Russian Doll, a brand new Netflix TV show, is out now, taking another stab at putting an innovative spin on the classic Groundhog Day time loop storytelling mechanic. And, oh boy, what a good job it does. Natasha Lyonne (of Orange is the New Black fame) plays Nadia, who keeps dying on the night of her own birthday party and reliving the same day over, and over, and over again. But it's when she meets Alan (played by Charlie Barnett) that things really get interesting - and totally brain-meltinᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚg at times. 

After you've inevitably binged the entire eight-episode season (and it'll only take you a gentle four hours, I might add), you're bound to have some questions about exactly what that Russian Doll ending really means. I know I did. Not only does it potentially pave the way for Russian Doll season 2, but it also leaves quite a lot of story threads wafting free in the breeze, so let's chat about them all in detail. Obviously, major story spoilers follow, so if you haven't reached the Russian Doll ending yet, you will absolute🍌ly want to avert your eyes.

1. What's the real story with Alan?

Throughout Russian Doll we learn a lot about Nadia's past. The issues with her mother and her death, how it felt for Nadia to deal with all that as a young girl, and her relationship with Ruth. But, beyond his relationship with Beatrice (and a little of his friendship with Ryan), we actually don't learn all that much about Aꩲlan - despite the fact that there's obviously deeper problems in his life. It's clear from his attention to detail in his home, some obsessive behaviours, and his cleanliness that he could have some form of OCD, but it's never really explained within the context of his life, or his time loops.

2. Who was the doctor Alan spoke to in episode 4?

Tied into the above is the visit to the hospital in episode 4, where he asks to see a doctor who obviously knows him. It's never properly explained who she is, and she neve꧟r appears again to flesh out her role in Alan's life. Well, after rewatching the episode, it turns out she's his mother. He says it very quickly and quietly when he first speaks to her, but it's definitely his mom. What's even more interesting is that her immediate reaction to his appearance isn't positive, but rather to ask him: "Aren't you meant to be at work? You can't skip work. You can't go skipping work again." The entire episode is called Alan's Routine, which only serves to fuel the idea that Alan has some kind of behavioural issues that his mother is no doubt privy to. 

3. Why did Ryan talk about Alan's Inner Circle?

Again linked to the idea that Alan has deeper-seated ꦆtroubles that have influenced the breakdown in his relationship and his attempted (or should that be successful?) suicide, there's an odd moment in episode 8 where Ryan tries to protect Alan from Nadia (at the point where they're existing in different timelines). Ryan says, "He's in a bad way, Inner Circle only". This kind of friendship/relationship pattern can be common to those with forms of autism, where when things get really bad, they retreat 🌼and react well only to those that they trust. Obviously for Alan, Ryan is one of those people, but it poses more questions about Alan's backstory than Russian Doll answers across the eight episodes. 

4. Why were Nadia and Alan chosen or become connected in the first place?

The lack of clarity around Alan's backstory also ties into the question as to why the two characters are thrown together in this mad time loop series anyway. Yes, they were capable of saving each other in some way after their interaction in Ryan's shop, but in the graꦍnd scheme of fate and reality, that feels far too inconsequential to link them in such a powerful, catastrophic way. Perhaps it's a question of destiny and the pair are going to be together forever - although I wouldn't want to try and explain howജ their romance started if there were ever any children to tell - but it's odd that these two random strangers are suddenly linked so inexplicably. Unless…

5. Is Oatmeal actually secretly some kind of time lord?

Now this might souཧnd like a bit of a stretch, but stranger things have happened. Nadia's cat, Oatme♏al, has been missing since episode 1. Well, actually Nadia sees him in the middle of episode 1, and it's when she tries to cross the road to go and get him that she's hit by the taxi that (first) kills her. Coincidence? Maybe not. 

. “That song is definitely the linchp🐬in that sets it all off.&rd🌌quo;

14. How do you *actually* get past that pit of death in Nadia’s videogame?

We saw Alan try and fail - multiple times - to get a key from Nadia’s easter egg character in the The Legend Ariadne, the first game she created. Every time he gives it a go he falls into a pit of spikes, which are apparently unavoidable (presumably the protagonist can’t jump). Then Nadia tried herself and couldn’t remember 𝔉how to get the key either. In a show like Russian Doll where there’s significance behind almost everything, what does this inability to get past the obstacle in Nadia’s game mean? 

Crucially (just like the last episode of the series) the game named The Legend Ariadne, a nod towards a mythical princess who helped Theseus escape from the Minotaur’s labyrinth by giving him a sword and a bal🌊l of thread to help him find the exit. So perhaps the game and this insurmountable obstacle reflects the impossible nature of Alan and Nadia’s quest to find a clear answer about why they’re stuck in an endless time loop - and how they will never truly escape the time-fuckery going on around them. Even though the answer about how to get past the pit of death is probably hidden somewhere in Nadia’s mind, just like how long it took for Nadia to confront her guilt about abandoning her mum, finding out how to beat her game is going to take a while. 

15. Will we get Russian Doll season 2?

Not only do we need all the above questions answered, but I know I'm definitely not ready to let go of Nadia and Alan, and even Horse and Oatmeal too. Well, you 💎can start to get excited, because there's a potential we could see more of Russian Doll, because of one quote from Lyonne herself in an interview with . 

"We definitely pitched it as this three-season idea and yet it’s so interesting to think about how൲ that shapes and morphs in the time since making it," said Lyonne. "Who knows if we’ll be lucky enough to go back down the rabbit hole. That’s tomorrow's question. But I think we have some ideas."

"What's such a good thing not only about this show but about the state of present-day television is 🌳that it can be so many things. I definitely have ideas that range from the really out-there anthology to staying on board with our friend Nadia."

"And maybe it’s all one idea. Certainly, what we pitched and the heart and soul of Russian Doll, I’d love to continue to get to work in that way. It’s very satisfying and kind of wild. I guess this is what they mean by Peak TV, that the creators are getting to actually make the things that for some crazy reason, the buyers and viewers are actually interest🍎ed in and that those two things are suddenly aligned. The id🍨ea that they would conceivably follow us on that course, should we jump off that cliff, it's pretty fun to even consider the fantasy."

Where do I sign up?

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