Written by Kyle Killen and Steven Kane 
Directed by Otto Bathurst 
Starring Pablo Schreiber, Yerin Ha, Danny Spani, Natascha McElhone, and Jen Taylor 
New episodes airing Thursdays on Paramount+

by Emily Maesar, Staff Writer

Having disobeyed orders, in a big way, for one of the first times in his life, the second episode of Halo sees John and Kwan diving straight into John’s past. In an attempt to find somewhere safe to stash Kwan, and possibly find answers to what the Covenant artifact John took is, the pair arrive at Rubble (which feels like it should be in Total Recall). It’s an insurrectionist safe-haven run by a former Spartan who escaped the program, John’s friend Soren. Back at the UNSC (United Nations Space Command), Dr. Halsey faces scrutiny over Chief’s actions and what will be done with him, once he’s brought back into the fold. 

One of the things that’s hard about the Halo show doing it’s own story is that the original games, the original Bungie developed ones especially, really set a standard for science-fiction narratives in video games. And, because the games industry is bigger than even television and film, it set a new standard across all sci-fi media. Which means that any story the show could hope to tell, even if it wasn’t based in the timeline and main world of the games, would feel at least a little derivative. 

Besides, it seems increasingly obvious that they’re pulling more from the 343 storylines than from the original Bungie ones - if the fact that Master Chief seems to be one of the only humans who can interact with the artifact is an indication. We’re certainly in less of a general Reclaimer universe, and more in the “John was specifically chosen by ancient aliens” realm of the games. Though the addition of “The Blessed One,” a human living among the Covenant, I’m curious where this is all going.

One element of the series that I had a feeling we were in for, and that I imagine a lot of fans won’t like, is the addition of flashbacks to young John as a Spartan in training. I think it really works, for the type of story Halo is attempting to tell, the story of a child soldier who is attempting to deprogram himself and find his humanity. We need to see the child he was, and the possibility that existed inside of him, in order to see why it’s coming through now. And I think the scene with Soren really helps give us that understanding, but it also aids in the reconnection interaction on Rubble - which is its express intention.

However, a small thing, which has become increasingly popular in television shows with flashbacks, that always bumps up against my brain is the use of blended voice. Which is to say, whenever there’s a younger actor playing the lead they will often blend the voices of that actor and the adult actor. It’s something I always find distracting, and Halo is no different. It’s not show breaking, by any means, but it’s a choice I could have done without.

And here is where I should put my most controversial opinion. Pablo Schreiber, as great as he is, is entirely too old for this character. I know we were all excited because he’s a great actor and he’s a fucking giant, but the character arc for Master Chief in the series would be better suited for a character in his 20s, rather than his 40s. Which isn’t to say that the horrors of an adult, who was raised as a child soldier and remains under the control of the woman who made him, isn't horrifying and worth exploring. But the series is writing John like he’s younger than he is, like he hasn’t been a soldier for over thirty years. 

Like, if Master Chief were actually closer to Kwan’s age, then I think it would make sense that her plight would affect him. As an older Spartan, John has, without a doubt, killed hundreds if not thousands of insurrectionists. Even with the addition of unlocked memories from the artifact, it still would feel more natural (and potentially scarier) for a young John to have forgotten his more recent past. Besides, it’s weird for an older Chief to not have Cortana - since they’re introducing her later in the series, rather than starting him off with her. The timeline is funky and I think a younger Master Chief could have answered a lot of those questions and quelled some initial concerns. 

But, since we can’t change or adjust anything, I’m just here for the ride. And it’s pretty fun so far. It’s a bit generic, but the fact that it’s still distinctly Halo is enough to make it enjoyable. And it’s fun to take bets on how long Chief will have his helmet off for in any given episode, and what the final reveal of the season might possibly be.