Lodge 49 can best be described as indescribable

Decider

"At first glance, that admittedly paradoxical explanation can seem like a cop out, but AMC’s revelatory series ... truly is a show without a genre," says Josh Sorokach of the AMC series returning for Season 2 on Monday. "Created by Jim Gavin and executive produced by Paul Giamatti, Lodge 49 ostensibly centers on an exceedingly optimistic ex-surfer ('Dud,' portrayed by Wyatt Russell) who joins a fraternal order in the hopes of uncovering the answers to life’s most perplexing mysteries. Oh, and beer. The lodge has good beer, too. But that simple synopsis belies both the complexity and the innate relatability of the series. Lodge 49 exudes an innovative mix of SoCal noir and spiritual buoyancy, seamlessly bouncing between cynicism and mysticism. It’s not a series you can watch passively, but choosing to fully immerse yourself in the show’s blazingly unique journey is a decision you won’t regret. What sets Lodge 49 apart from lesser shows is its beautiful illustration of the push and pull between what life is and what life could be."

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• Lodge 49 stands out by being quiet: "It’s a show that foregrounds mood over plot; binge-friendly story beats or artificial cliffhangers are nowhere to be found," says Vikram Murthi. "Its deliberate pacing allows not just for characters to organically develop or individual moments to cement in the imagination, but also for a feeling to take root. That feeling lies at the intersection of community, long-term grief, a pervasive alienation befitting our cultural climate, and a spiritual magic that lies just out of reach. Though Lodge 49 is technically a 'hangout show,' that description doesn’t quite do justice to what it offers. It extends a sense of belonging for those who have always had trouble finding their niche."
• Lodge 49 is the perfect show for an era of spoiler-phobia run amuck: "I couldn't spoil the second season of AMC's Lodge 49 even if I wanted to," says Daniel Fienberg. "That's the good news. I could tell you everything that has happened in the four episodes sent to critics and it probably wouldn't make any sense to you, even if you were a devoted fan of the first season. It wouldn't impact the ample pleasures of those first four episodes."
• If Lodge 49 often seems to be about nothing, it also manages to say a lot about everything: "The tiny nature of it all is a feature, not a bug"
• Season 2 plunges into the world of the metaphysical, all while being grounded in real world experiences
• Wyatt Russell also has trouble describing Lodge 49: "I really don’t know, other than it is about the dichotomy of the life we all live"
• "The reason I like the show is because it's difficult to pinpoint one aspect of the show that I enjoy most," says Russell