Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Mr. Mercedes: Season 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 20, 2021

Note: 'Mr. Mercedes: Season 2' is not available in the United States on Blu-ray, but this Australian Blu-ray release is region free and will play in any U.S. Blu-ray player.

The Mr. Mercedes trilogy would likely be a high point for most any author's career, but for Stephen King it's just another footnote in a larger canonical portfolio that is dominated by his classic Horror works. This trilogy embraces some supernatural, unexplainable occurrences -- particularly this second chapter of the TV version story, which is actually the third chapter in King's literary trilogy -- but is mostly grounded in the gritty back-and-forth between a tired, retired detective and a determined young opponent (the second book in the series, and the third for television tells a different story away from Brady Hartsfield). In this story, that young opponent lives in a nearly physical vegetative state but somehow, some way, finds a way to rebuild his mental faculties and fuel his insatiable appetite for carnage, even if his body is no longer the vessel doing the deed.

Official synopsis: A year after his thwarted attempt to perpetrate a second mass murder in the community of Bridgton, Ohio, Brady Hartsfield remans hospitalized in a vegetative state. Retired detective Bill Hodges has done his best to move on from his Brady obsession, teaming up with Holly Gibney to open Finders Keepers, a private investigative agency. But when unexplainable occurrences begin to affect hospital staff members attending Brady, Hodges is haunted by the feeling that Brady is somehow responsible.

It's interesting to watch the television adaptation shift away from the novel trilogy by adapting the third story as the second outing. The two are largely independent of one another -- Hodges and company deal with a different case in Finders Keepers and much of the story's focus is away from them, anyway -- and it would seem like the idea here was to maintain focus on the Hodges-Hartsfield dynamic, the latter such a dynamic character who, even now an outwardly altered character, still brings the same mental dynamic to the series. Keep the momentum going, the TV production team must have believed. Beyond some core story reworking necessary to swap story positions that doesn't drastically impact the larger Mr. Mercedes universe, there's no real harm, no real foul for this reorder. With these essential story changes, relatively minor though they may be, it's still best to watch the TV series in order and read the books in their order.

However, season two does dramatically turn the tide toward the end. It stays more or less faithful to King's essential story beats through much of the second season, but later episodes are entirely reworked, transitioning from a more action-oriented finale for the Hartsfield story in the books to a courtroom drama for television. The story suddenly shifts to an "alternate universe" type of approach where the story's dynamics will leave even readers who are not so fresh on the book's conclusion wondering why it was changed so dramatically. There was no reason to tinker with the book's essential ebb and flow -- though surely some alterations must be made for the medium in mind -- but this wholesale change radically reworks so many essential story elements and character beats that it's a wonder why it's still Mr. Mercedes. Be that as it may, the new content is well thought out and strongly executed on the screen. The ending is a surprise, much more so than how the novel ends, but it would seem a stricter adaptation of King's story would have served the production well.

The season thrives as much on characterization and performances as it does the plot ebbs and flows. The Hodges and Hartfield dynamic remains the key propellant, and however they interact -- which does evolve through the season from the opening hours when Hodges simply visits the mass murderer in the hospital -- is always the season's highlight. And that interaction does not necessarily mean face to face. The characters impact and influence and drive one another even when they're apart; they share a mutual obsession that both actors promote forcefully and faithfully as the core essences that drive their lives. Support cast is excellent, particularly from newcomers like Jack Huston as Felix Babineau, but it's Treadway and Gleeson who dominate the show and the latter of whom seems to have been born to play the part.

Mr. Mercedes: Season 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As with the series' first season Blu-ray this 1080p picture satisfies across the usual spectrum for analysis. It's a practical image, one that is not going to stand apart for greatness but satisfying core expectations for a modern 1080p release of a digitally photographed TV show. The image is crisp and satisfying, yielding excellent textural intimacy and intricacy. Elements like Hodges' thick beard are on full display with practically every hair identifiable in close-up. Locations like hospital rooms -- so critical to the season -- reveal the medical equipment with excellent definition that draws the viewer into Hartsfield's world. Other details -- whether Holly and Hodges' ragged office space, Babineau's more finely appointed home, and the warm accents within the courtroom -- are all defined to satisfaction. Clothing is pleasing to the eye as well, again particularly in close-up but everything from hospital gowns to lacy lingerie hold excellent clarity. Color output is strong. Tones are not manipulated too far away from neutral. What need be deep and dense is deep and dense, what need be more reserved is more reserved. The palette handles contrast, depth, and diversity quite nicely. Skin tones appear accurate and black levels are right on. The picture does suffer from some severe source noise in lower light and mild banding artifacts can be seen here and there, but these are relatively minor drawbacks that should not significantly detract from what is, on the whole, a quality Blu-ray product.

Mr. Mercedes: Season 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The season's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack presents the show's audio needs with capable detail and spacing. There's not a whole lot that is absolutely aggressive here; the presentation is not reserved, but neither is it pounding the speakers into submission every few minutes. The track is well versed in all areas, presenting, for example, rich atmosphere with well capable detail and definition all around the listening area. Listen 10 minutes into the season, an outdoor scene featuring Hodges and his neighbor, Ida Silver. This scene is open and alive. It's well versed in delivering full and detailed ambience where singing birds, light blowing winds, barking dogs, a child screaming here and there effortlessly, and without much attention drawn, pull the listener into the back yard. Music presents with capable width and clarity; listeners will never feel shortchanged in this area. A few more prominent action type effects do engage with depth and ferocity as demanded, but these are not common occurrences throughout. Dialogue drives most of the show's audio needs and it is presented clearly and effectively from a natural front-center position. It is also well prioritized throughout.

Mr. Mercedes: Season 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No supplemental content is included on either of the Blu-ray discs.

Mr. Mercedes: Season 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In this reviewer's opinion, the third of King's "Bill Hodges" trilogy -- End of Watch -- was the least of the novels (the second book, "Finders Keepers," being the best, even if it's more of a side story rather than one so deeply connected to the original novel as "End of Watch"). The TV adaptation of the third book, here second season, is fine. It's faithful to the novel to a point until it's so dramatically reworked at the end that it barely registers as "Mr. Mercedes." at least as King penned the story. It's not a poor end at all, it's just so different that one wonders why adapt it at all if it's going to take such a major departure from the source. This featureless two-disc set delivers all ten episodes with good quality 1080p video and audio presentations. Recommended.