The Peacemaker series on HBO MAX has been vintage John Cena and James Gunn—and that’s a good thing! The titular character (portrayed by Cena) and director (Gunn) literally and figuratively pick up right where The Suicide Squad (2021) left off.
This continuity gives the show nice cohesion and flow—bringing back some of the ancillary characters from the theatrical release, and flushing them out further during the show. It’s reminiscent of what Marvel Studios has done on Disney +, and it works nicely here.
Another thing that really works, is the MA (mature audiences) envelope that is clearly being m pushed on the premium cable/streaming format. This has unleashed the full James Gunn experience for better (extremely irreverent) and sometimes for worse (not for the faint of heart).
But lastly, and most importantly, the show has stood on its own after three episodes. No excessive franchise name dropping or fan-obsessed Easter eggs. I’m all for Easter eggs and fan service, but I’m really digging that the show is embracing a fresh, new narrative of a niche DC character that only the most diehard comic book fan would know.
Enjoy the fantastic ride that is Peacemaker if you haven’t already done so. And follow the butterfly 🦋…watch the show, and you’ll know what I mean!