Halo (TV Series) Visegrad (2024) User Reviews

Kind of disappointed.

[davidperez-02734 · 6/10 · 16 February 2024]

The first few minutes of the episode were close to excellent with a hint of what master chief should have always been in this show.

I got my hopes up and then, silver team is ambushed! Oh no! John is completely unhinged now and even silver team has turned their back on him! I could tolerate that, but it's already been enough of master chief's sanity being questioned.

Ackersons dad scenes objectively adds some weight to his character development despite some people complaining about cannon Ackerson. I think it was good.

No need to talk about Riz and that one strange scene (won't get too political here), but it was abysmal.

I think the entire Rubble plot has not developed much and has been lazy at best.

Last scene wasn't that compelling.

Overall, everything that this season wanted to tell before the fall of reach concludes here and it's been underwhelming.

I just wish the entire episode would have been like the first 10 minutes all the way to the end.

This episode is for who every time in war zone and never gets rest

[marvin6z6z6z · 7/10 · 15 February 2024]

Several foreshadows are revealed, but it's more like a breather, isn't it? This episode isn't centered around Spartan or soldier action, nor is it focused on Master Chief.

It might feel like the story is unnecessarily long and overly explanatory, extending the episode. The action itself is minimal, mostly revolving around events near Sorren's wife in the asteroid belt, so those expecting Master Chief to don his armor and have SF action may be disappointed. Therefore, opinions on this episode may vary.

For me, too, I'm primarily looking for a war movie in the Halo series, so I'm eager for intense combat scenes. However, as a drama series, it's interesting to step back from the continuous combat scenes we've already experienced in the game and delve into storytelling.

For example, even in a nearly three-hour-long grim and intense war movie, I wouldn't deny the scene where soldiers take a break on-site and let loose. It can be quite entertaining. (Although, even off-duty, Master Chief is always worried about war, so if he's recommended the best ramen on-site, he'd still talk about the Covenant. It's honestly a bit worrying mentally!)

Master Chief intuitively argues that Reach is already too late, but the higher-ups don't listen, leading to him becoming somewhat reckless. The elevator scene was funny! This episode, where they're just waiting for the secretive invasion of the Covenant on Reach, could indeed be frustrating. However, I believe there are likely adult constraints and other considerations as it's a drama, so they probably can't always show combat live scenes like on YouTube short films.

Well, in this episode, various side casts' backstories and foreshadows likely to lead to the next are being collected, so I endured the low rating and rated it average with expectations.

By the way, the captain who is trying to show unfamiliar leadership in place of Sorren, the boss of the organization arrested by the informant, is the same person who appears in the drama depicting the conflict between AI and humanity, "Humans"! I'm glad to see him in this role.

Meh

[ethanl-61727 · 6/10 · 17 February 2024]

Okay so the people giving it below a 5 are still upset over season 1(rightfully so) but this episode isn't terrible. The parts with chief and the team are great same with akerman. The pacing is slow but this episode is a filler episode more focused on how ONI is manipulating the war. You take all that this episodes an 8/10 the problem is you had to add quan and the rest of the stuff we hated from season 1 which was so boring. I skipped through all that stuff because at this point what am I really going to miss out on. There doing the fall of reach alot sooner then I thought which I respect I just hope the do it justice since they're not using noble team or the source material. The dialogue is compelling again people who are really hating this episode are still frustrated with season 1, but you have to understand this is more focused on ONI drama which is similar to the books except the books have a lot more action. I wish they spent the money they use for quan scenes on silver team because if they did I garuntee everyone would give each episode at least a 7/10 even if you don't like the slow ONI drama one good action scene would most likely be sufficient for that audience.

10/10 are AI reviews

[drummermarco911 · 20 February 2024]

No idea how there are any positive reviews. Must certainly be from a Paramount + employee. I understand it may be hard for some fans to not give into the urge to watch because the HALO name, but please stay away...far far away and forget this exist.

Poor writing, poor acting, so many plot holes, it's like a middle schooler wrote this. Scenes placed where they don't fit. No order to anything. No true actual explanation of anything. It's super dumbed down and very cringeworthy. Some scenes are like "why" and you then realize they need fillers. Also not to mention nearly 2 years for another season! They are so greedy.

They literally made Master Chief this beta spartan. Not the alpha male. DEI FTW LOL.

Calm before the storm

[chiefspartanfan997 · 10/10 · 15 February 2024]

This was a solid episode that suffers greatly from not fully focusing on what's happening on the Reach. I understand that TV shows need to have multiple subplots, but explain to the writers that they are bad at subplots. Rubble's plot is still better than what we had in the first season with Madrigal. But it's much worse than what's happening at the Reach.

