Squid Game smashed onto our Netflix screens in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. This unassuming South Korean thriller about a game to win 45.6 billion Korean won with deadly stakes took the world by storm. It skillfully juggled its incredibly gripping premise of a group of people down on their luck given a chance to win life-changing money with the incredibly dark reality such a game presents. It handled its characters' lives with delicacy and treated each of their lives as if they were real and lived-in, giving many of its main characters a level of depth most shows struggle with. Such a juggernaut of a season meant there were big shoes for season 2 to fill. Despite the season’s attempts at redefining itself, Squid Game season 2 is ultimately reminiscent of a toddler tripping as they attempt to walk in their father's oversized sneakers.

The struggles that season 2 faces are eerily reminiscent of the “sophomore slump” often experienced by highly anticipated follow-ups to blockbuster films or hit debut albums. This problem occurs when creators are torn between exploring different ideas and genres or staying within the same lane so as to not alienate the existing fan base. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk seems to struggle mightily in this season because of this issue. He does attempt to introduce new ideas like following one of the guards with a connection to a player, and having an outside army of people trying to find the island that Gi-hun is trapped on. Unfortunately, these storylines go nowhere and are composed of very small crumbs sprinkled throughout the season. Instead of committing to one of these ideas as the through line of the season, we largely retread the path of season 1 but with somewhat less intriguing games and far less intriguing characters.

One of the main draws of Squid Game Season 1 was how gripping the games were. However, the games end up taking a huge backseat this season in favor of the politics behind voting for or against continuing the games, which happens 3 different times in incredibly repetitive fashion with the same predictable result. Another major strength for the first season was the depth every character seemed to inhabit. I’m not sure if it's because of the shortened number of episodes (Season 2 has just 7 episodes compared to Season 1’s 10) or simply the lack of quality writing behind them, but the characters are significantly less compelling across the board this time around. 

Despite my qualms, the acting is still stellar from the entire ensemble this season, and should have been a huge key to its success had the writing and direction not floundered. Gong Yoo playing the recruiter is just as much of a force as he was in season one, getting an entire episode to devour despite his small role. The players within the games are all given relatively small roles, but many are still able to thrive in spite of the scope they are given. Player 230, aka Thanos, is played by South Korean rapper Choi Seung-hyun who shines as the token villain this season. As this rapper who lost his money on cryptocurrency, Choi delivers an absolutely balls-to-the-wall performance and steals almost every scene he’s a part of. Kang Ae-sim’s Player 149 is a mother who enters the game in an attempt to pay off her son’s gambling debts. She delivers a strong and heartfelt performance that is difficult to not to fall in love with. Lee Byung-hun returns as the Front Man and is much better than he was in Season 1. His character gets the chance to be seen in a new (though still villainous) light as he navigates a setting we wouldn’t expect to see him in and plays off of the ensemble in a fascinating way.

Yet largely, this is a season held back by key issues with writing, pacing, and structure. In fact, it ends with a whimper as this season effectively feels like a part 1 — not unlike The Bear Season 3 or House of the Dragon Season 2. Having to wait until 2025 for the final season to satisfy any of the many arcs that were set up this season is frustrating because what we are left with is not compelling in the slightest. 1 of 2 This lack of a sufficient season-long arc ultimately makes this an incredibly underwhelming sophomore season. A full season of television should have a beginning, middle, and end, regardless of if the show is returning for another season or not. It feels almost as if Netflix mandated this get split into multiple seasons to keep subscribers interested. Season 2 was never going to live up to the giant cultural zeitgeist Season 1 was, but it is a shame that it winds up being serviceable, mindless television that brings nothing new to the table. Despite reusing many elements from its first season, Season 2 has seemingly forgotten that above all else, it was the captivating characters, the suspenseful story, or the titillating themes that made Season 1 so beloved in the first place.

4/10