'Unauthorized Living' Season 2 Ending On Netflix: Did It Satisfy?

Image by Telecinco / Netflix

What a ride. “Unauthorized Living” (“Vivir sin permiso”) took viewers on a wild one as it hurtled towards its Season 2 ending, and apparently, its ending overall. Based on what I could find online, it seems that those who just binged the second season on Netflix also watched the last one.

Beware: Spoilers for the Season 2 ending of “Unauthorized Living” are discussed below.

If you have finished watching “Unauthorized Living” Season 2 on Netflix, the series ending with the finale makes a lot of sense. Mediaset Contents’ Manuel Villanueva told Bluper the two installments mark a “very closed story.” So, it is time to get into how things ended. Did Nemo survive the Season 2 finale, and did Mario really get his just desserts? Find out!

Nemo vs. The Artegas

In the end, Nemo executes one last elaborate plan on “Unauthorized Living.” He makes a faux truce with the Artegas and lures them to the mansion. As everything is about to converge at Bandeira headquarters, Nemo has an Alzheimer’s spell that takes him to the beach. After arriving at the mansion’s gates, German Artega shoots his son, Daniel, believing he has betrayed him.

Related: ‘Unauthorized Living’ Season 2 Review: Did Mario Survive?

German looks for Nemo, and when he cannot find him, he grabs Lara and threatens to shoot her. Since Nemo is not around, it looks hopeless, until a shot rings out. Daniel shoots German. Father and son end up collapsing and dying on each other on the mansion’s grounds. The end of the Artegas.

Chon / Nemo / The Doctor

Chon is gone! After taking off with her doctor beau, Chon does not look back, and “Unauthorized Living” never shows her again. She sticks with her decision to divorce Nemo, giving up the mansion and her inheritance to be with Nemo’s doctor. Before leaving, Chon literally kisses Nemo goodbye, telling him that she really did love him.

Related: Best TV of 2019: ‘Unauthorized Living’ and more!

Nemo seems momentarily moved by his wife’s confession. It was hard to read what exactly Nemo was feeling at that point. Did he have any feelings for Chon at all? I had been hoping Nemo did. Apparently, he did not. “Unauthorized Living” ends with Chon living happily ever after with her doc. It is not the ending I wanted for her, but oh well.

Lara / Mario / Nina

This is pretty straight forward. Lara and Mario appear to get together. Nina decides not to hold Mario to her demand for them to leave Oeste together. She pitches a co-parenting deal with no romantic strings attached. “Unauthorized Living” subsequently gives Mario the happiest of endings. He gets to have a baby with Nina and enjoys a happy ending with Lara.

Related: Let’s Discuss The Ending of ‘Unauthorized Living’ Season 1

“Unauthorized Living” clearly wanted to draw a parallel between Mario’s love triangle and Nemo’s. History will supposedly not repeat itself thanks to Nina having to accept losing yet another aspect of her life to Lara. There are many reasons this is frustrating. One of them being that Mario did not earn it. More on that later.

The Final Moments

“Unauthorized Living” ends with Nemo sitting on the beach as he hallucinates Lara’s mother, Ada, welcoming him into the waves. As a distraught Ferro comes on the scene of his best friend lapsing, he asks an unresponsive Nemo to name his children. Nemo does not say anything and appears completely gone from reality.

A tearful Ferro realizes that Nemo will not answer him. Hence, Nemo has arrived at the point he asked Ferro to kill him upon arriving at. Ferro does not want to do it but emotionally fulfills his fateful promise to his friend. “Unauthorized Living” ends with Nemo having been euthanized by Ferro on the beach.

Thoughts On The Ending

The ending of “Unauthorized Living” left this viewer with a lot of mixed emotions. Season 2’s final moments obviously closed the door on any hope of Nemo surviving. Throughout Season 2, I had hoped that Nemo would be given a lasting, miracle cure. It never came, although the show gave us a temporary reprieve.

Most upsetting is that Mario basically murdering Carlos never got revealed. If Mario was so “changed,” why did he not come clean to Nemo about what he did? Instead, Nemo took the blame for all of the vile things Mario did in the name of Mario, getting what he “rightfully” felt was “his.”

Lara and Mario = No

The coupling of Lara and Mario never appealed to me. “Unauthorized Living” worked to make them as copacetic as possible, but there were too many foundational issues. Mario just kept wearing Lara down after she learned one more rotten thing about it him after another. That Mario kept feeling entitled to Lara and happiness he did not earn, says a lot.

Mario never changed. He was a master manipulator, who convinced everyone around him they were to blame for what he did to ruin their lives. If Mario truly felt convicted for his terrible deeds, Mario should have exited Oeste without anyone. It is what he deserved. That said, the charisma of Mario’s portrayer (Álex González) goes a long way in making Mario’s fate less grating.

Many Plots Undone

Chon never fully learned that her sister, Berta, had been murdered. Nor did Chon get any justice for Carlos. Mario got away with everything and with the best ending of all. I just cannot agree that is what he deserved. “Unauthorized Living” took the “Game of Thrones” route when it came to meting out justice.

Nemo’s illegitimate empire was destroyed. Everyone got arrested, and Nemo’s kids are free to live their lives. I am guessing they will be financially taken care of through Open Seas’ legitimate assets. On the law enforcement front, it was deeply troubling that Montessero got away clean. He was corrupt and awful.

About Mario's Redemption

I do not think it was Nemo’s fault for Mario making his first wife get an abortion or for Mario essentially killing Carlos. It was Mario’s greed that did that. If he was genuinely loyal to Nemo, he would have accepted Nemo’s decision to choose one of his children as his successor. Mario threw a lethal tantrum.

It reminds me of the situation in “Yellowstone” Season 2, wherein Kevin Costner’s John Dutton slighted his son-like ally, Rip, in favor of his biological son, Kayce. Rip did not throw a fit. He accepted it and continued earning the respect of his mentor by doing so. If Mario had done that on “Unauthorized Living,” I could have seen Nemo justifiably seeing the “error” of his ways.

Last Reflections

Nemo’s decision kicked off everything, and Season 2 was about the ripple effect. I wish that Nina and Nemo had gotten a chance to reconcile before the ending. “Unauthorized Living” kept prioritizing Lara and Nemo’s relationship over his and Nina’s. Nina and Nemo shared the most incredibly heartfelt moments last season, and I had hoped to see that dynamic restored.

“Unauthorized Living” was an entertaining ride. That is more than many shows can say. The ending did not tie everything up in a nice bow, which was to be expected. Most series seem to be leaning away from that these days. Season 2 does not make another installment necessary. Of course, I would not mind one so that Carlos could be restored and get revenge on Mario.

Season 1 and Season 2 of “Unauthorized Living” are currently streaming on Netflix. It is one of the best TV shows available on the platform, so it will be missed. A thrill ride without a complete equal. Did it satisfy you? Sound off in the comments section below!