SEATTLE — If season one of "Russian Doll" was a surreal time loop, season two is more like a time-fluid ride.
The comedy/drama with mind-bending sequences was created by Natasha Lyonne, who also directs and stars in the series.
Season one followed her character Nadia, who repeatedly dies and then re-lives her 36th birthday.
Season two expands beyond one day, centers on subway rides, and explores the relationship between existentialism and fate — but Lyonne is reticent about letting other details emerge. She doesn't want to spoil the experience for audiences.
"It's almost like you're planning a surprise party but you're doing it sort of internationally, and you're saying to everybody, 'Hide... surprise!'” she said. "It's hard for me when people know about the subway, it's like, ‘Well then you're gonna know!’ But what are you gonna do? I guess I should have made 'The Hulk.' That's what I always say, I should have made 'The Hulk.'"
Other cast members from season one are also back. Greta Lee plays Nadia’s close friend Maxine, who’s seemingly unflappable.
"What I love so much about Maxine is she just says whatever she wants to say, she does whatever she wants to do. That's what's so fun about playing someone like her,” Lee said.
Charlie Barnett plays Alan, who was stuck in the same time loop as Nadia in season one. He used the experience of filming the new season to examine his own life — specifically, learning more about his birth mother.
"At least relating to (Alan’s) past, his experience, maybe he's trying to find himself, and I had a very similar experience and ultimately came to the same result, that it's all within you,” Barnett said.
Nadia's mother is also a major character this season, played by Lyonne's real-life pal — Golden Globe winner Chloe Sevigny. She said she loved being directed by her best friend.
"I knew I could rely on her to not make me look bad,” Sevigny said, laughing. "I was a little bit like, 'Just relax and enjoy it.’ Which was kind of the harder thing to do as a friend, because a lot was riding on this for her.”
Annie Murphy of "Schitt's Creek" fame also appears as a pivotal character.
But to learn anything else, you'll need to stream it yourself. And the cast says, realistically, it may take a few viewings to grasp everything the show is trying to say.
"Three,” Sevigny said.
“Yeah. Sure," Lee added. "Three, I'm going to go with that, too."
"Russian Doll" season two is now streaming on Netflix.
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