Necrotongue

Even after the second episode, the Belgian creators could not improve my mood because it seems that the second season significantly copies the first one. When I disregard the African storyline, everything returns to the old tracks - the powerful Toad once again menacingly raises his head, the new Gerardi family is in danger again, etc.

The Belgian version of War with the Newts has returned for its second series, and although I didn't expect significant (or any) improvement compared to the first season, the opening episode managed to unpleasantly surprise me. Part of the plot took place in the land of some future fellow Europeans, and I have a very unpleasant suspicion that it could be a series filmed with the help of EU grants, so that in the end, the Belgians could lament and welcome a lot of new enthusiastic scientific workers. I sincerely hope I am wrong.

The Belgian filmmakers greatly disappointed me with Season 1 of Salamander. I was looking forward to a real crime series with elaborate atmosphere, suspense and action. Instead, I got something that felt like a farce at times. The protagonist, Inspector Paul Gerardi, didn't even need to bother with any investigative work. He was led to the goal from the very beginning by an intricate series of total coincidences. Plus, the constant flashbacks to what had happened previously in the story got on my nerves. I felt as if the target audience were people suffering from senile dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. 3*-

That the screenwriter has been making fun of me the whole time, I have gotten used to that, this time others joined him as well, and that was just too much. The case ended exactly as I expected (the script made it clear halfway through the season), but some of the creators' ideas weren't even funny anymore. Emile Jonkhere pretended to be attacked by sticking a band-aid on his forehead (he probably got pricked by a needle in the forehead), Wolfs drove around the city with the left side of his chest shot (didn't even flinch, tough guy), but the highlight was the shooting of "Klaus" (three holes from the bullets in the door in a triangle and he staggers out with three shots straight through his chest). Under normal circumstances, I would even laugh at that, but here I was really angered that the creators simply refused to put effort into it.

Paul Gerardi found himself exactly where a proper investigation should have led him, through an absolutely incredible coincidence, and I found that so unbelievably stupid that I rated it three stars. I quite enjoy the events from Wolf's youth, but the way he always gets lost in them again and again always reminds me of the game DJC Silent Bob.

Same result as in the previous episode, same reasons. Either the screenwriter is unable to write those scenes better, or they don't care because the plebs will be satisfied with it. Whatever the case may be, it annoys me. The foundation itself wasn't bad at all, I enjoyed the orphanage and the loop around Persigal, but after the scared assistant knocked on the door, things started happening like in a bad horror movie, and in the end, I had to "appreciate" even the cliché magazine change after a single shot in the opening of the episode.

I had a pretty good time during the political intrigues of the powerful organization Salamandr, and I was prepared to give the episode a strong rating. However, in the end, the script collapsed again, and along with it, my evaluation. Lying in wait for someone in the background, then waiting until the target distances themselves and disappears behind an obstacle, and only then starting to shoot – what was that like? I understand that Paul Gerardi must survive, but wouldn't it just be easier not to send any shooters at all?

The eighth episode was even better than the previous one, although it is true that I enjoyed the time travel the most. At the same time, I already know who is behind the selection of the safety deposit boxes, and the motive is also clear to me, so the screenwriter really failed, now I just have to wait for Paul Gerardi to come to the same conclusion. He has a chance for it, because once again he coincidentally came across a person who can push him forward. Are there not too many coincidences already? Probably not.

This time I wouldn't be able to defend my third star. The episode was mediocre, too much time was spent on grieving over the death of the wife, Gerardi's subsequent journey of revenge quickly turned into a farce - when I already aim a gun at someone's head and want information from them, it shouldn't end with me not finding out anything, but instead sharing my life trauma with everyone present.

I rated the episode with three stars again because it didn't deserve a better or worse grade. It was just an average piece that neither impressed nor offended. It is quite a pity that the creators are not able to create a proper paranoid atmosphere, as the theme of the series directly calls for it.