Summary
As reality lifestyle series goes, this one feels less forced and rehearsed and was enjoyable to watch—an easy guilty pleasure.
We review the Netflix reality series My Unorthodox Life season 2, which will be released on December 2nd, 2022.
Julia Haart and her family are back to tackle more personal and professional challenges in the second season of My Unorthodox Life. If you’re new to this reality series, season one first premiered in July 2021 and followed the life of Julia Haart, who, after fleeing her ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, inspired millions around the world with her story of liberation.
The series surrounds her daily life in New York City after previously leaving and living in an ultra-orthodox Jewish community space. Like season one, season two has nine episodes which are roughly forty-five minutes each. There is more drama and pace in this second season than in the first, and this is due to the major storyline of Julia’s and Silvio’s divorce.
The first episode opens with Silvio leaving their apartment in New York, Julia crying, and being comforted by her children. Julia’s four children feature in this show, especially the three eldest, Shlomo, Batsheva, and Miriam Haart, who now live in Manhattan, New York, with her. It’s implied that Silvio didn’t care for her children, that they now both want different things in life, and as there’s no fighting, this divorce is simple. However, when Silvio hires one of the meanest, most notorious lawyers in New York City, Julia’s back is up and she’s ready for war.
Each episode has a good mix of drama, glamour, fashion, and Julia’s fight for her business, family, and freedom. There is a high theme of relationships and sexuality. We see her influencer, model daughter showcase her daily life and skills, and her new single life. Both mother and daughter are going through divorces at the same time, both embracing the single, dating life, the freedom, and finding independence. One of her daughters is gay and celebrating that part of her with an extreme party. We also get to see the lives of her business friends, from their open relationship to major surgeries, and of course, shopping.
Between the partying and self-exploration, there are the struggles and bitterness of divorce. Silvio attacks Julia in many ways, including in the media, stripping her of her business title, firing her and her friends/colleagues, and trying to take all of the possessions in her apartment. This is a serious divorce.
There is a small insight into their previous ultra-Jewish religion, mostly relating to the daughter’s recent divorce. However, you can tell that Julia has been a victim and fought for her freedom before and she’s going to do it again. It’s key to note that Haart herself and her daughters have said that she is not against the religion, Julia is against the fundamentalism within the religion.
By the final episode, the drama is still happening with Julia, from taking home a twenty-three-year-old from a club to bartering for engagement rings. We also have Julia’s foundation to help women come to life, and this is an extremely important and critical development and will be very influential in many people’s lives.
Julia’s story in this season is the inspiration that at any age you can pick yourself up and restart and re-make a life you want and deserve. Julia’s life story is able to give hope and reason to people who may be in a similar situation; maybe struggling or feeling controlled by their family or religious backgrounds. Will there be a season three? Maybe. I think if they do, it should be the last before they become mundane and boring.
What did you think of Netflix’s My Unorthodox Life season 2? Comment below.
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