I absolutely loved season one! The need to be loved by each character within the cast made it spectacular. Peach, Blythe, Benji, Beck, and Joe all are just searching for love. Everyone has their own depiction of what love is and we spend our lives hoping to find a mate that matches the definition of love we have in our minds. We hope that it is reciprocated. Unfortunately, many come close, but it is never perfect. Peach wanted to be loved, but needed to love herself first for her sexuality. Blythe needed to be loved for her curves, but had to accept herself first. Beck wanted to be loved for who she was, which was not to be defined by all the people that surrounded her. She deserved love because although imperfect, unlike everyone else... She always knew who she was.
Nonetheless, Beck needed to be loved differently than Joe, lol. Beck defines love differently than Joe. Joe defines love differently than Beck. Joe defines love differently than everyone actually. He punishes everyone and is cynical when the love is not displayed in the format that it should be. This is because of all the instability he had in maturing into his current self.
I believe that this series mirrors the relationships for so many people when we cannot define love similarly to people we call our partners, spouses, girlfriends, or boyfriends. What love is not, is cynical. Love does not punish. I loved Peach and Beck's character the most because they challenged Joe's love, which was not love at all. Joe G. has a hard time accepting the imperfections in people because he does not accept his own imperfections. This is why he cannot ever love himself. Joe penalizes all of his victims because he has not learned to love himself and he wishes someone had protected him along his journey to be loved. Every person he kills is a Mooney, a mom, or mom's boyfriend who should have loved him better.Season one depicts this extremely well.
It was a blast to watch another character deduce Joe's imperfect plan. Of course, only to be killed. I watch it for the lovers who love so much that Joe's plan unravels.
However, this is also why season two has been hard to watch and not as interesting as season one. No character has challenged Joe. No character has put him in his place. No character is as sure of herself like Beck or Peach; willing to acknowledge their flaws and still know that they are worthy of love. Love, the character is unsure of herself. She does not know who she is. Love should be a stronger character because its love. However, Love is uncertain. She fights, but not with as much as passion and intelligence as Beck. I miss Beck. This has to go beyond the plot of finding another victim, Joe tries hard to not get back into his patterned ways and Paco is now the new Ellie. I hope the show does not repeat itself, but instead seeks ways to continue mirroring the complexity of the fight individuals portray when they love who they are, love when Joe tells them that those they love is not deserving, love so much that they challenge Joe G. If there are no strong characters to challenge Joe, the most uneducated person on the show about love; the following seasons will make it hard to watch.Bring back the passion Beck had.