Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 Review

After Peacemaker returned to our screens last week, fans have been waiting on the edge of their seats to see where this wild ride is going to take us next. DC is in a very strong position right now, and so, all eyes are on Peacemaker to keep the good times rolling. However, it seems that in face of overwhelming fan hype, Peacemaker Season 2 is determined to show its fanbase that sometimes, the best thing you can do for a series is take it slow.

Today, we’re here to review Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2, ‘A Man Is Only As Good As His Bird’. This will be a spoiler review, as there’s plenty to talk about here, so make sure you watch the episode for yourself before reading ahead! Now, let’s dive in to Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2!

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Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 Review

Image by DC Studios

Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 opens on a very compelling note, with Rick Flag Sr. demanding access to the files on the death of his son, Rick Flag Jr. Of course, Rick Flag Jr. was killed by Peacemaker himself during The Suicide Squad, and there’s so much potential in this storyline that I cannot believe I didn’t see it coming. My only worry about this plot point is that it has the potential to carry an entire season by itself, so I hope it doesn’t get lost in the crowd of a second season that seems focused on far more abstract concepts, like the alternate universe storyline introduced in last week’s episode. I would be happy with this storyline slowly building up in the background of this season, whilst it bursts into action in the third season. There’s too much potential here for it to be the B-plot of Season 2.

I will say, I was a little disappointed that Rick Flag Sr. didn’t bring any of the characters, or even any mention, of DC’s Creature Commandos into Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 with him. Rick Flag Sr. played a huge role in that series, so I would have liked to see someone from it make an appearance here. I understand that James Gunn is looking to let DCU projects stand on their own without the viewer relying on knowledge of prior releases to enjoy these shows and movies, but at least a reference would have been nice. The series may have been divisive, but Creature Commandos still holds the title of the very first DCU project to exist – it would have been nice to see it featured a little here.

After our time with Rick Flag, Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 returns to where we left off last week, with Peacemaker having freshly murdered his alternate universe counterpart. For the most part, Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 is a very slow episode, with a few bloody scenes inserted to satisfy the action fans out there. Luckily for this show, fans have come to love the characters and storylines of Peacemaker, so this slower-pacing is not doing much damage to the series itself. In many ways, Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 proves that slower pacing is completely acceptable, as long as you have a compelling first season in place to build off of. Where a lot of comic book shows, particularly from Marvel, have failed, is in their snail-paced first seasons. In the superhero world, a series needs to grasp its viewers hard and fast, and the first season of Peacemaker achieved this. Now, the second season can take its time.

Image by DC Studios

The slower pacing also allows for the more nuanced and theoretical aspects of Peacemaker to breathe. Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2, in particular, highlights the importance of chosen family in this series. From the first season, we see how Peacemaker himself has struggled with his biological family, particularly his father, and how the friends he makes in the first season become his true family. Friendship and found family are both frequently explored themes in the works of James Gunn – Superman, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Creature Commandos all deal with characters relying on their friends in the absence of a supportive family. It’s interesting to see that same theme bleed so heavily into Peacemaker, and the slower pacing of Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 really lets these ideas breathe.

On the topic of found family, I also found it interesting how Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 sets up a decision for Peacemaker to make between these two types of family – his biological family in the alternate universe, or his found family in his original universe. With the ending implying that he will soon meet alternate universe Harcourt, I doubt he’ll be able to move between the two universes as he pleases for much longer. The right decision for many here is going to be, of course, his found family, especially considering his father’s portrayal in Season 1, but who knows? Maybe Peacemaker will end up being too tempted by the promise of the family he never had.

On that topic though, we see a character who falls somewhere between Peacemaker’s biological and found family get a lot of shine this week – that character being Eagly. In a scene that felt a little shoehorned in to make sure that Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 wasn’t completely devoid of action, Eagly takes down an entire team of agents attempting to infiltrate Peacemaker’s home, slashing, bashing, and plucking out one agent’s eye in an extremely gruesome scene. It was entertaining seeing Eagly in action, especially considering he was taking on this team solo, so this scene was a welcome change of pace for Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2.

Image by DC Studios

One character that was not welcome in my viewing experience of Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2, however, was the newly-introduced Langston Fleury. Each and every time this character appeared, it was like watching a stand-up comedian bomb a set. I’ve never seen so many jokes fail so frequently. What was the joke about bird blindness meant to mean? Why was Fleury being so uncomfortably sensual around Economos? This is an original character, so there’s no comic to blame for this – Fleury is just an awful new addition to the cast, who I’m sure Gunn will feature heavily in the upcoming episodes of this show, considering his comedy feels right at home in the worst corners of Gunn’s imagination. The less said about this character the better.

A character I do enjoy, however, is Harcourt, who made quite an impact on the first episode, and continues to have a very compelling presence in Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2. With the romance angle between her and Peacemaker firing up this week, I’m excited to see Jennifer Holland have more time to shine in this season. However, even beyond the romance with Peacemaker, Harcourt’s internal struggle is easily the most intriguing of the side-character plotlines in the show for me. Hopefully we get to explore her inner darkness a lot more as Season 2 continues.

Overall, Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 introduced some big ideas in its early moments, but then stepped on the brakes a little, as it let the concepts of found family and friendship lead the way. While the episode does lose some points for being a little too slow at times, and having some terrible comedic moments, DC fans will be far from disappointed with this series’ continued momentum. What did you think of Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and thanks for reading!

See also: Absolute Martian Manhunter #6 Review

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Where to Watch Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2?

Image by DC Studios

You can catch Peacemaker Season 2 streaming weekly on HBO Max, Friday mornings at 2am BST. The entire first season can also be watched on HBO Max. Like the first season, Peacemaker Season 2 is scheduled for 8 episodes.

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