REVIEW: ‘Halo’ Season 2 Premiere Offers A Strong Reboot

We knew coming into the Halo Season 2 Premiere that things would be different. With a new showrunner in executive producer David Wiener, the Paramount+ Original based on the 343 Industries Halo universe has the chance to fulfill last season’s promises while changing some of the more frustrating elements. In the premiere, which featured Halo Season 2 Episodes 1-2, audiences get action, a new narrative focus, and a clear setup for the Fall of Reach.

Set in the universe that debuted in 2001 with the launch of Xbox’s first HALO game, the series reimagines the 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant. With Spartan John-117 (Pablo Schreiber), the Master Chief John-117, at its center. John leads his Spartan team against the alien threat known as the Covenant. Last season, everything got worse when he discovered his deep connection to the Halo. But this season, it’s all about Reach. It’s about the life of the UNSC there, the closing of the Covenant’s grip as they conquer planets, and how it all feels like an uphill battle.

Dr. Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone) is out, but a new menacing British-accented person is in. James Ackerson (Joseph Morgan) is the new “boss” of the UNSC. He’s cold with a tinge of anger, and he’s almost immovable, especially compared to Halsey. She did show small moments of empathy and kindness even beneath her scheming. Morgan’s Ackerson is closed off and set on his own personal revenge instead of guarding Reach. That’s apparent from the jump. He keeps Cortana for himself (with her new motion-captured actress, Christina Bennington), making it clear that Ackerson is undoubtedly mysterious and dangerous.

The action that starts off the season is infinitely better than last season. It embraces the natural landscape and weather effects to craft the atmosphere as much as the sci-fi combat. The opening episode’s real strength is watching the Spartans work as a team. But the best is seeing what makes Master Chief so good.

Master Chief and the Spartans are big. Every character physically looks up to them. In the opening fight of the season, John uses his mountain of a body to shield and save Corporal Talia Perez (Cristina Rodlo). It may seem extremely small, but Halo Season 2 visually captures the grand nature of the Spartans in a way that the first season did not. Their towering presences make their dissent and arguments, as well as their fight sequences, all the more intense.

The only real issue in this two-episode premiere for Halo Season 2 is that we once again leave Reach and find ourselves with Soren. Now, I enjoyed Soren last season, but the disjointed nature of Halo Season 1 happened because of the one story-specific episode that focused on Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha) and pulled us away from the story developing with the Spartans.

The cutaways to a different part of the universe don’t feel forced. Instead, they feel like they’re wrapping around to Reach as Soren takes on a criminal worker because he knows where Dr. Halsey is. For Soren, who is deadset on revenge against the scientist, it’s an easy quest to embark on. However, the writers have made Reach and the Spartans far more interesting this season, which makes any detraction from their main storyline not carry as much weight.

In Episode 2 of Halo Season 2, the side quest to Soren disappears, and Katherine Halsey comes into view. But Kwan Ha comes back into the picture. While I still found myself wanting more of Reach and Halsey, the pacing of the secondary story parts of the episode isn’t awful. That was my largest complaint last season, and Halo Season 2’s writing is vastly different.

Ultimately, the changes to the series’ narrative focus and the characters that it aims to explore have been for the better. One thing is clear: the Halo Season 2 Premiere is a strong reboot. Yes, the actors are the same, and the characters’ motivations are mostly intact, but this season has changed when it comes to cinematography and fight quality. Thankfully, it has discarded elements of the Season 1 finale that rang hollow. This latter point put the second season of Halo into a predicament.

The last season ended with John becoming one with Cortana (Jennifer Taylor, voice-over). His will was turned over to Cortana, and he gave up his hard-won emotional freedom. It was a push that made him closer to his video game counterpart, but it was also controversial. The helmet stayed on for the first time in the season, and yet, it still felt empty. Now, in the Halo Season 2 Premiere, that change is gone. Immediately from the episode’s opening, John is on a table, and Cortana is presumably being removed.

However, John’s connection to Makee (Charlie Murphy) hasn’t. While their romance was shoehorned last season, Makee takes on a larger role as a voice in the background. She haunts John, and the Covenant comes closer to Reach. But without Makee, John isn’t devoid of human connection. For him, his human connection is through Perez. Growing closer after he is rescued here, Episode 2 has a touching conversation that deepens the actual concept of war and trauma that Season 1 only vaguely confronts. Humanity is at the core of this season so far.

As we learn more, every single member of Master Chief’s Spartan team has followed him and removed their emotional regulators. They’re not mindless now. They’re all unique in their own ways and seemingly thriving because of it. Riz-028 (Natasha Culzac) is recovering from the pain of having her body blown apart and stitched back together. Kai-125 (Kate Kennedy) has taken on a larger role as a leader within the group behind John without sacrificing her voice. And Vannak-134 (Bentley Kalu) watches animal shows to wind down, which is a small tidbit that offers a softness to the Spartan. How they each care for each other helps round out who they are and deepens their story as well. They’re more than just fighters, and it’s paying off.

The predicament is this. In throwing away elements of the first season, Halo Season 2 feels and becomes different. The disconnect between the two seasons is a bridge that David Wiener and his dream don’t try to cross. But with this double-episode premiere, it may not be for the worst. The action has become heavier, and the world has become richer. More importantly, this series is standing on its own. While the first season lived in the shadow of the iconic gaming franchise, Halo Season 2 offers an unapologetic approach to telling a good sci-fi story with action that captures more than just video combat.

The Halo Season 2 Premiere capitalizes on a lot that made last season good and throws out the thorny parts that felt out of place to begin. It may unceremoniously unwrite the past, but it’s thoughtful in crafting its future.

Halo Season 2 Episodes 1-2 are streaming now on Paramount+.