Episode 6 of the second season of “The Lazarus Project” (LP), while not as good as the preceding episode, had its moments. I especially liked the emphasis on Shiv in this installment.
For starters, we see Shiv in what looks like Wes’ office talking to a therapist. Is the show so strapped for cash that they have only one LP office set, to be re-designated as needed?
It makes sense that LP would employ therapists. With all of the resets that the team members endure, keeping track of what the current reality is might be difficult. As well, team members have to engage in dangerous tactics to prevent global destruction. There is loss of colleagues and possible PTSD to address.
The downside of seeing an LP therapist might be a report to Wes that one has become unstable and has to be eliminated. The therapist themselves would have to have top-secret clearance to hear about all of the varied LP missions.
It was great to see Shiv be a human being again. I loved the decision to see his mother on her death bed. When the Lazarus Project always seems to have extra, faceless-to-the-viewer agents hanging around, why is Shiv such a linchpin that he cannot get family leave to deal with his mother’s hospitalization, let alone bereavement leave?
Of course this is the dilemma the screenwriters have created by keeping the basic structure of the Lazarus Project secret. We don’t know where LP is in the government hierarchy. Is it an international organization or is it a British one? How did they get access to the black hole and resets? Who does Wes report to? What are their policies about duty and family?
What irritates me most about these omissions is that I cannot tell if they are the result of ignorance on how to create a coherent storyline or deliberate omissions to make everything murky and needlessly confusing. With miscues such as focusing almost all of Season 1 on George’s attempt to resurrect Sarah, the former seems more likely to me.
The potential love triangle between Janet, Rebrov and Shiv was a nice touch. While the impact had negligible impact on the storyline, it again brought a realistic touch of humanity to the show. Janet’s trauma over the bloodbath at the lab was palpable.
The shootout at George’s parents’ house was completely unexpected to me. I thoroughly enjoyed Rebrov 12 being shocked upon seeing Rebrov 24. On the other hand, I did not expect that so many characters would die. Even with a reset possibly bringing them back to life, it seemed over-the-top.
Clearly its purpose seemed to be to create the situation where the discovery that Bryson was Wes’ son could be made. I admit that this was a nice twist. But now how many Brysons are there?
The mystery of what George is supposed to do that is so bad that Bryson had to shoot him remains a mystery. Is this a forgotten plot line or will it suddenly appear like a bolt out of the blue? Without a reset, where will Episode 7 lead?
In the new season, resolute Lazarus agent George has been left in disgrace after betraying the organization in the name of love. He is determined to redeem himself and win back the trust of his friends, colleagues, and the love of his life. But when he discovers that the cause he is fighting for is more sinister than it appears, George suspects that the only person he can really trust is himself.
Recently watched the season 2 (and series finale). Overall I enjoyed both series.
According to the wikipedia article on the show it got very good reviews all over.
The series won in the Best Special Effects category at the 2022 Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards.In March 2024, Essiedu was nominated in the Best Leading Actor category at the 2024 British Academy Television Awards.
It is unclear why Sky cancelled it.
https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a60294571/the-lazarus-project-axed-season-2/