Sometimes, expectation is better than reality, and that’s undoubtedly the case with Peacemaker season 2. While credit goes to James Gunn for not delivering a convoluted DCEU/DCU crossover or sending Rick Flag Sr. on a straightforward revenge mission, this second batch of episodes breaks little new ground and lacks the stakes and imagination seen in the filmmaker’s better projects. Season 1 managed to make us care for The Suicide Squad’s least likeable villain, exploring Christopher Smith's traumatic past and allowing him to prove himself a real hero. Season 2, on the other hand, feels like an entirely superfluous addition to the new DCU, delivering more of the same gags and rarely exploring its Multiverse concept in a way we haven’t seen a million times before. Gunn appears to be stretching himself thin, balancing the role of DC Studios co-CEO with being writer and director, and it shows in an underwhelming opening five episodes (six, seven, and eight were not shared for review) and a season which at least shows enough promise to suggest it could be redeemed with a stronger second half.
Not treated like the hero he believes himself to be, Chris inadvertently stumbles into another dimension where he finds a version of himself who has everything he ever wanted. There’s not much to the story beyond that, and as the season meanders along, it’s hard to shake the feeling that there was probably a great movie here that's been stretched out across eight episodes. By the time Peacemaker finally realises he’d be better off in that alternate reality, you’ll be left wondering why it didn’t happen two or three episodes sooner. There are some admittedly great moments along the way, such as the deepening of the title character’s friendship with Leota Adebayo and Emilia Harcourt’s complicated feelings for Chris, but it’s padded out with a lot of very shallow ideas and subplots.
For better or worse, Gunn doubles down on what people liked about season 1, reminding us at every turn that John Economos is a socially awkward oddball and that Vigilante is a weirdo. However, it’s all very surface-level, and many of these returning characters lack depth, coming across like props meant to further Chris’ story and little else. The same, unfortunately, can be said for season 1 standout, Harcourt. While we do get to know her a little better, the decision to have her spiral after being blacklisted by former A.R.G.U.S. boss Amanda Waller hits every possible familiar note, from getting into self-destructive drunken bar brawls to having to earn back her old life by any means necessary. Her arc feels clichéd and comes across as an excuse to make the character look like a badass, something already firmly established in season 1.
As any MCU fan will tell you, the Multiverse is a tired concept, but using it to give Chris his dream life (we’re ready for the twist that all is not as it seems in those final few chapters) feels uninspired, as does Rick Flag Sr.’s desire for revenge. As the new head of A.R.G.U.S., he finally knows who killed his son, but is content to sit back and let his agents find an excuse to bring Chris in before they finally come face-to-face and things get physical. The rogueish, badass Flag Sr. we met in Creature Commandos has been neutered, and while that’s likely the point—seeing as he finds himself stuck behind a desk—the character is lacking agency, though their eventual confrontation does go some way in making up for that. The series as a whole feels oddly small, even when A.R.G.U.S. starts closing in on Chris. There’s no world-ending threat this time—which is fine, as we’ve done that—but five episodes of Peacemaker agonising over whether to live a perfect life grows tiresome when the only thing keeping him in the DCU is a mysterious, drunken night on a boat with Harcourt. There’s not enough meat to the stories or characters to get fully invested in, and while that won’t be a problem for fans who deeply love these characters, it never feels like essential viewing.
It’s not all bad with Peacemaker’s second batch of episodes, as the series kicks off with a genius "Previously in the DCU" recap that washes away any continuity concerns, and a new opening credits (set to Foxy Shazam’s "Oh Lord") that’s every bit as instantly iconic as season 1’s effort. As with Gunn’s other R-rated projects, the humour is hit-and-miss, and your mileage will vary. Langston Fleury’s bird blindness and Chris’s no-holds-barred observations of the world around him are consistently funny, while rehashed jokes about Judomaster’s size and huge orgy scenes are less so. Alas, throwing "c*nt" into a sentence doesn’t make it any funnier, and some scenes play like those endless improvisation scenes from Judd Apatow’s mid-2000s comedies. However, with this type of humour, there will always be those who roll their eyes, and others who find it side-splittingly funny; ultimately, Peacemaker season 2 is entertaining, even with a tacked-on subplot about Red St. Wild hunting down the"“prime eagle," Eagly. For every good idea, there’s one that doesn’t land, making the show a bit of a mixed bag.
Peacemaker season 2 falls short of the superb first season and feels like a big step back after the hilariously bonkers Creature Commandos and the wonderfully uplifting Superman. However, it’s difficult to be too hard on it when the majority of characters are incredibly likeable. Even when the story is lacking and they’re only really there for a punchline (Freddie Stroma is sorely underutilised as Vigilante), it’s impossible not to enjoy the company of Chris, Leota, Adrian, Emilia, and John. The action scenes are bloody, brutal, and a blast to watch play out, and the needle drops make this one of the best-sounding shows out there. The show is easy viewing and isn’t too bogged down in world-building or, blissfully, establishing a new DC Multiverse that explains why the DCEU is now the DCU, for example. There are also some fun surprises and references, especially for fans of The Suicide Squad and, perhaps most surprisingly, 2016’s Suicide Squad. The real saving grace, though, is Peacemaker’s incredible cast.
John Cena is phenomenal in the series, bringing plenty of depth to this character, even when the script is lacking. Chris is a character who often runs the risk of coming across like a caricature, but Cena manages to balance the goofy humour with making the former Task Force X member someone we can root for and understand as he contemplates his place in the world. The WWE Superstar is so good that, without what he brings to the table, the score below would be missing a star. The returning cast is fine, but Jennifer Holland remains a standout, even though Harcourt's arc is one of the least interesting this season. Unfortunately, Sol Rodríguez isn't a particularly good addition as Sasha Bordeaux, while Frank Grillo lacks the same commanding presence he had in Creature Commandos. David Denman is excellent, as is Tim Meadows (some of his character's gags admittedly wear thin), and Danielle Brooks is still a joy to watch.
Did the DCU need more Peacemaker? Gunn has set out to create a shared world full of different stories and tones, and season 2 is one for fans of his DCEU work. As a result, it feels like it won’t be until Lanterns and Supergirl that we'll truly learn whether the DCU is the fresh start this brand needs or just the DCEU with a new lick of paint. We’re pleased these characters survived the reboot, but how wise it was to launch the DCU with a series unlikely to attract any new fans, that’s also a lesser version of what we got three years ago, remains to be seen. Gunn is an immense talent who just delivered a brilliant film with Superman. Still, it might be time to prioritise the new over the old, unless continuing the stories he started in 2021 is more important than Batman, Wonder Woman, et al.
Peacemaker season 2 feels like a wholly superfluous addition to the new DCU, and lacks the stakes and emotion that made season 1 so special. Fortunately, it’s buoyed by some fun surprises for fans and another exceptional turn from John Cena. ⭐⭐⭐