PEACEMAKER Season 2 Review

Review

With stock in DC Studios riding high following the success of Superman. Studio co-chair James Gunn is striking whilst the iron is hot with the return of his most outlandish endeavour to-date, Peacemaker. Over three years since the first series wrapped, John Cena’s imposing anti-hero is back for an all-new adventure. One which is fully prepared to surprise, delight and upset at any given moment. Strap yourselves in for a thrilling season of pure undiluted James Gunn!

As it’s been a little while since Peacemaker was on our screen the second season opens with a handy recap featuring events from The Suicide Squad and the first season of the show. For any new fans jumping onboard it’s the perfect jumping on point with your homework assignment already completed for you. It’s succinct in reminding us exactly why we love the 11th Street Kids and how they came to be in the state we find them in when we pick up their story…

I’ve had the chance to watch the first five episodes of the eight episode season. So right off the bat I can confirm that most of season 2’s marketing has focussed on events in these episodes. Where the season will wrap up is anyone’s guess but there’s certainly a major effort to conceal where this epic story ends up. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This time around the full season is written by Gunn. But due to his directing commitments on Superman he only directs three episodes of the season, starting with episode one. He’s joined on directing duties by Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, and Alethea Jones. The mix of directors does nothing to hamper Gunn’s fingerprints on the show’s infallible style.

After defeating the butterflies the 11th Street Kids have gone back to everyday life. After outing her mother to the press Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) is forging her own path in private security. Waller, not seen on screen during the episodes I have seen, has blacklisted Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) from working with any US agency for inspiring Adebayo’s actions. Adrian (Freddie Stroma) has gone back to his job at Fennel Fields whilst Economos (Steve Agee) still works at A.R.G.U.S. Meanwhile Chris (John Cena) is struggling to find his place in the world. The gang might have saved humanity from an alien invasion but that hasn’t translated to recognition of any form. Chris interviews to join the Justice Gang, warranting cameos from several Superman actors, but they don’t want him. This wonderful group of characters may have each other but each is broken.

That emptiness each of them feels is Gunn’s in with season 2. In many ways Peacemaker is a family drama. It just happens to take place in a world filled with superpowers. So those core human emotions and the journey these characters take to return to each other are the backbone of the narrative. John Cena and Jennifer Holland share the heaviest burden. Whilst Peacemaker is doing his best to runaway from his problems, using his father’s portal technology to escape to another Earth in the multiverse. Harcourt is physically taking out her issues on the world and herself. Both Cena and Holland surprise in the depths they are able to take their characters.

When Chris is at his lowest, Cena is really able to show a range which many will think a wrestler-cum-actor is incapable of. The return of Robert Patrick as Chris’ father Auggie and introduction of David Denman’s character afford Cena plenty of opportunities to impress. I’ve said this before but he was born for the Peacemaker role and this season cements that fact. Meanwhile Holland’s physicality as Harcourt is as intense as it has ever been. The reluctance to make human connection is really the brick wall in her path. We see Harcourt conflicted by a lot of different emotions in season 2. Gunn dips in to her backstory, making connections to The Suicide Squad and season 1, to expand the character. The notion of romance between the two is also a driving force for the narrative this season. So their scenes together are crucial to understanding their respective journeys.

The consequences of these two personalities being rocked by their respective crises reverberates through the rest of the cast. Adrian continues to idolise Chris. But with Chris so wrapped up in his own issues he essentially forgets to acknowledge his so-called best friend even exists unless he needs him. It’s tragic to see for a character like Adrian who struggles with emotional connections. But it also creates one of the most impactful scenes in the season in episode 5. The consequences are most interesting for Economos. Continuing to work for A.R.G.U.S. he finds himself caught in the middle as new director Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) seeks revenge against Chris for the death of his son. It forces Economos to perhaps finally acknowledge he has friends and Gunn finds the most impactful way to explore that without compromising the inherent comedy of the character.

This leaves Adebayo to become the mother of the group. We see her chauffeuring Chris to interviews. Collecting him in crises. But also she turns up to support each member of the 11th Street Kids when they need her. All despite potentially losing her wife and home in the process. There’s a reason Danielle Brooks is a Tony, BAFTA, Oscar and Emmy-award nominee. Adebayo is downright relatable. It’s impossible not to feel like you know this character in real life as she is just so down to Earth.

Joining the cast this season are Grillo as the aforementioned Rick Flag Sr. the new director of A.R.G.U.S. first introduced in Creature Commandos and seen briefly in Superman. It’s interesting to see his character in a new light against in his third DCU appearance. Emotionally his arc feels relatable as he grapples with the grief of losing his son. But his actions are so questionable that they fit perfectly in to the more outlandish, comic book setting of the series. Joining Flag at A.R.G.U.S. is Sasha Bordeaux (Sol Rodriguez), a character with established history in DC Comics. Rodriguez is a great addition to the cast throwing herself head first in to a role which could potentially develop in to a recurring player across the DCU.

Together this ensemble is a mighty James Gunn fighting force. The series works because of the synergy between cast and writer. It’s clear these guys get what Gunn is trying to do. Equally he’s aware of their greatest strengths as actors. That results in a show which thrives on improvisation and melodrama. It’s an exciting and unpredictable experience to watch unfold. As with season 1 it continues to walk a delicately balanced tightrope between comedy and superhero drama. Utilising violence and action to further its narrative arcs rather than as pure spectacle. Overall it further cements statements from Gunn that each DCU project will reflect a different tone and approach to storytelling.

For those hunting for Gunn’s usual level of easter eggs need to be prepared. There are plenty of DC deep cuts right from the outset. Whilst Superman isn’t required homework, its story does impact on some events in season 2. The season is also clearly forwarding certain arcs in the wider DCU. But as with season 1 a lot of the characters and nods to the source material are authentically weaved in to the fabric of the story.

Verdict

Peacemaker season 2 proves that the best superhero stories are really family dramas in disguise. Gunn has crafted a season that digs deeper into these broken characters, elevating everything that worked about the first season while pushing the story into genuinely surprising territory. The 11th Street Kids prove once again that the DCU’s greatest strength lies in its willingness to embrace the weird and wonderful.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