We Are Who We Are Part Two Review

For our review of the first half of We Are Who We Are, click first here.

As far as the back half of the season was concerned, one could expect more of the same as our younger main characters, Fraser and Caitlin essentially continued to grow up as more layers were peeled back. Meanwhile, the narrative gap between the teens and the adults narrowed but the latter still lacked depth in comparison. However, there was still plenty of drama along the way for for Fraser, Caitlin, and their families to deal with. In the end, the big question for Fraser and Caitlin was will they or won’t they? While there weren’t forces that be that prefered they not be together, this fact seemingly brought them closer together. They were the only ones who truly understood each other as they were each at a vulnerable moment in their lives where they were still trying to find themselves and looking for answers (which wasn’t always straightforward). The back half saw this become much clearer as Fraser, a polarizing enigma of a character in first half, turned into one who was a lot more sympathetic (hopefully viewers haven’t given up on the series) by the end. Meanwhile, Caitlin was faced with an identity crisis of her own, hiding behind the persona she created for herself of the kind of person she wanted to be. To an extent, both she and Fraser did the same.

Though the situation revolving the military base felt like an afterthought during the first half, it was certainly more prominent here. That began with Sarah who faced issues in her professional and personal lives. It may not always seem like it but she was very aware of what was going on. Her marriage to Maggie did have its issues but they were still committed to one another. Being in charge of a military base meant that she was understandably busy and that also meant that her mind was often elsewhere which meant that she was often not there for an increasingly lonely Maggie. Despite this, they both still cared about Fraser. Their relationship was still a complicated one stemming from the resentment he had for his mother for allowing him to connect with anyone, most importantly his father. Meanwhile, Sarah faced her first adversity as commander of the base after several young soldiers she deployed to Afghanistan, including one in Fraser and Caitlin’s social circle, before they were arguably ready were killed in action. The aftermath caused a colossal rift that challenged her command and Fraser’s position amongst their social circle.

Similarly, Richard and Jenny had marital problems of their own. They were drifting apart as the former while the former was consumed by his MAGA inclinations but most likely his disdain for Sarah, not only because she was a woman or a lesbian, she was an obstacle between him and command of the base. The ultimate reason was never made clear, however, there was definitely some dislike there while her son’s relationship with his daughter did not make things any better. While Caitlin was figuring things out for herself on her own, Danny, who was actually his stepson, was also drifting apart as he went on a journey to reconnect with his muslim heritage. At the end of the day, being observant neighbors, Maggie and Jenny found refuge in one another. Though however long they shared those feelings for one another was unknown, they had them for a long time as the signs were definitely there. However, these adult subplots were many for which the series failed to offer much in the way of resolution as this was Fraser and Caitlin’s story first and foremost but even that wasn’t handled in a satisfying way.

As mentioned in our part 1 review, the series’ technical prowess was still there in terms of cinematography and score that worked together to capture the emotion and mood of the heavier back half but the best part of We Are Who We Are ultimately was the great performances of Grazer and Seamón as Fraser and Caitlin respectively. They were still very compelling to watch together as the back half featured more of them together and apart as their series-long arcs delivered despite the ending (though Fraser’s was a touch better). They pull viewers into their journeys through understated yet powerful performances which they take to another level during the back half as their collective pain and confusion are brought to the surface. Grazer and Seamón can deliver boatloads of emotion in the subtlest of ways as they each found their characters tested through moments of love and loss. Meanwhile, Sevigny, Braga, Mescudi, and Alabi were given more to do here as Sarah, Maggie, Richard, and Jenny respectively and were solid across the board with Sevigny being the standout among that group.

Overall, We Are Who We Are is an engaging teen drama that will surely provide the kind of escapism we need to get through these troubled times granted viewers can get behind its characters.

still courtesy of HBO

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.