MovieChat Forums > Danger 5 (2011) Discussion > Disappointing Season 2

Disappointing Season 2

posted 9 years ago by Legendary_Badass
4 replies | jump to latest

I watched season 1 shortly after it was added to Netflix, and I was largely ok by it. I liked the look of the '60s TV series and the effort to replicate the kitsch of the period with very authentic camera work, miniatures, and slightly out of synch V/O. There were some nice running gags for each character with my favorite being how Claire would be immediately hushed for raising questions during the mission briefings.

To my surprise Netflix acquired season 2 quite fast, and I binge watched that as well. The changes to the show made it immediately detestable, and I largely stuck with it after S2E2 just to see it through as I was already in so deep.

The effort to move the series into the '80s is not nearly as complete as what was done for the '60s. The miniatures seem worse and entirely out of place in an '80s show. The voices are still out of synch even though that should be a '60s thing as well.

There's also a shift in the storytelling. Episodes are no longer episodic with a clear beginning and end to a mission. Instead it's like season 2 is a stretched out movie. Only it's far more erratic. Many jokes will occur at random and be forgotten about or ignored by characters. It's like they are trying too hard to throw in as much zaniness as possible. Season 2 also, and this is mostly in the early episodes of the season, suffers from pop culture overload. It was nice how in season 1 the show was doing its own jokes. In S1E1 and S2E2 we have nonstop references to Miami Vice, Scarface, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I find this to cheap a show, like saying we should enjoy it because it's like something the writers knew we already enjoy.

Lastly, I didn't think the sudden volume of female nudity was in good taste. Yeah, I know I'm going to get the "you Americans" speech and someone is going to reply "yeah but all that violence is ok, hypocrite". There's a difference between obviously fake violence occurring for entertainment and very real nudity that objectifies women. Season 1 showed how they averted those scenarios, but in season 2 they look for excuses to include it.

Certainly looks like the series is wrapped. It's too bad it goes out weak.

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[–] Minus_The_Beer 9 years ago

I pretty much agree with everything said here. While I didn't have a problem with the nudity, I did have a problem with the ADHD nature of season two and the tireless extremity of all the gags. Really, the show lost its charm.

Anyone here mentions Hotel California dies before the first line clears his lips.

[–] Trigonomics 9 years ago

Season 2 was beautiful. Perfectly captured that 80's feel.

[–] icw_co 9 years ago

Interesting take! They certainly did hold onto some of the 60's era gags when they shifted to the 80's inspired season 2, but the tone might have changed even more than it did between seasons if they had abandoned those complete and you want that Danger 5 tone when you fire up an episode. It can almost be said that it takes its cues from reality, wherein the 60's have happened and the influences thereof are still felt two decades later. I'm sure you can agree that modern film and TV borrows from and is influenced by a lot of things that were prominent in those media in the 90s, while having heavily expanded and developed upon them.

Although I could have done with another half of a season worth of the season 1 format, I'm ultimately happy about their decision. They set up the format, ravaged it, and then broke the format while maintaining the universe of the show. I think that that is wonderful. I mean, if a season 3 were to occur, you don't know what to expect from it as things are now, but if the show was nonstop season 1 format, you'd always know what to expect in that regard. It would work and not get boring if done properly, sure, but there's more room for reference/parody and unique comedy if the format isn't tied down.

By the way, anybody who enjoyed this MUST watch Garth Marenghi's Darkplace. From the moment the first episode of this show began, I could recognize Darkplace in it. Very similar tone in comedy, style, camerawork, sets, acting, and on. Honestly, I would take the 6 episodes of Darkplace that exist over both seasons of Danger 5. Danger 5 has it's occasional lulls where the level of humor tanks, whereas Darkplace is a masterpiece start to finish. I also feel very certain that Colonel Chestbridge's voice is heavily inspired by that of Matt Berry's character in Darkplace.

[–] lovedawn 9 years ago

I personally loved the randomness of season 2, and wasn't at all bothered about the shift to a longer storyline.
Only downsides for me were the not-very-interesting blonde (Holly) and Pierre's insistence of saying 'fish' instead of 'sh!t'. Also, in the last episode, I thought that the devices they were placed in could have been handled better. It dragged a bit during those scenes.

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