Plot: Set in the 26th century, humanity is locked in a brutal war against the Covenant, a theocratic alien alliance determined to eradicate humankind. Master Chief John-117, a genetically enhanced Spartan supersoldier, emerges as humanity’s last hope.
Season 2 of Halo was Okay.
Pros: It continues with setting its own set of rules separate from the games like last season. Joseph Morgan was a key highlight as “the boss”. Kat Kennedy’s Kai-125 has improved at lot as being second fiddle to Master-Chief. Natascha McElhone’s Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey I like the most this season. I like the drama a lot involving everyone, and the finale was very exciting.
Cons: I didn’t like what yerin ha’s character purpose was this time around. The actions at times were difficult to see up close. The storylines this season were not that easy to follow for me and I find hard to care for the fate of the characters because they failed to be developed properly.
Genre: Science fiction, Action, War, Adventure, Military science fiction, Suspense, Drama, Thriller
Developed by Kyle Killen, Steven Kane
Based on Halo by Xbox Game Studios
Starring: Pablo Schreiber, Shabana Azmi, Natasha Culzac, Olive Gray, Yerin Ha, Bentley Katu, Natascha McElhone, Jen Taylor, Bokeem Woodbine, Kate Kennedy, Charlie Murphy, Danny Sapani, Joseph Morgan & Cristina Rodio.
Composer: Bear McCreary (season 2)
Composers: Sparks & Shadows (season 2)
Executive producers: Steven Spielberg, Steven Kane, Kiki Wolfkill, Frank O’Connor, Bonnie Ross, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Otto Bathurst, Toby Leslie, Kyle Killen, Scott Pennington
Producers: Sheila Hockin, Charlotte Keating, Michael Armbruster
Cinematography: Karl Walter Lindenlaub, Eric Kress, Ed Wild, Carl Sundberg, Andrew Commis, Nicola Daley
Editors: Aaron Marshall, Dan Briceno, Geoff Ashenhurst, Roderick Deogrades, Carmela Iandoli, Nicholas Wong
Production companies: Showtime Networks, 343 Industries, Amblin Television, One Big Picture, David Wiener (season 2)
Distributor: Paramount+
Casts & Characters:
Main
- Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, a towering, genetically-engineered Spartansupersoldier and the leader of Silver Team.
- Logan Shearer portrays a teenage John.
- Casper Knopf portrays a child John.
- Shabana Azmi as Admiral Margaret Parangosky, the commander-in-chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI).
- Natasha Culzac as Riz-028, a Spartan member of Silver Team.
- Olive Gray as Commander Miranda Keyes, a UNSC (United Nations Space Command) officer and scientist and the daughter of Jacob Keyes and Catherine Halsey.
- Yerin Ha as Kwan Ha, an Insurrectionist teenager from the Outer Colony planet of Madrigal and daughter of Jin Ha.
- Bentley Kalu as Vannak-134, a Spartan member of Silver Team.
- Kate Kennedy as Kai-125, a Spartan member of Silver Team.
- Charlie Murphy as Makee, a misanthropic human member of the Covenant who was raised by the Hierarchs as a “Blessed One”.
- Zazie Hayhurst portrays a young Makee.
- Danny Sapani as Captain Jacob Keyes, a seasoned UNSC officer and the father of Miranda Keyes.
- Jen Taylor and Christina Bennington (season 2) as Cortana, an artificial intelligence (AI) construct modeled on the brain of Dr. Halsey and implanted in the brain of Master Chief as a means of influencing his decisions. Taylor reprises her voice role from the Halo video game series and also provides motion capture for the character in the first season, while Bennington physically portrays the character in the second season.
- Bokeem Woodbine as Soren-066, a Spartan deserter who later became a pirate on the Rubble.
- Jude Cudjoe portrays a teenage Soren.
- Natascha McElhone as Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey, a scientist for the UNSC, the creator of the SPARTAN-II program, and the mother of Miranda Keyes.
- McElhone also portrays two flash clones of Halsey.
- Joseph Morgan as Colonel James Ackerson (season 2), a formidable intelligence operative who has spent his career climbing the ranks of the UNSC’s secretive Office of Naval Intelligence.
- Fiona O’Shaughnessy as Laera (season 2), Soren’s wife.
- Cristina Rodlo as Talia Perez (season 2), a corporal specializing in linguistics for a UNSC Marine Corps communications unit before later joining the SPARTAN-III program.
- Viktor Åkerblom as Arbiter Var ‘Gatanai (season 2), a high-ranking Elite who leads the Covenant’s invasion of Reach. Åkerblom both voices and provides motion capture for the character.
- Tylan Bailey as Kessler (season 2), Soren’s son.
- Harry Lloyd voices a Forerunner Monitor (season 2), an AI construct and the caretaker of Halo.
Guest:
- Uto ‘Mdama (season 2), a Covenant Elite priest who serves under The Arbiter.
- Olwen Fouéré as The Mother (season 2), a shaman on the planet Sanctuary.
- Ivanno Jeremiah as Antares (season 2), the second-in-command of Soren’s crew.
- Marvin Jones III as Louis-036 (season 2), Riz’s personal trainer and a former Spartan who retired due to becoming blind.
- Christian Ochoa Lavernia as Danilo (season 2), Louis’ husband.
- Bronte Carmichael as Julia (season 2), Ackerson’s sister.
- Bill Paterson as Ackerson’s father (season 2).
- Anna Koval as Captain Briggs (season 2), the leader of a UNSC black ops unit who reports to Ackerson.
- Dani Klupsch as Lieutenant Mullins (season 2), the team leader of Talia’s squad of Spartan-IIIs.
I still recommend watching this season on Paramount+.
Rating: 6 out of 10 Stars
Ryan Balkwill:
Resident TV reviewer,
Level Best Art Cafe