Citadel Season 2 Review: Glossy Spy Thriller That Expands the Story but Loses Its Grip

Citadel Season 2 Review

Director: David Weil, Joe Russo, and Greg Yaitanes

Date Created: 2026-05-06 20:20

Editor's Rating:
2.5

Citadel Season 2 Review: Directed by David Weil, Joe Russo, and Greg Yaitanes, the spy show on Prime Video stars Richard Madden as Mason Kane, Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Nadia Sinh, and Stanley Tucci as Bernard Orlick, alongside Ashleigh Cummings, Jack Reynor, and Lesley Manville. The second season consists of seven episodes, each running between 40 to 50 minutes.

Citadel Season 2 Review

The storyline in Prime Video’s Citadel Season 2 ventures deeper into the personal lives of its main protagonists, while adding a global threat which is linked to an organisation called Manticore. Right from the outset of the season, we see Bernard embroiled in a potentially life-threatening situation, establishing right away that the season will be one where everyone is in it for themselves and no one is entirely what they seem. On the other hand, while Nadia attempts to maintain a low profile after leaving Citadel, her days of being an agent of the organisation are soon catching up with her.

Alongside all this, Mason, who still retains another identity, has to cope with being torn between his personal life at home with Abby and the revelation of who he truly is. Mason’s story centres on guilt and uncertainty, especially as revelations of his past come to light. The plot thickens when Nadia finds out that Mason might be guilty of betrayal, which will impact the typical “save the world” quest in a personal way.

Citadel Season 2 Review Still 1
Citadel Season 2 Review Still 1

As the Prime Video series Citadel Season 2 unfolds, the story develops into an elaborate struggle that pits cutting-edge technology against global surveillance and a weapon that may just have the power to destroy the entire planet. The importance of Bernard grows as he attempts to prevent this dangerous invention from falling into the wrong hands, but the series is clever enough to ensure his motives remain unclear until late in the episode.

While Prime Video’s Season 2 of the Citadel series tries to juggle different story strands, including the familial aspect, the spy-political world, and the individual redemption journeys, some do not make as much sense as others. For example, the struggles of Nadia as she navigates protecting her son from the dangers of the spying world and simultaneously being drawn into it again are quite powerful. The struggle seems genuine and authentic as opposed to the cliché spy stuff we’ve seen before. In contrast, Mason’s character development comes off as quite predictable at certain points.

Citadel Season 2 Review Still 2
Citadel Season 2 Review Still 2

A further critical element of the series is the frequent incorporation of plot twists and betrayals. This season in particular relies greatly on the idea of unveiling previously unknown information about various characters as well as the choices they have made. Although some plot twists do manage to be surprising, many more seem both predictable and insufficiently developed.

This non-linear approach does not necessarily favour the series in any way, either. Timeline jumps and fractured narratives will only hinder viewers from remaining emotionally attached. This is a spy thriller series that should be fast-paced and thrilling. It does not make sense for the series to have some slow-paced episodes and other episodes that rush through important information.

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Citadel Season 2 Review Still 3
Citadel Season 2 Review Still 3

Despite all these shortcomings, there are still some positive aspects to the performances in the series. For instance, Priyanka Chopra Jonas continues to confirm that she is among the best components in this project. She has a certain physicality as well as emotional depth when playing Nadia, thus convincing us despite the poor quality of the scriptwriting. The actress infuses intensity into the show, which is needed here very much indeed.

But Richard Madden’s performance seems to be a little bit subdued for once. There are some points in his performance in which Mason faces an emotional dilemma, but his acting is not able to ignite the passion that should be present to make his character stand out. Moreover, the story has not helped him in doing so. On the other hand, Bernard has still been one of the interesting characters because of Stanley Tucci’s charm and unpredictable behaviour.

The success of the second season of Citadel lies in the production value of the show. Like in the previous season, there is plenty of budget put into the cinematography of the episodes. What is more, the filming locations add up to an impressive cinematic quality of the series. Action scenes in Citadel are well-thought-out and exciting.

Citadel Season 2 Review Still 4
Citadel Season 2 Review Still 4

But even then, there is an obvious limitation with regard to the action itself. Although it may be visually exciting, there can be large spaces between these scenes filled with boring plot development. It may also seem like the buildup for these scenes is not worth their size, as there is no logical continuation from them within the context of the story itself.

The other downside worth mentioning is the lack of chemistry among the main characters. Considering that relationships play such an important role in the plot, they may seem unconvincing at times, which makes some pivotal scenes appear less emotionally engaging.

At the end of the day, Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s Citadel Season 2 is a series that may appear good on the outside but falls apart from within. The series is definitely an improvement upon its predecessor as it is more polished and well-paced and even seems to be more focused emotionally, but it never really manages to maintain that sense of engagement.

Citadel Season 2 Review Still 5
Citadel Season 2 Review Still 5

Prime Video Citadel Season 2 Review: Summing Up

Season 2 of Citadel series presents more twists, character confrontations, and increased risks. However, despite several good scenes and a fantastic portrayal by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, the show is marred by an overly predictable storyline, uneven pacing, and poorly developed characters. It’s not a total disaster, but it does not exceed its limitations as a competent spy series.

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Citadel Season 2 Review: The Prime Video series has more twists, deeper character conflicts, and higher stakes, but it struggles with execution.Citadel Season 2 Review: Glossy Spy Thriller That Expands the Story but Loses Its Grip