Give us more John-117, give us more Ackerson, whose storyline was the best part of the episode. Give me more of the admiral and his mental anguish. Yes, even Danilo could have been revealed more during this running time, so that we could get into his relationships. And very little Vannak, unfortunately. But let's look further. Episode four should be a mighty one.

What is with the bad reviews?

[jp_footballstar-62756 · 7/10 · 21 February 2024]

The lot of you need to understand this is a tv show and different to the game. Get over it and enjoy it for what it is, compared to the first season it has been a massive jump. I think the scenes with ackerson and what this is building to the fall of reach can be something that really hits and the lot of you going to look really stupid once it all kicks off and you start rating it higher. I love the games and if you're that hell bent on the story being the same go play the games you bunch of complainers. Show isn't top notch but it's halo and I'm happy for it. I know one thing for certain, you can never please this fan base.

Great development, great foreshadowing

[ethankauer · 10/10 · 16 February 2024]

I don't leave reviews but I was genuinely impressed with this episode. It actually felt like it was leading up to what I want to see in the series, action. Loved the character development, helps better understand the characters. I've been frustrated with the show as a fan of the games but feel like it's finally finding it's stride! I really hope they continue developing the characters and at the same time, start adding more action to the episodes. Season 2 is definitely shaping up to be better than season 1, hopefully they renew for a season 3. We'll probably even see season 4 before we hear about a new game... :/

Building the story...

[diddlysquat277 · 10/10 · 19 February 2024]

The people on here complaining and giving low ratings don't know what it takes to build a bigger story than the games allow for. Try to enjoy the side characters, and let it build. I think they're doing a great job. Sure, I don't love the side characters and story lines AS MUCH, I want to get to the game story lines as much as the next gamer, but people are critiquing this through the wrong lens. I feel like they're working toward the improvements we were hoping for at the end of last season, and I'm fully willing to sit, enjoy, and learn about the characters that could help build this into something great.

Big Fat Lump does nothing

[Johnny_West · 1/10 · 25 February 2024]

Pablo Schrieber without armor, just walking around trying to be Sherlock Holmes and failing miserably. His own team has no respect for him, because he took the emotion blocker out of his skull and now he is a regular Dr. Phil.

Perez the lame soldier from the first episode keeps popping up. The Master Chief knows she sold him out and told Ackerman that he was lying about the Elites. Instead of talking to her he should have snapped her neck and moved on. Him begging her to tell the truth is very weak and pathetic.

Chao helps out Soren's wife and kid, and that was pretty interesting, but it was only five minutes. The rest of it was just soap opera drama.

Master Chief tries to find out what happened to the Cobalt team, and he gets bushwacked by his own people? He did not see that coming? What kind of a lame super-soldier is he? Relieved of duty, under lockdown, total loser. The whole episode pretty much sucked.

Slow episode with some great scenes. Overall good.

[maciej-furst · 8/10 · 16 February 2024]

My first opinion of this episode was not as good, but the more I thought about it, and re-watched the episode I realised that this episode has some of the best scenes and dialogue halo has to offer. There are 3 brilliant scenes in this show that hit hard with a fantastic episode ending. Definitely an underrated episode with some great writing.

I'm not sure where the pirate/qwan story is going. I am not saying it is bad, it's fairly decent, its just that we don't quite know where it is heading and it doesn't seem relevant to the story. I'm not ready to dismiss it yet because the overall writing has improved significantly so i'm beginning to have faith in the story.

This is not the Halo you're looking for.

[perforatedattheneck0401 · 3/10 · 16 February 2024]

I am no fan of the books. That is a truth and a lie meaning; I've not read them. I have, however, played every single game up until 5, because they were just effin' brilliant. Now I know it's been said a million times by people faaar more proficient with the english language than me but; what the hell are you doing?!

You have the easiest job on the planet. You have the job of translating the story of an AI with the biggest heart and a soldier, trapped in his armor to the silver screen. You have the money, you have the resources, you have the characters, you have the story. What more could you possibly want?

Nothing. That's what.

The story of Halo is a story of humanity getting one massive boot up their asses. We are f'ed and we don't even know it. It is a story of gradually realising that the universe doesn't care about our petty grievances. We stay together or we fall. The dumb drama manufactured between characters we don't know and don't care about is.. unforgivable at best.

Cortana is not even in the show, Master Chief is barely in the show. Where is Noble team? Where are the stories we care about? Where is the Covenant? Why are we doing this? What the hell are we doing?

Please, please, please for the love of all that is sacred, start telling the story of MC and Cortana, the fall of mankind, the Covenant, the Flood. You already have all the indrediants, so just do it.

Please, for all of us that are long time Halo fans; just tell the story. The story we want and the story that matters and you will have all the praise in the world.

