Should 'Squid Game' Season 2 replicate Season 1's brutality? Hit show risks being a one-note wonder
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Squid Game' Season 1 captivated viewers with its graphic children's games, but it could be a good idea to change things up for Season 2. The Netflix show successfully employed violence to tell a tale about the gap between social strata in its first outing. The sequel to 'Squid Game' will need to be at least as amazing as the first, although shock value might not be the best way to get there.
'Squid Game' Season 1 left the audience horrified, arguably going overboard with its brutality and gore. This continued for the rest of the season as, in each game, more players were brutally killed and more money was added to the prize pool. By the time it was over, hundreds had died, and Gi-hun was too traumatized to experience anything akin to pleasure in his winnings.
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Season 2 risks being monotonous
Both repulsed and captivated by the games, viewers watched more and more, just as players couldn't help but keep playing. But, by the end of Season 1, brutality had become the standard and the shock factor was gone, which puts Season 2 of 'Squid Game' at a disadvantage. Viewers' attention levels are bound to drop if 'Squid Game' Season 2 followed the same path as Season 1. The violence was well received in the first installment, but it would be futile to replicate it at the same intensity.
What can happen in 'Squid Game' Season 2?
The gruesome details were up close and personal in the earlier games, which mostly took the players' perspective. 'Squid Game' Season 2 could shock viewers in a brand-new way if it zooms out and gives viewers a more comprehensive view of the games' internal workings and organizational structure. Of course, some characters will still die horrific deaths, but 'Squid Game' shouldn't be about that anymore. The show must prove that it has a variety of notes to play in order to maintain its success.