I so much wanted a romantic happy ending for Carmen, Claire, and the restaurant. And yes, the existential angst of integrating career with relational fulfillment is real, and thus should not be extinguished just to build sappy audience approval. Initially, I too was frustrated with the disbelief I had to suspend regarding the cooler "prison" for Carmen. But...
Then it hit me. The ending was perfect, romantically and realistically. When Carmen takes some time to miss Claire, and analyzes the effect of his absence while in the cooler, he will see his absence, if anything, improved the restaurant. His people carried on. Claire's influence will fulfill him in ways he is yet to understand fully. Oh, that we all have a Claire in our lives.
Claire is brilliant intellectually, and hopefully her relational intelligence will accept Carmen's potential realization that he can have it all. His 110% allegiance to the restaurant can be 100%, and his fulfillment as a human being can also be 100%. I see a great love story, a realistic love story in the future. The oxymoron of realistic romance is the grist of the human condition. Bring on season 3!
Then it hit me. The ending was perfect, romantically and realistically. When Carmen takes some time to miss Claire, and analyzes the effect of his absence while in the cooler, he will see his absence, if anything, improved the restaurant. His people carried on. Claire's influence will fulfill him in ways he is yet to understand fully. Oh, that we all have a Claire in our lives.
Claire is brilliant intellectually, and hopefully her relational intelligence will accept Carmen's potential realization that he can have it all. His 110% allegiance to the restaurant can be 100%, and his fulfillment as a human being can also be 100%. I see a great love story, a realistic love story in the future. The oxymoron of realistic romance is the grist of the human condition. Bring on season 3!