Warning: Spoilers forSquid GameSeasons 1-3.
Of all the thingsNetflix’sSquid Gamedoes well, it certainly knows how to shock its viewers. When the series first premiered in September 2021, its ghastly premise and gore took audiences by storm, prompting an interesting debate about what people would do if presented with a similar situation. Despite the excessive bloodshed, it didn’t take long for audiences to rally behind Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) and the allies he made during those harrowing games.
After all, despite the grotesque circumstances of their situation, there was surprisingly a lot of heart present throughout the show. Nevertheless, Season 1 concluded in dramatic fashion and left everyone’s favorite competitor with a vengeful rage that drove him to reenter the games in Season 2 with a mission to destroy them once and for all.
However, by the end of Season 3, it’sabundantly clear there’s no stopping the games, no matter how hard Gi-hun might have tried and nearly succeeded. The island in South Korea might have succumbed to self-destruction, but that doesn’t mean Gi-hun and Hwang Jun-ho’s (Wi Ha-joon) efforts put an end to the horror. As long as there are wealthy VIPs to entertain and desperate individuals to exploit, violent games will persist.
Unfortunately,the shock and awe ofSquid GameSeason 1 can’t be replicated because viewers already know what to expect. That isn’t to say Seasons 2 and 3 were bad. In fact, they each managed to include some interesting additions that have made for some entertaining seasons,which viewers can’t stop streaming. However, there’s no denyingSquid Gamehasn’t been great since Season 1, which is likely why it’s finally come to an end, at least in South Korea.
The Uniqueness of ‘Squid Game’ Season 1 Can’t Be Repeated
Squid Game
Without a doubt,Squid GameSeason 1 offered viewers a unique type of series many had never seen before. The nature of itsviolence, set amidst such innocent children’s games, certainly took audiences aback. Nevertheless, beyond its gore and gruesome premise, there was something that prompted viewers to picture themselves in the same situation, which garnered a connection and deep affinity for the show’s characters that audiences weren’t expecting. As such, that first season set an extremely high bar for any potential future seasons.
In fact, Season 1 was originally designed as a self-contained story, but the show’s success sparkeda drive to continue Gi-hun’s narrative, which explains why Seasons 2 and 3 feel somewhat disjointed. Even referring to them as separate seasons is odd because they feel like two parts of the same season. One can’t exist without the other, whereas Season 1 can be fully enjoyed on its own. That doesn’t mean the final seasons aren’t good or entertaining, but they don’t capture the same spark as the first one, nor do they generate the same kind of emotions with viewers.
Netflix’s Controversial ‘Squid Game’ Reality Series Returns to Torture Contestants This Fall
‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ returns with Season 2 in November.
There was a uniqueness about the show’s first season that can’t be repeated. Season 1 ofSquid Gamewas like lightning in a bottle, and while the show’s subsequent seasonsare certainly entertaining and provocative, they don’t stand a chance when compared to their predecessor. Given what the series evoked with its audience during that first season, it’s understandably challenging to top the shock and admiration viewers initially experienced. At the end of the day, Season 1 reigns supreme.
While there were plenty of characters throughout Seasons 2 and 3 that viewers enjoyed, their inevitable deaths didn’t quite hit our hearts the same way as some of those from Season 1 did. Unlike the show’s later seasons, Season 1 did a better job of contextualizing the reasons why the game’s contestants decided to participate in the first place, which ultimately allowed for more effective character development.
The first season offered viewers a look beyond the games and highlighted the main characters’ rationale behind their choices, which helped us empathize with them. Seasons 2 and 3 attempted to do the same thing with Kang No-eul (Park Gyu-young), who served as Guard 011, but it was difficult to care about a guard in the same way we had cared about prior contestants. Unfortunately,such narratives felt more like unnecessary subplotsrather than a proper attempt at quality character development.
Yep, Some of Those ‘Squid Game’ Subtitles and Dubs Really Were That Bad
‘Squid Game’ is presented in Korean, but many viewers watch with English dubbing and/or subtitles, which provides a different experience.
To be clear,Seasons 2 and 3 ofSquid Gameare certainly worth watching.There are plenty of good characters to root for as well as horrible ones to root against, and the setup it provides for the upcoming American version of the series undoubtedly prompts a satisfying smirk among viewers. However, replicating the magic of the first season proved impossible for the series.Squid GameSeasons 1-3 are currently streaming onNetflix.
