Netflix ‘The Snow Girl’ Season 2 Review - Miren Is Back, But Why?

The first season of The Snow Girl burst onto the scene like a meteor, catching viewers off guard with its unexpected intensity and gripping mystery. Who could have predicted that it would captivate audiences so thoroughly? Naturally, I got excited for the second season. Where will the show go next? What jaw-dropping twists would the creators have in store for us? At the same time, I felt a surge of reluctance. The ending of Season 1 was so satisfying that it left me questioning the necessity of another season. Anyway, Season 2 immediately introduces us to Miren's (Milena Smit) new life. This journalist has now emerged as a successful author with her latest work, The Snow Girl - a reflective and poignant account of the harrowing events from the first season. The novel, we are told, has become a bestseller (Season 1, with 8 reviews, has a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes). Season 2, in other words, begins by acknowledging the triumphant success of the episodes that came out in 2023. It's a pity that it itself fails to understand why that season was so appealing. This time, a young girl is murdered, and her corpse is displayed as a spectacle for the police.

This girl is Allison (Francisca Aronsson), a devout Christian. The killer has a twisted sense of humor, evident in his gruesome act of crucifying her. Allison was a student at Los Arcos - a school whose principal supports conservative attitudes. He and one other character (also a man) consider abortion to be a sin. This automatically makes them villains, but the show also suggests that they (or at least one of them) might be the killer. Their anti-abortion viewpoint isn't expanded or dramatized in any significant manner. Season 2, instead, uses this notion to generate red herrings. The more The Snow Girl tries to display someone as the culprit, the more it fills us with the conviction that that particular character might not be guilty. It's Rule 101 of Murder Mystery - the most obvious suspect doesn't turn out to be the perpetrator of the crime. The principal and his friend, however, have a few skeletons in their closet, and you can be sure that they will all come out to the public.

Season 2 puts more attention on Miren's past trauma and reveals the mental scars of this character. Yet, this doesn't make her a complex individual because the pain is magnified for plot purposes. Season 2 focuses on Miren's past because it merely wants to move the story that unfolds in the present. All the characters on the screen - from Jaime (Miki Esparbé), Miren's new colleague, to Belén (Aixa Villagrán), the detective - simply appear, say their lines, and exit. Belén is never seen at her home, in her personal space, while Jaime's conversation with his father at one point only aims to affect the event on the screen. When characters talk about their unpleasant memories, they reveal little about themselves and their perspective. We don't feel as if these moments are offering us something revelatory. The one exception has to be that detail about Miren's happy place, but that, too, remains a bit hazy (she isn't sure if the memory is fake or genuine). What's worse is that Miren's trauma is transformed into an excuse for churning out one more season for Netflix.

It's a chore to listen to the dialogues here because they are mainly nothing more than plain expositions that, instead of raising stakes or elevating drama, provide plot-related information. The images, too, are devoid of energy and only come to life when buildings are framed against clear blue sky. A police officer mentions that the heavy workload hampered his investigation. Jaime was almost fired for writing an article. The Snow Girl comments about unethical practices but never develops them meaningfully. We, in the end, stay with the second season to get our minds blown by the final twist. Season 1 really managed to pull the rug from beneath the audience's feet - every piece was put into its place cleverly. The same compliment, unfortunately, cannot be given to the second season. The twist here is dull and predictable (look at that chase sequence carefully), and the last episode really makes you want to say, "Everything's so stupid." If The Snow Girl does return for another season, I hope it returns with a purpose, with an understanding regarding why we, in the first place, liked it.

Final Score- [2.5/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times