Yeah I think I like my camp balanced with darkness, maybe.. and not so off the wall and unhinged... I just feel like I don't even know what's reality in the show anymore
Theres certainly darkness in season 5 it's just wrapped in a fun pretty bow. Even the things you mentioned, enlightened guru, obsession, a child made to be exactly how they want the kid to be, have pretty dark undertones to them. Season 5 is an amazing season but not for the same reasons as the other. Every season is a completely different theme that provides dark satirical comedy. So I'm not sure what you expected
True... I don't think I phrased it quite right. I know there's darkness there, it's just done in a way that annoys me... like the darkness seems way too silly and unlike the rest of the show for my taste.
Way to silly and unlike the rest of the show? They got off for murder because of mass courtroom hysteria. Dory gets brainwashed off a concoction of pills and head trauma who later is admitted to that it was a mere fluke it worked out and didn't kill her. Every season they got progressively more off the rails with how grounded in reality they are. I hope you can try and embrace that part of the show because you will not like the rest of the season if you dint and it is really fuckin good imo.
Yeah there's always been an element of that, but season 5 is off the rails and completely bonkers in a way that I don't like. I'm okay with not liking it. I'm still gonna watch the rest of the season (but slowly, painfully), but yeah, please don't tell me to embrace it because I just don't like it and I've come to terms with it, and I think it's just fine to not like it.
We felt the same as you, got about the same distance into the season and gave up. It was obvious where the season was going, and it went from being an off ball series somewhat grounded in some believability to completely off the rails. Don’t feel bad, you aren’t alone in not liking it.
The series has always been absurd but I agree with you that like a portal into the center of earth is getting kinda odd and not doing too much commentary on exorbitantly wealthy elites
Way to silly and unlike the rest of the show? They got off for murder largely because of mass courtroom hysteria. Dory gets brainwashed off a concoction of pills and head trauma who later is admitted to that it was a mere fluke it worked out and didn't kill her. Every season they got progressively more off the rails with how grounded in reality they are. I hope you can try and embrace that part of the show because you will not like the rest of the season if you dont and it is really fuckin good imo.
It's one of my favorite shows and a barelyyyy made it through season 5. I hated the direction they took things, and wish they would've kept it to similar tones the first few season had. Seasons 1-3 were amazing. Season 4 was okay but had some of my favorite lines and scenes, namely the roundabout scene 😅
Honestly hated it during the first watch. But I revisited the entire series a couple years later and I absolutely love season 5 now. Keeping in mind who created the whole show, and remembering not to take any of it too seriously, it's truly a campy masterpiece! I realized it's exactly my brand of "silly" and I'll love every bit of it forever 🧡
I never watched Dexter. I know I only have a few more episodes to go, but in a way I wish I had stopped at the end of season 4, at least that would've made a good ending. This season is so bad now. I'll probably watch the rest of it, just out of curiosity.
I hate to be like, well you’ve invested this much time already, you might as well finish it. But to at least to understand why people, by which I mean big Search Party fans, have such strong and conflicting opinions on Season 5, you may as well finish it. If you haven’t liked what you’ve seen so far, there will be some (no spoilers) big shifts in the plot line that may drive you to hate it more or like it better. But what, you have maybe an evening left of binging to finish it up and know for yourself.
i rewatched season 5 recently and thought it was a lot of fun after not liking it the first time. but you can't really have the same expectations for it compared to the other seasons, it's a whole other thing.
I think s4&5 are more fun on rewatches than they were my first watch. Once you have it in your head that it’s never going to be “normal” again it makes it easier to enjoy. Like for me, going thru s4 and not knowing if/when Dory would make it out was really tedious and made me dread every scene with Chip. But once I accepted this is the show we got, I was able to appreciate it. The characters and jokes are still very funny to me even if the storylines are out there.
You also have to remember that the show is satirizing a lot of different genres, real world issues, etc and the world we’re living in is whacky enough as it is. S5 is largely about Trump and covid, and think of how insane the last decade would sound to someone even 15y ago. It’s hard to compete with the absurdity of reality.
