Stephen King’s reign in Hollywood continues, and for good reason. The master of macabre has seen a surge in successful screen adaptations recently, finally capturing the chilling essence that makes his writing so compelling. From the dread-soaked atmosphere of IT to the claustrophobic terror of Gerald’s Game, and the fan-favorite treat that is Castle Rock, King’s universes are thriving on screen. (Let’s collectively agree The Dark Tower remains a cinematic ghost, shall we?)
But amidst this King renaissance, Mr. Mercedes, premiering its second season, stands out as a particularly gripping adaptation. After a largely unnoticed but brilliant first season on AT&T AUDIENCE Network, Mr. Mercedes Season 2 is poised to become the best Stephen King television show. And it’s not just about replicating King’s signature eerie atmosphere; it delves deeper. This season shifts the setting from the typical Maine backdrop to Bridgton, Ohio, a city grappling with economic hardship and the lingering trauma of near-catastrophe at the hands of Brady Hartsfield (played with chilling intensity by Harry Treadaway) a year prior.
For those just joining the twisted ride, Season 1 introduced Brady as the embodiment of modern malevolence: a basement-dwelling creep fueled by class resentment, toxic entitlement, and pure sociopathy. His horrific act – mowing down innocent job seekers with a stolen Mercedes – set the stage for a psychological thriller that consumed retired detective Bill Hodges (Brendan Gleeson, in a perfectly gruff yet endearing performance). Hodges, haunted by the unsolved crime, is drawn back into the game by Brady’s taunting messages, leading to a deadly cat-and-mouse chase that defined the first season. Brady’s eventual capture, culminating in a brain injury at the hands of Hodges’ resourceful partner, Holly, left viewers wondering if the show could maintain its momentum without its central antagonist actively on the prowl.
Season 2 swiftly dispels any such doubts. Mr. Mercedes Season 2, in fact, becomes even more captivating after Brady’s apprehension. While the first season explored purpose – the twisted fulfillment both Bill and Brady found in their deadly game – the second season delves into the unsettling nature of stasis. It examines what happens when individuals are trapped in unsatisfying holding patterns, growing restless and desperately seeking a new direction.
For Bill, the pursuit of Brady was an unexpected path to redemption, a chance to rediscover purpose and escape the self-destructive fog of retirement. For Brady, being hunted was a perverse form of validation, a twisted way to exert control after a lifetime of feeling insignificant. Mr. Mercedes brilliantly portrayed the disturbing symbiosis of their dynamic, never shying away from the darkness at its core.
Now, with Brady confined to a hospital bed, both men are forced to confront stillness. And both sense that stagnation equates to a slow, agonizing decline.
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“I’ve lost my moorings a bit,” Bill confesses to his ex-wife Donna (Nancy Travis), grappling with a profound personal loss early in the season. Without Brady as his focus, Bill risks succumbing to the destructive habits he had only managed to control when driven by the urgency of the case.
Brady, however, isn’t choosing stasis; he’s trapped in a vegetative state after Holly (Justin Lupe), now Bill’s partner at their detective agency, delivered a series of entirely justified blows to his head. Bill’s frequent visits to Brady, still consumed by his nemesis and hoping for his awakening to face justice, seem futile. That is, until Dr. Babineau (Jack Huston), spurred on by his ambitious wife (Tessa Ferrer), injects Brady with an experimental Chinese serum. Spoiler alert: This serum jolts the malevolent mastermind back towards consciousness, and this is unequivocally bad news. The serum, in a bizarre twist, grants Brady the terrifying ability to manipulate minds, forcing others to act out his will while he remains bedridden.
This is where Mr. Mercedes Season 2 takes a significant detour from the source material. Having exhausted the narrative of King’s first novel in Season 1, showrunners David E. Kelley, Dennis Lehane, and director Jack Bender faced a choice: adapt the second novel, Finders Keepers, which excludes Brady, or leap to the third, End of Watch, which brings him back in a supernatural way.
They wisely chose the latter, recognizing that Brady’s venomous relationship with Bill is the dark heart of the series. However, King’s novel introduces a supernatural element, imbuing Brady with psychic powers to maintain his menace even in a coma. This transformation, while faithfully adapted by Mr. Mercedes, feels somewhat at odds with the grounded, terrifying realism of Treadaway’s portrayal in the first season. Brady was previously a disturbingly believable monster, a resentful outcast with warped logic and a chillingly contemporary sense of entitlement. His terror stemmed from his believability, the sense that such a person could exist. Turning him into a mind-controlling supervillain risks diminishing that raw, relatable horror.
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The writers navigate this genre shift skillfully (a dream sequence, reminiscent of IT, is particularly effective). Treadaway embraces the challenge, delivering compelling scenes within Brady’s mental landscape, envisioned as his familiar basement lair. Yet, in the initial episodes, the supernatural turn feels slightly jarring.
Season 2 compensates by reinforcing the show’s core themes: masculinity, mortality, and the paradoxical way masculinity often perceives mortality as a threat. Funerals, graveyards, and hospital settings permeate the season. Death surrounds Bill and Brady, lending weight to Brady’s chilling assertion to Bill: “I’m what keeps you alive.” In a way, it’s true; their morbid dance gives a twisted meaning to their lives.
The cast remains phenomenal, grounding the series in a bleak yet recognizable humanity. Gleeson’s Bill exudes a perpetual melancholy, a world-weariness that permeates every scene. He remains television’s most stubbornly Irish character, uttering wonderfully quirky phrases and infusing his frozen yogurt with whiskey.
Lupe’s Holly is exceptional, evolving into Bill’s guardian angel while maintaining a deeply endearing fondness for him. While Mr. Mercedes avoids explicit diagnoses, Lupe’s nuanced portrayal of Holly’s OCD-like tendencies is dramatically captivating. Jharrel Jerome, Breeda Wool, and Holland Taylor also return, and while their roles feel somewhat peripheral initially, their performances are strong enough to hope for more integrated storylines as the season progresses.
Four episodes into Mr. Mercedes Season 2, the show maintains a deliberate pace, prioritizing mood and character development. This patience, often eschewed by lesser thrillers, is what elevates Mr. Mercedes. The tension is palpable, and the sense of unease is ever-present. One anticipates a shift in gears, a ramping up of pace, and it remains to be seen if Brady’s newfound abilities will ultimately serve or detract from the show’s gritty, suspenseful tone. But for now, Mr. Mercedes Season 2 continues to be one of television’s darkest and most compelling rides. B+
