Review: What can we expect from The Last Kids on Earth Book 2?

The Last Kids on Earth Book 2 debuts on Apr. 17 on Netflix. Fans can expect family friendly fun and a pleasant diversion from “quarantine life.”

The Last Kids on Earth Book 2 premieres on Apr. 17 on Netflix. We were fortunate enough to binge the entire series beforehand and it is exactly the diversion that is needed at this point in time.

Jack Sullivan (Nick Wolfhard) and his friends, Quint (Garland Whitt), June (Montse Hernandez) and Dirk (Charles Demers) are spending quite a bit of time together in their fortified treehouse. However, the close quarters are causing tempers to flare so Jack decides to take the gang to the mall to have some fun and blow off a little steam.

Of course, this is not going to be the case because they are going to have to defend themselves against hordes of zombies and a gigantic worm creature. And so, Book 2 begins. Just another day in the life of these apocalypse kids.

What can we expect to see this season? Here are a few highlights.

Homages to Classic Horror and Sci-Films

Genre fans will not be disappointed. Almost every episode pays homage to various horror and sci-fi films. You just have to keep you eyes peeled.

E01: Mall Quest

• Dawn of the Dead
• Star Wars Cantina

E03: Bestiary Master

• Ghostbusters
• Star Trek

E04: The Zombie Parade

• Night of the Living Dead

E05: The Thrull of Victory

• Evil Dead
• Karate Kid
• The Matrix

E07: June Gloom

• Creepshow
• Shaun of the Dead

Iconic Guest Stars

The sheer amount of talent in The Last Kids on Earth is mind blowing. All of the guest stars are veteran actors and actresses that are well-known for appearing in classic chillers and famous franchises.

• Keith David “Thrull”: The Thing, They Live, the voice of The Arbiter in the “Halo” games, Spawn
• Mark Hamill “Bardle”: Star Wars franchise, Chucky in Child’s Play reboot
• Bruce Campbell “Chef”: Evil Dead trilogy, Bubba Ho-Tep, Maniac Cop, My Name Is Bruce
• Catherine O’Hara “Skaelka”: Beetlejuice, The Addams Family, Frankenweenie, The Nightmare Before Christmas
• Rosario Dawson “Rezzoch”: Zombieland: Double Tap, Sin City, Sin City: A Dame to Kill for, Death Proof, Men in Black II, The Mandalorian

Top Notch Cast

Nick Wolfhard

The young actor is a voice over veteran having several series under his belt prior to The Last Kids on Earth such as World Trigger and Beyblade Burst. As Jack Sullivan, the inspirational “cheerleader” of his band of zombie and monster fighting friends, he is without a doubt, the heart and soul of this show.

His character is a caretaker and extremely loyal. Whatever it takes to make June, Quint or Dirk smile, Jack will make it his mission to make them happy. A natural leader, he faces the uncertain future in the post-apocalyptic world with enthusiasm and optimism.

Montse Hernandez

Like her co-star Nick, Montse started her career on Barney & Friends. After that, she landed a gig doing several voices on Monsters University. Interestingly enough, she played Teenage Jane on Jane the Virgin and her future co-star, Rosario Dawson, also appeared on that series!

As June, Hernandez channels her inner warrior/tough girl. She is reminiscent of a young Ripley from Alien. While she appears to be sure of herself on the outside, inwardly she is highly vulnerable.

When Jack goes off on his tangents, June is the voice of reason. She keeps the group safe by making sure that everyone focuses on the task at hand.

Garland Whitt

Quint is quintessential! Garland Whitt embodies his character with that cool, nerd vibe. He is the mastermind behind the squad. If it weren’t for his intellect and his gifted science abilities, the gang would have a hard time getting out of jams.

Charles Demers

Dirk is deeper than his surface might belie. He is actually pretty perceptive and is able to know exactly when he needs to jump into a situation and use brute force. However, he does have a soft side to his gruff exterior.

Who knew that he could cook and also love their pet monster as much as he does? Charles Demers does a terrific job of making Dirk a three dimensional being.

Compelling Stories

What we like so much about this series is the fact that not only are we entertained with each episode but there are also subtle takeaways that can be applied to many life circumstances. When Jack and company are introduced to the monsters at their hangout (Joe’s Pizza) at first, everyone is on high alert. But after Jack tells them his story about conquering Blarg, they become more accepting of him. June forms a bond with Skaelka and Dirk even has some fun having a “cook off” with Chef.

Without hitting us over the head with an overt message, through the compelling storyline, we get the understanding that people are special in their own right and that differences can and should be encouraged. In other words, we learn tolerance.

In Episode 3, “Bestiary Master”, Quint is feeling like he doesn’t really contribute to the group. Of course, that isn’t true but he sees that the others may be more athletic and daring while he is not. He prefers to use his brains.

Thrull ends up becoming a coach of sorts to him. He is then able to recognize that every member does what they can. Everyone contributes to the effort of fighting zombies or monsters, in the case of The Last Kids on Earth. Just like in life, everyone contributes something to the world.

The Verdict

The Last Kids on Earth Book 2 is a thrill ride from start to finish and has something for everyone. If you love horror, sci-fi, animation and comedy, this is the series for you. It isn’t strictly aimed at young adults. Anyone can enjoy it.

In this time of uncertainty, it is good to have a diversion. This Netflix show is family friendly but most of all it is fun. We’re looking forward to Book 3, fingers crossed!

The Last Kids on Earth will be available on Netflix, Apr. 17.

Are you looking forward to The Last Kids on Earth? Let us know in the comments.