Twisted Metal (2023, TV Show)

I never really played the Twisted Metal games. At least, I never did so far as my mother was concerned. I… might… have had the odd go at friends’ houses whose parents were a little less restrictive in what their kids played.

Even with that partial confession though, I would still say I have no particular attachment to the series. I could have quite happily skipped on the TV show, heck, I only had the vaguest of awareness that it was even a thing. I certainly didn’t know it was out already. But then it showed up on TVNZ OnDemand, the free streaming platform run by the national TV service. It’s almost hard to believe, but l’il ol’ NZ’s broadcaster has more or less kept up to speed and managed to retain relevancy by having what is actually a fairly great library of content. (It’s where I watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, as well!)

Anywho, it showed up, and lacking anything more pressing to do in the moment, I hit play.

The first episode had altogether too many moments of cringe-worthy dialogue, with complete disregard for the situation at hand — it was enough to elicit several eye-rolls, and I wasn’t entirely sure I was going to continue.

Anthony Mackie (MCU Sam Wilson/Falcon, and now Captain America) plays the lead most often responsible for said eye-rolls, but I don’t really blame him. It looks to me like he’s doing the best he can with the material given.

I think there was a rather intentional swing toward that 90’s style cheese, and honestly, sometimes it worked. More frequently in the second half of the first season, it was working very well. By the end, I was pretty down for the second season given the groundwork laid here.

I couldn’t begin to tell you what game easter eggs may or may not exist, but taken in the 30 minute packages it does, I had a good time with it on balance.

Definitely don’t go in expecting much if you do decide to give it a shot, though!