(Image courtesy of IMDB. “Peacemaker’s second season gives fans more of the characters they love.”)
Andrew Livsey
Connector Staff
On Aug. 21, the second season of the hit show “Peacemaker,” starring John Cena and directed by James Gunn, released its first episode. This new season marks the third project to be officially released within the newly rebooted DC cinematic universe. The new season has warranted a wave of celebration from fans, who have been eagerly awaiting the return of the fan-favorite series.
Season One notably took place in the since-canceled DC cinematic universe and spun out of the second “Suicide Squad” movie. The second season of “Peacemaker” is the first project in this new universe, which follows characters introduced before the reboot, and fans have been eager to see how this season carries on the stories from before, while still fitting into this new cinematic universe. Now that it has finished, it is safe to say “Peacemaker” has handled this transition excellently.
The second season explores many of the same themes of childhood trauma and unlearning toxic behavior introduced in Season One. The series explores Peacemaker’s relationship with his family and the hateful environment he grew up in with nuance and allows the protagonist to make mistakes on the path towards bettering himself. Peacemaker’s relationship with violence also goes in very interesting directions as he learns to see himself as more than a weapon. This season, the romantic storylines teased in season one take center stage as characters struggle with their feelings for one another, stoking the established sparks into flames.
Besides its story and characters, the most famous aspect of “Peacemaker” is arguably its theme song. Season One surprised fans with its opening, resulting in it taking the internet by storm. The season’s cast performed a campy dance to the song “Do You Wanna Taste It” by Wig Worm, which took viewers by surprise and showed them that they were in for an unforgettable viewing experience. Season Two similarly opened with a dance number, now to the song “Oh Lord” by Foxy Shazam. This new musical number is not as energetic as the original was, but it does a lot more to set up the story and tone of the season.
The theme song is far from the only needle drop in this season, however. The series’ soundtrack is one of its best features. This is no surprise, as series Director James Gunn has become famous for the music he plays in his projects, and this season sets out a new precedent for soundtracks in the future. With songs like “We Don’t Need a Cure” by Hardcore Superstar and “Please Don’t Leave Me” by Pretty Maids, the series makes the audience want to get up and dance in the middle of an episode.
The season also delivers on Gunn’s unique style of humor. Every episode is filled with jokes unlike any others on TV. The dialogue between the characters was refreshing and hilarious, and every actor’s delivery was perfect. The jokes did also did not subtract from any of the important character arcs or serious moments. The humor in the show always makes the characters feel more charming and grounded.
The main characters from Season One have all returned, and their stories are taken in interesting new directions. Harcourt, Adebayo and Economos all have to deal with the consequences of Season One in their careers, with Harcourt especially struggling. The fan favorite character Vigilante has some hilarious moments, but is unfortunately less important this time around.
Season Two also introduces many new exciting characters who promise to become important parts of the future of this universe, including Sol Rodriguez as agent Sasha Bordeaux and Tim Meadows as agent Langston Fleury, who both bring fantastic action and humor to the series, and have both quickly become fan favorites. Though it is currently unknown when these characters will show up again, all of them old and new will remain interesting parts of this new universe.
Though Season Two was widely praised, its ending received some pushback from fans as some believed it left too many plot points in the air and did not deliver all that was promised. In discussions about the series, James Gunn mentioned having major surprises in the last few episodes. Some fans have said that the episodes surprises did not deliver, and that James Gunn over-promised. Though fans who watched the show without knowledge of the promised surprises had a much more positive experience.
Altogether, Season Two of “Peacemaker” is entertaining and successfully builds on the foundation laid by Season One. It takes its characters in new, emotionally nuanced directions and gives them more room to breathe, and while it falls short in some places, it is well-written and worth watching.
Grade: B-
