Peacemaker Season 2 Review – James Gunn Refuses to Shoot Blanks in the DC Universe

It’s the new era of the DC Universe, but where the heck does Peacemaker Season 2 fit into it? That’s still open for debate. Under James Gunn’s stewardship, it’s clear that not all the problems of the past have been solved, but when this show focuses on its core characters rather than the auxiliary worldbuilding, it’s rollicking entertainment. If anything, this new season succeeds in turning John Cena’s Christopher Smith, aka Peacemaker, into an even more compelling and complex character you want to find out more about.

Set after the events of Superman, Peacemaker Season 2 sees Chris continue down his path of redemption. Yeah, he’s still rough around the edges, but he wants to make up for his past mistakes and be considered a hero. The problem is that Rick Flag Jr.’s final words still ring true here: “Peacemaker… What a joke.”

The rest of the 11th Street Kids also find themselves at different places from the last time we saw them: Danielle Brooks’ Leota Adebayo attempts to start her own freelance security company. Jennifer Holland’s Emilia Harcourt finds herself blackballed from government agencies and extremely angry at the world. Steve Agee’s John Economos continues to work at A.R.G.U.S. but with his superiors looking over his shoulder because they don’t trust him. And Freddie Stroma’s Adrian Chase is, well, he’s still his weird self, though loyal and reliable to a fault.

After Eagly discovers a portal to an alternate dimension, Chris begins to visit this place more and more, discovering a world where not only is Peacemaker a hero, but he also has everything he ever wanted in his life. Yet, every time Peacemaker activates this portal, Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) and his team at A.R.G.U.S., including Sasha Bordeaux (Sol Rodríguez) and Langston Fleury (Tim Meadows), are alerted about the disturbance. Oh, and Flag isn’t prepared to let bygones be bygones, because of what Chris did to his son in The Suicide Squad.

Much like the previous season, Gunn injects Peacemaker Season 2 with an endless onslaught of R-rated jokes and gory action. Let’s say that the kids who enjoyed Superman should probably not be allowed to watch this, especially since Chris hosts a few extracurricular activities at his house that would even make the Game of Thrones or Euphoria showrunners blush.

The humor doesn’t disappoint, with an unshackled Gunn taking aim at everything from bird blindness to 30 Seconds to Mars. Also, let me say that Meadows’ Langston Fleury receives some of the best lines in these five episodes. He’s a ridiculously funny actor to begin with, and Gunn empowers him to let loose with laugh-out-loud moments that will have everyone in stitches, especially his non-PC nicknames for his team members.

What surprises the most about Peacemaker Season 2 is its honest assessment about overcoming past trauma. This was touched upon in the previous season, as Chris came to terms with his father’s actions and his role in his brother Keith’s death, but it gets expanded upon here. In Chris’ case, the alternate dimension acts as his escape; it’s a place where he can be everything he wants and be free from judgement. However, this doesn’t help him to deal with his trauma. It only delays it, as he runs away from his demons.

Apart from a few notable cameos and connective tissue, Peacemaker Season 2 stays within its own lane in the DCU, and it’s for the best. The show doesn’t need to lead to another five projects nor provide too much fan service, because honestly, that’s where the Marvel Cinematic Universe has gone wrong in recent years. When Peacemaker sticks to its strengths, which is combining action and comedy with compelling characters, it’s one of the best comic book shows around. Is it as good as The Penguin? No, not at all, but it’s a show that never fails to leave a smile on your face.

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