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'My Brilliant Friend' Season 2 Episode 1: Lila's rape is awful, but fans glad to watch show amid virus scare

With the social distancing in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, fans of the Italian drama could not have been happier for the premiere
UPDATED MAR 20, 2020
(IMDb)
(IMDb)

Spoilers for 'My Brilliant Friend' Season 2 Episode 1 'The New Name'

The second season of HBO's stunningly heartwrenching adaptation of Elena Ferrante's Neopolitan series premiered on HBO on March 16. The gripping saga of two childhood friends Elena Greco (Margherita Mazzucco) and Lila Cerullo (Gaia Girace), their journies, trials and tribulations and life is now told against the backdrop of 1950's post-war Naples. 

With the social distancing in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, fans of the Italian drama could not have been happier for the premiere. "Sorry y’all. But #MyBrilliantFriend is back right now and Ferrante Fever is the only epidemic I want to think about for the next hour [yes I know this is extremely privileged and I’m sorry. I promise I’ve been quarantined since Wednesday and I need this!]" tweeted a fan. 

"The bad news: All this coronavirus shit. The good news: The return of "My Brilliant Friend" and that wonderful theme song on HBO. #MyBrilliantFriend," tweeted another fan. 

Grateful for the series' Season 2 return, fans on Twitter couldn't stop with recommending the series to Twitterati. "Today, 'My Brilliant Friend' returns. Watch this wonderful Neapolitan series, read Elena Ferrante's books and change your life forever after meeting Lenu and Lila's friendship."

Lenu (Elena) and Lila's friendship has struck a chord with thousands of viewers across the world. Before the series came into being, Ferrante's vivid telling of this sometimes heartbreaking, heartwarming story came through in her books."Lila is so cute with Elena. Such best friends," tweeted a fan. 

Many fans, however, recognize the layers of their friendship, noting, "I loved the return of #MyBrilliantFriend@HBO. I'm still more interested in Elena's, Lenu's, story. But I realize Lila is the force from which so much drama, even melodrama, emanates. As a character, Lila actually can annoy me, so out of control, so self-absorbed, but pivotal."

The premiere of the second season was hard-hitting - especially Lila's ordeal - being beaten up, abused, tamed. "There’s a scene in the 2nd season premiere of #MyBrilliantFriend in which Lila lies about her black eye to a roomful of people. There’s so much happening in the scene, so much acting from everyone onscreen; it’s masterful," noted a fan. 

The gut-wrenching scene is particularly difficult 

'My Brilliant Friend' airs on Mondays at 10/9c on HBO. 

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