'Twisted Metal' Season 2 Review
- Dempsey Pillot
- Jul 30, 2025
- 4 min read
Season Two. [Episodes 1 - 3]
Aired On: Peacock.
Release Date: 07/31/25.
Genre: Action. Comedy. Drama. Fantasy. SciFi. Thriller.
The Verdict: A Must-See
It’s been two summers since one of the most exciting racing franchises sped off into the sunset taking its cool cars, eclectic characters, and ridiculous plot lines with it. Funny enough, the last Fast & Furious movie came out that year too. While it’s still a mystery where Vin Diesel and company will take their story next, gearheads can still get their maniacal and mechanical fix with Peacock’s Twisted Metal. And thanks to some new and interesting upgrades in its latest season, general audiences can too.
Picking up seven months after the events of the first season, season two wastes no time jumping into the story and showing us what all of the main characters are up to. When we reconvene with John (Anthony Mackie), he’s still being held captive in New San Francisco. Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz) has linked up with an all-female tribe of drivers led by the mysterious Dollface. And Stu (Mike Mitchell) is still serving Sweet Tooth (Joe Seanoa and Will Arnett) against his will.
For most of the season’s first episode, all three parties meander on extremely different sidequests until a transmission from the mysterious Calypso reveals he is hosting a racing tournament with a spectacular prize: a wish for whatever your heart desires. It’s more-or-less the same announcement teased at the end of season one. The only major difference being that now all of the characters aside from John know what’s at stake - and we finally get to see what Calypso looks like (Anthony Carrigan).
Episode two sees John and Quiet reunite, as the truth about Dollface’s past comes to the light. She’s played by Tiana Okoye. And on top of being the leader of her own feminist resistance, she alleges she’s John’s biological sister. Despite helping to fill in some major gaps in John’s past and appearing as a trusted ally, through a brief flashback, it’s revealed her character is morally grey. It’s fascinating because for most of season one it was unclear where Quiet’s loyalty lied. So the fact that there’s another character brought into the fold that could cross them both seems repetitive. And because of her connection to each of them you want to believe that she means well. But the added power and temptation of Calypso’s prize might just be enough to risk those relationships.
By the end of episode three, as the contest begins to take shape, some of the other players begin to fall into place. Another character we meet is Mayhem (Saylor Bell Curda), a young misguided thief who becomes indebted to Quiet. There’s also a new antagonist named Mr. Grimm (Richard de Klerk), whose mere existence transcends the show’s original science fiction design. It’s just one of the many instances of creator Michael Jonathan Smith starting to have fun in his own sandbox this season, after establishing such a strong foundation in the first. And Smith’s continued worldbuilding is so wonderful that it is easy to forget the show is adapted from a video game. It’s also what makes this universe feel so much bigger, even though many of the characters and places are ripped directly from the source material.
Admittedly, the show does undergo a bit of a new paint job. In fact, one of the first new characters we meet is a different Raven. Patty Guggenheim replaces Neve Campbell’s character from the first season. But Campbell isn’t necessarily recast, as her departure is explained as a shakeup ordered by the leadership amongst the “other” Ravens. As the other characters come into focus, it also feels like John and Quiet’s relationship is taking the backseat. But that’s not a bad thing. As previously mentioned, this world is getting bigger. John and Quiet aren’t the only ones with problems. The decision to invite the audience to take a look at those other problems is directly connected to Calypso’s competition. As the stakes get higher and the scope gets wider, it’s only naturally that we’ll start to see what other characters would want their wish to be. It’s not only necessary to fuel a larger story, but keep the audience invested in characters they can relate to for a much longer ride.
Three episodes in, and one of the season’s only issues so far is that the cars and the racing have also taken a backseat. With Calypso’s competition around the corner, it’s safe to assume the show is saving all the best action for later episodes. There also hasn’t been enough Sweet Tooth. However, the way his and Stu’s arc culminates in the first episode is easily one of the show’s funniest to date. And his interest in joining the competition all but teases the potential for the season to become a live-action version of Wacky Races.
In its second season, Peacock’s Twisted Metal continues to be one of the most entertaining shows around. Whether you’re a fan of the games, a fan of the first season or a newcomer, its simple blend of action, sci-fi and comedy is more than enough to clutch your attention. With a plot more accurately aligned with the original video game, more great characters and a more fleshed-out world, the series still feels like it’s got miles to go before it even comes close to the finish line.
Where to Watch:
