Same here. I thought it was starting to finally realize some of its potential in the second season and by the cliffhanger ending it was extremely promising for season 3. I think not only was season one intriguing, and season two utterly fascinating, but that it was really building momentum toward a fantastic season three. It's the absolute perfect example of a show that was damaged by its cancellation.

OA was fantastic.

Often it’s the most creative and least formulaic shows that get cancelled :(

I always describe The OA as not necessarily "good" per se, but extremely interesting and unique. I would really like to have seen where they were going with it.

Seconding this! That finale is almost more perfect never pursued; what it implies about the show's future direction is so bonkers, maybe it's better as a beautiful mystery. It's a hell of a coup de grace for a show that always had a lot to offer its audience even while it kept them guessing.

It felt like they were going for a sort of fusion of Sliders and Quantum Leap. It felt very, very different. I liked that. Bonus for the rare transmasculine representation in TV.

Except that they had clearly written themselves into a corner. Bringing the real actors into the show is the equivalent of writing about writing a story.

Well, the story was pitched as unfolding over 5 seasons. It seems more likely that you just don't like where they wanted to take the show.

Which can be perfectly fine. I would have trusted them to make it work somehow.

I did that once with Lost. Never again.