Chapters. (Season 2)

Life - The Biggest Atrocity

*Chapters.'* second season is subtitled **Atrocity Exhibitions** and follows a theme, unlike the preceding season. All episodes were written and directed by Mike Barkhoff, and all feature him in a role, whether main, supporting, or cameo.

The season was rewritten after Episode 4 due to COVID-19, to use no actors but himself. Due to this, his intended feature film Doppelgang was decided to be fit into the story. Also due to this, the cancelled debut feature film from Ashtun O'Rourke was trimmed into a short film and released in this season, under the newfound title Invasion.

This season featured ten episodes, released monthly in 2020 (excluding the months of May and September) and guest starred Darla Barkhoff, Skyler Neher, Jarrod Van Hauen, and Conner Paulsen. Every episode begins with a line of poetry, which forms into nothing, an idea Barkhoff had to fit the thematic structure.

Season 2 was met with critical acclaim due to its thematic structure, writing, and camerawork. A third season was formally announced following the season's end and followed in 2021, though retuning the series once more, becoming more collaborative and returning to the more anthological roots.

## Conception

Immediately following the conclusion of the first season, Barkhoff announced that the series would continue but would be delayed from their release schedule of 2019, instead appearing again in 2020. This was inspired by Donald Glover's television series "Atlanta", and Barkhoff's thinking that season two would've bared worse if it weren't for the gap between seasons.

Regardless, Barkhoff filmed an episode for Season 2 shortly after filming wrapped for the first season. Eventually, this would be scrapped when he turned to the thematic approach of the season.

The approach for the season was decided after the first episode. Notably, Barkhoff had doubts about continuing the series following his 2019 hiatus. He filmed the premiere episode, "WWW.CELL.SOCIETY" - which was intended to be Season 2's premiere episode - with plans to release it as a short film initially, before deciding to approach a second season.

At that point, Barkhoff had the idea to produce a second season that stuck to a thematic approach and followed a storyline that would remain secret until the end of the season.

## Cast

Mike Barkhoff appears in all episodes. In Episode 1, he portrays a party-goer, during the morning after, when he tries to charge his phone helplessly. In Episode 2, he portrays the dead body and later portrays a man at the end of the episode. Episodes 3 and 4 show him portraying a boyfriend, opposite Skyler Neher, who gets in a fight with his girlfriend. In Episode 5, he portrays a journalist who is mourning. Episode 6 sees him play an alcoholic having night terrors. Episode 7 shows him as an LSD abuser who takes too high of a dosage. In Episode 8, he portrays a man at home who is attacked by an invader. Episodes 9 and 10 show him playing a fictional version of himself.

Darla Barkhoff appears in Episode 2 as the cop.

Skyler Neher appears in Episodes 3 and 4 as the girlfriend. She was initially meant to be in Episode 9, but was cut out. Notably, she wasn't in the full length version of Doppelgang, either.

Jarrod Van Hauen portrays an intruder in Episode 8.

Conner Paulsen appears through a voiceover role in Episode 9.

Episode 10 features archival footage that shows many of Barkhoff's family and friends.

## Production

Barkhoff initially filmed the episode Room 4 as an episode for Season 2, which would up in it's third season instead. This episode was filmed the same day that INFINITE. wrapped filming.

Each episode fits under the theme of addictions and begins with a line of poetry. The lines of poetry form no coherent poem but instead relate to the episode's topic. Each line of poetry - aside from the first episode's - begins **and** ends with a comma. Barkhoff did this to imply the story, and the poetry, could be repetitive and in a "circular fashion" to highlight that problems don't simply go away.

Episodes 1 through 4 were each done prior to COVID. Episode 1 was filmed and edited and released in a matter of days and Barkhoff originally intended for it to be a short film before deciding to go back to Chapters. Episode 2, again, was filmed in it's premiere month. Episode 4 was the first episode filmed in advance, as it and 3 were filmed in the same day.

