The Sensates Face More Danger in ‘Sense8’ Season 2

Char Little

The sophomore season of “Sense8” has hit Netflix. For those who plan on having a binge watching session to catch up, be prepared to experience highs and lows in your emotions because the sensates face even more dangers this time around. Just when one of them has a victory, another setback must be overcome.

The new episodes pick up where the Christmas episode left off, with little to no room for answering any questions for newcomers. So for fans who hope to jump in without watching its debut season—it’s not simple, but not impossible either.

It opens up with Will (Brian J. Smith) having visions about his run-ins with Whispers (Terrence Mann), who as a sensate himself is out to get anyone like him, including Will and the others he met in season one. It’s Riley (Tuppence Middleton) who is extremely concerned about Will this season in his seemingly helpless state-of-mind and uses most of the premiere episode helping Will as he tries to beat Whispers at his own game. While he gets a major victory over Whispers in the beginning of the season, it only marks the beginning of the battle between the main sensates and those who are hunting them.

Viewers are also reunited with Lito (Miguel Angel Silvestre) and Capheus (Toby Owunmere replaced Aml Ameen for this role) who, while in different areas of the world, encounter similar situations. A reporter grills Lito about his sexual orientation (which ends up impacting his career) after the fallout from the very revealing photos last season. Another reporter, Zakia, tries to blast Capheus with implications that he doesn’t embrace his culture. The sensates can switch positions for the first time this season, and they both overcome their temporary foes. Still, Capheus and Zakia see one another again as she expresses her interest in him after their battle. This is only the first time sexuality is discussed on this show. As Capheus and Zakia get closer, he finds out that her coworkers know way more about her personal life than he does — including her past experience with another woman. It’s only a matter of time before he disobeys their advice to steer clear of her.

Nomi (Jamie Clayton) and Amanita (Freema Agyeman) have a journey of their own as they try to find more about what it means to be a sensate, or “homo sensorium.” They join in on Whispers and Will’s battle when it’s revealed that Whispers has been going to see the mother of a young girl who Will is convinced Whispers killed. Will loosens up after he “compromises” Whispers but the ongoing war is a key storyline.

Wolfgang (Max Riemelt) also returns and finds out he and the sensates in his circle aren’t the only ones like them. But the newcomer, a sexy and feisty girl named Lila, turns out to be more than Wolfgang can handle as she becomes a pretty big test for him in more ways than one. But there’s this underlying question of even though she’s a sensate—is she a good or evil one? Will also taps into his jealousy when a man from Riley’s past resurfaces.

Just when it seemed they could take a sigh of relief, Sun (Doona Bae) gets kidnapped by men who are posing as police officers. This is just one of the perils Sun is up against this season as her life is put on the line more times than many would like to see.

About halfway through the season, they shift their position from being on the defense to the offense, and they all experience a new level of freedom. Like when Lito is unashamed as he plays an openly gay man and Nomi is unable to be found on the world wide web. Capheus has his big moment in episode 10 when he gives an empowering and motivational speech during his political campaign that ends in a huge riot after a bomb is thrown at the audience.

Toward the end of the season, while the sensates still exhaust all of their efforts in finding Whispers, they focus on their actual families too. But some of them can’t even handle what they find out as they get closer to their loved ones.

“Sense8” season 2 is available on Netflix May 5.