"Into The Night" Season 2 Review: A Harrowing Plane Ride Takes A Detour Into Human Melodrama

Both seasons of this Belgian apocalyptic series are currently available on NetFlix. See my previous reviews here For those unfamiliar with "Into The Night", it centers on a group of passengers aboard a plane during a world ending event. The sun's radiation is killing every living thing in it's path. Those aboard the flight from Brussels are able to survive by traveling in the opposite direction barely ahead of the rising sun. In a final attempt at safety, they make a mad dash for an underground bunker in Bulgaria.

SPOILER ALERT: Turn back now if you havent seen season 2.

Season 2 follows the same structure as the first with each episode being named after a character and various flashbacks to that person's past.

This season centers more on the human interactions between the NATO troops, several politicians and the civilians (whom the soldiers refer to as "ticks"). The change of setting from the plane to the bunker really doesnt do the show any favors. I know they cant stay aboard the plane forever but this new local makes the show much less interesting IMHO. The soldiers are blockheads hell bent on what they see as justice. They want to avenge Terenzio (the NATO officer who hijacked the plane at the beginning of the series). They discover a video of Sylvie leaving him chained outside at the end of season 1.

Several events seem to be manufactured in order to give the characters something to do this season. One is Zara and her sick son Dominik becoming trapped in the generator room with no key to open it. The dilemma is either save the mother and son or turn the generator back on so everyone doesnt freeze to death. What initially seemed to be a strange accident turned out to be the soldiers locking them in the room on purpose to teach them a lesson. Unfortunately no lesson was learned because both died.

The trip to the seed vault in Norway (which actually exists IRL) also seems like a strange detour. I understand that the group is running low on food but shouldn't they scavenge all the nearby locations first? What makes them think they can grow seeds underground without UV lights? Or maybe I missed the part where they explained that.

We also learn there are several groups of survivors around the world. They are all trying to find a solution to this predicament. The NATO officers think the Russians blew up their plane at the airport. However, there's no actual proof. It is later revealed that the Russians were also attacked (and blame NATO).

Captain Mathieu, Ayaz, Osman, Jakub, Markus (the soldier who has a crush on Ines) and Ambassador Thea are stranded in a nonworking airplane with all the seeds from the seed vault. Sylvie, Ines, Laura and Horst escape the bunker in a Russian helicopter. Rik gives his life to help the rest escape. A mysterious submarine (S-345) surfaces and several men come ashore in Norway. One finds Ayaz but instead of trying to find out who he is, Ayaz shoots the guy. Pretty dumb move.

In the end, it seems like one of Horst's (the climate scientists) experiments worked. Those left behind at the bunker discover a live rat outside. There may be hope for civilization after all.

Grade:4 Monsters (out of 5). With just six half hour episodes, season 2 is a super fast watch. Unfortunately the break neck speed of season 1 gives way to melodrama in season 2. Our survivors are shacked up with a bunch of crazy NATO soldiers.

Will there be a season 3? And should there even be be a season 3? I'm not sure but I think the show still has lots of potential if they focus more on survival and less on human drama.There is also talk of a Turkish language submarine based spinoff called "Into The Deep". It is scheduled for release in 2022.