"Peacemaker" season 2 is premiering on HBO Max —and only HBO Max — tonight (Aug. 21) at 9 p.m. ET with a one-episode premiere. It's been about three years since we last saw John Cena's titular antihero on the small screen in season 1, though we finally got our first season 2 trailer back in May of this year. However, Peacemaker has made an important appearance in the DCU since season 1 wrapped up, in James Gunn's "Superman" movie that came out on July 11.
I think just based on what we're dealing with [in episode 1], it definitely wouldn't hurt. I mean, it would probably help, to be honest. But I think you could probably go into season 2 having only seen season 1.
Steve Agee on watching "Superman" before "Peacemaker"
I won't spoil what happens in that appearance, since there's a chance you haven't seen the movie yet. But when I got a chance to sit down with "Peacemaker" star Steve Agee, who plays A.R.G.U.S. agent John Economos, last seen working at the notorious Belle Reve Penitentiary, I had to ask him if he felt it was necessary to have seen "Superman" before hitting play on "Peacemaker" season 2.
"I don't think you would need to," Agee said after a moment to consider the question. "I think just based on what we're dealing with [in episode 1], it definitely wouldn't hurt. I mean, it would probably help, to be honest. But I think you could probably go into season 2 having only seen season 1."
I then asked him if "Peacemaker" season 1 was, in fact, must-see TV. That seems like a dumb question at face value, but you have to remember that, technically, "Peacemaker" season 1 is part of Zack Snyder's DC Expanded Universe. While James Gunn was the showrunner, it wasn't part of the new DC Universe he's established since taking over as DC Studios co-CEO with Peter Safran, so until an event from "Peacemaker" season 1 occurs in a DCU show or movie, it's as if it never happened.
"I think so, yeah," Agee responded wryly when I asked about watching season 1 before season 2. "And if you're watching season 2, then clearly you have HBO Max, so you can also easily watch season 1."
'Peacemaker' does a good job of telling you what you need to know
Having watched the first five episodes of "Peacemaker" season 2 before I watched "Superman," I can confirm that Mr. Agee is correct. You don't need to have watched "Superman" or Cena's cameo in it to understand what's going on in this new season of "Peacemaker," though it definitely provides context as to why what Peacemaker is doing in the first few episodes of season 2 is such a problem to everyone else.
But the show does a good job of holding your hand without hitting you over the head with exposition. You don't know exactly why something from "Superman" might be relevant, but you can deduce the gist of it. Again, without spoiling anything, there's a reference made to a "Superman incident," and having now seen "Superman," I know the incident in question and it was totally fine that I didn't know about it before I started watching the season 2 premiere of "Peacemaker." Gunn's writing managed to get me the information I needed, regardless of whether I was a DCU completionist or not.
Honestly, the only thing I found that watching "Superman" really cleared up was what supergroup is being formed by some of Earth's heroes in the official "Peacemaker" season 2 teaser trailer.
The trailer kicks off with Chris Smith, aka Peacemaker, interviewing for what appears to be the Justice League. That interview doesn't go well, and, as I learned after watching "Superman" and "Peacemaker," it's also not the Justice League interviewing him.
Instead, it's the Justice Gang, consisting of Kendra Saunders, aka Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Guy Gardner, aka one of the Green Lanterns (Nathan Fillion), with Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn) leading the interview. In "Superman," you learn that these heroes call themselves the Justice Gang, as it seems Gunn doesn't want to run headlong into forming the Justice League just yet.
Stream "Peacemaker" season 2 premiere tonight (Aug. 21) at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max
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Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.
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