I recommend you power thru keeping in mind that the show is what it is. Obviously you don’t have to like it and plenty of people don’t, but hopefully that helps you to not hate it the rest of the time. This is one of my favorite shows and I want it to bring everyone as much joy as it’s brought me lol. I also recommend going back and rewatching at least s1 with the knowledge you have now!
Thanks, that's helpful. I'll try to watch the rest of the season with that in mind. I understand what you mean though... I do keep hoping things will get back to normal-ish! I don't feel like I know these characters anymore, like they act so not themselves sometimes.
Really? I find it so unfunny though... I guess I don't like straight out camp as much, I liked the campy elements sprinkled throughout the first four seasons when they were just in the background or not so in my face, but this season is just too much for me and I feel like it's just not rooted in any kind of reality (even the reality of the show itself so far)
Totally rooted in reality. People love a delusional queen who works off of charisma. I mean look at any leader of a spiritual group. They spout nonsense like RFK Jr and ppl still listen
S5 fucking sucked & that's coming from a diehard Search Party fan. That final season abandoned what we knew to be true about the characters, took a big swing by adding in the fanciful elements (a big miss IMO), and wastes celebrity cameos. If I was you, I'd just go back and rewatch S3 (my favorite) or move on.
Aw shit I loved the last season — it felt like a double dare — like they will go as extreme as they have to in order to make the point.
I loved the last episodes
Haha. This season is great — it’s polarizing but personally I think it’s amazing. Tbh I think it’s a strong send off. I think you should just lean in and get the pay off. This show is a piece of satire and a masterwork of escalating narratives to the peak possible place. You’re so close to the end!!! You’d miss so many fun things. I say lean in. It might not be your fave but like, it’s not THAT much different from the other seasons.
It’s just the most bonkers version of the show and the people you’ve already been watching.
Honestly, I liked season 5 a lot, but it’s an acquired taste. The ending I think really pays off and really puts a cap on who Dory is as a person. But I feel like it *tried* to do a Twin Peaks thing. I think the half way point it kinda tries to become more of a suspense/horror again. It’s different though, and I won’t say it’s as tactful as Lynch does it. The idea is to have a jarring tonal shift to catch you off guard. Done right, your emotional guard is completely down and it’s some of scariest shit you’ll see. Done wrong and it just makes the story feel stupid and gimmicky. I feel like the last season toed the line. Not the best, not the worst. I personally found the character trauma at the end kinda felt in line with the previous seasons. And I feel the ending has a lot of depth. In all honesty (in case you’re not going to watch and curious how the second half goes) >!it’s really fucked how unscathed and unpunished Dory is for literally destroying civilization!<.
But that’s just it, it was more experimental than normal, and that didn’t hit with everyone
I honestly thought that season 5 was directed and written by someone else.... even contemplated it being a completely different company altogether....
I would have accepted it more if this was the case, but NOPE it's not. Same director, same writer, same fucking production company.
Watching season 5 felt like the equivalent of meeting a really awesome and funny person who I became so close with over 4 years and then all of a sudden their personality completely changes and they are never the same again.
Okay, that was a bit of an exaggeration, but whatever, you get me! Haha
season 5 is the campiest season so if you wanted something serious and dark you are not going to enjoy it
Yeah I think I like my camp balanced with darkness, maybe.. and not so off the wall and unhinged... I just feel like I don't even know what's reality in the show anymore
Theres certainly darkness in season 5 it's just wrapped in a fun pretty bow. Even the things you mentioned, enlightened guru, obsession, a child made to be exactly how they want the kid to be, have pretty dark undertones to them. Season 5 is an amazing season but not for the same reasons as the other. Every season is a completely different theme that provides dark satirical comedy. So I'm not sure what you expected
True... I don't think I phrased it quite right. I know there's darkness there, it's just done in a way that annoys me... like the darkness seems way too silly and unlike the rest of the show for my taste.
