A Variety review of Apple TV's 'Hijack' Season 2 finds the series derailing from its tense first season, with Idris Elba's character Sam Nelson now hijacking a train in Berlin. Two years after the plane incident, the show shifts to a new hostage scenario but struggles with convoluted plotting and reduced suspense. Despite strong acting, the season fails to recapture the original's binge-worthy appeal.
Season 2 of 'Hijack' picks up two years after the harrowing events of the Kingdom Airlines Flight 29 hijacking that captivated viewers in the first season. Idris Elba returns as Sam Nelson, the sharp negotiator who once saved a plane full of passengers. This time, the action unfolds in Berlin, Germany, where Sam boards a crowded U-Bahn train during morning rush hour and takes control by breaking into the conductor's car, announcing the hijacking.
The episode introduces a diverse cast of characters aboard the train, including an insufferable former intern, a group of teenagers with their teachers en route to a museum, and a young father soothing his infant. Outside the train, Sam's ex-wife Marsha (Christine Adams) appears on a solo retreat, while new figures like Clara (Lisa Vicari) at the U-Bahn command center, Olivia (Clare-Hope Ashitey) at the British Embassy, and the agitated conductor Otto (Christian Näthe) add layers to the crisis. Berlin Chief of Police Ava Winter (Christiane Paul) and MI5 Agent Peter Fabar (Toby Jones) enter the fray, complicating the narrative with interventions that disrupt Sam's apparent quest for vengeance.
Variety criticizes the season for taking itself too seriously, resulting in a 'jumble of plot points stretching between the past and the present,' which makes it 'clunky, cumbersome and wearisome.' The review notes that while themes of global surveillance, revenge, and grief are compelling, they detract from the taut tension that defined Season 1. It questions the plausibility of Sam facing another international incident, calling it 'too ridiculous for even the most enthusiastic TV lover.' Despite the narrative flaws, Elba's charisma and the ensemble's performances remain highlights.
'Hijack' Season 2 premiered on January 14, 2026, on Apple TV, with new episodes releasing weekly on Wednesdays. Created and executive produced by George Kay and Jim Field Smith, alongside Elba, the series expands its scope but risks alienating fans of the original's streamlined thriller format.
