Loose Ends season 2
| Loose Ends | |
|---|---|
| Season 2 | |
 Promotional poster | |
| Starring |
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| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Release | |
| Original channel | FX |
| Original run | September 25, 2014 – December 11, 2014 |
| Season chronology | |
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← Previous Season 1 Next → Season 3 | |
The second season of the American television drama series Loose Ends premiered on September 25, 2014, on FX, and concluded on December 11, 2014, consisting of 10 episodes. The series was created by Natalie Chandler, who served as executive producer alongside Mark Calhoun. Its main character is Eddie Chance, a hard-edged vigilante, who exacts revenge on those who cross him. While preferring to stay an outsider, troublesome situations lead him to several points of no return. The series is set in the fictional city of Kelso, Rhode Island. The season was produced by FX Productions, Blue Calhoun Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television, in association with Nattiewood, Inc. After the first season, FX pushed Loose Ends from Wednesdays to Thursdays, filling an empty time slot previously occupied by other series re-runs.
In its second season, the series received numerous accolades. The show was named Outstanding TV Movie, TV Show or Miniseries at the MovieNation Awards. For his performance, DeLuca won the MovieNation Award for Outstanding Performance in a TV Movie, TV Show or Miniseries. Gabriel Young also received some recognition for his portrayal of Paul Knox, earning a MovieNation Award nomination for Outstanding Performance in a TV Movie, TV Show or Miniseries.
Plot
The town of Kelso, Rhode Island one year following the deaths of Heather, The Rip (Taylor Kitsch) and Tagger (Michael Trevino) is a lawless sinkhole of drugs, crime and corruption. Stuck in this uncivilized outpost is a disillusioned and bitter Eddie Chance and his brother Barry, newly-released from jail and hoping to find a new start for himself. Both men find themselves quickly on opposite sides of the legal and moral fence from Sheriff Montgomery (Billy Campbell). The lives of these three intertwine with many others, the high-minded and the low-lifes who populate the streets and the now infamous Kelso University. Meanwhile, a drifter named Paul Knox (Gabriel Young) and his pal Clay Brooks (Milo Ventimiglia) arrive in town and influence the population with their malice and violence, clashing with Eddie and igniting a war that can't be fought alone.
Cast and characters
Main cast
- Bentley DeLuca as Eddie Chance
- Joseph Noelle as Barry Chance
- Billy Campbell as Thomas Montgomery
- Jay Baruchel as Aaron "Fitz" Fitzgerald
- Gabriel Young as Paul Knox
- Milo Ventimiglia as Clay Brooks
Recurring cast
- Craig Horner as Phillip
- Zach Gilford as Kyle
- Camille Winbush as Gina
- Olivia Cooke as Darcy Bingham
Guest cast
- Teresa Palmer as Heather Matthews
- Laura Linney as Carol Webber
- Andrew Howard as Luther Bingham
- Jude Harrison as Leila
Episodes
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Trouble Knoxing on Your Door" | Mark Calhoun | Natalie Chandler | September 25, 2014 | 9.25 |
| Eddie struggles with his grief that stems from the past year. Barry is released from jail. Paul Knox (Gabriel Young) and Clay Brooks (Milo Ventimiglia) make a rowdy and malicious entrance in Kelso. | ||||||
| 12 | 2 | "Rushing Roulette" | Mark Calhoun | Peter D. Stanzler | October 2, 2014 | 7.54 |
| Sheriff Montgomery keeps a close eye on Barry. Paul threatens Eddie. Fitz gets troubling news. | ||||||
| 13 | 3 | "Better the Devil You Know" | Mark Calhoun | Krista Davidson | October 9, 2014 | 6.65 |
| Paul forms a cult and draws up a victim list. Barry meets Darcy (Olivia Cooke). Eddie and Fitz learn of Paul's past. | ||||||
| 14 | 4 | "Sucker Punch" | Mark Calhoun | Howie Byrne | October 16, 2014 | 6.47 |
| Eddie is attacked. Montgomery experiences issues in his personal life. Paul and Clay clash over Clay's independent ambitions. | ||||||
| 15 | 5 | "Blowback" | Mark Calhoun | Natalie Chandler | October 23, 2014 | 5.82 |
| Eddie and Barry's confrontation leads to blood. A brutal rape rocks the town of Kelso. Rebelling against Paul's authority, Clay goes rogue. | ||||||
| 16 | 6 | "Loved Ones Part 1" | Mark Calhoun | Natalie Chandler | October 30, 2014 | 5.94 |
| Darcy reveals her rapist to Barry. Paul suffers extreme hallucinations. Eddie and Barry's mother Carol (Laura Linney) arrives in Kelso with unfinished business. | ||||||
| 17 | 7 | "Loved Ones Part 2" | Mark Calhoun | Chip Koenig | November 6, 2014 | 6.01 |
| Eddie and Clay hatch a plan against Paul. Carol's safety is compromised. Montgomery is silenced through blackmail. | ||||||
| 18 | 8 | "A Little Night Music" | Mark Calhoun | Rhonda Stanton & Derrick Werksman, Jr. | November 13, 2014 | 5.74 |
| Barry is forced to make a choice. Eddie puts pressure on Montgomery. Paul goes on a murderous rampage. | ||||||
| 19 | 9 | "Vendetta" | Mark Calhoun | Zoanne Wilding | December 4, 2014 | 6.03 |
