Selective flashbacks work well when they clarify character history without explaining everything. Boyd’s backstory episode is a particular favorite, while Victor’s past strikes a useful balance between answers and mystery.
Pros: main cast performance, acting performance
Cons: writing quality, originality
The flashbacks can give the present-day mystery useful stakes and context. Other critics find the same device stingy with essential information or too busy adding disturbing incidents to clarify events.
Pros: main cast performance, acting performance
Cons: originality, season pacing
The Christmas episode supplies useful context for some viewers, but others find it padded, overpolished, and insufficiently revealing about Joanne’s past.
Pros: romance quality, cast chemistry
Cons: character appeal, writing quality