Episodes watched: 5 out of 8
Who knew a spin-off TV series starring The Suicide Squad‘s John Cena’s muscle headed, gun-totting anti-hero would become one of the DCEU’s best and most successful exports?! That’s not to mention producing one of TV’s best and most unskippable opening-credits sequence ever. But with a significant reshuffle and reset at DC – with James Gunn at the helm launching the new-look DCU – it’s taken a long three years for a second series to finally hit our screens. Can Gunn continue his winning streak following the success of Creature Commandos and Superman?
Chris (Cena) and the 11th Street Kids are finally back with a bang for a second round of blood-soaked mayhem, but long gone is the invasion of the bonkers butterflies. Instead, Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) is on the scene – and he’s on the warpath following the death of his son. Meanwhile, Peacemaker has discovered an alternate world amidst the QUC, (the Quantum Unfolding Chamber) where life is everything he ever wished it could be. But this parallel universe soon proves a distraction from the growing danger that’s after him.
You’ve got to hand it to James Gunn and how he crafts his characters, as he somehow has us rooting for some of the most ridiculous, damaged and outrageous individuals. His talent for making us laugh at – and then subsequently cry over – several rag tag bands of misguided misfits is second to none. And the second season of Peacemaker once again reinforces the directors’ ability to deftly flit between comedy and tragedy, but with plenty of f-bombs, violence and familiar faces to boot along the way.
Continuing the heartfelt but outrageous character study, we see Peacemaker grappling with his daddy issues and his past which comes back to haunt him, which are compounded by the reality of a newly discovered parallel universe – think Sliding Doors and what could have been. But the draw of this alternate life, through the use of the QUC, attracts the attention of ARGUS and Rick Flag Sr following Lex Luthor’s disastrous actions in Superman. And here’s where the biggest change lies – the predominantly self-contained story of the first season turns into a fully multiversal project, with plenty of ties and connective tissue to Superman, The Suicide Squad and Creature Commandos.
While thankfully it’s not to the detriment of the show as a whole, it does mean certain character arcs’ feel almost retconned in order to connect to other projects and in turn, tie into the larger universe. However, all the elements fans have come to know and love – the dark and gross-out humour, the R-rated violence, hair metal songs and nuanced performances – are still there in bags. Plus, there’s still a compelling story to be told within the confines of the larger multiverse, but for those are tired of endless interconnecting projects – this may prove a bit of a bug bear.
“All I’ve ever wanted is to be a real hero” Peacemaker painfully admits, and despite him and the misguided gang saving the world, they still can’t catch a break. Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) has been blacklist, Adebayo’s (Danielle Brooks) relationship is in tatters, Adrian Chase/Vigilante (Freddie Stroma) goes back to working at Fennel Fields and Chris’ interview for the Justice Gang goes hilariously wrong. This band of self-destructive oddballs will indeed have you laughing out loud one moment, but wiping away tears the next. Buckle up for an emotional rollercoaster, as there’s plenty of gut punches and shocks along the way.
The outstanding ensemble once again thoroughly impress in this found family superhero dramedy, with John Cena once again surprising in the more poignant moments, as he takes on a lot of the heavy lifting. Holland shines in Harcourt’s physically intense sequences, sharing a complex chemistry with Cena, especially as her backstory is revealed. Meanwhile, Brooks and Stroma excel as Peacemaker’s emotional ties, with the former shining in one of the most impactful scenes yet in the fifth episode. Eagly totally steals the show though, and is afforded their own barmy plot. There’s also plenty of familiar cameos throughout, along with a crazy new alien creature!
It’s also still just as violent and outrageous as ever, complete with an eye-gouging Eagly and a shocking orgy rivalling The Boys. Proving a Gunn staple, there’s plenty of bangers throughout, including music from Ozzy Osbourne and Foxy Shazam. And yes, there’s a new dance in the opening-credits sequence, but to say anymore would be spoiling the experience!
Verdict
Equally hilarious and heartbreaking, Peacemaker season 2 continues to be one of the best (and most absurd!) DC projects yet, and is definitely well worth the long wait. While it’s a more sombre offering, grappling with redemption and regret, there’s still plenty of ridiculous laugh-out-loud moments to revel in, with the cast clearly having the time of their life!
