‘Maxton Hall – The World Between Us’ Season 2 Review - Ruby the Rebel

The first season of Maxton Hall—The World Between Us/Maxton Hall — Die Welt Zwischen Uns was based on Mona Kasten's novel, Save Me. For the second season, the show drew on Save You, the second book in the series. A third season has already been greenlit, and you can be sure that it will be based on Save Us, the third and final book in the Maxton Hall series. These names are pretty interesting. While watching Season 1, I remember whispering, "Save me." I can "save you," dear readers, by saying that Season 2 is unremarkable and uninteresting, but I think a critic's opinion won't matter for a show like this. People who tuned in for the first season and loved it (Maxton Hall apparently had the most successful series launch of any non-American Prime Original ever) will return for Season 2 and will probably once again adore it. And anyway, I wasn't entirely turned off by this second season — it has a few guilty pleasures in it. Listen to the songs that are played on the radio when Ruby Bell (Harriet Herbig-Matten) and James Beaufort (Damian Hardung) are in a car together, or consider what happens when these two are inside a photo booth dangerously close to each other. It's easy to dismiss these moments as a pile of clichés, but it would be foolish of me to not acknowledge the sparkling chemistry between the two leads. Herbig-Matten exudes a warm, comfortable presence, and Hardung has the good looks of a typical YA-romance lead. The two actors regard each other with a sense of longing that's almost desperate, and this "I can't live without you" passion keeps you sufficiently entertained and smooths over the flaws a little.

Season 2 of Maxton Hall is all about hierarchical power and how the person at the top can abuse those at the bottom. Mortimer (Fedja van Huêt), James and Lydia's (Sonja Weißer) father, is still very much a Ruby-hater, and he uses his influence to make her life a living hell. I can imagine fans leaving Season 2 cursing Mortimer profusely, in a temper. While the show manages to push all the right buttons, Mortimer's devilish image, at the same time, comes across as a cheap shortcut. He's an easy conflict generator — a plot device whose hatred and fury capture the eyes of the second-screen audience. But to the show's credit, it offers us glimpses of his human side and says, "There is a beating heart within this monster." Look more closely, more carefully, and Mortimer will come across as a puppet of his business partners, especially Harold (Bernd Lambrecht). The problem with puppets is that they are always at the mercy of their masters. Consider Graham Sutton (Eidin Jalali), the English teacher. He is under the control of Direktor Lexington (Thomas Douglas), who has the power to shape his career. Lexington, on the other hand, is under the control of Mortimer. He's not alone, however. Even a strong, professionally successful woman acts according to Mortimer's wishes because his money supports her career.
 

Ruby, then, becomes a hero, a rebel, by not succumbing to external pressures. When one door closes, she tries to open the other. She doesn't mind accepting offers that could ease her burden, but even if those offers are withdrawn later, she doesn't mope around like a loser. Ruby figures out another solution. This doesn't mean Season 2 sees crying as something done only by losers. It, in fact, encourages people to be vulnerable, especially men bound by traditional ideas — men who see tears as a sign of weakness. "Go to therapy," Maxton Hall says to such individuals, "you will feel lighter." There are other enjoyable moments here, such as a party where catharsis comes in the form of vomiting, and the six episodes don't overstay their welcome. Nonetheless, what's missing is as noticeable as all these pluses. In one episode, Ember (Runa Greiner) complains to Ruby about something (I am avoiding spoilers), and her criticisms carry emotional heft. But her grievances are given lip service, and they appear and disappear without leaving any impact. So when Ruby acknowledges and fixes her mistake, we feel nothing, except for a mild sensation that a box has been checked. What's more, the drama is virtually non-existent. It's replaced by characters and their decisions that evoke nothing but absolute outrage. After a while, all I wanted to do was punch some stupid faces. What happens when a show, instead of making you feel for its characters, pushes your buttons to elicit reactions? You get something like the second season of Maxton Hall, which, for all its guilty pleasures, ultimately looks like a rage bait tweet designed to attract plenty of reactions. Let the blood pressure rise; let the rants begin.

Final Score- [5.5/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times
Note: All six episodes are screened for this review.
Premiere Date: November 7, 2025, on Prime Video