Amid a sea of lesbian period pieces, "Dickinson" (2019–), an Apple TV+ original series starring Hailee Steinfeld as the eponymous poet, has emerged. First airing in 2019, the same year that “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” had its debut at Cannes, the show stood out as a satire of these oft-moody dramas, stuffed with modern music and language alongside observations of the ridiculousness of 1850s New England life. Season 2, which premiered on Jan. 8, features new characters, fun new cameos and a touch of witchcraft.
The series follows the life of poet Emily Dickinson, and the new season primarily focuses on her quest for literary fame. One vehicle for her to do so are salons, in which members of high society gather and celebrate the cultural and intellectual achievements of the day. It is at one of these events that Emily meets newspaper editor Sam Bowles (Finn Jones), to whom she eventually submits some of her poetry. Much of the season deals with her dilemma of whether or not to publish. While a mysterious “Nobody” warns her against the dangers of fame, Emily struggles with her own desire for recognition.
Encouraging her is the rather arrogant Bowles, who becomes a sort of love interest for Emily. Given her previous romantic connection with Sue (Ella Hunt), the pivot toward Bowles is a bizarre choice. So much of Season 1 is driven by the Sue and Emily dynamic, but that relationship is now sidelined by the poet’s new focus on Sam and her need to be recognized.Beyond that, Sue, who is newly married to Emily's brother, is both reduced to a side character and a vain, superficial woman who recklessly spends money. The show’s exchange of Sam for Sue is the season's greatest mistake.
However, where they demoted Sue, they elevated Lavinia (Anna Baryshnikov). Previously, Emily’s sisterhad been little more than the ‘dumb one’ in the family — a vapid narcissist who cared mostly about her desire to marry. This season, Lavinia asserts her independence after several marriage proposals from her new love interest, Henry Shipley (Pico Alexander), who insists she be a traditional housewife. The sex-positive Lavinia refuses to meet his standards, resulting in the show’s best new dynamic that provides some of its funniest moments. Adding to that is the show’s continued useof millennial and Generation Z slang, which helps cement its status as a satire of a dreary period piece.
The show’s best moments have always been those that deal with the supernatural and borderline ridiculous, a trend that stays true during its second season. Episode 3 centers around a seance, which allows the show to deliver comedic moments while still advancing its plot. Similarly, this season also includes an episode in which a newly published Emily becomes invisible, offering several clever moments that allow the show to explore the ever-current subject of the treatment of female artists.
“Dickinson” provides commentary on 21st century phenomena, despite its 1850s setting. It often includes ironic one-liners, such as last season’s discussion of voting Republican to achieve “justice for all people in this country” and this season’s insistence from Bowles on the immortality of print newspapers.In one episode, the show’s female characters go to a spa and receive bizarre treatments in a critique of the ubiquity and absurdity of “wellness culture.”
The show’s surprisingly star-studded cast continues to excel, with this season’s cameos matching those from John Mulaney and Wiz Khalifa last season. Regulars Steinfeld, Jane Krakowski (the Dickinson matriarch) and Baryshnikov shine as well — Baryshnikov perhaps due to the elevation of her character this season.
While its best elements continue to work, this season is a notable decline from its strong first. For the majority of the season, it seemed like the show couldn’t decide whether Emily and Sue were to continue as romantic soulmates or just be best friends after Sue’s marriage. In some moments, their relationship is explicitly romantic; in others, Sue acts as only a token best friend character to whom Emily could vent her frustrations. Thankfully, the last few episodes are a notable improvement, but they are hardly enough to make up for the dull plots that dominated the season — though a pitch-perfect tail end came awfully close.
