In season one, Platonic was an enjoyable little sitcom that nonetheless faded from my memory pretty quickly. But something was different about season two from the beginning, and I still haven't totally figured out what it is. There's just something clicking this time around - the characters and their dynamics are more lived-in and distinct, and the storylines themselves feel more engaging and thoughtful without ever fundamentally altering the tone.
When Chance Perdomo died last year, Gen V lost its most promising young performer. But season two has avoided recasting the character or introducing a prominent new student to take his place, instead focusing on a smaller group and developing the people we already know: Marie, Emma, Jordan, Cate, and Sam. That shift is working pretty well for me overall, even if this season feels slightly less novel than the first.