“Playtime Triumphs: Why Games Outshine Everything Else”

After three years, Netflix’s most popular series ever has made its comeback with Squid Game season 2. It seemed improbable that the subsequent season would recapture the viral allure of the initial one, and while total viewership remains uncertain, it appears that yes, this is a fairly impressive season, though maybe not as much as the first, which is no significant surprise.

Squid Game season 2 shines in certain aspects but falters in others, padded out with what feels like unnecessary filler, which is unfortunate for a season that is merely seven episodes in length. Much of that seems to merely serve as preparation for the third and concluding season, and as you approach the finale, you realize that this is basically just an extended season divided into two segments. Spoilers will follow in this critique.

Seong Gi-hun has been utilizing his fortune to locate the game’s humiliating recruiter in an effort to track down the individuals behind the games, specifically the “Front Man” wearing the black mask. Likewise, Hwang Jun-ho is on a similar quest, navigating the seas in search of the island to reunite with his sibling (who, in reality, is the Front Man).

The duo collaborates, and the plan ultimately becomes that Gi-hun will be kidnapped and sent back to the island with a tracker embedded, while a mercenary team he employed, led by Jun-ho, will shadow him to invade the location. Unsurprisingly, things do not unfold as intended. His tracker gets removed, and Gi-hun finds himself thrown back into the games once more, which is where we all anticipated this would lead.

While the season begins at a slow pace, once it returns to the games, one could argue that certain elements of this section function better than even the first season. Season 2 successfully establishes a large ensemble of characters, each with distinct motivations and personalities, in a manner that season 1 didn’t quite manage. Memorable individuals include an elderly lady and her unsuccessful son, a rapper who continuously uses drugs and parties throughout the games, a trans woman seeking funds for surgery and relocation from Korea, and a woman who is about to give birth with her irresponsible boyfriend also, separately, involved in the games.

The most noteworthy addition is the arrival of In-ho, who we know is secretly the Front Man himself, but Gi-hun never uncovers this throughout the season. Up to the finale, I was still unclear on why the Front Man would involve himself in these games, echoing the season 1 narrative with the terminally ill old man doing something quite similar. In an eventual player uprising, In-ho betrays some fellow competitors and resumes wearing the mask, but again, I fail to understand the rationale behind this, as he could have easily met his demise at any moment prior or could not have survived without revealing his identity. Is this merely for thrills, or was there a genuine purpose? If so, we don’t discern it by the conclusion.

An intriguing dynamic is also introduced here that was absent in season 1, allowing players to vote on leaving the games after each round, leading to some intense sequences and ultimately chaotic moments such as groups eliminating each other to secure their numbers. Continuing the games may ultimately feel like an inevitable conclusion, but it’s a clever mechanism that has revitalized things somewhat, alongside the new games (and they are all fresh, except for the initial Red Light, Green Light).

Everything that is not part of the games in season 2 fails to work effectively at all. This includes the aimless narrative of Jun-ho and the mercenary team sailing around trying to locate the game island after Gi-hun’s tracker ceased functioning. It does not become engaging until the very last moment when it is revealed that the boat’s captain seems to be a traitor hired by Squid Game, but even then, it felt like a misuse of 10 minutes per episode.

Equally, the season commenced with an intriguing notion showing the tale of a North Korean defector behind one of the guard masks, rather than concentrating solely on the players. The guard, No-eul, finds herself in conflict with other guards, including the new supervisor, as she obstructs an organ harvesting side operation that prefers injured but not deceased players, so they can extract valuable bits from them. She keeps eliminating the injured before they can be taken, resulting in threats on her life. Then it simply…ceases. While I’m certain more is anticipated for her next season, it was odd to watch this climactic “players versus guards” battle unfold with her having no part in it whatsoever. This is another subplot that again, felt like a waste of 5-10 minutes per episode. And these accumulate.

While it’s commendable that the A-plot is robust in season 2, having completely unnecessary B and C plots diminishes the season’s overall impact and creates a feeling of being overstuffed despite being merely seven episodes long. I don’t consider it a negative that the show has returned, as this does not feel like a disastrous follow-up. It’s definitely adequate, and I’m intrigued to see how it all wraps up. But indeed, a lot of the initial allure has diminished.

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Acquire my science fiction novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.