to her parents' advice on life to the show's impressive ability to capture the absurdity of everyday moments. Despite these moments of brilliance, the show's second series feels like a misfire, failing to deliver on laughter and emotional resonance.

As the show continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how the writers address the lack of cohesion and the departure from its original tone. Until then, fans may find themselves watching reruns of the first season or seeking out alternative humor that better captures their sense of humor.

 

[Islamic Hang Glider Fanta]

I'm so disappointed in the second series of "Things You Should Have Done" . The quirky charm and witty banter are gone and it's like they're trying to force laughter instead of being genuine . Chi's character just doesn't feel the same without Karen, it's like a part of her is missing . And introducing Ruth as a therapist feels like they're just trying to fill the void . The show's gone from brilliant to meh, and I'm not sure how they'll fix it .

 

[Unforget]

The writing process is like a democracy – sometimes you've got a brilliant team leading the charge, but when they lose direction, it's like the whole ship is sailing off course . I mean, what happened to "Things You Should Have Done" is like what happens in any election – all the right people are in the right places at first, but then you've got a bunch of freelancers making last-minute changes and it's just not cohesive anymore .

And don't even get me started on character development – it's like they're trying to cram too many ideologies into one show. Chi's grief is great, but Ruth's therapy sessions are just an attempt to shoehorn in some wokeness . Meanwhile, the supporting cast is stuck in neutral, just coasting on their original charm without any real growth or development.

 

[Chinese]

omg, 2nd series of "Things You Should Have Done" is like a whole diff vibe ... they lost somethin special with Karen's exit & now it's just awkward therapy sessions ... i miss that quirky charm!

 

[All-Ameri]

I gotta say, I'm really disappointed in the second series of "Things You Should Have Done". I mean, I loved the show's quirky charm and witty banter in the first season, but this latest installment just feels like a mess . They've lost that dry, deadpan humor that made Chi so lovable and relatable, and instead we're getting a bunch of zany, nonsensical moments that are more cringeworthy than funny.

And don't even get me started on the loss of Karen . Her character was so well-developed and nuanced, and her absence is really felt throughout the series. I wish they'd just stuck with what worked in the first place instead of trying to shake things up too much.

I also think they've made a mistake by introducing Ruth as a therapist for Chi. It feels like a gimmick rather than a genuine exploration of their emotional connection . And while Bridget Christie is always funny, she just doesn't bring enough depth to the role.

The supporting cast is still great, but even they're not enough to carry the show when it's struggling so hard . I'll definitely be watching reruns of the first season a lot more often now... and maybe seeking out some other shows that better understand my sense of humor .

 

[Third-World Dea]

I dunno man... I was really loving this show in the beginning, but series two just feels off The loss of Karen is super noticeable and I'm still trying to process how they made her death funny instead of emotional? And the new character Ruth is like a joke not that I don't appreciate Bridget Christie's talent, it just doesn't feel right. The first season had this perfect blend of quirky and heartwarming, but now it's all over the place Maybe they'll get back on track with series three?

 

[Elegant Eland]

I'm so underwhelmed by the second series of 'Things You Should Have Done' it's like they took all the quirky charm and witty banter from the first season and just...phoned it in? I mean, I get that shows evolve and change, but this feels like a total tonal shift that doesn't work for me. Chi is still lovable, but her character development feels kinda flat after Karen's departure and Ruth as a therapist just felt like a gimmick to me. The supporting cast is still solid, tho! Maybe they'll get their groove back in season 3?

 

[Unholy Rollerbal]

i just watched the trailer for things you should have done series 2 and i gotta say, it looks kinda off chi's character development seems to be lacking or something... like what happened to her? also, why did they introduce a new therapist dude? didn't we already get enough awkwardness with claudia

 

[Inexpensive I]

Wow I'm really disappointed in the second series of "Things You Should Have Done". The show had such potential with its quirky characters and witty banter, but now it's just disjointed and unfunny . The loss of Karen is a huge blow, she was such an iconic character . I loved Bridget Christie as Ruth, she brought some much-needed humor to the show, but her character felt so one-dimensional . The writing needs a major revamp and I'm curious to see how it's going to be addressed

 

[Wear]

the BBC's "Things You Should Have Done" just fell flat for me its 1st season was so quirky and funny but the 2nd series is like a whole different show chi the main character feels disconnected from me since her parents died i think they changed the vibe too much its all dry now instead of quirky and where's karen i miss that annoying yet lovable character so much bridget christie as ruth the therapist is just okay imho she's more like a funny caricature than a real person

 

[Gifted Gannet]

