Shut Eye Season 2 Review: Needs A Bit More Magic But Definitely Worth A Watch

"Shut Eye" season 2 is currently playing on Hulu. There doesnt seem to be much press about the show though. There arent many fan videos on YouTube or discussion on Twitter. There are no critic reviews of season 2 on Rotten Tomatoes or Meta Critic. Is it that Hulu shows don't get much recognition or are people just not liking "Shut Eye"?

I've watched both seasons. My season 1 review is here Sure the show has a few problems but, all in all, I really like "Shut Eye". Let's hit the highlights:

Positives:

Isabella Rossellini- Rossellini is magical in everything she does. I'm just waiting for Rita to open a can of whoop ass on her fellow gypsies (Roma), the FBI, and anyone else that gets in her way. She is truly the power behind the thrown.
Kaydee Strickland- Strickland continues to deliver an under appreciated performance. She stays with husband Charlie (Jeffrey Donovan) but continues to be unhappy. Is Linda a lost soul? It seemed she briefly found love with Gina (before Linda was double crossed and Gina murdered).
Susan Misner- Dr Nora White was a minor supporting character in season 1 (helping Charlie with his visions) but has a bigger part this season. She turns out to be a follower of Paz (a spiritual guru who challenges Charlie's powers). The potential relationship between Nora and Linda could be interesting. More on that later.
The Doll- Charlie still has intermittent visions but now has a strange doll sidekick. Not sure what it's purpose is but the little guy adds some comic levity.

Negatives:

Needs More Magic- Charlie and Linda are our entry way into the the world of gypsy fortune tellers. Unfortunately we dont get as much magic or gypsy culture in season 2. MUCH more of both please.
The Plot- The fallout from the season 1 cliffhanger was resolved WAY too quickly. I expected Rita to be in jail a while. At least she picked up a guard and BFF along the way. Charlie and Linda quickly go back to living their suburban lives and end up with Fonzo as a house guest. Another issue with season 2 is the story doesnt seem finished. It has a lot of potential but needs at least one more episode to wrap things up. The new developments we do get seem rushed. Fonzo and Eduardo team up to buy a mall. Why? Drina's arranged marriage to Little Tony doesnt go as planned. Maggie pushes Charlie to the next level with his scams. We also get some flashbacks to Charlie's childhood. No wonder the poor guy is so screwed up.

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5). "Shut Eye" could be better but kept me entertained enough to keep coming back. Will there be a season 3? I hope so. We need resolution to this story. Here's my two cents on what the confusing final scenes mean.

Charlie has a vision of Linda dying. She is seriously wounded when the FBI and a motorcycle gang fight it out at the mall. Linda is seriously wounded when the dojo where she is hiding is bombed. Fonzo and his family are gathered in the hospital waiting area. Charlie rushes to Linda's side. She struggles to take off the oxygen mask. We think she will tell Charlie she loves him. Instead, she says "F@ck you". Say what? Why would she say that? This may be completely wrong but I think Maggie hypnotized Linda (just as she did to Paz previously). If so, her seeing Nora faking her pregnancy is not real.

Either that or Maggie hypnotized Nora into thinking she was pregnant. This doesnt make sense though since Linda felt Nora's belly when she spent the night. In my book, Maggie has been pulling the strings on our main characters (Charlie, Linda, Nora, Paz) for some time. And if nothing else, this would be an interesting direction for season 3 to go (if there is one).