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drewsof's review
5.0
Season Two proved me wrong: this show *shouldn't* have been a one-off, like I'd sort of hoped it would be as S1 wrapped up. From the very start, this season was more assured and interesting, developing not only the relationships between characters but the geo-magical-political relationships as well. It no longer felt like a lark; it felt like something gritty, grounded, and plausible (or plausible enough, that is). Bravo, as ever, to the folks at SerialBox! I ashamed this season took me as long as it did!
crofteereader's review
5.0
Between the introduction of several new players, the increased importance of several old players, new factions in both the magical and mundane wars, and stakes so high they're practically in orbit, season two has taken the brilliant foundation and blown the whole thing wide.
Season one had a lot of tedium: spies having layered conversations at social gatherings, lots of repetitive actions as characters realize again and again that they don't know everything that's going on, and magic that never seems to do anything particularly exciting. That is absolutely not the case here. Instead of formal parties, our primary avenue for character interaction comes in the form of an underground boxing club, which is a metaphor for the whole season. The last episode alone was a marvel of rapid POV shifts as we briefly touch every character with a role in the final confrontation, getting slightly different angles and emotions.
Each character brings something unique to the table and there's not a single one I would have chosen not to follow. I particularly love that the mundane conflict took a very deliberate backseat to the magical cataclysm that was destined to unfold after the events of season one.
Now... When's season three??
Season one had a lot of tedium: spies having layered conversations at social gatherings, lots of repetitive actions as characters realize again and again that they don't know everything that's going on, and magic that never seems to do anything particularly exciting. That is absolutely not the case here. Instead of formal parties, our primary avenue for character interaction comes in the form of an underground boxing club, which is a metaphor for the whole season. The last episode alone was a marvel of rapid POV shifts as we briefly touch every character with a role in the final confrontation, getting slightly different angles and emotions.
Each character brings something unique to the table and there's not a single one I would have chosen not to follow. I particularly love that the mundane conflict took a very deliberate backseat to the magical cataclysm that was destined to unfold after the events of season one.
Now... When's season three??
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