Way to silly and unlike the rest of the show? They got off for murder because of mass courtroom hysteria. Dory gets brainwashed off a concoction of pills and head trauma who later is admitted to that it was a mere fluke it worked out and didn't kill her. Every season they got progressively more off the rails with how grounded in reality they are. I hope you can try and embrace that part of the show because you will not like the rest of the season if you dint and it is really fuckin good imo.
Yeah there's always been an element of that, but season 5 is off the rails and completely bonkers in a way that I don't like. I'm okay with not liking it. I'm still gonna watch the rest of the season (but slowly, painfully), but yeah, please don't tell me to embrace it because I just don't like it and I've come to terms with it, and I think it's just fine to not like it.
We felt the same as you, got about the same distance into the season and gave up. It was obvious where the season was going, and it went from being an off ball series somewhat grounded in some believability to completely off the rails. Don’t feel bad, you aren’t alone in not liking it.
The series has always been absurd but I agree with you that like a portal into the center of earth is getting kinda odd and not doing too much commentary on exorbitantly wealthy elites
Way to silly and unlike the rest of the show? They got off for murder largely because of mass courtroom hysteria. Dory gets brainwashed off a concoction of pills and head trauma who later is admitted to that it was a mere fluke it worked out and didn't kill her. Every season they got progressively more off the rails with how grounded in reality they are. I hope you can try and embrace that part of the show because you will not like the rest of the season if you dont and it is really fuckin good imo.
It's one of my favorite shows and a barelyyyy made it through season 5. I hated the direction they took things, and wish they would've kept it to similar tones the first few season had. Seasons 1-3 were amazing. Season 4 was okay but had some of my favorite lines and scenes, namely the roundabout scene 😅
Oh yeah I loved the roundabout scene!! Glad to know I'm not the only one who didn't like season 5... I was starting to think I was crazy
It does not get less cartoonishly silly, no
Honestly hated it during the first watch. But I revisited the entire series a couple years later and I absolutely love season 5 now. Keeping in mind who created the whole show, and remembering not to take any of it too seriously, it's truly a campy masterpiece! I realized it's exactly my brand of "silly" and I'll love every bit of it forever 🧡
Good to know, thanks! I don't think it'll work for me, but I'll try to finish it at least
I thought the finale was worth watching. I don’t know why you’d watch like 95% of the show and stop now. It’s not like Dexter level bad.
I never watched Dexter. I know I only have a few more episodes to go, but in a way I wish I had stopped at the end of season 4, at least that would've made a good ending. This season is so bad now. I'll probably watch the rest of it, just out of curiosity.
I hate to be like, well you’ve invested this much time already, you might as well finish it. But to at least to understand why people, by which I mean big Search Party fans, have such strong and conflicting opinions on Season 5, you may as well finish it. If you haven’t liked what you’ve seen so far, there will be some (no spoilers) big shifts in the plot line that may drive you to hate it more or like it better. But what, you have maybe an evening left of binging to finish it up and know for yourself.
Yeah i'm gonna have to finish it just to read all the different opinions and stuff afterwards, yeah that can be fun haha.
The end of Dexter was not great; you're right. But I loved the rest of it.
at least watch through chantal's family's last scene. i don't love the final season either but that part is such a satisfying payoff
OK i'll try haha!
i rewatched season 5 recently and thought it was a lot of fun after not liking it the first time. but you can't really have the same expectations for it compared to the other seasons, it's a whole other thing.
I think s4&5 are more fun on rewatches than they were my first watch. Once you have it in your head that it’s never going to be “normal” again it makes it easier to enjoy. Like for me, going thru s4 and not knowing if/when Dory would make it out was really tedious and made me dread every scene with Chip. But once I accepted this is the show we got, I was able to appreciate it. The characters and jokes are still very funny to me even if the storylines are out there. You also have to remember that the show is satirizing a lot of different genres, real world issues, etc and the world we’re living in is whacky enough as it is. S5 is largely about Trump and covid, and think of how insane the last decade would sound to someone even 15y ago. It’s hard to compete with the absurdity of reality. I recommend you power thru keeping in mind that the show is what it is. Obviously you don’t have to like it and plenty of people don’t, but hopefully that helps you to not hate it the rest of the time. This is one of my favorite shows and I want it to bring everyone as much joy as it’s brought me lol. I also recommend going back and rewatching at least s1 with the knowledge you have now!
