Season 2 of Netflix series - Lots of action, more feeling: Jella Haase is back as 'Kleo'
The former East German contract killer Kleo Straub is facing a problem yet again - finding a mysterious red suitcase, with both the Soviet KGB and the American CIA on its trail. In the second season of the Netflix series "Kleo" with Jella Haase (once again), an engaging action thriller unfolds - albeit with fewer revenge plots than in season 1 and instead more serious undertones.
As of today, the six episodes in the DDR nostalgia look are available to stream on Netflix. They seamlessly pick up where the first season of this German production left off, which earned several awards last year - including a Grimme Prize and two German Television Awards. Even US bestselling author Stephen King was impressed. "What a breath of fresh air! Engaging and also very funny," he wrote in 2022.
Hunt leads to Moscow and Belgrade
The continuation is certainly worth it. In case you need a reminder: After DDR spy Kleo is arrested by the Stasi under a false pretext and doesn't regain her freedom until after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. In season 1, she seeks revenge. During her bloody campaign, she encounters the somewhat clumsy policeman Sven Petzold (Dimitrij Schaad) and uncovers a conspiracy. The red secret suitcase plays a crucial role in this.
The second season picks up from there. While Kleo, with the CIA and KGB hot on her heels, continues her search for the suitcase in Belgrade and Moscow, she is confronted with her own past. Flashbacks to her childhood keep popping up. Therefore, the search for the suitcase also becomes a search for herself.
More serious and emotional, but still amusing
The second season of "Kleo" is more serious and emotional than its predecessor, and the antiheroine is more relatable. However, the series remains true to its mix of drama, thriller, and comedy in a cool retro look and Quentin Tarantino style. The dialogues between Kleo and policeman Petzold, who once again clings to her, remain amusing.
Even in the first season, Kleo questions the system she grew up in and is pushed back by the capitalist West. In the second season, she emancipates herself even more from both ideologies and makes it clear in one scene: "I don't want to just believe that there's good and evil anymore" and wants to make her own decisions.
Kleo is a trailblazer and a great antiheroine, actress Haase told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) in an interview. "She says: 'Both systems are not great. I don't want either ideology. We need to start thinking anew.'" This visionary must be held onto. "We shouldn't keep doing things just because we've always done them."
Trailer Kleo 2
- The mystery surrounding the red suitcase is a significant focus in the ongoing Internet streaming on Netflix's "Kleo" series.
- Stephen King, an esteemed author from the United States, praised the series on his social media, commending its unique blend of drama, thriller, and comedy.
- Although the second season of "Kleo" has fewer revenge plots, it still maintains its engaging nature and deep, serious undertones.
- The Central Intelligence Agency and the Soviet KGB are both involved in the chase for the red secret suitcase, adding an international espionage aspect to the series.
- The Grimme-Prize and German Television Awards recognized the series' excellence, further boosting its popularity in both German and international media circuits.
- Kleo's past catches up with her as she continues her hunt for the suitcase across Belgrade and Moscow, leading to moments of self-discovery and introspection.
- Kleo's relationship with Sven Petzold, a somewhat clumsy policeman, remains central to the plot, providing comic relief while further exploring their emotional bond.
- The legacy of East Germany's secret services, such as the Stasi and KGB, plays a significant role in the series as Kleo navigates a dangerous world of espionage and betrayal.
- In a daring move, Kleo distances herself from the ideologies of both East and West Germany, advocating for a fresh, unbiased perspective in the series and beyond.
- This season of "Kleo" is set against a backdrop of historical events, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and the political tensions between East and West Germany, creating an authentic and engaging atmosphere.
