Shadow and Bone Season 2
Mar. 26th, 2023 07:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
AHA
Okay, that seems successful. For the uninitiated, if you view this post from my main page and not click into it, the spoilers will be hidden behind a tumblr-like cut. (I'm not sure on the timeline but it's my reference point sry) If you cannot see the spoiler warning here, make sure you can see it before proceeding.
So, overall I didn't like this season as much as the first, but the Crows content was enough for me to see it through to the end. And, by the end of the season, I decided that if there IS a spinoff show about the crows I'll watch it. Hell, even if there's a Shadow and Bone 3 with them I'll watch it.
Now, for the nitty gritty spoiler stuff.
Likewise, I was THRILLED to have Nina with the Crows, but it felt like she joined with a showstopper moment, but it fell kind of flat to me. Like I watched a cutscene with no music or ate a laboriously cooked and underseasoned meal. Wylan showing up was exciting, but it felt like a retcon as well in a way that didn't feel great.
However, there were moments that really shone for me. I think the Kaz/Inej stuff worked so well for me. Amita did a great job and that "I will have you without your armor, Kaz Brekker" line hit me with full force. The Jordie stuff didn't really work for me, but Pekka Rollins WAS a terrible enough character on screen for me to just LOVE the undoing of him scene. Beautiful work. It felt so good and Freddy's Kaz is SO fuckin good. I think he really sold all the parts that were important, his vengeance, his understanding, and the knowledge that one of these was a mask? Beautiful.
The moment when the Mal stuff hit the hardest was literally the end. The nickname thing I thought was really well seeded and it was a great realization because of that. His refusal to be with Alina felt... well. It's INTERESTING. If I had time it would probably have hit me good.
Ultimately I just want more crows content and I think a spinoff series would be a great time for it to breathe. Weirdly I think giving more time to the grisha stuff but NOT ENOUGH really hurt this season. It truly should've been a spinoff after s1, I think. Sad to see Ben Barnes and Jessie Mei Li used in a way I found pretty bland.
Ultimately this isn't REALLY a review, but I don't have another thing to tag these so shrug.
Anyway! more of these when I finish Things.