If I could sum up my initial thoughts of Squid Game season two, it would be this: characters I didn’t really care for, but the actors in those roles put on good performances. A storyline that highlights the dangers of tribalism along with rehashing themes from the first. Lastly, pacing that was always gonna make a lot of people feel dissatisfied because of how Netflix structures their seasons.

Like the first season, season two has some pretty solid social commentary on inequality, the wealth gap and how desperation for money creates monsters. However, unlike season one, I personally didn’t care or sympathize for the characters and their desperate attempts to pay off debts this time around.

In season two, we, as an audience, are thrust into a world where many of the main characters are already at the stage of being monsters. This is different from season 1 where we witness a handful of “well-meaning” folks slowly lose their morals as the game progresses. Starting out with more irremediably horrible people than good yet desperate people doesn’t necessarily make for good entertainment. Especially considering, the characters as a whole, are forgettable.

But the actors though? Great performances as to be expected. But sadly again, good performances don't equal memorable characters in this case.

Storyline wise, it hits all the familiar beats of season one but without soul. I mean, the social and economical commentary is clear, but each episode lacks the proper intensity and dread that comes with seeing people you’re rooting for get violently get yeeted out of existence. Many parts felt hollow because significant time was spent on annoying characters than others with potentially interesting storylines.

As for pacing, I feel like this season is a good case study on how money and overall external pressure can influence creative decisions/direction.

I think you could make a strong argument that S2 wasn’t necessary and I wouldn’t disagree. I mean, factually speaking, S2 was never gonna be a thing, at least not this soon, but typical corporate practices aka the Netflix and all streaming platform model made it a reality. Also, S2 was gonna be longer instead of separated between S2 and S3, but again, streaming platforms being streaming platforms.

The writer, Hwang Dong-hyuk was more than willing to accept the boat loads of cash to make a follow up and all I can say to that is “get your money, sir!” Seriously. This man lost nine teeth during the stressful process of creating S1. And to add insult to injury, he didn’t even get paid a lot at the time. Writers being overworked, underpaid and underappreciated is nothing new in the business, so I’m glad he was finally able to get the proper compensation for his hard work, albeit, years later for a second season that wasn’t planned for.

BUT I still feel like the writer was creatively taxed and limited in his vision this time by having to stick to a short season when he intended on having one longish length follow up and conclusion all in one. With that said, it was hard for me to rate this as it was intentionally incomplete.

Anyway, I’m not saying it was a bad follow up, but I’m not saying it was good either. To me, it was okay. Just, okay. The potential was there for it to be good. Obviously not to the level of the first, but it definitely could have kept my attention longer by changing things up and making things more interesting.