Because of COVID, much of the season was rewritten. Episodes 5 through 7 were effected by COVID and contain new plots, though Episode 5 was a "branch off" of the original idea. Initially, three bonus episodes were filmed, one helmed by Barkhoff, one by Dylan Van Hauen, and one by UGK David but were cut for two reasons. The first was to keep the season as all episodes being helmed by Barkhoff "to make it more personal" and the second, which meant his episode was also removed - stated above, because they didn't fit into the episodic lineup from a thematic view, with two of three containing more comedic explorations. All three of these episodes would go on to release in the following season.

Episodes 5 and 6 were also filmed on the same day. Due to the short notice of Windfall and it's release, Barkhoff left May open from an episode to capitalize on the film's release. Barkhoff shared a post regarding Episode 6 early on, the only time he did so for this season, save for Doppelgang - when it was intended to be the film, saying it was his "favorite thing he's done yet".

Episode 7 became a plot point when Barkhoff inherited a piece of garbage in a cardboard roll that new carpet was originally on. Due to bats in the basement where Barkhoff filmed, the tube had to be checked before filming for actor safety.

The month of September aired no new episode, instead being a marketing month for Norff's approaching album, Life Is Rough, which, until that same month, was being prepped for a release in the month of September.

Episode 8 was repurposed footage from what was intended to be the third film released by Barking Vans, half helmed by Ashtun O'Rourke and Sydney See, based on a short story by Shelbey Coy, entitled Twisted Sibling. The film fell apart due to Barkhoff's hiatus of 2019 and leaving him separated from the director's. It was released in October for callbacks to Horror Fest and was the only episode to receive a trailer, including Eminem's song "We As Americans". That episode saw original music done by Barkhoff, the only episode of the season, and also was one of two episodes to receive a poster ahead of release, the other being the next episode.

Episode 9 was initiailly going to be a full length film but was shortened due to Barkhoff being displeased with the outcome. He would later release the full length film in May of 2021. This episode was intended at one point to be Barkhoff's second film. Fitting in the overall story of the season, this episode reveals that Barkhoff has been in-universe for the previous eight episodes: each episode was something he was filming in a fictional world and he is removed from the fictional world now. As an addict in the fictional world, he was essentially mocking himself in the projects. Barkhoff later released the full film in 2021 - Doppelgang.

Episode 10 acts as a music video for Saba's song "Heaven All Around Me" and follows the previous episode, after Barkhoff's fictional self commits suicide unknowingly. This song was one of the main pieces of inspiration for the season, as Barkhoff's addiction lead him to being more depressed, and, upon hearing this song, he realized he was being ungrateful for the good things the world provided him. Barkhoff, again, was displeased with this episode, citing "COVID really f\*\*ked up my plans with that one. I was gonna have Darla come back from Episode 2 to really highlight the big reveal, and it was gonna be the first time my parents were in anything. We were gonna get a drone and make it look like I had a car wreck. What could've been."

## Reception

Season 2 received rave reviews from a wide source of audiences. Episodes 6 and 9 were chosen to go to Amazon Prime, and, in doing so, received a wider audience and even more positive reviews than initial. Episodes 3 and 4 were met with attention due to their structure of featuring the same characters in alternate circumstances. Episode 2 was met with high ratings, and Episode 6 is regarded as one of Barkhoff's best short films.

Episodes 8 and 10 were noted for being less "special" than prior episodes by many, particularly Episode 10, while Episode 9 was met with acclaim but also was noted for feeling "contrived" by some (following the release of this episode, Barkhoff would release the full version of the intended film - Doppelgang). Episode 8 was noted for its inconsistent pacing and lighting, due to the fact it was intended to be a full length movie and therefore saw a series of edits made on it.

Episode 10 was considered by some to be "lazy". Barkhoff expressed anger at COVID for ruining Episode 10 - see above - as he had a plan for a "really good" episode "unlike anything" he had made before. He admitted that he understood the criticism, but wanted the season to end on the note it did so it fit the "thematic tissue" that he concocted, so stuck with the concept to accomplish this.