AfterSuperman’s much-deserved box office success, James Gunn’s DC Universe is back with its next installment, and whilePeacemakerseason 2 sharesSuperman’s blend of heart, humor, and eye-popping comic book spectacle, it couldn’t be more different. The new season ofPeacemakerrecaptures everything that made season 1 so special — the pitch-black humor, the delightfully grisly action, and, of course, John Cena’s revelatory performance as an antihero reckoning with his grim past and trying to become a better person — but it tells its own story, explores totally different themes, and expands the cast with some exciting new additions.
LikeSeverance,Andor, andWednesday,Peacemakerpremiered in 2022, and it’s taken three years to deliver season 2 (but those were three very busy years for Gunn).Peacemakerbegan airing under the now-defunct DCEU, soseason 2 was faced with the challenge of transitioning the character into Gunn’s new and improved DCUwithout confusing the audience. And it manages to pull it off by not worrying about it too much. The opening recap casually retcons a couple of minor things from season 1, so it’s as if it were a part of this universe all along.
This new season seamlessly blends characters fromSuperman, like Hawkgirl, Guy Gardner, and Rick Flag, Sr., into the ensemble ofPeacemaker. The Green Lantern who wiped out the Boravian armed forces with giant green middle fingers is a perfect foil for Peacemaker. IfSupermanrepresented this new DCU at its warmest and most family-friendly,Peacemakerseason 2shows just how dark and depraved it can get with blood-drenched action scenes and a shocking amount of HBO’s signature on-screen nudity. There are plenty of moments in this show whereGunn goes back to his Troma origins.
Peacemaker Season 2’s Multiverse Story Has A Real Dramatic Purpose
The Alternate Dimension Isn’t Just A Gimmick
When thetrailer confirmed thatPeacemakerseason 2 would be yet another multiverse story, I was pretty wary. That’s been done to death in superhero stories lately, and it’s usually a let-down. But it works surprisingly well here, becausePeacemakerdoesn’t use the multiverse as a narrative gimmick; it has a real dramatic purpose.It’s much moreInto the Spider-VersethanThe Flash.
Chris discovers an alternate reality where he has a much better life, and instantly becomes obsessed with this parallel existence. It reminded me of theclassicTwilight Zoneepisode“A Stop at Willoughby,” in which an ad man visits paradise and doesn’t want to go back to his old life. Once Chris has been to this other dimension and seen how much happier he could be, he becomes increasingly dissatisfied with his own reality.
Gunn writes every episode of the season, which gives the whole series a distinctive authorial voice that you don’t get with shows cooked up in a writers’ room.
Once again, Gunn writes every episode of the season, which gives the whole series a distinctive authorial voice that you don’t get with shows cooked up in a writers’ room. But he only had time to direct three episodes, so he outsourced the rest to other filmmakers. He made some really smart choices with these hires, because he picked directors who have more experience with intimate character pieces than blockbuster action.
Directors likeSuperbad’s Greg Mottola andNick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist’s Peter Sollett aremuch more interested in capturing the emotional dynamics between the characters than shooting an explosive superhero showdown. But that’s not to say they don’t still direct great action; there are some really fun set-pieces in this season. In one particularly memorable (and particularly bloody) fight sequence, we get to see just how badass Eagly is — he makes the birds from Alfred Hitchcock’sThe Birdslook friendly.
Peacemaker’s Stellar Cast Effortlessly Carries The Show
Newcomer Tim Meadows Is The Standout
The cast’s chemistry is still just as strong after a three-year hiatus, and they all slip effortlessly back into their roles: Steve Agee as the cowardly curmudgeon John Economos; Danielle Brooks as the voice of reason, Adebayo; Freddie Stroma asthe affable but sociopathic crimefighter Vigilante.Jennifer Holland is one of the highlights this season, as she deftly plays two very different Emilia Harcourts— the violent, hard-drinking, self-destructive one we’re used to, and the well-adjusted, emotionally healthy one from the alternate universe. They’re clearly the same person, but they’re fully distinct from each other.
There are some great newcomers this season, too. Sean Gunn is a wonderfully deadpan Maxwell Lord, and Isabela Merced and Nathan Fillion relish the opportunity to reprise their Justice Gang roles outside the confines of the PG-13 rating. Tim Meadows is the standout as a government agent who says wildly inappropriate things with a straight face, andI won’t spoil who David Denman plays, but it’s a pivotal role, and he knocks it out of the park.
Peacemakeris streaming on HBO Max.
Some of the gags go on a little too long, and the tonal shifts between goofy humor and gritty drama are occasionally a little jarring, butPeacemakercontinues to be a joy to watch in its long-awaited second season. It has another great glam metal soundtrack, featuring icons likethe late, great Ozzy Osbourne, but also a lot of deep-cut Swedish bands like Sister Sin, Ammotrack, Hardcore Superstar, and the Cruel Intentions. Cena gives a career-best performance, and Gunn has a crystal-clear vision for this character’s story. TheSuicide Squadspinoff that apparently no one asked for is one of the best superhero shows out there.
Peacemaker Season 2
Cast
Peacemaker is a television series expanding on the character from the film The Suicide Squad. Released in 2022, it follows the titular character, a determined anti-hero who upholds peace through extreme measures, as he confronts personal and external challenges in the aftermath of his previous mission.
