I’d been looking forward to the new season of My Brilliant Friend ever since the last season ended. Its arrival last night was even more anticipated as a respite from the news coming out of Ukraine. And so it proved to be, up to a point. The show, as excellent as it is, is sorely lacking in sympathetic characters; Ferrante is not a writer with a great generosity of spirit. Even Elena, a kind of gentle soul, is callous and unfeeling toward her mother.
