'Kidding' Season 2 finale focuses on Jill and her pain after she experiences Jeff's anger for the first time
There are many moments in the finale of ‘Kidding’ Season 2 that stand out. The Dalai Lama dancing, the Dalai Lama explaining to Jeff how he needs to get over his fear of having children, time reversing, time stopping, a transition from the happy occasion of marriage to the heartbreaking realization of blame. Most moments in the season finale of this Showtime tragicomedy stand out.
But what stood out most was one of the characters that is often sidelined on the show (perhaps unintentionally so). Jill, Jeff’s ex-wife, played to perfection by the emotive Judy Greer, made more impact on episode 10, ‘The Puppet Dalai Lama’, than Jim Carrey himself and that is no mean feat. But more than Greer’s performance, is how for the first time, we see Jill’s pain in its full.
That Jeff holds Jill responsible for Phil’s death has been established for the viewers, earlier in the season. But Jeff never let Jill know that. Jeff is much too nice to hurt Jill with such an accusation. And Jeff’s otherworldly niceness throws in sharp contrast how perfectly imperfect (and normal) Jill is.
Jill has, for years, lived in the shadow of Jeff’s -- or actually Mr. Pickles’ -- saccharine altruism and magnanimity. And she’s visibly tired. Because she understands just how deeply troubled Jeff is. And she has, since the very beginning of this show, been frustrated because Jeff refuses to acknowledge his pain. He refuses to acknowledge his woes. His altruism takes precedence over his suffering. And there is only so much self-destruction she can witness before backing off.
She tells Jeff that she never told him about donating Phil’s organs to seven different people -- saving their lives -- because she did not want Jeff’s touch to turn it into “a gift from Mr. Pickles” for the rest of the world. She forever meant for it to be Phil’s gift to these people.
But where it gets real is when she asks Jeff if he blamed her for Phil’s death. The scene -- or rather the mix of scenes -- that lead to Jeff finally placing the blame of Jill in person, is a thing of beauty. But what is more profound and powerful is how Jill reacts to it.
For the first time, she experiences Jeff’s anger and resentment towards her. For the first time, he acts human. And that, along with the catharsis from being passed the responsibility of someone’s (her son’s) death, relieves Jill, perhaps, for the first time in years. She softens after that. Her anger and annoyance and sullenness vanishes and gives way to a kinder Jill, one this show has never seen before.
The magic of ‘Kidding’ lies in many things; the writing, the actual magic, the characters. But the finale of season 2 demonstrates that the true magic of ‘Kidding’ lies in the human ability to cope with the worst of traumas. To move on and to live.
