Season 2 of Nocturne is a rare opportunity on Netflix

In today's streaming age, very few shows last more than a season or two. Netflix has developed perhaps the worst reputation for cancellations from all streaming services. While the company commissions and produces a great deal of original content each year, very little of it lasts for many years, the kind of programming that often did in the old days of traditional television. Of course, there are exceptions, and with the release of “Castlevania: Nocturne” season 2, there is a big exception.

Yes, this is only the second season of the Nocturne series, but if you consider it an extension of the original Castlevania series, it is the 6th season. Most sequel series are their own standalone entities, but in the case of Castlevania. ” team, many key cast members transitioned between the two shows. Original creator, showrunner, and writer Warren Ellis was fired from the franchise between shows after allegations of misconduct, and was replaced by a team that included writers Zodwa Nyoni and Tammy Oh, along with new Nocturne showrunner Clive Bradley However, directed by Powerhouse Animation Studios and animators Adam and Samuel Dees, composer Trevor Morris and producers Kevin Kolde, Fred Seibert and Adi Shankar have been involved from the start, giving both shows a lot of cohesion.

What's even more impressive than the animated video game adaptation, which has been running for six seasons on Netflix, is that every season of “Castlevania” is impressive. With “Nocturne” Season 2 delivering yet another stellar set of episodes, the show has found itself in truly rarefied company.

It's hard to make a list of shows that ran for at least six seasons and never had any quality. “Game of Thrones” season 6 was controversial, such popular as “The Wire” and “Breaking Bad” only ran for five seasons each, as well as many other popular high-genre shows such as “Supernatural”, “Doctor Who” or “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, saw a significant drop in quality.

Some viewers might argue that “Castlevania” dropped after Season 2 because Season 3 of the original show is much slower paced. However, I would argue that Season 3 is one of the strongest entries in the franchise because it gives all the characters time to breathe, develop, and explore key themes like faith, grief, love, and loneliness. Season 1 of Nocturne changed things up again, giving the show a slightly younger cast of characters, but the core of what has always made Castlevania great remained intact.

Yes, refreshing the story with a new time period and cast definitely helps keep things interesting, but it's no easier to completely change the story of a show than it is to keep one arc going for five or six seasons. If anything, Nocturne was a huge risk when it premiered, as it didn't feature any of the characters from the previous series that fans had come to love.

The most appropriate comparison might be “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “The Legend of Korra”. While “Castlevania” is a much more brutal and adult-oriented show, the “Avatar” franchise has a similar animation style, a level of supernatural lore, and a close connection between the original and sequel series. In both cases, most of the creative team carried over from the first show to the second, changing the tone and structure but keeping the important things consistent.

Ranking of each Castlevania season is a challenge because they are all great, but in different ways. That means Nocturne Season 2 is near the top of this list. It doesn't beat Season 2 of the original series in my opinion, but it has a similar structure, tension and explosive climax.

The last two episodes of this season have some of the best action Castlevania has ever seen. Alukar's Paris duel with Drolt and multi-stage team match against Erzsebet are truly animated feats, no less impressive than Trevor's fight to the death in “Castlevania” season 4 or his fight against Dracula in season 2. And beyond that, the feat—something that Castlevania has always excelled at—is still incredibly strong. Everyone, even villains and anti-heroes, gets juicy material here. Maria struggles with a devastating mix of grief and anger that nearly destroys her. Olroc struggles with his own morality, which at times both enriches and conflicts with his selfishness.

We don't know yet if Netflix will renew “Castlevania” for another season, but it's an eight-year-old institution now, and the streamer wouldn't be the same without it. Video games eventually outgrow the present and enter the near future, so there's plenty of material for an adaptation if “Nocturne” were to end and be replaced by a third show with a new title. Personally, I hope Castlevania runs for six more seasons, because after being this good, I just want to see how far it can go.