Watch my full video review of “Squid Game Season 2” here. Written review continues below!
I’m probably on an island with this – but I don’t think the Netflix series “Squid Game” needed a sequel.
Every big question I had during the first season was pretty much answered. Why were all of these random people chosen to play these games? Where was all of the money coming from? Who would make it through to the end? Who was the person behind all of this? And would our main character go along with it all in the end, or would he walk away?
All were answered.
Yes, there was certainly a slight cliffhanger. What was Seong Gi-hun planning to do when he walked away at the end? But leaving that bit of intrigue was the perfect ending to me. Sure, we didn’t know exactly what would happen to him, but it solidified his character as somebody who was going to try and do the moral thing. It was a solid resolution. The show’s entire arc, pacing and payoffs made it one of the biggest shows in history. Dare I say it was pretty much perfect?
If you’re going to return to this world with another season, or as we found out at the end of this one, multiple seasons, you’re going to have to create a brand new set of intriguing questions that need to be answered.
The main premise of the Squid Game Season 2 storyline seems to be if Seong Gi-hun can orchestrate an uprising to shut these games down. That’s not nearly as interesting to me. We’re also asked to get invested with new side characters when we pretty much know what their fates will be. Again, I didn’t find a lot of it that interesting this time.
There are some really great sequences. They know how to pace action during the actual game play. The Six-Legged Pentathlon has a great mix of humor and dread as the players encourage each other, and many come to the conclusion that they aren’t going to make it. This is where this show really works.
I also enjoyed the twist of having the front man join the game. But I have a hard time believing that Seong Gi-hun really didn’t see that something was off with this guy. It seems pretty obvious for such a smart and observant character. Maybe we’ll learn more about this dynamic next season.
It’s fitting that one of the characters brings up “The Matrix” this time around, because that’s the perfect comp for this series. The original “Matrix” film is an all-time classic. It’s got a thought-provoking premise that leads us down a winding road, with plenty of action, while asking big questions about who is really controlling the world around us. “The Matrix” also ends with a satisfying conclusion for our hero with a little bit of intrigue about where he goes from there. Dare I say the original movie is perfect?
Then we had the sequels.
I know many fans of “The Matrix” series will say the sequels are great, misunderstood and/or underappreciated. To me they were completely unnecessary. I know “Squid Game” has another season to go, so I’ll keep an open mind, but it feels like they are making the same mistake here.
So in the end, this season feels incomplete to me. It would have been better if this was billed as the first part of the “Squid Game”‘ conclusion, because I don’t think this season stands well on its own. I’m invested enough to see it through when the next season drops in 2025. Hopefully it comes through with some kind of arc I don’t see coming.
How about you? How are you feeling about Squid Game Season 2? I’d love to hear your thoughts and discuss some of your theories if you have any. You can find me on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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