Soundtrack #2 tries to capture the charm and appeal of its predecessor but ultimately stumbles under the weight of the narrative choice it makes. The series hinges on the classic breakup trope. If you were to look up the term “narrative device,” the breakup would be a prime example, if only for the number of stories it allows characters to tell and the different ways those stories can be told. Yet what makes a breakup a breakup story is the different ways in which it can’t help but carry a character through any number of twists, turns, bumps, and slides along the arc of a narrative.
The most noticeable defect in the show is its demand to keep a light and fluffy tone. The series does not take the appearance of a breakup seriously. It is a serious matter, and just as in real life, breakups involve figuring out how to navigate conflict, paths of personal growth, and relationship complexities. Yet, Soundtrack #2 blows past these elements as if they are irrelevant to the story being told. The critical, and not-so-pretty, business of understanding the essence of the relationship and what led to its demise is sidestepped for a superficial cast of characters who seem to have it all, even after they don't.
In addition, the characters themselves show little to no growth throughout the series. Stuck in a perpetual state of dormancy, they occupy moments in time that simulate the significant past events that should have elicited emotional and intellectual growth in them. After all that time has passed he is the same impetuous, clueless person he was when he and his partner first broke up. The FL one the other hand is immutable.
At its core, Soundtrack #2 is a deficient sequel that doesn't even approach the "predecessor's" success. The show, in its plucky ambition to remain lighthearted, not only flirts with but also quite often totally ignores the heavy lift of its breakup narrative. The very nature of the matter being addressed—love (and its unfortunate sidekick, conflict)—is in desperate need of a meaningful guide through the blind alleys of character development, a direct path to an insincere, half-hearted exploration of the signposts and hazards along the way.