Summary
Secret City Season 2 delivers another solid espionage tale not entirely unlike the first, with a similar focus on solid writing and engaging performances.
You can say this for Secret City: It knows how to make an impression. The first season began with a student demanding a free Tibet and then setting herself on fire. Secret City Season 2 opens with a detonating suburban home, and thus the Australian espionage drama continues across another six strong episodes, which are available on Netflix as of today.
Anna Torv returns as Harriet Dunkley, readjusting to civilian life after doing hard time between seasons, and is drawn once again into a nebulous political conspiracy that reaches higher and higher up the food chain than first expected. She remains the best part of a show that is actually very solid across the board, and has made a fine career out of playing essentially the same no-nonsense lead character in strong drama series’.
Just six episodes seems too few for a conspiracy so packed with twists and turns and with such global repercussions, but Secret City Season 2 moves quite sedately – which isn’t a criticism. This second go-around is probably on balance a bit nippier than the first, but not in a sensationalistic way that detracts from the fine ensemble or the solid political plotting. Intentionally efficient production helps to swerve this too, focusing instead on being well-written and engaging on its own terms, rather than leaning too heavily against bombast and pizazz.
As the mystery deepens and more shadowy players become involved, the focus switches from Harriet and begins to incorporate other characters, giving Secret City Season 2 a slightly more expansive feel without losing too much focus. Some plot strands are stronger than others, but almost all lead to a decent payoff and a satisfying conclusion, even if the potential for a third season is there should Netflix see good viewership numbers on this follow-up. Like the first season, nothing here is particularly new or imaginative, but a solid cast, good writing and a general overall competency make Secret City Season 2 a worthwhile investment for genre fans.
