The wait is over for the spinoff show no comic fan thought in a million years would ever happen. Peacemaker launched on HBO Max this week, and how this insanely goofy series found it's way onto one of the biggest streaming platforms from one of the best TV studios on the planet, is anyone's guess... but we're very glad it did.
Dad jokes, pet eagles, racist family members, slapstick one-liners... under anyone else's watchful eye, a show like this would likely flop, but under the expert direction and writing of fan favorite filmmaker, James Gunn, Peacemaker soars!!!
The show is a spinoff of the very successful The Suicide Squad film that hit theaters in 2021 and follows John Cena's character, Peacemaker, and his solo adventures immediately following the events of the film.
Peacemaker, at first glance, feels very much like The Tick, with it's over the top dialog, silly sidekicks and cosplay-esque costumes (ah-hem... I mean uniforms). But it's the direction of James Gunn and the quality of production that we come to expect from HBO and WB that makes the show feel like so much more.
The series has a lot of heart at its core, and that heart is most noticeable in the relationship between Peacemaker and his pet eagle named Eagley (a rather lame name that does not go unnoticed and unjoked about on the show). Eagley is more than a pet or a sidekick, he quickly stands on his own two feet (talons) as a great independent character.
One of the funniest elements of the series (in my humble opinion) is how John Cena (Peacemaker) has an almost genetic inability to land gracefully. Whether jumping off a building or falling on the street, he seems to eat it every single time. A joke they make reference to in the early minutes of the first episode when he is in the hospital and the janitor says to him he's too bulky to be a super hero, and that most heroes are lean and athletic, whereas he is all bulk (or something like that).
Aside from Pecemaker himself, there are some real breakout performances in the series including Robert Patrick (Auggie Smith), Jennifer Holland (Emilia Harcourt), and Steve Agee (John Economos), but the most amazing standout performance comes from Orange is the New Black alum, Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo. Brooks brings her A-Game to the role and is the heart and sole of the show.
Peacemaker earns a solid "A" from Chuck Load of Comcis, and we highly recommend it for fans of James Gunn, The Suicide Squad, Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Tick.
There are currently 3 episodes of Peacemaker streaming on HBO Max and we highly recommend you hop on board. The show is funny, crazy, silly and a bit raunchy, but if you enjoyed what Cena brought to the screen in The Suicide Squad, you'll love what he does on the small screen in Peacemaker.
What did you think of Peacemaker? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
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