'XO, Kitty' S02 review: Netflix show remains charming and delightful
What's the story
The second season of XO, Kitty arrived on Netflix on Thursday, following the mixed reception of the first season in May 2023.
A spin-off series of the To All the Boys films, it marks the return of Kitty, Yuri, and Dae, among other major characters.
It's delightful, funny, and vibrant, but its messy plotlines keep us from completely investing in the series.
Background and story
Kitty is focused on finding her extended family this season
The story picks up from where the first part ended, and when we meet Kitty in the first episode, she confidently declares that she is "Kitty 2.0" and will try to remain single.
However, the suspicious activities of her new roommate Stella keep her busy, and Kitty also spends her time trying to find her extended family in Korea.
Will she succeed?
#1
The first episode foreshadows Kitty's fate
Kitty promises to become a better version of herself and focus on academics after her grades slipped in season one.
However, obviously, after the first season, we know it's only a matter of time before she gets sucked into intense love triangles and conflicts—both hers and that of her friends.
Season two, thus, follows all the familiar beats from season one.
#2
Lead actor Anna Cathcart once again steals the show
Anna Cathcart, who plays Kitty, has an infectious energy (also evident in season one) and is such a strong performer that you cannot look at anyone else when she is in the frame.
Her acting chops shine the best in scenes when her character is ecstatic, confused, or repentant, and her bubbly charm carries the entire show.
Her chemistry with Q remains another highlight.
#3
Bigger cast ensemble and better production value
The second season is bigger in terms of the scale and the cast ensemble, so the production value is top-notch, we see bigger sets, and the locations are breathtakingly splendid.
Moreover, the addition of new characters allows for more conflicts and suspenseful storylines, and Juliana, who only briefly featured in season one, gets much more screen time this time, as does Dae's father.
#4
Underlines the universal theme of parent-child conflict
In terms of the thematic elements, the show focuses on the complex, complicated relationships between parents and children.
While Kitty's entire journey to Korea is about being closer to her late mother, Yuri struggles for parental acceptance after coming out, and Min-ho has always had a fractured relationship with his father (who has a crucial role in season two).
#5
Negatives: Too messy at times
Despite its merits, XO, Kitty Season Two is plagued by the same problems that infested the first season.
The plotlines intersect with one another, are needlessly messy, and there are so many love triangles that it becomes tough to keep track of the characters' relationships.
This complexity means you have to slow the show down and double-check many dialogues!
#6
Why does everything have such an easy resolution?
Another annoying aspect of XO, Kitty is the extremely easy resolution of conflicts.
Whenever a problem comes up, we know it will be resolved two scenes later, so the gravity of the situation is completely undercut.
Take, for instance, how easily Kitty finds her extended family, and how easily she saves the day in the final episode when all hell breaks loose.
Verdict
Not entirely engaging, but will satisfy rom-com fans
The second season's writing remains underwhelming, and it seems like too much is thrown at the wall in the hope that something sticks.
However, it also tends to spring a surprise every few minutes and this inventiveness keeps it largely going.
The ensemble cast is its biggest strength and whenever the story creaks, the actors collectively uplift the mediocre material.
3/5 stars.