I doubt that anyone went into Squid Game season 2 expecting it to be an improvement on the cultural phenomenon that was the first season. To no fault of its own, the virality of the show and the subsequent cultural saturation this caused (via an avalanche of never-ending memes and adaptations by famous creators like Mr. Beast), thrust upon it the impossible task of living up to a unmaintainable amount of hype that was primarily borne out of the show’s initial novelty. How can you deliver said novelty again when the audience appeal was largely tied to the repetitive structure of the survival games, while simultaneously honouring the development of a character who, for all narrative intents and purposes, has no business playing them?

“Squid Game season 2 relies upon archetypes and clichés to distinguish itself”

In spite of the shoe-horned cliffhanger of the first season, did anyone (creator included), even want a second season to this compact story? This narrative bind is recognised by the time jump in the first episode and, in a roundabout way, addressed. The two first episodes wonderfully manage to both psychologically trivialise and narratively overcomplicate our long-awaited re-introduction to the games. There were certainly ways to go forward with Gi-hun’s story, but the best, most thematically satisfactory ones would not have seen him return as a player. Perhaps a better way forward, while still appeasing corporate interests, would have been to remove Gi-hun altogether. In this way, the show could have comfortably swept the season 1 ending under the rug and pursued other open storylines, while affording viewers the time to connect with a new ensemble cast. Alas, this was not the chosen direction of the show’s writers and producers.

I would blame the show’s strange new tone, principally, on the directorial decision to have our protagonist Gi-hun become a broken, vengeful crusader. Lee Jung-Jae is perfectly capable of playing the straight man, but we are left searching for his charm in an abyss of underdeveloped stock characters. Often, we are obliged, rather than encouraged, to care about characters whose motivations and personalities are, when not paralleling those seen in season 1, simply not given enough time and depth. Squid Game season 1 was no stranger to archetypes and clichés, but this is particularly pronounced now that season 2 relies upon them to distinguish itself. Though new games are introduced, most scenes taking place within said games follow the same beats as in the first season. When the thrill of violence wears off (and it is often depicted with a troubling degree of provocative nonchalance), we troublingly become these unfortunate players’ morbid spectators, rather than their champions.

“A show that once felt so strikingly new has now become narratively neutered”

The ‘take them down from within’ storyline in the games is simply implausible, and season 2 unfortunately lacks the subtlety to deal with this choice realistically, or at the very least imaginatively. What we have been offered as a sequel is an action thriller rather than a psychological thriller. It is a confused attempt to squeeze innovation out of a setting that is innately and necessarily repetitious. The philosophical aspects of Squid Game, while still rather explicit and accessible, are engaging enough to make for interesting viewing and online discourse, however, it’s hard to escape the feeling that a show that once felt so strikingly new has become narratively neutered.

All the same, while being often illogical and increasingly predictable, Squid Game is still great entertainment. The games which catapulted the series to fame remain excellent, and what is lacking in the writing is earnestly attempted to be made up for by its talented cast. I also admire the fact that new directions are being attempted and that the new season isn’t a complete retread of the previous one. For, despite the season’s faults, this is an ambitious outing with a fair share of memorable, fun scenes.

This season ends without narrative closure, which means that critiquing the unresolved and inconclusive plot points is a little redundant for now. Nonetheless, what season 1 managed to convey narratively by around 5 episodes in, Squid Game season 2 does not come even close to by episode 7. The viewer is not made to understand character motivations, secondary plots are limp or go completely missing, and the story tragically ends at a massively awkward point, at which the first signs of character development are only beginning to show. Season 3, which will be released later this year, will have the considerable task of miraculously tying up a lot of loose ends. Let us hope that this upcoming season will make a return to the show’s inceptive, innovative flair, and that it will improve on what ultimately feels like a muddled second attempt.