After season one’s open ending where Victor finally gathers all the courage to come out to his parents and sister, season two picks up right where we left off to then jump ahead in time. With that the creators also seem to have thrown overboard the innocent teenage feel of season one, and go for a more young adult and non-Disney approach.
All of your favourites are back in Hulu’s popular teen dramedy, and with that a couple of new faces too. Victor (Michael Cimino) and Benji (George Sear) are still very much in love and ready to move to next base. Theirs and Felix (Anthony Turpel) & Lake’s (Bebe Wood) relationship seem to be going in similar directions as both couples can relate to similar sexual struggles. Mia (Rachel Hilson) has been laying low for most of the summer, but with school starting again she’ll have to face gossip and bullies with news breaking of her and Victor’s breakup. The series definitely has a way of approaching conflict and problem solving which makes for great television. In saying that, I was very glad to see this sophomore season channel a more unexpected dramatic level of intensity.
Where love is still the main subject of the show, the series dares to face religion and how it often negatively talks about homosexuality. This is where Ana Ortiz (as Victor’s mother, Isabel) gets to shine, as she’s the parent who really can’t shake off her upbringing and everything she believes in. Armando (James Martinez) on the other side has been finding ways to take control of his life again, after the announced separation at the end of the previous season. New love interests, friends and series regulars’ families shake things up a bit, making everything a lot more intriguing, while connections are being put on the line.
The entire cast has grown in their roles. Ortiz and Turpel get a lot more to do this season as their characters show the most personal growth of everyone. Sure, Victor is still the protagonist of the series, but his natural progression into adulthood can’t shake off his innocent appearance. Maybe it’s Cimino’s softer approach in acting, but he often gets overshadowed by his peers. And where Simon was a big presence in last season, he seems to become an afterthought while Victor figures things out on his own. Don’t worry die hard Love, Simon-fans, there’s a few surprises in store for you.
Love, Victor S2 is still a whole lotta fun, with a heavier dose of drama and lots of twists and turns that make the second season not only better, but also makes you excited for the inevitable third season that’s being set up.
Hulu premieres the second season of Love, Victor on June 11, 2021.
Review – Love, Victor Season 2
Reviewed online (screener provided by Hulu), June 3, 2021. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 10 x 30 min.
PRODUCTION: (USA) A Hulu release of a 20th Television, The Walk-Up Company production. Producer: Shawn Wilt. Executive Producers: Isaac Aptaker, Elizabeth Berger, Adam Londy.
CREW: Directors: Jason Ensler, Alex Hardcastle, Satya Bhabha. Writers: . Editing: Tuan Quoc Le, Diandra Kendall Luzon. Cinematography: Jp Wakayama. Music: Siddhartha Khosla.
CAST: Michael Cimino, Bebe Wood, Mason Gooding, George Sear, Ana Ortiz, Rachel Hilson, Anthony Turpel, Isabella Ferreira, James Martinez, Mateo Fernandez, Anthony Keyvan, Ava Capri, Betsy Brandt, Daniel Croix, Julie Benz.