The Son Season 2 Review: Broader In Scope, And Quick On The Draw
The Son, AMC’s western series starring Pierce Brosnan about the McCullough family dynasty in Texas, returns for its second season with a better grasp on its characters and larger ideals with its scope. It’s a largely successful season, even as it comes as its final one.
Over its ten episodes, its commentary on what is passed down through generations and the ruthless means of protecting what one believes is theirs becomes a heavy cautionary tale.
There’s reason to people’s madness, an at times subtle (and at others not so subtle) means of the past reflecting back on the present. There are those, too, who simply do not have the stomach for it. Both have their place on this show, and both provide a delicate balance of what power does to different people.
The season has a more clear focus this time, where the first season struggled with character motivations coming out of left field or not getting the time they deserved. The oil business brings with it enemies of a different kind, where loyalties and weaknesses of each character are poked and prodded so their truths can be used against them.
The way The Son handles bringing back characters like Pete (Henry Garrett), Eli’s son, does not cheapen the big moves made in the previous season. There’s a level of winning back trust accompanied by Pete no longer being quite the same that gives an unpredictability to how the season could potentially play out.
Here, a careful hand and exposing their deepest depths help make each character compelling. There’s no question where anyone stands, even when confronted with an emotional tug of war at its very center.
The two timelines, of young Eli as part of the Comanche, and of the elder McCullough battling to keep his enemies and family in line, are joined by a third timeline. This one helps show the reach of legends and mythmaking, making a broader comment on the lies people tell to sell something bigger than themselves, and how time does not always heal all wounds.
The three timelines are about passing something on, but it’s through the story of young Eli McCullough where its stronger impact lies. The means of survival and Eli’s troubled lessons of learning ripple up, where the past echoes onto the future and shows rather than tells why Eli may be the way he is.
Pierce Brosnan’s Eli is in more of a puppet-master mode this time, and is all the better for it. His conscience may be weighed down by past misdeeds, but the cruelty he brings down on those in his way is unwavering. Brosnan continues to be the glue to the show, with his large presence dominating the frame much like the legend his character casts.
The remaining main and supporting cast, as well, are elevated by becoming a stronger component to the story. Where some would float in and out of the first season, most are given their due this time around. James Parks’ Niles Gilbert, in particular, becomes a source of entertainment, feeling like he’s strolled out of Deadwood and onto this show with his long-winded soliloquy and way with words.
There are cracks on the season, with some choices happening a little too fast for their own good, but The Son keeps itself steady by letting itself breathe and take its time. There’s a deliberateness, one that brings confidence to its storytelling. Some subplots, far removed from the main thrust of the narrative, become just as important because of the volumes it speaks of its participants.
The Son delivers a second season with a theme of legacy. How someone will be remembered is a monumental idea that haunts every episode. AMC’s period drama is successful in finding a legacy to close out on, even if there are some shortcuts in the process. The series is able to stand tall as a look at the life of a man and his family where “enough” is not a word in the McCullough vocabulary.
What did you hope to see on The Son? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Son airs Saturdays at 9/8c on AMC. It begins on April 27th.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.
6 comments
Does season 2 end on a cliffhanger or serve as a nice ending?
It closes out very nicely!
Thank You Kevin
the ending sucks
I loved watching his early years with the Comanche- just WOW- he led quite an amazing life and then I ended up loving them in all in season 2. Bummer that it will end there.
Would have liked to know how Elia established his ranch,
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