Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

12 Monkeys: Season Two Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 6, 2017

There's something about time travel -- not the insanely complex science, not even the appeal of the "simple" act of visiting a different era -- that continues to draw film and television viewers. Maybe more than the superficialities or the science it’s the opportunity to change the past, the ability to alter a future for one's own benefit. After all, hindsight, as they say, is 20/20. But at what cost to oneself, the ones they love, and the world at large? It's always been mind-bending, fascinating stuff, to think of the possibilities, to imagine the rewards or, for the wise, cringe at the potential for disaster. Or, maybe, it’s the fascination with the possibilities of simply toying with the timeline, of shaking things up more in a sophomoric manner and less for some selfish or nefarious purpose -- a high-tech gag, as it were. Or maybe it comes down to simple human nature and curiosity, more dreaming about the possibilities and the battling the impossibilities of an ever-changing future and past. 12 Monkeys Season Two continues to explore multiple variations of the themes, rewards, and consequences involved with time travel as it strays even further from the original film on which it was loosely based but, with its many twists and turns, finds its own place in the ever-expanding universe of brain-bending time travel tales. Newcomers to the show, of course, are encouraged to begin with season one and should not proceed further in the content-review section without watching that season first.

This is familiar.

Official Synopsis: '12 Monkeys,' starring Aaron Stanford (James Cole), Amanda Schull (Dr. Cassandra Railly), Kirk Acevedo (Ramse), Emily Hampshire (Jennifer), Barbara Sukowa (Dr. Katrina Jones) and Todd Stashwick (Deacon), follows the journey of James Cole, a man from 2043 sent back in time to stop a malevolent organization known as the Army of the 12 Monkeys from destroying the world. Joining forces with Dr. Cassandra Railly in the present day, Cole must untangle a conspiracy that’s been spun throughout centuries. As Cole, Dr. Railly and their unlikely allies get closer to discovering the truth, they will learn that there are not only deadly consequences for mankind…but time itself.

12 Monkeys delivers intense and action-packed material that harmoniously plays with its deep Sci-Fi and thought-provoking roots. It's never afraid of diving deep in either direction, and it proves proficient in both, too, particularly as season two's narrative complexity is ramped up, at times significantly. But even as it angles to find a balance between "heady" and "accessible" through its action and cruder maneuverings, it remains, at best, a slightly confusing show that jumps through time and characters at a rate that not only requires viewers to pay close attention in order to follow the plot line but to wrap their heads around some dramatically intense and scientifically complex events that mess with the very comfortable fabric of the linear concept of time and man's place in it. The show proves extremely well made, though, and is ever-capable of balancing itself through the most complicated turns thanks to its talented roster of performers.  Emily Hampshire continues to dazzle as the mental patient character, Jennifer. Aaron Stanford shines in the lead role, a challenge to be sure given the drastic shifts between seasons. Kirk Acevedo, Amanda Schull, and Barbara Sukowa reprise their roles from season one and, like Stanford, handle the drastic changes in character direction with not just a simple shift in character but blending innate character qualities with suddenly new stations in life.

The following episodes comprise season two. Summaries are courtesy of the Blu-ray packaging. Spoilers follow.

Disc One:

• Year of the Monkey: Cole and Ramse repair their broken friendship while on the run from the Army of the 12 Monkeys. In 2043, Railly and Jones navigate an uncertain future.
• Primary: Cole finds himself stranded in 2016 with an unstable Jennifer Goines, who may or may not be his key to getting home. Meanwhile, Jones and Railly must deal with both the consequences of the changed timeline and the temporal facility’s newest prisoner.
• One Hundred Years: Despite the growing tension between them, Cole and Cassie travel to 1940s New York during World War II to track down a dangerously seductive member of the Twelve who’s plotting an assassination.
• Emergence: Jones reluctantly places her trust in Ramse to bring Cole and Cassie safely home after they get stranded in the year 1944. As Ramse looks forward to this chance to atone for his sins, Jones explores the true nature of time with old Jennifer Goines.

Disc Two:

• Bodies of Water: Cassie and Jennifer must work together to save the future, while Cole makes a surprising move with Deacon.
• Immortal: Cole’s partnership with Ramse is put to the test when they travel back to the 1970s to try to prevent the Twelve from murdering a disturbed Vietnam veteran with a connection to the Witness. 
• Meltdown: Cole faces the Witness as Cassie’s hallucinations evolve; deadly visitors from the past arrive when the time machine malfunctions and begins tearing apart time and space.
• Lullaby: Railly travels back to 2020 with one mission: Kill the younger Jones and prevent time travel from ever happening. 
• Hyena: Jennifer Goines takes her power into her own hands in the year 2016 when she forms the Hyenas, a band of crazy compatriots, to take on the 12 Monkeys. With the help of Cole, an elaborate plot is uncovered to reacquire the virus.

Disc Three:

• Fatherland: Cole has his loyalty tested when Ramse and Railly go rogue, embarking on an unsanctioned mission that sends them to 1961 East Berlin. Once there, they search for an unscrupulous German doctor who knows the location of the Witness.
• Resurrection: With the temporal facility on the verge of destruction, Cole and Jones find themselves in the middle of a coup. After a violent encounter ends in an unexpected tragedy, Cole is sent back to 1957 in a last-ditch effort to save humanity while the rest embark on a caravan across the apocalypse to find Titan -- the stronghold of the Witness.
• Blood Washed Away: Cole and Railly attempt to stop the final paradox in the past while Ramse, Jennifer and Deacon struggle to survive the apocalypse in a last ditch effort to find the Witness.
• Memory of Tomorrow: Cole and Railly have finally found peace living in the past. When a mysterious woman with apocalyptic visions of the future tells Cole it’s not over, he must do the unthinkable to save the world…and the woman he loves. 

