It is spooky season, and our talented young person’s correspondent Max Driver has a look at Season 2 of The Unreal, which starts back on RTÉ on 26th October.
Have you ever had the feeling that no matter where you go or what you do something seems a bit... off? Capturing that spirit, The Unreal returns to our screens with another wonderfully eerie story that follows the Kelly family as they take a trip to a virtually derelict castle for our young protagonist’s birthday. Things take a paranormal turn when Kevin (Sean Jennings) discovers that the hotel manager has imprisoned an uncannily familiar ghost. As the Kellys try to help the ghostly boy, they discover that things in this hotel are not quite what they seem.
The original Kelly family cast have returned for Season 2, delivering another winning performance. It is a great indicator of the health of Irish acting talent when this calibre of craft turns up in a kids TV show. Budding actor Sean Jennings shows real potential with another satisfying portrayal of Kevin. The actor who stood out the most to me was Kate Brady, who plays the phone-addicted teenager. I mentioned her painful relatability in my review of The Unreal Season 1, and she is back yet again with another first-rate performance.
Writer Rodney Lee, who once again has crafted a very strong set of characters, has taken the opportunity to weave more humour into the new season, which I think gives the show a greater chance of being appreciated by younger viewers. While it is now primarily a comedy, the show also features characters addressing their mental health issues, which serves the dual purpose of giving the show more depth and also making it more likely to be enjoyed and appreciated by all ages. Director Bonnie Dempsey makes the scarier parts of the show more immersive this time around, but the horror vibes are not taken too seriously, making it simultaneously suitable for young children and intense enough to keep parents intrigued.
Finally, a shoutout to location management and set design. The setting, an old traditional castle, really adds to the overall charm and amps up the spooky feel in a uniquely Irish way. Tom Comerford’s top-tier cinematography and Sarah Lynch’s score (one that would make John Carpenter proud) combine to capture the spirit of the spooky season. Season 2 of The Unreal is perfect Halloween family viewing.
The Unreal Season 2 begins this Sunday, 26th October on RTÉ One at 5.10pm.
About Max Driver
Max is a young actor and writer who lives in Kilkenny with his family and two miniature poodles. He has been in the arts since a very young age, previously a vocalist, performing in the Kings Theatre and the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City, and is currently studying acting at the Lir Academy in Dublin. A keen cinephile, Max runs a monthly movie review newsletter for friends and family, and is otherwise obsessing over his top four on Letterboxd.
