Another summer begins at The Lake, and after all of the first season's drama around cottage ownership and murder cabins, Season 2 of the Prime Video comedy begins with a joyful occasion. Riley (Travis Nelson) proposes to Justin (Jordan Gavaris), and although there's some hesitation, he accepts with glee. But as with all best laid plans, fireworks will burn them down when left inside.
The first three episodes of The Lake's sophomore season were made available to critics, and they set up a lighthearted summer ahead. Billie (Madison Shamoun) returns for a one-week vacation turned full-summer stay when Forrest (Jhaleil Swaby), a tree planter, catches her eye. Inspired by Forrest and Ivy's (Max Amani) activism, Billie questions whether her academic path to environmentalism is the most effective. Maisy-May (Julia Stiles) and Justin's more-or-less mended step-sibling relationship has given way to the return of her (apparently) dying mother, Mimsy (Lauren Holly).
The Lake leans more guilty pleasure than trash television, but it's undoubtedly simple in its execution of cornball lines and predictable story arcs. The entire ensemble is very generous to the delightfully pedestrian writing, with every one-liner and sight gag delivered with undue commitment. A hat tip should be given specifically to Julia Stiles and Lauren Holly, two veterans of the screen who turn in great performances.
A common trend in movies and TV over the last few years has been a constant need to inject every project with an underlying social message or position. While there's certainly a time and place for such things, it has often been the case that those who belong in historically marginalized groups carry the weight of this responsibility. Shows like The Lake present another option for studios: inane sitcoms with little substance that allows said marginalized groups the opportunity to have fun on screen sans stakes.
A show like The Lake won't be at the top of critics' lists or make a sweep during awards season, but it does fill a void in television as a light entertainment program that's well directed, acted and produced, and will earn a few laughs along the way. For those lazy days at the cottage or those hungover mornings where tubing isn't the answer, The Lake provides an uncomplicated tonic to the chaos that typically reigns in our lives and our streaming services.
(Prime Video)The first three episodes of The Lake's sophomore season were made available to critics, and they set up a lighthearted summer ahead. Billie (Madison Shamoun) returns for a one-week vacation turned full-summer stay when Forrest (Jhaleil Swaby), a tree planter, catches her eye. Inspired by Forrest and Ivy's (Max Amani) activism, Billie questions whether her academic path to environmentalism is the most effective. Maisy-May (Julia Stiles) and Justin's more-or-less mended step-sibling relationship has given way to the return of her (apparently) dying mother, Mimsy (Lauren Holly).
The Lake leans more guilty pleasure than trash television, but it's undoubtedly simple in its execution of cornball lines and predictable story arcs. The entire ensemble is very generous to the delightfully pedestrian writing, with every one-liner and sight gag delivered with undue commitment. A hat tip should be given specifically to Julia Stiles and Lauren Holly, two veterans of the screen who turn in great performances.
A common trend in movies and TV over the last few years has been a constant need to inject every project with an underlying social message or position. While there's certainly a time and place for such things, it has often been the case that those who belong in historically marginalized groups carry the weight of this responsibility. Shows like The Lake present another option for studios: inane sitcoms with little substance that allows said marginalized groups the opportunity to have fun on screen sans stakes.
A show like The Lake won't be at the top of critics' lists or make a sweep during awards season, but it does fill a void in television as a light entertainment program that's well directed, acted and produced, and will earn a few laughs along the way. For those lazy days at the cottage or those hungover mornings where tubing isn't the answer, The Lake provides an uncomplicated tonic to the chaos that typically reigns in our lives and our streaming services.