Slow Burn, Emotionally Poignant

[conoromecinski · 9/10 · 17 February 2024]

Episode 3 will surely offend some "fans" who want nothing more than to have the games reiterated on screen (i.e., and 8-episode gore fest).

However, I found Visegrad to be a very compelling episode.

We learn a lot about Ackerson's character, history, motivations, and strategy. The scenes between Ackerson and his father are genuine tear-jerkers.

We see Riz's search for meaning outside of military life continue, a redemptive arc (of sorts) for Kwan, and some revelations about ONI's manipulation of events and gaslighting of Chief.

News Flash: Chief is solid.

There's no action, but the episode nicely sets up the Fall of Reach presumably coming in episode 4.

If you can appreciate solid drama and a more reflective/introspective tone, this episode moves a lot of chess pieces and many of the plots have solid payoff. Some my find Kwan and/or Sorren's subplot uncompelling, but I found myself pleased with her development by the end of Visegrad.

Overall, solid episode.

boring

[Lythas_85 · 4/10 · 18 February 2024]

Like every other reviwer said.. what the hell are you doing?

You have the easiest job.. just portray Cortana like in the games, master chief kicking butts and some action scenes and you are good to go..

but instead, they focus on some useless and boring characters like the bounty hunter and some asian woman that we dont even remember why she is in the show.. her story has no bearing with master chief's..

the indian former admiral is a good character, for example, she is mysterious and willing to help the chief.

His team is also against chief.. it is gonna be fun when they realize he was right.

It is going downhill fast..

Writing is pretty poor

[pat-573-696807 · 4/10 · 19 February 2024]

These soldiers and the UNSC chain of command / ONI representation is pretty disheartening. The Hollywood bullsnap injected into this makes me cheer for the covenant. Chief is a sniveling whiney not leader. What makes Halo so great is, humanity was losing the war despite putting up its best and most organized fight. Instead we got a Hollywood military drama. Reach as a military stronghold is incapable of communicating within itself. The Office of Naval Intelligence does not appear to be a functional intelligence division. Nothing about this seems coherent. Single point decision making in a military command disappeared in the 18th century. But in 2550 we have a rear admiral answering to a spook? We have super soldiers who don't have any body cams in their mjolnir armor? The writing isn't just lazy, it's inept.

Master Chief, Phone Home - This Show is Lost in Space.

[ronswilliams-03171 · 1/10 · 22 February 2024]

Where do I even begin? As a casual Halo fan, this show is a slap in the face. It mangles the lore, and delivers a story about as deep as a kiddie pool.

First, the disrespect! Master Chief, our stoic Spartan hero, reduced to a blubbering mess with daddy issues? Cortana, a sassy AI turned into a rebellious teenager? And the Covenant? Don't even get me started on their Power Ranger rejects redesign.

The plot? Forget the epic Covenant war, we're dealing with some convoluted mystery involving a new alien race and a superpowered human child. It's like they took the Halo universe, tossed it in a blender with CW teen drama, and hit puree.

Action? More like snoozefest. The battles are generic and weightless, lacking the epic scale and brutality of the games. And don't even get me started on the CGI, it's a mixed bag that makes you wish the worst of it looked half as good as the best.

The acting? Well, let's just say Pablo Schreiber tries his best, but the script gives him about as much depth as a Flood spore. The rest of the cast sleepwalks through their roles, barely phoning it in.

Look, I get it. Adapting a beloved game is tough. But this? This is a failure of epic proportions, a betrayal of the franchise and its fans. If you're looking for a good Halo experience, stick to the games. This show is about as fun as getting stuck in a banshee cockpit with a malfunctioning Banshee bomb. Avoid it at all costs, Spartans. You've been warned.

P. S. If you see someone give this show a good review, double-check their profile. They might be a Covenant sympathizer in disguise.

P. P. S. Cortana, if you're reading this (before you're discontinued) please do humanity a favor and hit this show with a logic bomb. We deserve better.

Agree with others

[richardrc-18596 · 5/10 · 24 February 2024]

I've played the games and vaguely remember em. Haven't played since reach. And this is first review. But man, wtf is going on. The master Spartan is portrayed as a nutcase? And the silver team, which I do remember other Spartans in previous games, question him? And Keyes same? I do remember Keyes being a big name (all state dude right?) in the prior games but I don't remember challenging him. Why does Kai challenge EVERYTHING chief does? Good god. I thought this season would be better. Where's the flood? I remember that in halo 2. But no peep of it or what it even is here. Just poor setup. Like another dude said u have the material to make an easy A. Yet we get a B minus. So stupid.

so disappointing

[tdsearles25 · 1/10 · 19 February 2024]

I can see many of these reviews are right on point. These episodes are terrible and full of empty moments and wasted potential.

