Chris Pratt is back as James Reece as The Terminal List returns for Season 2; “Romulus S.V.” wastes no time in revealing just how far Reece has fallen since we last saw him.
After a rapid recap of the first series, we find Reece on ‘his’ boat, having been at sea for an incredible 172 days. Reece has lost a considerable amount of weight, his tumour is making its effects known, and he isn’t exactly alone. Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch) is there with him, despite Reece shooting him at the end of Season 1 after discovering him to be the last name on the list.
Of course, Ben isn’t really there, but he is living rent-free in Reece’s head as Reece lives rent-free on Ben’s boat. It’s a welcome return for Taylor Kitsch, which I’m certainly not complaining about. Ben was one of my favourite characters from the beginning, and after really enjoying The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, it’s fantastic having him back, even if he’s haunting Reece rather than fighting beside him.
“Romulus S.V.” is all about setting things up rather than launching straight into an action-packed premiere. Reece is just trying to survive long enough to reach Mozambique and the game reserve belonging to the Hastings family. That also brings Dark Wolf into the mix further, as Raife Hastings (Tom Hopper) is one of Reece’s former team-mates we met in the prequel.
We don’t get Raife just yet, but we do meet his father Rich Hastings, played by Arnold Vosloo. Vosloo is always a welcome sight on my TV. Most of us will always remember him as Imhotep from The Mummy, so seeing him step into The Terminal List universe instantly adds another familiar face to an already stellar cast and as the episodes go on, he becomes a favourite.
Constance Wu is also back as Katie Buranek, who continues to defend James Reece while getting embroiled in another dangerous scenario of her own. She is approached by Vasili Adrenov, who speaks of a desire for peace between Russia and Ukraine while showing an interest in the news organisation she works for, VaultStream. Not surprisingly, things rapidly escalate into a considerably more violent encounter when a convoy is ambushed.
That also brings Mo Farooq (Dar Salim) into the mix, another familiar Dark Wolf face. With several characters from the prequel crossing over into Reece’s story, I’m particularly keen to see how things develop with all these relationships as the season unfolds.
Don’t go into the premiere expecting wall-to-wall action. Aside from a couple of explosions, Episode 1 is much more about getting the pieces on the board and showing us what has become of James Reece. He is sick, isolated and now one of the most wanted men in the world.
It’s a slower start, but I didn’t mind that at all. Chris Pratt slots effortlessly back into the role, Taylor Kitsch’s presence is always a pleasure, and the references to Dark Wolf make this feel less like another season and more like a continuation of the wider world.
James Reece is back. He’s just in considerably worse shape than when we left him.
Check out more from The Terminal List at Action Reloaded
