Arcane Season 2 and the Cost of a Perfect Frame
When every shot is a painting, what happens to the story underneath? A fan's worried love letter.
There is a version of this review that is just screenshots. Every frame of Arcane could hang in a gallery, and that is not an exaggeration so much as a problem I want to talk about.
When the painting outpaces the plot
Spectacle this dense sets a trap. The eye is so busy that the story has to shout to be heard, and occasionally it does.
Spoilers for Arcane season 2 Tap to reveal Tap to hide
The mid-season time jump is the clearest example. It lands one gorgeous montage after another, but a couple of character turns happen off screen, so you feel the result before you understand the reason. Beautiful, and a little hollow on first watch.
None of that ruins the whole. It just means the show is at its best when the art and the writing are pulling in the same direction.
The verdict
The most beautiful thing on television, and still one of the best. I just want the script to trust itself as much as the artists do.
Arcane, Season 2
What works
- Frame for frame the best animation on TV
- Voice work that carries real weight
- A soundtrack that earns its swings
What does not
- Plot sometimes bends to serve the spectacle