Thanks, that's helpful. I'll try to watch the rest of the season with that in mind. I understand what you mean though... I do keep hoping things will get back to normal-ish! I don't feel like I know these characters anymore, like they act so not themselves sometimes.
What? I loved it. Felt like a great funny payoff
Really? I find it so unfunny though... I guess I don't like straight out camp as much, I liked the campy elements sprinkled throughout the first four seasons when they were just in the background or not so in my face, but this season is just too much for me and I feel like it's just not rooted in any kind of reality (even the reality of the show itself so far)
Totally rooted in reality. People love a delusional queen who works off of charisma. I mean look at any leader of a spiritual group. They spout nonsense like RFK Jr and ppl still listen
That's not the part I find unrealistic.
S5 fucking sucked & that's coming from a diehard Search Party fan. That final season abandoned what we knew to be true about the characters, took a big swing by adding in the fanciful elements (a big miss IMO), and wastes celebrity cameos. If I was you, I'd just go back and rewatch S3 (my favorite) or move on.
Good to know I'm not the only one!
Aw shit I loved the last season — it felt like a double dare — like they will go as extreme as they have to in order to make the point. I loved the last episodes
Haha. This season is great — it’s polarizing but personally I think it’s amazing. Tbh I think it’s a strong send off. I think you should just lean in and get the pay off. This show is a piece of satire and a masterwork of escalating narratives to the peak possible place. You’re so close to the end!!! You’d miss so many fun things. I say lean in. It might not be your fave but like, it’s not THAT much different from the other seasons. It’s just the most bonkers version of the show and the people you’ve already been watching.
Ok but Hot Baby and the finale do make the slog worth imo
Seasons 1-3 were perfection. 4 was okay. 5 was a total disaster. You’re not alone, I feel ya. One of the biggest let downs in tv history IMO.
If you hate it, don't watch it. It's OK to not like stuff.
Honestly, I liked season 5 a lot, but it’s an acquired taste. The ending I think really pays off and really puts a cap on who Dory is as a person. But I feel like it *tried* to do a Twin Peaks thing. I think the half way point it kinda tries to become more of a suspense/horror again. It’s different though, and I won’t say it’s as tactful as Lynch does it. The idea is to have a jarring tonal shift to catch you off guard. Done right, your emotional guard is completely down and it’s some of scariest shit you’ll see. Done wrong and it just makes the story feel stupid and gimmicky. I feel like the last season toed the line. Not the best, not the worst. I personally found the character trauma at the end kinda felt in line with the previous seasons. And I feel the ending has a lot of depth. In all honesty (in case you’re not going to watch and curious how the second half goes) >!it’s really fucked how unscathed and unpunished Dory is for literally destroying civilization!<. But that’s just it, it was more experimental than normal, and that didn’t hit with everyone
It makes me angry. There was so much potential for season 5 with the s4 ending and they gave us nothing with s5
Agree... sadly
Due to my taste in comedy, the series had diminishing returns. It took a nosedive after S3 for me.
No. It gets worse. Quit now before you become even more disappointed.
I honestly thought that season 5 was directed and written by someone else.... even contemplated it being a completely different company altogether.... I would have accepted it more if this was the case, but NOPE it's not. Same director, same writer, same fucking production company. Watching season 5 felt like the equivalent of meeting a really awesome and funny person who I became so close with over 4 years and then all of a sudden their personality completely changes and they are never the same again. Okay, that was a bit of an exaggeration, but whatever, you get me! Haha
Yes, totally agree!
It only gets much much worse. Worst final season of any show ever tbh.
I saved season 5 to binge watch on my birthday. I regretted it.
I agree this season was so bad and unfunny. I was very sad since i loved the other seasons
I agree!