Season one of “Sweet Tooth,” which debuted nearly two years ago during the height of COVID, was a revelation at the time. As the natural world seemed to be going to Hell, this show offered hope, joy, and love, even though it is set during a post-apocalypse where a deadly virus wiped out most of humanity. In fact, the most exciting aspect of the introductory story wasn’t the post-apocalyptic setting or the race to find a cure for “the Sick.” It’s the multiple scenes where Gus, aka Sweet Tooth, the young deer-human hybrid kid, is discovering his love of candy and developing his found-family relationships with Bear and Big Man. So, why, oh why, did Jim Mickle and the rest of the “Sweet Tooth” crew decide it was a good idea for season two to shun all of that and turn into yet another bleak, grim, post-apocalyptic show? 
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Sure, “Sweet Tooth” season one ends with a cliffhanger, as viewers are left reeling by the invasion of the Last Men at the Zoo, capturing various hybrids. The shocking apparent death of Big Man from a gunshot, but most viewers are going to be taken aback by how fast this new chapter descends into a joyless slog. We are left to watch General Abbot (Neil Sandilands, doing his over-the-top villainous thing again) and the Last Men imprison and torture young children for multiple episodes without hinting at the heart and glee that permeated the first season. 
For context, season two of “Sweet Tooth” follows the aftermath of the Zoo invasion. The Last Men now use the once-beautiful hybrid sanctuary as a military base and medical testing center. The young hybrid children from the previous season are now prisoners and experimented on by Doctor Singh (Adeel Akhtar) in an attempt to find a cure for the Sick, which is currently slowly killing his wife, Rani (Aliza Vellani). This happens while Tommy Jepperd (Nonso Anozie), aka Big Man, is mending from a gunshot wound and figuring out how to rescue the kids alongside Aimee (Dania Ramirez). Where’s Bear (Stefania LaVie Owen) through all of this? She’s off doing some B-plot stuff for most of the new narrative. (A B-plot that never really comes together in a way the writers hope and ultimately feels rushed and meaningless.)
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And while it makes sense for this new chapter to play out in this way, that doesn’t make it an exciting, fun watch. Viewers didn’t fall in love with season one of “Sweet Tooth” because of the post-apocalyptic politicking. They damn sure didn’t sign up for a string of episodes that show terrified children, including the always-hopeful Gus (Christian Convery), fearing for their lives and serving as guinea pigs in awful Nazi-ish medical testing. Losing the central relationship between Gus, Big Man, and Bear for most of this season makes it incredibly difficult to keep interested in what’s happening. Not only is showrunner Jim Mickle torturing the children, but he’s also prolonging the pain for the audience, as well.
It wouldn’t be so bad if those first four or five episodes weren’t actually boring. But it often feels like the plot is spinning its wheels as we wait for the inevitable attempt by Aimee, Big Man, and Bear to rescue Sweet Tooth and his friends. We’re expected to be captivated by the relationship between Singh and Rani, which gets repetitive quickly as the characters continue to have the same conversation episode after episode. We’re also supposed to relate to General Abbot’s brother, Johnny (Marlon Williams), the second-in-command who is actually held “prisoner” by the abusive relationship with his sibling and his sense of duty. While Williams does his best as Johnny, there isn’t enough meat on the bone to hold our interest once you understand the dynamic between him and the General. 
Without getting into spoilers, it isn’t until the last third of season two that we start to hit portions of the story that feel exciting and carry actual emotional stakes. Once we are allowed to see Sweet Tooth, Bear, and Big Man interact with each other again, that spark reignites the flame, and the show finally comes alive again. While each lead actor does fine work before then, the chemistry is palpable when they’re all on screen together. But after the laborious episodes beforehand, the juice doesn’t feel worth the squeeze. If the first two-thirds of the season were relegated to a couple of episodes, maybe three, then season two would have the urgency and impact needed to hit those emotional moments that arrive later. Instead, too much time and weight is given to Abbot, Singh, and this race for a cure that the heart and soul of “Sweet Tooth” are left withering.
Unfortunately, “Sweet Tooth” season two leaves a sour taste in your mouth. There are moments towards the end that show us, once again, why it was one of the best TV series of 2021. However, the journey to that point is exhausting and might prevent some viewers from even finishing the binge. And that’s a shame. The teases of what a potential season three might look like do offer hope for the future. Let’s hope this misstep doesn’t lead to the premature end of the journey. [C]
“Sweet Tooth” season two is available now on Netflix.