WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for The Recruit season 2, episode 6.The Recruit season 2 is shorter than the first season at only six episodes. While The Recruit season 2 picks up from where season 1 ended, the new season quickly wraps up the previous storyline and puts Owen Hendricks on a brand-new mission. Similarly to what happened in the first season, The Recruit season 2 saw Noah Centineo’s character getting himself involved in something above his paycheck after he reached out to a potential blackmailer. Owen had to once again avoid a major crisis, this time within only six episodes.

An The Recruit season 1 ended on a cliffhanger made it clear that the show had more stories to tell, and it took only a month for it to be officially renewed for season 2. However, in September 2024, it was reported that The Recruit season 2 was going to have six episodes, two less than the first season.

Why The Recruit Season 2 Has Fewer Episodes

The Recruit Season 2 Is Shorter Than Season 1

While there is no official reason as to why The Recruit has six episodes, it seems to be a mixture of what the creators intended for the story and some behind-the-scenes factors. eOne, the company that produced The Recruit season 1, was sold to Lionsgate on August 2023, which might have led to changes to the shows that were already in development. According to Deadline, The Recruit season 2 went through a “complex shoot,” as a significant portion of the season was filmed in South Korea.

With streaming shows becoming bigger in scale and more expensive as a result, it is now relatively common for major shows – both new and returning – to have short seasons. For example, House of the Dragon had eight episodes in season 2, two less than season 1. Squid Game season 2 was also relatively short at seven episodes, although seasons 2 and 3 were produced back-to-back. As of the writing of this article, The Recruit season 3 has not been confirmed.

The Recruit Season 2’s Episode Count Made It Very Fast-Paced

Things Moved Fast In The Recruit Season 2

The Recruit has been a very fast-paced show from the start, but things moved even faster in season 2. A few minutes into the new season, the cliffhanger from season 1 had already been resolved. Owen’s mess in Praga was quickly handled, and while Nichka remained an important character, The Recruit season 2 switched to a new storyline entirely. Owen’s attention was split between the United States and South Korea for most of the season, with the characters often going from one side of the globe to the other in the same episode.

The Recruit season 2, episode 6 is the show's longest episode yet at 62 minutes.

The Recruit season 2 did not have much time for side stories and character interactions that wouldn’t move the plot forward. For example, Owen and Hannah only had two proper conversations in this season. That said, while the shorter episode count might have been disappointing, The Recruit season 2’s fast pacing fit the tone of the show and added to the urgency of the story. Owen only had a couple of days to find and rescue Jang Kyu’s wife, meaning that time was against him.

Were 6 Episodes Enough For The Recruit Season 2?

The Recruit Season 2 Left Some Questions Unanswered

While the fast pacing worked for The Recruit season 2, six episodes might not have been enough for the show to handle all the characters and potential stories that it had set up in the first season. The biggest example of this is how Max’s death seemed to have no effect on Owen given how fast his attention shifted to the new mission. Additionally, we got no backstory for Nichka, even though the reveal of Max’s daughter was season 1’s most important moment. In season 2, Nichka simply says she had to kill Max.

With most of the questions about Max’s daughter unanswered, The Recruit season 2’s shift to an all-new mission made it feel a little disconnected from season 1, a problem that could have been solved with more episodes to flesh out Nichka’s past and Owen’s reaction to everything that happened in his first mission as a CIA lawyer. Another storyline that could’ve benefitted from more episodes is Owen’s love life, as his relationship with Hannah was barely addressed before he reconnected with Jang-kyu.

Source: Deadline