Twisted Metal remains the most underrated video game adaptation out there. The Last of Us and Fallout have both received their flowers and with its second season, it’s about time Twisted Metal did too. I’ve only had the opportunity to view the first two episodes of season two, but the absurdist surrealism that made the first season so memorable has well and truly returned; in fact, I’d argue it’s been turned up tenfold and that’s all for the better.
To bring you up to speed (wahey, car pun), Twisted Metal centres around Anthony Mackie’s John Doe and Stephanie Beatriz’s Quiet. In season one, John completed a task set by New San Francisco leader Raven; his reward, citizenship within the safety of the walls of the city. Or at least that’s what he was led to believe. Instead, John became somewhat of a prisoner, with Raven revealing that the job set was all a ploy to see if John was up to the task of participating in a mysterious race on Raven’s behalf.
That brings us up to season two which, yes, centres around that aforementioned race - a race run by none other than Calypso. That’s a name that’ll leave video game fans vocalising a joyous yippee. For the uninitiated though, you need no background information. Brought to life by the wonderfully uninhibited Anthony Carrigan (Gotham, Superman, Barry), Calypso is a mysterious figure who decrees that the winner of his ‘demolition derby’ will be granted any wish of their choosing. It’s this that reunites John with Quiet and Sweet Tooth, while new faces are introduced including the likes of Dollface, Mr. Grimm, and Vermin.
I’ve always wondered if it’s Twisted Metal’s absurdism that hasn’t quite granted it the same breadth of audience as other video game adaptations, or perhaps it’s the mere fact that a Twisted Metal game hasn’t dropped in 13 years. Whatever the answer is, I continue to feel that it’s an injustice that the series isn’t being enjoyed by more people. It may not be ‘prestige television’ but what’s on offer here is still as well-considered and entertaining, and is most definitely worth your while.
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As I said, Twisted Metal’s brand of humour has been turned up to 11 and that’s for the better. It’s a show and a world for which you should leave any sense of disbelief at the door. Within the space of the first two episodes, I’ve already witnessed an adult male baby wielding his umbilical cord like a mace and a crazed woman wanting to twist John Doe’s nipples. And honestly? I didn’t even double take. Twisted Metal’s second season certainly keeps you on your toes when it comes to predicting what’s around the corner, but that’s the joy and magic. Its episodes are pure, escapist fun.
But that’s not to say that they don’t have heart. One of the things that most impressed me about that first season was the depth that Twisted Metal managed to convey amidst the vulgar and silly jokes. That too remains present here in the second season. John and Quiet’s vulnerability with one another towards the end of season one was a real highlight, with Anthony and Stephanie sharing wonderful chemistry. In the two episodes I’ve seen, the opportunity for that to be further explored hasn’t quite been presented yet, but the show has already humanised Dollface and Raven. Are their backstories as bonkers as the wider show? Pretty much, but they’re rooted in real human emotions … jealousy, insecurity, grief, to name just a few. Already, I’m incredibly impressed at how much depth has been granted to these incredibly two-dimensional video game characters.
I shouldn’t be surprised. Twisted Metal has made a star out of Stu (portrayed by Mike Mitchell), a pretty niche character from Twisted Metal 2. It must be a real thrill for video game fans to finally see humanity infused into these characters. You can tell that the cast is having a hoot bringing them to life. The returning cast are as fantastic as they were the last time around. Samoa Joe and Will Arnett continue to pull double duty bringing Sweet Tooth to life who steals every scene he’s in.
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As for the new faces, there are far too many to mention but Tiana Okoye’s Dollface has been a highlight so far. Her stoic quest is to make the world a better place and it's her sincerity that really helps ground the series. Please don’t assume that to mean that Dollface is ‘normal’ though by any stretch of the imagination. By the end of the first episode, she’d already made a man “dance” by setting his face on fire. Even the ‘good’ aren’t all that good here.
I have a feeling that Carrigan’s Calypso is going to be the standout star when the season is all said and done. I’ve only seen one small glimpse of the actor in action as this season’s big bad, but what an impression he’s made. I was a huge fan of Carrigan’s work as Victor Zsasz in Gotham, and he applies a similar extravagance here. His mannerisms and villainy cackles are completely over the top, but in a way that lands on the right side of indulgently delicious.
My only concern, and it is a small one, is that I hope Twisted Metal continues to hold on to its quieter moments of humanity and doesn’t throw what the series has achieved so far out the window the moment Calypso’s race begins. Quiet’s plight for freedom and John’s yearning for a sense of belonging held the first season together. While certain characters are already beginning new heartfelt journeys for us to invest in, I don’t want those to be sacrificed for all-out mindless action. The two have to work in tandem.
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The bottom line is this though: Twisted Metal season two is shaping up to a worthy follow-up that matches the underrated brilliance of that first season. If you enjoyed season one, you’ll delight in the hilariously bizarre journey that’s about to unfold - one that much more closely reflects the classic Twisted Metal video game experience. And if you’re yet to watch that first season, you ought to go about changing that. Buckle up, we’re so back.
Twisted Metal Season 2 is available in the UK on Paramount Plus, with the first three episodes available now. Two new episodes will drop every Friday.
Topics: TV And Film, Reviews, PlayStation