Season 2 of Idris Elba‘s thriller Hijack has landed with a thud on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a steep decline from its acclaimed Season 1. Around two and a half years after the breakout success of its debut season, the Apple TV+ thriller has returned, but early reviews suggest the ride may not be as universally thrilling this time around.
Hijack Season 2’s Rotten Tomatoes score is way lower than first Season
Hijack Season 1, which featured Elba as negotiator Sam Nelson thwarting a plane hijacking, soared with critics, earning a stellar 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That success led Apple TV+ to swiftly greenlight a second season. After a long wait, the show returned on January 14, 2025, picking up Nelson’s story two years later as he is thrown into a new crisis. Despite the familiar tension and Elba’s commanding role, the critical response has not mirrored the first season’s triumph.
Early reviews have given a stark verdict. Where Hijack Season 1 enjoyed a 90% Fresh rating, the initial critical score for Season 2 has plummeted to a mediocre 67% on the review aggregator. It’s important to note, however, that this score is based on only a handful of early critiques; just 24 reviews have been logged so far.
With eight weekly episodes scheduled, the final critical consensus could shift as more reviews are published and the full story arc unfolds. For comparison, audience reception also remains to be seen, as Season 1’s audience score settled at 51%.
While the core components like Elba’s intensity and a real-time thriller format remain, the change in scenery and plot seems to have, for now, derailed the show’s previous critical momentum. The actor himself has acknowledged the challenges of the production, telling People, “It’s a complex show to make.”
As the season continues its weekly rollout, all eyes will be on whether Hijack Season 2 can regain its altitude with viewers and critics in the coming weeks.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on ComingSoon.
