SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers for Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat Episode 9 and Episode 10.

Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat Episode 9 and Episode 10 are the proper finale for the season. Now viewers know why the season finale fell somewhat flat: because Prime Video was holding back for these two “bonus episodes.” Entitled “The Meeting” and “The Retreat,” and filmed during the same period six months after shooting wrapped, these are everything that was missing from Company Retreat‘s original ending and then some.

“The Meeting” is what every Jury Duty fan has wanted from moment one: a sit-down between Anthony Norman and Ronald Gladden. Everyone has been comparing and contrasting Season 1 and Season 2 in their heads as they watch, so it’s great to hear what the two people involved actually think about it. Sitting at a (seemingly) nondescript diner in Los Angeles, the two also validate what’s been obvious all along—that Anthony and Ronald would be fast friends. It’s genuinely heartwarming to see them together and be reminded of why both of them were the right choice for the show.

For people watching from the beginning, it’s also just nice to see Ronald again and to see that he is still the same person audiences fell in love with from Jury Duty Season 1. Neither “The Meeting” nor “The Retreat” go into detail about what he’s been doing since the series, so anyone wondering where he is now may feel let down. But he’s still as charming as ever, and what makes “The Meeting” work is that there’s a true back-and-forth between Ronald and Anthony. They’re each honestly interested in what the other has to say, asking questions of one another, instead of just sitting there talking about their own individual experiences.

The one “but” to be had is the “surprise,” which is really just that the duo don’t know they’re being filmed for this episode. The audience is told that a surprise is coming, and yet when it turns out to be the same surprise that fans have seen before, it feels a little underwhelming. It would’ve been better to not create that expectation and just let viewers go along for that last “what the” moment, being as naive as Anthony and Ronald when they get that phone call.

But it’s a wise move to give them their own separate episode, one-to-one and almost entirely without any hijinks, because that’s what the audience wants. Fans just want that conversation and the connection between two people that they feel like they know. There’s something sweet about this half-hour of TV that is at its heart just two good dudes sitting down and talking about being good people. (And shoutout to Anthony’s mom, who figured out what was going on way before he did.)

“The Reunion” is what “Employee Review” should have been. It reveals things that Jury Duty fans will be genuinely surprised by and/or laugh uproariously at, such as the fact that the character Jimmy was named as such because actor Jim Woods couldn’t stop introducing himself with his real name. It’s not just the technicalities of how Company Retreat got made (though there is some of that), it’s anecdotes that give viewers insight into the emotions of the experience—which is the whole reason the show exists. Anyone who wonders what the point of Jury Duty is should watch the sequence in which the cast sees the big confrontation from “Mergers & Acquisitions” for the first time.

Getting James Marsden to host “The Reunion” is really the only possible choice. The ever-busy Marsden is still an executive producer on Jury Duty, but he’s also the one host that viewers will immediately jump on board with. Having a random person who had no connection to the franchise would feel weird and inauthentic. Plus, viewers know from “The Verdict” that Marsden is genuinely interested in not only the show but what it represents. There’s a brief shot of his reaction watching some Company Retreat footage for the first time, and it’s clear that he’s really moved by it.

(Marsden also deserves bonus points for fully committing to the Jury Duty Season 1 bit by showing up playing the “jackass” version of himself, as Ronald describes it. That’s not at all necessary, but it’s hilarious. And it once again speaks volumes about his character, that he’s willing to play that guy for another laugh.)

The conversation is entertaining throughout, and viewers will leave these two episodes with a better appreciation of Season 2. The biggest complaint about both “The Meeting” and “The Reunion” is that they’re not long enough. Prime Video is probably wanting to stick with the half-hour run times that Jury Duty fans are used to, but if there’s any time to run over, this is it. Both conversations feel like they’re just getting started. Particularly in “The Reunion,” Marsden asks good questions and seems like he could ask even more. For example, when he talks to actor Ryan Perez about having to carry the whole show on his shoulders in the beginning, it’s something audiences didn’t know and it’s immediately a lightbulb moment.

The almost complete absence of the folks who played the Triukas team is also noticeable; this might come down to wanting to keep the reunion limited to the Rockin’ Grandma’s team, but it would’ve been cool to see Wendy Braun make an unexpected villainous re-entrance midway through the reunion. (If she had walked in right after they’d played that footage, it would’ve been fantastic to see Anthony’s reaction.) Writers Rachel Hein and Chris Kula, who played her henchmen Jean and Lee, are seen but only in audition footage. Since the Triukas characters were in multiple episodes, that does feel like a missing piece.

Prime Video has already announced that, just like Jury Duty Season 1, the whole Company Retreat season is going to be re-released with commentary from Anthony and a small group of cast members. That may answer some of the unasked questions from “The Reunion.” The bigger question is if this works for future seasons—because there absolutely should be a Jury Duty Season 3. But does the show want to piecemeal out its best parts like this? Or does it make sense to scale things back down? That’ll be a question for the future.

For now, “The Meeting” and “The Reunion” will satisfy Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat fans who wanted more after the finale. They’re also a fun reward for people who watched both seasons and get to see Ronald again, and see how he reacts to the show as now an outsider. They’re not all that could be said about Season 2, but they’re pretty awesome. And what’s most important is that—if you’re not already—these episodes will make you a card-carrying member of the Anthony Norman Fan Club.

Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat is now streaming on Prime Video. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video.

Article content is (c)2020-2026 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.