REVIEW: The Thrilling ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 Goes Above and Beyond, Balancing Humour And Heart
- John C.
- 23 minutes ago
- 6 min read
This review contains minor spoilers for Episodes 1-5 of ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2.
Following the critical and commercial success of Superman, his first cinematic entry in the new DC Universe (DCU), James Gunn and team play another blinder with Peacemaker Season 2. Fans of the first season will naturally find a lot to love for this second go around, but what makes this follow-up particularly impressive is in its increased capacity for restraint and reflection. That is not to say that it is not without its potential turn-offs for certain viewers - this is resolutely still a James Gunn production, love him or hate him - but its heady mix of thrills, heart and endearing character dynamics make this series a smoother ride than its predecessor. Like the title character himself, by the time its first five episodes have transpired, Season 2 feels more singular, assured of its identity and what it wants to say - without losing the aspects that caused fans to fall in love with the character in the first place.
From the offset, we are eased in with a recap of the first, titled ‘Previously on the DCU’ - with some amusing tweaks which will be apparent to those that watched the first season (let me just say that they are super in nature) without impeding the understanding of anyone going in blind. We find John Cena’s Chris Smith, otherwise known as Peacemaker (or “the Peacemaker”, as other characters sporadically call him) striving to fulfil his yearnings to be a hero following his journey of redemption in saving the world from mind-controlling alien butterflies in Season 1, still dealing with the trauma from his childhood and the innocents he killed without remorse. He cuts a piteous figure after being dismissively rejected by the Justice Gang, a corporate superhero team, drowning his sorrows in flesh and drink. Chris also pines for a meaningful relationship with Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland), an ARGUS agent who worked alongside him during a previous mission but finds herself blacklisted from every intelligence service. Through a series of events in the first episode involving a quantum unfolding chamber in his house (think the TARDIS in Doctor Who crossed with Batman’s garage in The Dark Knight), Peacemaker is offered a chance for a clean slate in a world where he is treated as the hero he truly hopes to be. However, the energy surges prompted by his use of this chamber catch the attention of newly-installed ARGUS head Rick Flag Sr (Frank Grillo), who blames Peacemaker for killing his son Rick Flag Jr (Joel Kinnaman, as depicted in the events of The Suicide Squad). There is something of a game of cat and mouse here, with Peacemaker’s motley crew of friends and kind-of friends attempting to thwart Flag Sr’s attempts to track down Peacemaker, whilst Chris finds himself toying with the possibility of taking a shortcut to heroism without truly reckoning with the consequences of his actions.
Across its first 5 episodes (episodes 6-8 were not submitted to critics for review), the new season threads the needle in terms of serving as a reward for fans of Gunn’s previous DC work (The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker season 1 and Superman), whilst simultaneously being accessible for new fans. If someone wanted to, they could quite easily watch this season on its own terms without feeling fatally in the dark, with necessary backstory deftly sprinkled in without being egregious. Much has been made in discourse around comic book media these past few years from entertainment journalists and social media obsessives alike around franchise media of franchises being bloated monoliths, tangled up in the barbed wire of their own lore. Such a charge can be justifiably made against a range of camps, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars (fuelled by Disney’s often scattershot and inconsistent approach to streaming television entries). Lest people forget, DC underwent multiple regime changes over the past decade alongside a chequered success rate (from audiences and critics). James Gunn’s rise to creative steward and co-CEO of the recently-formed DC Studios, however, symbolised an opportunity for new beginning and a fresh start, heralded by 2024’s Creature Commandos and last month’s Superman. Which naturally begs the question: What is Peacemaker still doing here? With the undeniable logic of a clean slate approach, I will admit that was quite sceptical of Gunn’s decision to cater to his personal whims by retaining Peacemaker as a character in the mainline universe, being lukewarm on his brash and immature characterisation in his previous appearances despite the many plaudits Cena has received for his performances. However, Gunn does not shy away with the question in the narrative of the show itself - nor does he oblige viewers to watch or read anything prior for the sake of ‘homework’.
Peaces of the Puzzle
James Gunn is no stranger to ensemble casts - in fact, he has built his name upon them to great success, to the point that he has received flak from certain corners (not unreasonably so, in this writer’s view) for staying too much within his comfort zone. Superman represented something of a detour from his house style in many respects and demonstrated that yes, James Gunn can make a superhero film focused on one character after all. However, there remained the question of whether, whilst sliding back into a show ostensibly more positioned within said comfort zone, Gunn could still entertain and surprise. The biggest surprise to be found here is that, whilst still an ensemble show, Season 2 feels more strongly a show about Peacemaker rather than just named it - or more aptly, about Chris Smith (Cena gets more wear out of his red-white-and-blue suit and chrome toilet bowl in the press junket than in the show itself).
People know that Cena excels in his role, but the actualisation on display made it finally hit home for me personally just how great he is, as an erstwhile cynic towards the character. The major puzzle piece (or should that be puzzle peace?) which made it click for me was that Gunn has clearly made the conscious decision to centre Peacemaker’s vulnerability to an even greater extent, giving Cena more dramatic scenes and relying less on humour. Of course, the jokes are still there, threaded throughout the episodes - often gratingly so (I typically enjoy Gunn’s projects in spite of his sense of humour, not because of it - however, Peacemaker is no longer the primary conduit for them. The weight is distributed more broadly across the rest of the cast, who gamely take on the load. Special mention must go to Tim Meadows’ Agent Fleury, assigned by Flag Sr to monitor Peacemaker. At first a fly in the ointment of John Economos (Steve Agee), Peacemaker’s friend and ARGUS agent, Fleury reveals himself to be the source of some of the most uproarious moments in the show, without prolonging the jokes to an agonising degree (this happens now and again, but refreshingly less so than Season 1, or in Gunn’s Guardians films).
In terms of the wider supporting cast, Gunn gives them relatively little to do beyond being ciphers or plot devices, with some landing more successful than others. One character who is thinly-drawn but superbly performed comes from David Denman (who I spoke to last month), giving shape to the adult version of a certain character in the other world who provides Peacemaker with one of his primary reasons to abandon his main life. Auggie, aka White Dragon, bristly played by Robert Patrick, returns but is given little to do for much of round two. Nonetheless, it is evident that these characters will come into greater prominence in the remaining three episodes of the season, so they are not to be dismissed from the offset. Despite arguably biting off more than he can chew in terms of juggling a particularly large ensemble here, Gunn most importantly does not forget that again, this is a show about Peacemaker - its greatest strength.
Do You Really Wanna Taste it (Again)?
Returning to the question of whether this show is solely for DC diehards, James Gunn fanatics or peacephiles without any room left for the casual viewer - make no mistake, Season 2 is a remarkably accessible story with lots to love, elevated by Cena’s bravura performance and an abundance of style and energy. If the first first episodes of this season are any indication, we are in for a treat with what is to come - for Peacemaker, and the DCU as a whole.
Rating: ★★★★
About Peacemaker Season 2
Premiere Date: August 21, 2025
Episode Count: 8
Executive Producer/Showrunner: James Gunn
Writer: James Gunn
Director: James Gunn, Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, Althea Jones
Production: DC Studios, Troll Court Entertainment, The Safran Company
Distribution: HBO Max
Cast: John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee, Robert Patrick, Frank Grillo, David Denman, Sol Rodriguez, Tim Meadows
Synopsis: In season 2, Peacemaker discovers an alternate world where life is everything he wishes it could be. But this discovery also forces him to face his traumatic past and take the future into his own hands.