My quick rating - 8,0/10. I didn't review the first season, so I'll try to do a combined review without spoiling anything. That is far easier said than done, especially with a show that spends the entire first season keeping you completely in the dark about what is going on. First off, I will say that the first season, to me, was better than the second, so think an 8.5 and a 7.5 respectively. It really doesn't matter much so the whole thing is so good. So the basic idea is a group of young adults is transported into some world where you have to compete in seemingly kids' games to survive. This ranges in difficulty and this basic premise do get scraped for more complex challenges but the overall goal is always survival. And the overall feeling for two seasons is always what in the hell is really going on. The fact that your interest will be kept for those 2 seasons when you don't even know speaks plenty about the quality of entertainment that is provided. Throughout the journey, you actually are introduced to quite a few characters that are given enough time to make sure individual personalities and circumstances will matter to you in who makes it or not. As far as acting goes, I chose to view the dubbed version (eyesight has become an issue) so I do lose a bit in that department. Still, the voiceovers they found do a good job in conveying the feelings that range here. Isolation, desperation, anger, you basically name it, and at times, they will all come across. The directing is so well done, moving the audience from game to game while keeping the story flowing. It would be so easy to just have the clever games be the sole focus for entertainment but the actual story is so important, especially through season 2. With all that has been going on, and you will need to watch it all, preferably binge both back to back, it is hard to imagine a wrap-up. And I will say that the writers pulled off something truly special. Season 2 gives you an ending that does satisfy the questions that you have throughout. But it also leaves an opening for a third season. It is really well done in performing both of these outcomes at the same time. I am sure you are waiting, so let me explain. This show came first, not Squid Game. And the similarities are there but these are also very different shows touching upon a similar premise. Also, this is Japanese, Squid Game is Korean. Maybe they somehow were influenced by each other. Either way, Borderlands is the more physical of the two. Both are gruesome when they need to be. And to be honest, both are highly recommended for viewing. At the end of this one, you will be so set in its finale and then moments later will be pondering how season 3 will deconstruct everything you know, and blow your mind again. Since I don't know if there is another season, I can only hope they do decide to twist this into something even deeper than it already is. This is about as vague as I can make this so just watch it for yourself, you won't regret it. Currently on Netflix.
