Post the second season, I can safely say that this series hasn’t overwhelmed me. But it has a lot going for it. In terms of the bigger picture, this isn’t a fresh story. At the same time, I wouldn’t want to call it “same-old” either, for how at a deeper level, it manages to present an array of themes that blend seamlessly with each other. At one moment it is talking about communal politics of yesteryear and the next it vouches for gender equality in today’s workplace. This social consciousness that it exhibits is never jarring for how the writers and directors work in unison to balance their respective points. Take the scene involving Gaitonde slipping non-veg into veg rice – it is staged in such a way that it plays out like a mass scene as much as it is smart political commentary. This is the show at its colourful best.

Season 2 starts from where 1 left off, talks philosophy pertaining to a world driven by consciousness, and proceeds to a nuclear-bomb plot that even seems very close to our reality. But this season isn’t as illustrious as the previous, with fewer highs and takeaway moments. The travel to Kenya also doesn’t add any punch or flavour to the proceedings, which is a letdown considering expectations of a grander sequel.

I particularly liked how Gaitonde’s God complex (the best thing about his character) is broken and rebuilt again. His arc is far more “happening”, as compared to Sartaj’s, whose catharsis comes rather late into the story. The parallel imagery in their storylines make for a poetic payoff about destiny. Watching their lives intertwine in cosmic ways has been engaging.

The show has ended on an interesting note of ambiguity, one that is going to be divisive. Hope the makers hold onto this strength by not returning. I have liked this show, except I haven’t been floored by it like the general consensus.