TV Review DC’s Peacemaker Season 1
Picking up where The Suicide Squad (2021) left off, Peacemaker returns home after recovering from his encounter with Bloodsport – only to discover that his freedom comes at a price.
- Network: HBO Max
- First episode date: 13 January 2022 (USA)
- Program creator: James Gunn
- Cast: John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13146488/
In recent years since the success of Marvel Studios’ explosion in popularity, DC has been closely nipping at its heels in ambitious retellings of its intellectual properties. Having tremendous success with his take on Guardians of The Galaxy, James Gunn took the challenge head on to improve (and effectively erase from public consciousness) David Ayer’s Suicide Squad from 2016 – a critical and commercial flop – with his version in 2021.
What he was able to create in 2021 marked another turning point for the superhero genre, with more interesting and likeable characters and flawlessly executed punchy and savvy dialogue. If you’ve watched James Gunn’s work, you’ll understand how his writing both enriches and satisfies audiences.
Peacemaker is no exception. Whilst we were first introduced to the character in The Suicide Squad of 2021 allowing the audience to eventually dislike him and his motives, this spin-off, set several years after those initial events, demonstrates a much more human side to him and his weaknesses – guilt, self-hate, the yearning for acceptance and overcoming trust issues, intertwined with his own sense of where his loyalties lie.
How does Peacemaker Season 1 stack up?
Episode 1 sets a very strong presence with new characters, backstories and the notion of everyone having a secret they are hiding. These are explored further in later episodes, giving the audience drips and drabs, just enough to keep the proverbial carrot dangling in front of us to keep us invested with individuals. An overarching storyline of the impending alien invasion occurring on Earth gives solid opportunity for the team to find their place, with their own inner strengths slowly brought to light. They are all flawed by their sense of duty and conscience (or lack thereof), which allows the audience to relate and appreciate the hardships presented to each character’s inner conflict.
Detailed sets and the use of CGI shine brightly for Peacemaker’s production value, online forums debate an estimated total series value of possibly $60M for 8 episodes running approximately 40 minutes, with majority investors being DC and HBO Max. This gives room for extensive action sequences and effects that are clearly impressive, no matter how you view the content of the series.
Peacemaker’s social impact
This being said, if you have not viewed The Suicide Squad of 2021 with its stylised graphic depictions of extreme violence, Peacemaker will come as quite a shock, so viewer discretion is highly advised. The violence uses more of a black comedy angle, along with lines of over-the-top racism, misogyny, homophobia and xenophobia. However, these are included as a tool to point out their own absurdity and their finally dying place in today’s mainstream society. They are also used as a way to give these societal abhorrence’s a clear and punishing death.
With each episode ending on a cliff-hanger (not to mention an always enjoyable post-credits sequence), it’s a series you can easily talk about with friends, if they like to eat up the same kooky crap you do. Gunn’s characteristic use of rock music throughout plays another key role in its progressive inclusion, essentially becoming an unseen character that helps the main team bond.
If you have predominantly been a DC fan before and held some resentment at the success of Marvel, fear not. James Gunn’s Peacemaker series delivers a fresh and entertaining take whilst maintaining heartfelt moments, character development and rooting a strong presence in what is now becoming a new wave of superhero genre. Season 2 was confirmed in late February of 2022 where Gunn will pen and direct all episodes.