| Carol's murder forces Eddie and Barry to band together against Paul. Clay betrays Eddie. Fitz has valuable information. | ||||||
| 20 | 10 | "The Whisperer" | Mark Calhoun | Natalie Chandler | December 11, 2014 | 7.26 |
| Eddie and Barry put the pieces of their elaborate plan together, with one last shot at taking down Paul. | ||||||
Production
Development
The series was renewed for a second season on May 31, 2014, by FX. The show was effectively confirmed as earning a second-season renewal for the 2014 fall season via a press release issued seven months after the season one finale. It would contain 10 episodes, like the previous season; however, the network announced a new day for Loose Ends. The show remained at 10:00 PM ET, but it was moved from Wednesdays to Thursdays. Production began in June 2014, with Natalie Chandler announcing on Twitter that she and her new team of writers were in full swing for the second season. During production it was announced that Tony Banner exited the series as executive producer because of creative differences. The table read for the premiere occurred on June 26, 2014. A promotional poster was released on September 12, 2014, two weeks before the season premiere.
Filming
On-location filming usually takes place in locations within Vancouver, British Columbia, including Buntzen Lake, Cleveland Dam, Heritage Park, The Bridge Studios, Sutherland Secondary School and Vancouver City Hall. Because most episodes take place in rural Rhode Island, filming often takes place at an old military base. Having been shut down for years, the buildings have been removed, leaving just roads on which sets are erected, such as for crossroads scenes. Other locations used on the show are often reused two or three times, with the art department making variations to conceal this.
Casting
In a statement issued on May 31, 2014, Chandler explained the departures of Taylor Kitsch and Michael Trevino, following the death of their characters in season one. "They had only signed on for one season, with no intentions of returning, so I was writing with that in mind. Those dark characters were apart of the loose ends that needed to be tied up," Chandler stated. She also confirmed that the second season would introduce several new characters to "shake things up". On June 11, 2014, it was announced that Gabriel Young and Milo Ventimiglia would join the cast as Paul Knox and Clay Brooks in the second season and would be introduced in the premiere. Prior to Young's casting, Callum Frost was initially set to portray Knox, but dropped out not long before production was due to commence. Around that time, reports surfaced that Jude Harrison would be guest starring in a secret role. On June 29, 2014, TVLine reported that Billy Campbell would be promoted to series regular in season two. On July 7, 2014, it was announced that Laura Linney was cast as Carol Webber, the estranged mother of Eddie and Barry Chance, for a multi-episode arc. On July 24, 2014, Olivia Cooke joined the series as Barry's love interest, Darcy Bingham, while Andrew Howard was cast to play Darcy's father, Luther.
Reception
Critical reception
The second season received positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gave the second season a rating of 97% based on 38 reviews with an average score of 8.8 out of 10. Metacritic scored the show an 88 out of 100 based on 31 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Robert Bianco of USA Today praised Gabriel Young's performance, stating: "Like the show itself, Gabriel Young's performance is smart, chilling, amusing, convincing and unfailingly entertaining. And like the show, you really don't want to miss it." Slant Magazine critic Scott Von Doviak praised DeLuca's performance and the writing for this season, observing: "Loose Ends's rich vein of gallows suspense, convincing sense of place, and twisty rural-noir narratives are all selling points, but it's DeLuca's line between rage and heartache that seals the deal."
Ratings
The second season averaged 6.67 million viewers and a 2.38 rating in the 18–49 demographic.
Accolades
The second season of the show was awarded Outstanding TV Movie, TV Show or Miniseries at the MovieNation Awards in 2015.
| Year | Association | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | MovieNation Awards | Outstanding Performance in a TV Movie, TV Show or Miniseries | Bentley DeLuca | Won |
| Outstanding Performance in a TV Movie, TV Show or Miniseries | Gabriel Young | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding TV Movie, TV Show or Miniseries | Won |
Home media release
The second season was released on DVD and Blu-ray. Netflix currently streams season two in many countries. The show is available via traditional by-episode purchase by most online video retailers, including iTunes.
| The Complete Second Season | |||||
| Set Details | Special Features | ||||
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| Release Dates | |||||
| Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | |||
| June 7, 2016 | July 16, 2016 | August 11, 2016 | |||
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