Madeleine Powell
Copy Editor
Netflix’s second season of their original series “On My Block” maintains the simultaneously comical and serious tone set up by the show’s first season.
Consisting of ten episodes with an average length of 24 minutes in total, “On My Block” season two begins by showing the aftermath of the events in the season one finale. Main characters Ruby, Monse, Jamal and Cesar struggle to navigate two main problems the show focuses on: protecting Cesar from the gang members he previously angered and ensuring that the $200,000 Jamal found can be spent without suspicion.
The first season of “On My Block” became available on Netflix on Mar. 16, 2018, and the second season became available on Mar. 29, 2019. The main cast comprises of Sierra Capri as Monse, Diego Tinoco as Cesar, Jason Genao as Ruby and Brett Gray as Jamal.
One of the key elements to the show’s success is its ability to keep viewers entertained with its numerous unique and long-running jokes. One of these jokes is Jamal and side character Chivo’s strange relationships with numerous garden gnomes that they believe to be real people. The antics of the show’s core four cause viewers to feel more connected to each of them, making the more emotional moments even more hard-hitting.
The complexity of each main character is arguably the show’s greatest strength. Cesar’s guilt from his various missteps cause viewers to feel sympathy for him even as he digs himself even deeper into a hole, and Ruby’s PTSD following the trauma he experienced in the past continue to haunt him even as he puts on a brave face. This multi-dimensional characterization portrays teens of color who cannot be simplified to a singular role within the show, and they each contribute uniquely to the overall story.
The heartwarming friendship between Ruby, Monse, Cesar and Jamal is the key element that drives the show’s plot. The teens’ love for one another can be clearly seen as they continually support and protect one another, even in the extremely tense, stressful and dangerous situations they face.
The show’s soundtrack is another of its manny strengths. The first episode of the new season opens with the haunting track “Glitter” by 070 Shake, which sets the mood for the show’s tragic and rather unsettling continuation of the last season’s events.
Despite the strengths of its main storylines, “On My Block” falls short with its introduction of too many side stories and characters, For example, the introduction of Ruby’s older brother Mario, who returns to the family home after getting a girl he barely knows pregnant, is unnecessary and somewhat distracting from the main plot.
Similarly, the show’s tendency to jump around in terms of how much time has passed between episodes also tends to leave viewers confusing. Many episodes end on small cliffhangers, with the next episode picking up days later, and providing viewers with no knowledge of whether the conflict has been resolved. This lack of resolution can leave the viewers feeling somewhat unsatisfied.
“On My Block” season two skillfully maintains the trajectory introduced by the first season with its original characters, humorous plot and dialogue, and varied tone, enabling the show’s few negative aspects to be easily overlooked.
All 20 episodes of the first and second season of “On My Block,” which is rated TV-14, are available for streaming on Netflix.
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