Review: Twisted Metal Season 1 – Driving Crazy

Any fan of PlayStation games will tell you of how over-the-top a series like Twisted Metal could be. Vehicular combat on an intense scale with explosions is in the DNA of the games, along with an element of craziness that walks the line between dark humor and absolute insanity. The first season of the Twisted Metal series that is streaming on Peacock has all the right parts that highlight all of these aspects. In that way, the series is a good adaptation of the games. Unfortunately, the story of the series can lose track of what makes Twisted Metal so appealing to fans, causing the series to go off track and feel like a completely different series. But when Twisted Metal shifts back to what viewers are here for, it hits a sweet spot that makes it a fun series to watch.

The plot of Twisted Metal follows a man who has forgotten his real name, opting to refer to himself as John Doe. John is a milkman, someone who drives the harsh roads delivering items between cities in this post-nuclear fallout world. John is hired for a job to pick up and deliver a package for Raven, a woman who runs the city of New San Francisco, offers to let John start a new life within the city walls instead of living on the outside, but only if he can complete the job within ten days. As John drives from one part of the nation to the other, he encounters many crazy people trying to survive on the open road, including a mysterious woman named Quiet. Things only get crazier as John makes his way to his destination, while vicious and crazy rivals like the infamous Sweet Tooth lurk dangerously close behind.

The best parts of Twisted Metal are the action scenes, with awesome car combat sequences that feel ripped right out of the game. However, the series strangely only has so many of these sequences throughout the first season, with is around ten episodes. Often the fights are limited to shootouts between people, which are still good but not on the same level as the car chases and battles. Twisted Metal as a series is all about vehicular combat, it’s a major part of the plot and the universe as a whole. So it’s a shame to see that aspect of it not dominate most of the series’ action in a significant way. But when things amp up and people get into their cars for battle, the show is at its best.

The dark humor of the games is here as well, but often can feel awkward in some spots. Many of the characters we meet are crazy in their own ways, with some being crazier than others. The dialogue is often very edgy with everyone who talks, but there’s always a looming dark overtone that tries to make things feel direr in the show. At the same time, things can get very grotesque in this world, which fits with the tone of the games that inspired the show.

Although much of that comes from things outside of car combat, which may or may not rub some fans the wrong way. Luckily, a lot of the humor is self-aware of how exaggerated things can be and the show fully commits to it. In most cases, it’s successful, while in others it’s not as funny as it wants you to believe.

Anthony Mackie plays John Doe, while Stephanie Beatriz plays the role of Quiet. The two of them have a gradual partnership that grows over time throughout the season, with a lot of humorous moments. Their relationship changes as you get deeper into the season, but the two of them have a lot of great banter that can be funny.

But what about every other character, do we see a lot of faces from the games? There are a lot of name drops and appearances of characters from multiple games, ranging from the first Twisted Metal to Twisted Metal: Black. Some characters in the show are deep cuts from the games that have a significant role in this series. If you’ve played enough Twisted Metal, then you’ll be able to spot many bits of fan service from the casting, even though a number of them only show up for a brief time.

The biggest inclusion in the series is the appearance of Sweet Tooth, who is often viewed as the mascot for the Twisted Metal games. Sweet Tooth is played by two actors in the series, with the movements being done by wrestler Samoa Joe and the voice by Will Arnett. Sweet Tooth is a weird character with a pretty brutal backstory that is very dark, although the origin we get from the series is different from the games. There have been multiple versions of Sweet Tooth’s background, but this series depicts a Sweet Tooth who was once a child star that went crazy and was sent to an insane asylum.

On-screen, he looks terrifying and amazing, especially when he starts fighting. Will Arnett’s voice and Samoa Joe’s movement really make the character come to life, with a presence on screen that is far more potent than any other character in the show. For some, the jokes and dialogue in some places might come off as weird and unfunny, but it fits in line with the way Sweet Tooth has appeared over the years in various games.

Twisted Metal is a decently good adaptation of the games it is based on, with a few things that work and don’t work in its favor. Most fans will be disappointed that the story doesn’t get into the infamous tournament that is in the games, opting to set that up in a few ways for a Season 2 of the show. At the same time, fans will also be annoyed at the low number of car combat sequences throughout the season, even though the ones in it are pretty good. Most viewers who aren’t fans of the games won’t think much of the show, especially if dark and twisted humor isn’t your thing. But if you know even a vague amount about the games and just want something wild to watch, you won’t find Twisted Metal to be a bad series. Hopefully, if there is a second season, more car combat will be injected into it. What’s here is a good start, but can hopefully turn into something better.

What do you think of the Twisted Metal series on Peacock? Are you a fan of the PlayStation games that the show is based on? Are you going to watch Twisted Metal yourself? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section down below!