Loot Season 3 Episode 1 and 2 Review: Bye-Bye Mode / Would Hit

Loot Season 3 Episode 1, “Bye-Bye Mode,” drops us right back in the chaos with the utmost confidence in its absurdist voice.

Molly left Loot Season 2 Episode 10, “We Shouldn’t Exist,” in a bit of a mess. Distraught at Norman Lofton’s secret cult of billionaires trying to thwart her philanthropic efforts and discovering Arthur’s relationship with Willa, Molly and Nicholas take a jet to get as far away as possible.

This finale left Loot in an interesting position after an enjoyable, yet repetitious, second season. How does Molly move forward from both these heartbreaks? How does her foundation navigate this newfound foil?

“Bye-Bye Mode” opens with Molly and Nicholas waking up on an island to discover that their jet has crashed and left them stranded. Or so we think. It turns out, in an effort to allow Molly to escape from her heartbreak, Nicholas stages the plane crash on an island she won in her divorce that she never visits.

Loot always excels when it leans into the absurdity its premise paves the way for. From the opening scene, Loot announces it’s back but more confident than ever. The fake plane crash premise is a big swing, and it lands almost immediately, presenting perhaps one of the funniest stories the show has ever tackled.

If Loot Season 1 and 2 were about starting over, then Loot Season 3 is about moving forward and diving deeper for all our characters. Molly sees firsthand what it means to run from her problems. Equipped with real friends for the first time in her life, she decides to confront her challenges.

As the team prepares to leave, Arthur arrives on the island, revealing that he used all his saved miles to travel around the world to all of Molly’s properties in the hopes of finding her and confessing his love to her. You can’t help but love Arthur, and Nat Faxon’s adorkable warmth remains a cornerstone of this series. It’s also a relief that Molly and Arthur are not going to waste any more time.

“Bye-Bye Mode” primarily serves as a bridge from Season 2 to 3. Loot Season 3 Episode 2, “Would Hit,” is where the real groundwork for the rest of the season is laid.

Arthur and Molly, now a couple, realize they’ve never been on an official first date. Arthur plans a sweet dinner date that is hijacked by Nicholas, who is concerned that Arthur doesn’t know Molly’s various dietary restrictions and food allergies. The date itself paves an interesting path forward for not only Arthur and Molly but also Nicholas.

Loot hasn’t racked up much award recognition beyond Maya Rudolph’s hilarious work as Molly. One could make the case that anyone in this stacked ensemble is being overlooked, but none more than Joel Kim Booster.

Booster makes a meal out of every line hurled at Arthur during date prep. He delivers every joke with expert precision but also manages to make them feel unexpected and refreshing. On top of his comedic prowess, Booster also excels with intimate moments in which Nicholas struggles with prioritizing himself before this job.

It’s also refreshing to see Molly advocate for herself as she assures Arthur that she’s not as fragile as people think. In fact, Arthur ends up having a severe allergic reaction to the gold chain Nicholas gives him, so Molly must save the day. Through some expert physical comedy delivered by both performers, Molly removes the chain with some medical equipment on hand.

The chemistry between Rudolph and Faxon shines brightly both romantically and comedically. They play off each other well, constantly matching each other’s energy while leveling up the bit. It’ll be a treat to get to see them continue to play off each other in this new capacity.

Rudolph also continues to exude her signature goofy charm while exerting Molly’s slowly growing independence and competence. Not many performers could walk that tightrope, but Rudolph handles it with ease.

Loot always possessed the wit and charm to ascend to the heights of some of its peers. With this two-episode premiere, it feels like it finally believes that, stepping forward with confidence in its voice and its characters. There’s a lot of promise laid out, and I’m excited to see where we go.

Stray Thoughts

• It’s so sad to see Rhonda stay on the island because her one-liners were always gold. It also made perfect sense that she stay and elicited the biggest belly laugh out of me.
• The Henry Winkler Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Campaign begins now!
• I would like to see the production of Waiting for Godot starring Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale.
• Are Howard and Sofia’s sister, Destiny, going to have a romantic connection? 
• Speaking of, it’s very exciting to see Sofia with her family and get insight into why she is the way she is. 

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Loot streams Wednesdays on Apple TV.

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