12 Monkeys: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As with most contemporary TV shows, 12 Monkeys: Season Two was digitally shot. It makes the transition to Blu-ray nicely, with the 1080p/1.78:1 presentation holding up well and presenting the show and its stylings with the appropriate level of clarity. 12 Monkeys can be fairly dark, bleak, and low-light or warmly lit. Source noise is evident and prevalent throughout the season, rarely to excess but it's definitely going to draw the eye. Otherwise, there's not a lot of room for complaint. Details hold up well. The show is never particularly striking in terms of its raw complexity and intimacy, but basic facial features -- pores, scruff, beards, even subcutaneous elements like blood veins -- are naturally revealing and clearly defined, even through some of the murkier and lower-light elements. General image stability and complexity fare well, with environmental details holding strong under most any condition or, perhaps more apropos to the show, in any time frame, whether the more welcoming and soft 1940s, the dense present day, or the gritty future setting. As noted, the show can be fairly drab, and the color palette is reflective of that. It's often somewhat industrial, bleak, built around shades of gray and blue. There's no shortage of color, though. Reds in particular play a critical role, at times, but the show doesn't often push exceedingly bright and/or cheerful. Support shades are nicely defined and are well-startuted, even if it's something as simple as lipstick or a few natural greens. Black levels, critical to much of the program, are deep and rarely push too far pale. Skin tones appear fine within the contextual color scheme. The image is neither visually striking nor in any way disappointing. Technically solid and enjoyable but, at this stage of the Blu-ray game, hardly noteworthy, it will please audiences without drawing any positive or negative attention to itself.

12 Monkeys: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

12 Monkeys: Season Two features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that's amongst the tops one will find for a TV show. Bursts of energy are commonplace. Low end depth, push, and tightness are excellent. Deep, penetrating sounds power through the stage with incredible intensity. Episode three's waning minutes is a good example of both the low end's potency and the track's ability to fully saturate the stage and deliver a seamless rush of energy through it. The time machine is particularly noteworthy for its complex barrage of activity. Music is well defined, nicely spaced and very clear, whether the title theme or vintage 1940s tunes heard on a record player. Explosions are hefty and punishing while gunshots crack from all corners of the stage with impressive intensity in power and volume. Supportive atmospherics are well integrated through the stage, including the backs. Air raid sirens in episode three wail through the back with eerie intensity and authenticity, while smaller environmental nuances help define various locales and draw the listener into them. Dialogue is clearly defined and enjoys natural front-center placement and prioritization. A larger sense of space is evident when words reverberate around more cavernous locales.

12 Monkeys: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

12 Monkeys: Season Two contains extras across all three discs. No DVD or digital versions are included.

Disc One:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from "Year of the Monkey" (2:22), "Primary" (1:49), and "One Hundred Years" (0:40).
• Webisodes (1080p): Several shorts from the 12 Monkeys universe. Included are "Pre-apocalyptic" (3:08), "The Traveler" (1:53), "The Witness" (1:11), "The Witness Promo" (1:27), and "Alone" (2:47).
• Inside 12 Monkeys Season Two (1080p, 15:32 total runtime): Cast and crew discuss each episode including favorite scenes, character motivations, and building various past and future scenes.
• Podcasts: For "Primary:" Executive Producer/Showrunner Terry Matalas, Writer Sean Tretta, and Actors Aaron Stanford and Emily Hampshire. This is essentially an episode commentary track in which the participants discuss character development, filming techniques, script writing, plot elements, and more.

Disc Two:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 1:56): Scenes from "Bodies of Water."
• Inside 12 Monkeys Season Two (1080p, 18:48 total runtime): Cast and crew discuss each episode including favorite scenes, character motivations, and building various past and future scenes.
• Podcasts: For "Bodies of Water:" Executive Producer/Showrunner Terry Matalas and Actors Amanda Schull, Todd Stashwick, and Emily Hampshire.

Disc Three:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from "Fatherland" (3:02), "Resurrection" (0:45), and "Memory of Tomorrow" (6:43).
• Gag Reel (1080p, 4:29).
• Inside 12 Monkeys Season Two (1080p, 15:38 total runtime): Cast and crew discuss each episode including favorite scenes, character motivations, and building various past and future scenes.
• Podcasts: For "Blood Washed Away:" Executive Producer/Showrunner Terry Matalas, Writer Sean Tretta, and Actors Amanda Schull, Aaron Stanford, and Emily Hampshire. For "Memory of Tomorrow:" Executive Producer/Showrunner Terry Matalas and Actors Amanda Schull and Aaron Stanford.

12 Monkeys: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

12 Monkeys: Season Two turns the show on its head, and in a good way. Vastly different but still very familiar, smart but sensible, intense but accessible, and capable of playing with the notions of time, identity, place, and all of the physical and emotional turmoil that goes with time travel, the story is a natural fit for the television format and while still not as epic as the original film masterpiece, it makes for good, often riveting, television, complete with quality production values and well defined characters. This is the sort of show SyFY was created for. Universal's Blu-ray is well-rounded, features quality video, outstanding audio, and a nice assortment of bonus content. Highly recommended in conjunction with season one.