by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
Arnold Schwarzenegger is a legendary figure in the entertainment industry. I grew up watching his movies, which formed the foundation for my love of film. Since The Terminator series post Rise of the Machines, Schwarzenegger hasn’t had an excellent track record. He’s been dipping back into past roles, and is slowly becoming a parody of himself. His recent stint on TV has been filled with cameos and appearances. Now, FUBAR is the first time he’s been the lead of a series.
FUBAR centers around father and daughter CIA agents Luke (Schwarzenegger) and Emma (Monica Barbaro) Brunner, who work together to solve major cases. They trot around the world with their team, consisting of Barry (Milan Carter), Aldon (Travis Van Winkle), and Roo (Fortune Feimster). Season Two focuses on everyone’s cover being blown, putting them and their friends and family in danger. In addition, they are dealing with a master criminal who is focused on destroying America’s fragile energy grid.
FUBAR’s greatest strength is the dynamic between the core team. Luke and Emma are exceptional leaders, while Barry, Aldon, and Roo provide great support. They complement each other, and they have outstanding chemistry. You can mix and match everyone in the group, and they all find a way for their relationships to work. The highlight is Luke and Emma, as they have years of pent-up frustration with each other that gets aired to everyone. Each member contributes something to each mission, and it’s clear they genuinely care for one another.
Season Two has two main storylines. The first involves the tension that has been building among several people living in a safe house together, as their identities have been compromised. The safe house consists of the core CIA team and some of their family members, including Luke’s ex-wife (Fabiana Udenio) and one of Emma’s love interests, Carter (Jay Baruchel). Each episode showcases the plights that exist when family and friends’ miscommunications and hijinks come to a head. It’s very sitcom-esque, but what sells this is that the friends are struggling with the cost that being in the CIA has for everyone. The non-CIA people didn’t sign up for the situation, and the toll it ultimately takes costs some people everything they worked their whole lives for.
The second storyline involves an external threat to the U.S. electrical grid. Luke’s team has to dig deep and make increasingly uncomfortable decisions. Throughout the case, Luke has to deal with Greta (Carrie-Anne Moss), a master spy with whom he has a romantic involvement. Their dynamic threatens the team’s balance, as some of the team thinks Greta compromises Luke’s judgement. Emma, on the other hand, is struggling with how to handle a charismatic, morally ambiguous gun-for-hire Chips (Guy Burnet). He puts on the full-court press with Emma, and he gets under the skin of several people. All of this leads to a sinister master criminal named Dante Cress. His identity is the central mystery, but his ruthlessness spooks even Luke.
I’ll give credit where it’s due: The action scenes are great. There are many creative ways Schwarzenegger utilizes his signature lines from his great movies, but he also showcases some impressive set pieces involving tanks, rockets, and hand-to-hand combat. Barbaro also holds her own with the action scenes. I’ll be on the lookout for her action career moving forward.
This season is filled with sitcom clichés that bring things down. Simple miscommunications and manufactured drama cause several characters’ problems. Some characters this season, like Aldon and Barry, don’t have great storylines, making their characters feel wasted. Based on what happens at the end, I’m also not sure about how much longer this show can sustain itself with a clear endgame for Luke.
FUBAR Season Two is fun, and leans into its strengths: fun action, quippy humor, and a dynamic lead in Schwarzenegger. It is the textbook definition of a brainless show that’s way more style than substance.
Rating: High Side of It Was Just Okay
FUBAR is currently streaming on Netflix
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