Still fighting when the play begins on opening night, a mid-show mishap reminds the girls they truly need each other to succeed.

When Maya earns the starring role and Anna is made stage manager, each firmly believes they’re the most important person in the production. The years separating Erskine, Konkle, and Zvibleman from their time in middle school haven’t trivialized junior high dramatics instead, they’re now able to thoughtfully reflect on the impact these arguably momentary experiences are having on Maya and Anna’s lives.Īt the end of Season 2 Part 1, Maya and Anna had just rekindled their relationship after the school play nearly tore them apart. Like any middle schoolers, Anna and Maya perceive every small inconvenience as a catastrophe, but no matter how immature the situation, PEN15 always approaches the girls’ perspective with immense care and respect. Our final moments with Maya and Anna are fraught with conflict, ranging in importance from bat mitzvah drama and failing Dance Dance Revolution routines to Anna’s parents’ contentious divorce and Maya’s deep insecurities.

Season 2 Part 2 leaves us with an emotional and satisfying conclusion to the beloved series. The series has continued in this more serious trajectory for its impressive final episodes. But the second season-split into two parts-even surpassed its stellar first, as classic comedy beats gave way to more emotional arcs. The series instantly struck a chord with anyone who related to its hyper-specific depiction of junior high in the early 2000s, particularly young Millennial women like co-creators and stars Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle, who (along with co-creator Sam Zvibleman) have drawn from their own lives to play fictionalized versions of themselves. Premiering in 2019, Hulu’s PEN15 was at first a gross-out comedy relying heavily on the sight gag of its 30-something lead actresses playing 13 and interacting awkwardly with their middle-school-aged castmates.

Outlander episodes season 2