The Mosquito Coast Season 2 Finale: Examining the Ending

Well, I saw the Season 2 finale of The Mosquito Coast on Apple TV+ late last night, and I was enjoying the episode immensely, until the ending, which I didn't like at all, because--

[Big spoilers ahead ... ]

Well, if you saw the episode, you'll know why.  Why kill Allie?

Let's look at this a little more closely.  First, is Allie really dead?  I have a fundamental principle about death of characters in my television reviews.  If you don't see the character's head blown off, or the character blown to bits, he or she may still be alive.  Actually, shows like 24 sometimes violated that rule, or came pretty close, so let's say that principle holds in 99% of television series.

So, what exactly happened to Allie?  He was shot in the back by Lee (I hate that character), but certainly was alive after that to be able to touch a button that blew up the whole building he was in.  So things look pretty grim for Allie.  But, since we didn't literally see him blown to bits, I'd say there's an outside chance he survived.

What we do see is Margot, Dina, and Charlie enjoying that Mosquito Coast island sometime later.  Allie wasn't with him.  But he could be back in a shack convalescing.  I don't know if I'd bet on that,  But it's certainly possible.

There's been no announcement yet from Apple TV+ about a third season of The Mosquito Coast.  I suppose there could be a third season without Allie, and I suppose it could be as good as the first two seasons, but, at this point, I don't know if I would want to see the story continue without Allie.  He was -- I hope, is -- the central character in the narrative.

So the best I can say is maybe I'll see you back with here with reviews of Season 3, if there is one -- and, hey, I did entitle this review "Season" rather than "Series" finale -- and I'll certainly be here with reviews of a third season if it has Allie alive and well ... and well, he's never exactly been well, but you know what I mean.  

See this review by  Jonathon Wilson in Ready Steady Cut for a different opinion.

See also The Mosquito Coast 2.1: Thirteen Years Ago ... The Mosquito Coast 2.4: Motion Pictures on the Cave Wall ... The Mosquito Coast 2.5: Hitting the Fan ... The Mosquito Coast 2.6: Close Calls ... The Mosquito Coast 2.7: Sandpiper ... The Mosquito Coast 2.8: Hari Seldon in Mexico ... The Mosquito Coast 2.8: Dina's Story and Margot's Story

And see also The Mosquito Coast 1.1-2: Edgy, Attractive, Enlightened, and Important ... The Mosquito Coast 1.3: Broadening Horizons ... The Mosquito Coast 1.4: Charlie and the Gun ... The Mosquito Coast 1.5: Charlie and the Gun, Part II ... The Mosquito Coast 1.6: What Kind of Brother? ... The Mosquito Coast season 1 finale: I'm Well Bitten

See also my essay, Foundation, Dune, and LaPlace's Demon