Editorial note: Spoilers ahead for season one of “Long Story Short.”
Even before Raphael Bob-Waksberg’s new show “Long Story Short” hit Netflix last week, it had already been renewed for a second season. For us here at Hey Alma, it’s tickling to see perhaps the most Jewish animated series ever made be received with such enthusiasm by its streamer.
Season one followed the Schwooper clan over the course of their mother’s lifetime, from growing up in New York in 1959 all the way to California in 2022 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Viewers see children Avi (Ben Feldman), Shira (Abbi Jacobson) and Yoshi (Max Greenfield) have b-mitzvahs, go to prom (with disastrous results), meet their spouses, have kids, get divorced, accidentally join parents’ rights groups, go to shivas and so much more. A major through-line of the show is the expansiveness of Jewish identity, that there are so many different ways to be Jewish and practice Judaism, even just within the Schwooper family. And all those expressions of Jewishness are valid.
But, after all that, where does “Long Story Short” go from here?
Read on for season two predictions from Hey Alma associate editor Evelyn Frick, and Lior Zaltzman, senior writer for our partner site Kveller.
“We’re not done with Baby.”
I’m looking forward to having more Elliott on screen; I want a storyline about how he finds himself as a widower. Maybe he becomes a math joke influencer?
I really want an episode about the Zoom shiva, and maybe a Zoom seder. This show gets at COVID parenting reality so well and I feel like that would be so real.
I’m looking forward to finding out who Jen’s new beau is — will we see the return of John Early’s Jean-Pierre?
I want to see more of the Schwartz sisters! Maybe a Borscht Belt vacation with Naomi and her family?
I also really want a Baby comeback. We’re not done with Baby.
—Lior Zaltzman, senior writer at Kveller
“Yoshi meets a Modox woman and they get married. The Schwoopers then have to blend with this new family who’s more observant than they are.”
Hannah has her bat mitzvah and decides to fully claim her Jewish identity. My one qualm with season one is making Hannah out to be not Jewish because she’s patrilineal. Jews are Jews are Jews!
Raphael Bob-Waksberg has said he hasn’t ruled out talking about Israel/Palestine in future seasons. An easy way to prompt that discussion is to have Hannah consider going on Birthright.
Danny Wegbriet dies in some sort of zany accident. (Sorry, Danny.)
Yoshi meets a Modox woman and they get married. The Schwoopers then have to blend with this new family who’s more observant than they are.
More flashbacks including Naomi. It would be such a waste to lose Lisa Edelstein after the first season.
Baby Feldstein comes back into Shira’s life and tries to get her to cheat on Kendra. But obviously Shira would never do that to Kendra because Kendra is PERFECT.
We see Hannah grow up — high school years, college, getting married and potentially having her own kids.
We meet Jen’s new boyfriend and it’s someone Avi already knows. Maybe someone they went to college with?
Avi starts dating again and goes on a series of disastrous dates with women who remind him of his mom.
Please God, more Papa Troll.
—Evelyn Frick, Hey Alma associate editor
