I’ve been interested in Joe Swanberg’s work ever since I saw his 2013 film Drinking Buddies.

At the time, this is what I had to say:  It’s a small film with a personal feel; let’s call it individual, independent, authentic, tasty, and occasionally surprising but not quirky. That’s not a criticism.  

Working with microbudgets (fitting scale since Drinking Buddies is set in a craft brewery), Swanberg is a darling of the mumblecore movement. As much as I’ve appreciated his film work, I think he really hits his stride with the Netflix series Easy (two seasons currently available to stream), which follows various characters–sometimes their worlds overlap–around Chicago.

The first episode (there are eight per season) stars Elizabeth Reaser and Michael Chernus as a couple whose sex life has grown stale after twenty years together. There storyline continues, but not in consecutive  episodes.

Now that I know how some of the characters are woven in and out of various episodes, I want to go back and watch everything again from the beginning. I have a predilection for slice of life dramas, and the slow development of some of these characters over time is engaging and satisfying over time.

Also, watching these actors have the space to create and practice their craft is a delight…from newer faces like Dave Franco and Zazie Beets…

…to longtime favorites like Jane Adams. I can lose myself in these episodes and enjoy a series that is designed for grown-ups who care about stories that can’t be reduced to a single concept or predictable formula.

Part of the appeal for me is that the characters represent different stages and walks of life. In the final episode of the second season, Kate Micucci makes a return appearance after a supporting role in S1E6 at a time of transition for her.

What will happen, if anything, in her storyline? I have no idea, which is part of the appeal.

I can’t wait to see who will return in Season 3 of Easy and how their lives will unfold and overlap.