Instead of a Spartan team full of brilliant warriors, they are an emotional mess of losers. Its just awful. Master Chief spends the whole episode wandering around like a lost little puppy wondering if his head is okay.

Why are we still spending time on Kwan Ha? You could have left that behind last season but here we are. We waste half the episode following her. I just skipped those parts because we know exactly the cliché role she fills.

At the very end we finally get a small build up to the Covenant threat. But my guess is we will waste most of the rest of the season with minimal Covenant action, just like last season.

This is based on a talking video game I take it??

[terrylarosa · 3/10 · 17 February 2024]

What are they doing? Yes an action show needs a good story, compelling characters and a reason for us to watch. Unfortunately absolutely none of these things are here. Tedious storytelling. Non compelling characters and zero action. The show gets a couple of extra stars for Pablo's efforts though with a wanting script......and the stellar effects ( whatever there is of them ). The first season was good but this is becoming a chore to watch. So many streaming shows are continuing this awful snails pace storytelling that is just killing them. The high reviews are obviously not real. The only upside is it can't possibly get worse. Can it???

Is Kwan being turned into a superhero?

[wydbaggio · 3/10 · 17 February 2024]

I've never really been a fan of Kwan since season 1. I had hoped things might improve in season 2, but unfortunately, Kwan's storyline remains unchanged.

There's a scene where our slender young girl Kwan battles a mature male soldier and surprisingly triumphs with sheer strength. She also proceeds to eliminate several more soldiers with a knife. While it would make more sense if Kwan had some muscle, I suspect the writers might be inclined to give her some superpowers instead. And honestly, I wouldn't be shocked if, in the end, Kwan saves the day by detonating a grenade to destroy a space battleship and secure victory for humanity. It's all just a bit too outrageous for my taste!

Very Poor

[stewartan-54166 · 2/10 · 17 February 2024]

Absolutely terrible in so many ways.

Stiff and rigid dialogue. Cheesy effects when there is action (which is seldom).

The storyline is cliche'. Cardboard cutout antagonist. Protaganist that knows what's really up but no one believes him.. Oh my...will he be proven right in the end???? I could never guess.

Side stories with uninteresting trajectories and poorly developed form-molded characters.

I had some hopes for Halo after the first season.

It had its faults, but the "bones" of a good show were there.

This season dashed all of those hopes.

It is truly terrible in all ways.

The characters are almost all unlikeable. Even masterchief is so hamstrung by poor dialogue and a weak plot that he is a bore.

Just avoid the whole thing if you don't want to, yet again, witness a wasted possibility.

More of the same. Infuriating, and a slap in the face of every Halo fan.

[Acraig220 · 2/10 · 15 February 2024]

Whoever is writing & producing this show is obviously not a Halo fan. I had high hopes for S2 after S1's ridiculous writing and infuriating portrayal of the characters, but after this latest episode I am once again supremely disappointed. First, not even one mention of Noble team (who tf is Cobalt team?). Second, Ackerson's story is now so convoluted and untrue to his character, he might as well be written off. Third, the Chief being so unhinged is a slap to the face of everyone who enjoys Halo. He might as well be a completely different character written solely for this show, cause that would have been more stomach-able than what they are writing his character to be. None of this lines up even remotely accurate to the lore, the games, or the books. If you want to take creative liberties here and there (Admiral Keyes?!) go ahead, but stay true to who these characters are. What you've written and put on TV might as well be The Expanse or some other sci-fi drama, not Halo. The only reason I put on a second star to this review is because we MIGHT have heard Jul 'Mdama at the end of the episode, but with this writing we might have also just heard Pee Wee Herman, who knows?!

No action, more talking

[sac_nik · 1/10 · 15 February 2024]

A series aimed at gamers has been turned into an emotional drama.

This episode starts off as if there will be action but not only is there no action the silver team gets suspended from action..... so here is am watching the remaining 45 minutes knowing there will be limited action but plenty of talking...

Honestly who knew master chief was so mentally damaged - this show just spends hours and hours show his mental instability. I want him killing aliens! Not being assessed whether or not he is fit for combat. I want him wearing his helmet all the time. I want him teaming up with an elite and killing the flood!!!

This sucks!!!

Episode 203

[bobcobb301 · 23 April 2024]

A bit more action here, a little bit of intrigue, but this show still is just not hooking me in at all this season. Year one made a lot of sense (at least in the world of Halo) with the battle between the evil doctors and politicians against the Spartans.

This season I just don't get the sense that they're having that same kind of moral struggle, or really giving us anything at all that interesting. We're more than a quarter of the way in, more than a third of the way in this season, and it just not hooking me in at all. The magic that they had that first season has not been replicated at all.