REVIEW: ‘The Vince Staples Show’ Solidifies Itself As Netflix’s Best Comedy With A Tighter, Linear And Darker Season 2
- Christopher Mills
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
It's crazy to say this, but to have a television show return for its second season the following year after its first season has aired is quite unheard of in today's age of modern television. When The Vince Staples Show first aired on Netflix last year, it gave audiences a comedy that felt reminiscent of the surreal nature of Atlanta and the day-to-day mundane celebrity life that Curb Your Enthusiasm brought, but The Vince Staples Show manages to be its own thing in the midst of those two shows as Vince Staples dives into his own mind to create a comedic show that feels like him and relates to the hip hop world and to people that also look like him.
The first season didn't have much story structure but had individual stories for each episode as you grew to know the characters that surrounded Vince Staples' life. This second season takes a much darker tone with its story and also extends it by an extra episode to tell a story that's cohesive and hilarious but also effective. This doesn't take away from how effective Season 1 was with its topics, but that season managed to handle them in a light-hearted fashion, while Staples has decided this time to let out his anger and truly tackle grief and how race is perceived in America.
In The Vince Staples Show Season 2, Vince's uncle James Brown (Beau Billingslea) has passed away, and he deals with himself, his mother, Anita (Vanessa Bell Calloway), and his sister, Bri (Naté Jones), dealing with the aftermath and the lead-up to his uncle’s funeral.
There's an overarching story this season that starts from the first episode to where Vince and Anita try to rent a car after Vince gets his mother's car tolled to the final episode where Uncle James' funeral finally takes place. The randomness and chaos of Season 1 can still be found in The Vince Staples Show Season 2, but with its more focused storyline that focuses on a family trying to deal with the death of a family member while also healing past wounds and learning more about the man James once was. Compared to its first season, it's a much deeper and more emotional story, but don't let that turn you away, as each episode will have you laughing until you're in pain.
As mentioned, this season is slightly spooky, and having just passed Halloween, it still feels like the perfect timing for a season such as this. The Vince Staples Show has incredible framing and blocking that helps build the intensity in some sequences, whether that's between Vince Staples and another character or simply to build on the atmosphere. You can't find great filmmaking like this in any other comedy show; they all feel too similar to one another, and The Vince Staples Show sets itself apart by remaining a comedy that's inspired and a homage to cinema.
Vince Staples has to deal with the ghost of his uncle by his side, a haunted house, supposed cannibals on the loose and a cult that worships Black kings and queens (I wouldn't trust it either, Vince). At times, you have to force yourself to remember that you're watching a comedy and not a horror. It's a part of The Vince Staples Show's charm that makes this Netflix's most unique comedy. This second season is very on the nose with its commentary and regarding itself; Staples at one point comments on the second season of The Vince Staples Show Season 2 releasing soon, saying, "We're filming it right now," and technically, they were. It's humour such as this that comes right after intense, revealing moments that helps ensure the show doesn't remain grounded the entire time and gives it that level of levity.
This season features more of Vince Staple's mum, Anita and it dives into her relationship with her daughter, which was ruined last Juneteenth and how the death of her brother is affecting her. Vanessa Bell Calloway is a scene stealer, portraying a true Black mother who will ensure that her children stand up for themselves and that the world doesn't push them around. She doesn't waste time with anyone, not even family and will get what she needs. She's a joy to watch, and while it may be a season not as chaotic as its first, her attitude really helps set up a lot of the gags early on in the season.
The Vince Staples Show Season 2 fights hard for the spot of Netflix's best comedy, but with everything it brings to the table from its filmmaking, writing and performances, it might easily take the crown. It never feels as absurd and ridiculous as the first season due to its overarching story, but it manages to balance its deeper and more emotional themes while still fitting in the surrealism that made the first season successful. While it ends on a cliffhanger, I'd happily take a couple more seasons of The Vince Staples Show, which breaks apart from the conventional. TV comedies that we usually get.
Rating: ★★★★☆
About The Vince Staples Show
Premiere Date: November 6, 2025
Episode Count: 6
Executive Producers: Vince Staples, Holly Redford, Corey Smyth, Andrea Sperling, Kenya Barris, William Stefan Smith, Leonard Chang, Amy Hubbs, Crystal Jenkins, KJ Booze, Leah Pablo
Showrunner: Leonard Chang
Writers: Vince Staples, Amy Hubbs, Crystal Jenkins, Jeff Patneaude
Directors: Riley Stearns, William Stefan Smith
Production: Khalabo INk Society, Section Eight, Arthouse, Edelgang Worldwide
Distribution: Netflix
Cast: Vince Staples, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Beau Billingslea, Nate' Jones
Synopsis: In the wake of a tragic death, Vince embarks on a wild journey in search of inner peace. However, his path is littered with reminders of his haunted past.
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