Having now watched the entirety of the second season of Peacock’s Twisted Metal live-action TV adaptation, it seems that, to an extent, bigger can be better. With a bigger budget, a longer run-time (with twelve episodes compared to the first season’s ten) and an expanded cast of competitors, Peacock is taking something of a gamble that what worked in moderation in the show’s madcap first season can work better if you just add more stuff to it. Fortunately, it’s a gamble that mostly pays off; the old and new cast members are a marvellous fit for the bizarre post-apocalyptic Mad Max-esque world of Twisted Metal, with fun action, great comedy and a sincere heart underlying it all that makes Twisted Metal’s second season definitely worth watching.
Similarly to how the Mortal Kombat movie sequel coming out this year will finally have an actual Mortal Kombat tournament, Twisted Metal season two actually revolves around the titular Twisted Metal tournament…well, at least it eventually does. The season follows on from the events of the first season after a time skip, separating season one protagonists John Doe (played by Anthony Mackie) and Quiet (played by Stephanie Beatriz). Fortunately, they are soon reunited and, after three episodes establishing most of its main contestants, summoned to compete in a vehicular combat tournament called Twisted Metal, run by the enigmatic and seemingly all-powerful Calypso (played by Anthony Carrigan). The winner of this mysterious tournament will see their heart’s greatest desire granted, whatever it may be.
Putting the focus on the tournament also means expanding the show’s roster of main characters. Fortunately, the supporting cast is up to the task. In addition to return of Sweet Tooth (physically performed by Joe Seanoa with Will Arnett’s vocal performance) and his hapless sidekick Stu (played by Mike Mitchell), plenty of prominent new racers are thrown in the mix, such as Mayhem, a teenage stowaway played by Saylor Bell Curda who forms surrogate familial bond with John and Quiet, Dollface, John’s estranged sister played by Tiana Okoye and the hulking and perpetually shirtless half-man, half-car Axel (played by Michael James Shaw).
Twisted Metal juggles its expanded cast quite well, doing a decent job of signposting who is important and who is car combat fodder, destined to be blown up or left as a smear on the road. It’s still far from an ensemble show, however; the series smartly continues to keep its emotional focus mostly on John and Quiet, with the ups and downs of their relationship giving the show a dramatic anchor and preventing it from getting too silly and difficult to take seriously when the wackier contestants of the Twisted Metal competition join the fray. Sweet Tooth and Stu also continue to be a weirdly endearing element of the show, with Stu’s steady character arc of self-actualisation and standing up for himself against the theatrical and domineering Sweet Tooth being one of Twisted Metal’s most engaging subplots.
While the expanded episode count was probably a necessary evil to manage its larger central cast, it has a weird effect on the pacing. Many episodes barely involve cars at all, and the pacing lulls around the middle when the show restricts itself to a single location as it slowly builds up to its finale.
Fortunately, even when the show focuses more on the gags than the action, it often results in some of the show’s most memorable scenes. These include John and Quiet awkwardly trying to infiltrate an orgy as part of a heist, and Sweet Tooth’s childish and practically one-sided rivalry with fellow driver Mr. Grimm (played by Richard de Klerk). The action is also better than it has ever been, with a greater emphasis on crazy vehicular weapons, which feel straight out of the games.
Fundamentally, it’s the writing and performances that drive home (pun intended) what makes Twisted Metal’s second season compelling. There is a genuine heart beneath its goofy, gory exterior. This is emphasised when the show slows down in between the carnage and lets them bounce off one another. Not being terribly experienced with the series of video games, I’m not the best authority on how faithfully they are adapted. However, those looking for name drops of characters and elements from the source material should likely be somewhat satisfied, even though the show is still content to very much carve out its own continuity and tone separate from the games.
If you enjoyed the first season of Twisted Metal, then season two will satisfy you and then some. With so many new characters it is throwing into the mix alongside its expanded episode count, it is inevitable that not all of it would quite work; the middle stretch leading up to the finale is a bit too slow-paced, and some of its supporting cast (such as Vermin, played by Lisa Gilroy), were simply gross and annoying without the layer of pathos that made similarly quirky charactersp engaging. That said, when it works, it really works, containing over-the-top and entertaining action, hysterical gags and a fun central cast who are easy to connect with.
Twisted Metal season 2 is currently streaming on Stan, with the final episodes dropping on August 29, 2025.
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.
