alright as a fun exercise i should look more critically at 1670 s2. i have heard it turned out somewhat divisive. in my view the divisiveness can be caused by the sheer ambition of the season - it feels more confident and experimental compared to the first one and strives to go bigger. in my view, it works. at the same time, i see how it can be viewed as overambitious - just look at the character roster! there's at least eight main characters and in the runtime of just 8 episodes of 30-40 minute episodes it's harsh to flesh them out. which wouldn't be much of a problem with the simpler structure of the first season but certainly is more precarious in the second where it tries to balance comedy with more serious themes. again, in my view, it succeeds in that as well. with the characters there's at least a minimum to have a believable character arc - although i sure wish there was the time to flesh them out more. the season had some focus on familial relationships between aniela and zofia, been stanisław and jakub, between jan paweł and his children, and i think it would've been interesting to see more interaction been zofia and her sons. with the limited time frame, i can see how that was not the priority - the parallels between zofia and aniela were far more important to show, and whatever jan paweł and stakub had going on was, while sillier, a setup for the finale as well. one might also explain that with the setting and the place of gender roles in it - zofia is thus simply not that important for either stanisław or jakub.
i've seen complaints about the love triangle. although, maybe a love square? aniela had her two options, but so did maciej with regina. both had someone from their own class, with whom they had some chemistry, who definitely were in love with them, and with whom they could've settled for the sake of a normal life. sure, maciej/regina as a relationship was dead from the start but what this highlights is the difference between maciej and aniela and how maciej himself changed. i think it's another aspect that could've been developed a little better.
but back to aniela, i get the dislike towards the love triangle trope but it works for aniela at this part of her story to test her character and what she really wants. the love triangle isn't here just for the sake of it, it has a narrative purpose and fulfils it! i think that's what counts after all.
there's also the thing as in the first season with female characters not being given as much of the comedy as male ones. makes sense of course why they are focused on more serious themes, mainly misogyny, but that is in itself also a trope. i wonder, does 1670 pass the bechdel test? not that it means much but im curious.
but that's my understanding of things anyway. would love to hear the opinions of folks who are more sceptical towards season 2! or folks who loved it like me but have some critical thoughts to share
