Squid Game is a Netflix series where people play kids games to clear their debt but if any of the players lose they get publicly executed. In the first season player 456 (Gi-Hun) wins the money and finds out that player 1 was the person who organized the whole thing and did it because he just wanted his childhood back.
The new Squid Game season is notorious for being a lot more comical and a lot better made than Season 1. Mostly from the higher budget for the directors to play with but it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Also, it shows the desperation or greed of people and how it was able to wrap you in through its immersion of the characters.
It can play with the fact that it’s not a super serious show while being decently serious allowing itself to lean into the fact that people are losing their lives because of kids’ games and the greed of rich people.
Through this show, you really see how much people will stoop for their own greed and how much they want more money or power. This show has shown how desperate people are to have a chance at getting out of debt even killing people they grew up with and how fast people would do it for the desperation of greed.
An example of how it doesn’t take itself too seriously is the character Thanos, a famous rap artist with a drug-induced eccentric attitude throughout the show. Through the show Thanos kept the game fun and allowed himself to enjoy the games, Making it seem not as serious. Even with it keeping the show exciting It still somehow will enable it to pull you into a serious mode at times reminding you that these are still people losing their lives.
These people who you get so attached to still die making it feel more serious and heartfelt when you lose a character you wanted to win. They add real scenarios like when player 120 is trans and is doing so much for the money so she can feel like who she is. Not only that but she was an ex-marine which adds another layer of character immersion because it adds more back story on the character and her struggles.
Another example is when you realize that player 222 in that show is pregnant and through the show, you see her throw up or another person giving up their food for her.it just adds more realism that drags you into the show’s immersion and causes you to feel more for the characters.
In the 1st season you based a character on personality and do not really understand why they are here all it is is that they need money. I know you get some insight on what people’s struggles are in season 1 but, season 2 just has a better way of making you feel more like these people are not just side characters.
That could be because of more side character dialogue but I think it’s because you get a lot of insight on the guards as well and how player 1 was the headmaster again and joined to get insight on how people are going to revolt. Also when player 1 failed at the string top game because he was just bad and wasn’t trying to sabotage them was comical.
When the revolt happened it was very interesting because it showed how PTSD can truly affect people. Player 388 was an interesting case because he had an opportunity to help the team and get the ammo but he couldn’t because he shut down. He couldn’t help what happened to him so I don’t think it’s his fault, he was just in a really bad position.
I also like how it ended on a cliffhanger and showed you that player 1 sabotaged the whole team. I like how he faked his death so they wouldn’t know he’s one of the reasons they failed. I personally think this is because he truly wanted them to succeed but he couldn’t and didn’t want to be posed as the person who betrayed them.
I think that having a cliffhanger has a chance of allowing you to sink in on the fact that all that happened was for nothing. It makes it seem hopeless and I’m excited for the new season to show what happens after.
To wrap up this opinion I want to say that I liked this season not only because it was cleaner and was better made but truly because it has a better way of wrapping you into the show and making you feel for these characters like they were your own. Also, it shows how much people will collectively do for money and the greed that they have even risking others in life including their own.
Overall this show has gotten better camera work, actors, and story. I think it’s worth a watch and it is a good watch.
