Peacemaker season 2 review: James Gunn makes a multiverse great again

But rather than explain their return by obsessing over multiverse logistics (as the Marvel Cinematic Universe has regrettably spent the last four years doing), Peacemaker hand-waves into this bold new era in a matter of minutes.

A quick appearance from Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner and Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl is all that's needed to embed this season in the world of Superman, leaving the intricacies of the new DCU canon to be ironed out at a later date. Frankly, it's not important for this story.

We reunite with Chris Smith (aka Peacemaker) several months after the events of the first season, which saw his team thwart an invasion of body-snatching alien bugs, who might well have been the 'good guys' depending on your point of view.

Things are at a low ebb, with former team leader Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) blacklisted from the intelligence community, while associates Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) and John Economos (Steve Agee) aren't faring much better – respectively fronting an ill-judged start-up, and handling a tedious assignment.

Chris is firmly in the crosshairs of incoming ARGUS boss Rick Flag Sr (Frank Grillo), who knows that the brute killed his son not long ago and correctly suspects that he's hiding a dangerous interdimensional portal in his late father's home.

It's inside this pocket universe that Peacemaker bumps into a version of himself from a reality where things are working out a lot better – but don't be alarmed! This isn't an exercise in mind-numbing franchise maintenance, but the catalyst for a fascinating exploration of this surprisingly compelling character.

Gunn cannily flips the script on multiverse stories, which have recently become little more than stale and uninspired vehicles for celebrity cameos, by returning to what made them so tantalising in the first place.

Of course, it's the existential profundity of seeing an individual teased with a version of their life that they've always wondered about – where certain key decisions and events played out differently – which then forces them to reckon with the world they've built instead.

Viewed through this prism, it's actually a weighty concept with deep potential in speculative fiction, which is partly why it's so frustrating to see it trivially overused in the manner that has characterised recent forays in film and television.

Against this disheartening backdrop, the most surprising thing about Peacemaker season 2 is how emotionally affecting it is. Sure, the crude dialogue and eccentric humour remains, but there are moments in these episodes that carry real pathos in spite of the absurdity – Gunn's speciality since Guardians of the Galaxy.

Indeed, that a hawkish a-hole in a daft silver helmet could be anywhere near this nuanced is a testament to his knack for finding vulnerability in characters that initially seem one-note, but Cena too deserves credit for giving his all to this role in both its lighter and darker moments.

That's not to say that Chris Smith gets off scot-free; this spin-off certainly hasn't forgotten his wicked behaviour in The Suicide Squad, nor the life-long history of violence that landed him in Task Force X, and he'll be forced to confront that ugliness before the season's end.

His doting best friend Adrian Chase aka Vigilante (Freddie Stroma) is another good example of this moral tightrope; objectively, he's a violent and disturbed person, but the earnest adoration he holds for the group and his child-like enthusiasm for the most mundane things makes it tough not to empathise with him.

Holland is dealt a more serious arc as the spiralling Harcourt, who succumbs to darker tendencies when she finds herself backed into a corner. Alas, it's a direction that does lead to some clichéd moments – not least, the pep talk where she's affectionately referred to as a "train wreck", which just feels very 2015.

Adebayo continues to be the glue that holds everyone together, providing emotional support to each member of the team as the most grounded and emotionally intelligent. However, it's a role that somewhat diminishes her own arc, which after five episodes is limited to a throwaway start-up and a boring break-up. Brooks certainly deserves better.

Agee continues to be reliable comic relief as the jaded Economos, who takes the 'straight man' role in a hysterical pairing with new addition Tim Meadows. The Mean Girls and SNL alum is clearly having a blast as bizarre ARGUS agent Langston Fleury, whose pet nicknames and surprising weakness provide some hearty chuckles.

Admittedly, there are a few instances when things get a bit too surreal for their own good. I, for one, could live with a bit less Eagly (Peacemaker's pet bald eagle), whose lore is expanded upon with the addition of a culturally appropriating bird hunter, played with admirable commitment by Gunn favourite Michael Rooker.

But even accounting for its imperfections, it's tough not to like Peacemaker. From the opening dance number (which I'm sworn to secrecy about), it's an enormous amount of fun that carefully balances its surreal pleasures with impactful character-led moments – and plenty of unexpected twists.

Peacemaker season 2 premieres on Sky Max and NOW on Friday 22nd August 2025.

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