Peacock’s Twisted Metal TV series, which was formally announced back in 2021, was a real delight when it released its first season in 2023. The show adapted the feel of the gory over-the-top vehicular action game series on which it was based while crafting a mostly original post-apocalyptic Mad Max-style world for its characters to inhabit. Now in its second season, the show brings its characters and setting closer to those of the games by bringing in the character of Calypso and the titular Twisted Metal tournament, a vehicle combat competition in which the victor wins a wish for anything their heart desires. Based on the first three episodes of the season, which releases 31 July 2025, fans of the show and games have a lot to look forward to.
Twisted Metal season two starts with a time skip, progressing the main cast somewhat further along from where we last saw them at the end of the first season. John Doe (Anthony Mackie) is imprisoned in his childhood home by the manipulative overseer of New San Francisco, Raven (now played by Patty Guggenheim), as she trains him to race on her behalf in the Twisted Metal tournament. Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz) has found a new life and purpose for herself outside the walls. Now working alongside John’s long-lost sister Dollface (Tiana Okoye), she fights for the rights of those excluded from the safety of the walled cities. Meanwhile, the murderous clown Sweet Tooth (physically performed by Joe Seanoa with Will Arnett’s vocal performance) wrecks a bloody trail across the former United States to establish himself as the most feared driver around, with his hapless underling Stu (played by Mike Mitchell, with Stu’s partner Mike from the first season inexplicably missing) in tow.
Fortunately, the show doesn’t keep John Doe and Quiet apart for too long. Once the characters are reunited, we get to enjoy their amazing chemistry from the first season as we see the impacts of their time apart on their relationship. It was interesting to see the inversion of their character arcs following the events of the first season. The affable, community-minded John is now out only for himself and the ones he cares about, whereas the formerly sullen and self-focused Quiet has found a community of her own and wants to help them before herself. Many of the newcomers are delightful additions, particularly Saylor Bell Curda as Mayhem, a young woman who forms a prickly friendship with Quiet, and Anthony Carrigan, who has a particularly unnerving turn as the Twisted Metal gamemaster, Calypso.
Even just in the first three episodes, Twisted Metal season two feels bigger and weirder than its first season. The season premiere is unfortunately a little slow-paced. However, the second and third episode have a healthy number of impressive car stunts, elaborate practical effects, cool vehicle-mounted weaponry and massive explosions, with the show leaning much more heavily into the vehicle combat-focused games which it adapts. As far as weirder, while the first season drifted into odd territory on occasion, the first three episodes of the new season alone feature a necromancer biker who absorbs the souls of the dead and a grown man with a wrecking ball attached to the end of his still-attached umbilical cord. I for one appreciate the often shocking grindhouse nature of Twisted Metal. I look forward to the ridiculous and out-there directions the show is yet to take as more episodes are released.
The second season of Twisted Metal leaves a lot to look forward to as Calypso’s tournament brings its eccentric and memorable cast together. It has been a long wait for more of this show, but the new season continues its momentum and then some. It maintains the kinetic action, zany comedy and bizarre characters, while still achoring it in emotionally resonant leads with compelling character arcs. Whenever Twisted Metal feels like it might be getting a bit too crazy or bizarre, it balances the comedy with dramatic scenes of John Doe grappling with his sense of identity as he learns more about his forgotten past, and John and Quiet determining if they have changed too much to be able to continue their relationship. It’s very compelling stuff, (aided by some excellent comedic and dramatic chemistry between Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz) and I am looking forward to more of it as the new season progresses.
The first three episodes of season two of Twisted Metal are releasing on Peacock (and via the Stan streaming service in Australia) on July 31st 2025. The rest of the season will release in two-episode blocks each week until August 28th, on which the final three episodes will be available to view.
About the Author
Tom Quirk
he/him
Tom Quirk plays a lot of video games, but when he isn't, he is reading fantasy novels and watching way more television than is healthy.
