“Marvel’s Runaways” Season 2 is Bigger & Bolder, But its Second Half Has Too Many Moving Parts

Following a successful first season, Marvel and Hulu’s first collaboration, “Runaways,” opens its ambitious second season with a strong first half that reminds you of everything you love about this show on steroids. Action, character, Marvel-style heroics and teen drama are on full display here and the already fantastic cast gets to show off their dramatic chops as the season progresses into darker, but juicier, territory.

There’s a lot to digest in the season’s busy 13 episodes, but the first seven are practically nerdvana for longtime fans of the comics and the first season. The show’s greatest asset has always been its memorable characters and right from the season premiere’s first scene, that’s kicked up to 11.

Key character relationships, namely the fan favorite pairings of Nico/Karolina and Chase/Gert, take center stage here and every character, no matter how minor their role last time, gets something new here.

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My biggest gripe with season 1 was that towards the end, the scales tipped more in favor of the parents than the kids. Season 2 doesn’t have that problem; it’s much more balanced and knows how to play to the strengths of what came before.

However, after a great first act, the season’s problems only rear up in the final six episodes. Without going into spoilers, let’s just say that the latter half of the season overstays its welcome after already tying up a lot of loose ends and fulfilling much of its promise around the halfway mark. I never thought I’d say that a show needed less episodes, but the shortened first season was much better paced than this.

The second half of the season simply tries to do too much, introducing several new antagonists, unnecessary conflicts and lots of questionable plot and character decisions. For example, one episode ends with a major character in danger, only for them to escape unharmed before the opening credits of the next episode. This isn’t the only time this happens, either. Too many moving parts are being juggled and as a result, you may find yourself saying “Huh?” a few times.

“Runaways” season 2, while definitely bigger and bolder than its predecessor, ultimately doesn’t stick the landing. Its strong first half is more than enough to merit a binge watch, but a clunky and muddled second half won’t please everyone by the time it’s over. Hopefully, the show can pull off a third season with much more focus and fanfare. But half the season is still a great stride for the promising series and it can only go up from there.

All 13 episode of “Runaways” season 2 will debut on Hulu December 21.