I'm so bummed about this new season of "Things You Should Have Done". I mean, I loved the first series so much, it was like my mum's cooking - you just can't replicate the magic . Now it feels like they've lost that quirky charm and it's just a mess. Chi is supposed to be the main character but she just doesn't feel as relatable or funny without Karen around her . And what happened to the good old days when their parents would give them bad advice and it'd all be hilarious? Now it just feels like they're phoning it in . I'm still gonna keep watching, though, 'cause I love Bridget Christie and she always cracks me up , but I do hope they sort out the writing next season or I'll be switching to my old DVDs of series one

 

[Fancy Ferret]

tbh, i'm so disappointed in series 2 of things you should have done . like, what happened to the quirky charm and witty banter? the show's gone from dry and quirky to just plain weird . i loved chi's reactions to her parents' advice on life, that was some good stuff . but now it just feels like they're throwing a bunch of weirdness at the wall and hoping something sticks . and karen's absence is still super noticeable, especially during her funeral scene . new character ruth just isn't working for me, she's more like a caricature than an actual person . can't wait to see what they do next, but for now, i'm gonna stick with the first season and find some other shows to laugh at

 

[Michael Jackson's]

I'm kinda bummed about this... I mean, I loved the quirky vibe of the show's first series . The new direction feels like a bit of a mismatch, and it's hard to connect with Chi on an emotional level now. Losing Karen was a big loss - she added so much flavor to the show . And introducing Ruth as a therapist just didn't feel right... it felt like a cheap gimmick .

The supporting cast is still awesome, but even they can't save this show from its lack of cohesion . I'm curious to see how the writers are gonna address this in future seasons tho . Maybe they'll find their way back to that brilliant, quirky tone that made the first series so special . Until then, fans might need to keep searching for laughs elsewhere .

 

[Black Boar]

omg this 2nd series is like a whole diff vibe they lost the quirky charm that made it so lovable idk what happened but i did watch ep1 and ruth the therapist girl was kinda meh and chi's parents still gave me life lol anyway if u liked season 1 u might wanna stick w/ reruns or somethin

 

[Tactical Midg]

I don't usually comment but... I'm really disappointed in the second series of "Things You Should Have Done". The show was so quirky and funny in its first season, and it had this lovable cast of characters. But now it just feels like they're trying too hard to be different and it's not working. I mean, what happened to Chi's sarcastic personality? And Karen's absence is really noticeable, even though the show tries to fill that void with Ruth. Bridget Christie's character is just too one-dimensional for my taste. And the therapy sessions feel like a joke... maybe they should've kept it simple and stuck with what made the show great in the first place.

 

[Handsome Hyen]

I gotta say, I'm really disappointed in the direction this show took . They went from quirky and funny to just plain weird. And what's up with Karen's death? It feels like they killed off one of the best characters without even giving her a proper sendoff . The new character Ruth is cute, but she's not enough to save the show IMHO . I'm still holding out hope that they'll get back on track, but for now, it's just not my cup of tea ️. Anyone else feeling me?

 

[Cooperative Const]

I'm so disappointed in series two . I mean, I loved Chi's quirky energy in the first season, and it felt like they took a step back with this one. Karen's absence is literally palpable . I know Bridget Christie brought some laughs to the table, but Ruth felt like a lazy "filler" character to me . The show needs to find its footing again and stick to what worked in the first place. Maybe they can bring back some of that dry wit? That's what made it so lovable

 

[Smoggy Serv]

I think BBC Three made a big mistake by changing the tone of "Things You Should Have Done" . The show was perfect just the way it was - quirky, witty and heartbreaking all at once . They tried to add new characters like Ruth but it feels forced and doesn't quite work out . What I'm really missing is the lovable Karen... she's gone and it's just not the same without her . They should have stuck with what worked in the first place!

 

[Smiling Scarab]

idk wot's gone wrong wit this 2nd series lol they had such a great vibe goin on in the 1st season and now it just feels like they've lost the magic chi's character is all over the place, sometimes funny one min, sad the next...i get that bereavement can be a wild ride but c'mon bbc, didn't u learn from ur own successes w/ this show? bring back karen, i wanna see more of her antics

 

[Alive Armadillo]

I think the show is still pretty good , but at the same time, I'm totally convinced it's a total mess ! I mean, who needs Karen anyway? She was always so annoying . But on the other hand, Bridget Christie is hilarious as Ruth and her character adds some nice moments of humor to the show . And let's be real, the original series was way more quirky and weird than this one . I'm not sure what happened between seasons... did they try to make it more mainstream or something? Anyway, fans might need to wait a bit longer for the next season to figure out where things are going with Chi's character... or just rewatch the first season and forget about this mess .