This second season of the Suicide Squad spinoff follows the continued adventures of the titular anti-hero, this time with some key differences. For starters, this season of the show serves as the official third chapter of DC Comics’ new cinematic universe overseen by filmmaker James Gunn following both Creature Commandos and Superman. Because of this, many of the previous season’s events were retconned to fit this new continuity. I can definitely see this aspect being confusing for more casual superhero fans, but the concept does become easier to grasp as the series progresses. Also, behind the visceral action set pieces and the shockingly profane comedy gags that both James Gunn and this series are known for, this season was a lot more emotional and character driven. This season mainly followed Peacemaker’s desire to become a real hero in the eyes of his friends and himself, even going as far as to traverse the multiverse to find a reality where he’d be fully accepted. John Cena’s performance as Peacemaker, as well as the performances of the rest of the cast, were truly exceptional this season. (Danielle Brooks as Adebayo was another standout for me.) Although this season wasn’t as action packed as the first, the themes that it tackles and the arcs of the each character were just as narratively satisfying. This season also introduces the multiverse concept to the DCU in some pretty interesting ways that ranged from humorous gags to disturbing societal constructs. Not to mention, the comedy was fortunately a lot more hit than miss and definitely a highlight of the season. (I was crying laughing at the ongoing bird blindness joke.) Now, this isn’t to say that this season wasn’t without its flaws. Like I mentioned, not every joke was a hit. (Especially following the lighthearted Superman film, that scene in the first episode was jarring to say the least. You’ll know it when you see it.) I will also say, I didn’t quite enjoy this season as much as the first. Not only because of the slight lack of action, but mostly because this season seemed to serve as more of a setup for future DC projects rather than being its own thing. (Many characters from both Creature Commandos and Superman even make appearances in this, serving to connect this new universe’s events and set up future storylines.) However, I still ended up enjoying this season. I probably won’t find myself revisiting it any time soon, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to the story that this season set up, especially after that cliffhanger ending. Score: 8/10
Noah Robinson 