Netflix’s gripping survival thriller Untamed is back for Season 2, and it wastes no time proving why the series became a breakout hit in 2025. Picking up right where the first season’s brutal finale left off, the new episodes plunge viewers deeper into the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness, where the remaining survivors — now fractured, distrustful, and pushed to their absolute limits — face threats that are no longer just external.
The core cast returns stronger than ever. Lily Gladstone shines as the fierce, resourceful Mia, whose leadership is tested when the group’s fragile alliance begins to crack under the weight of starvation, betrayal, and the constant fear of being hunted. Joel Edgerton is mesmerizing as the haunted ex-military survivalist Jack, whose moral compass wavers as he grapples with the cost of keeping everyone alive. The standout addition is newcomer Devery Jacobs as Riley, a young runaway who stumbles into the group and brings both hope and explosive conflict — her backstory ties directly into the conspiracy that started it all.
Season 2 raises the stakes dramatically. The first season’s isolation horror evolves into something more sinister: the survivors discover they are not alone in the wilderness. A shadowy government black-ops team — or perhaps something even more dangerous — is tracking them, and the reasons go far beyond a simple plane crash. The series dives deeper into the conspiracy hinted at last season, revealing layers of corruption, experimental research, and a cover-up that reaches the highest levels of power.
The show’s signature strengths are amplified: relentless tension, stunning cinematography that makes the Alaskan landscape feel like a living, hostile character, and unflinching realism in depicting survival. Every decision carries weight — whether to trust a newcomer, share dwindling food supplies, or risk exposure to save a life. The violence is graphic but purposeful, never gratuitous, and the psychological toll on the characters is explored with brutal honesty.
Creators Mark L. Smith and director Reed Morano (who helmed several episodes) have crafted a season that feels both intimate and epic. Flashbacks reveal more about the crash survivors’ lives before the wilderness — secrets, regrets, and hidden motives that make their current choices even more complex. The pacing is masterful: slow, suffocating build-ups give way to sudden, explosive confrontations, keeping viewers on edge from start to finish.
Critics have been effusive. Variety called Season 2 “even more intense and emotionally devastating than the first,” praising Gladstone’s “tour-de-force performance” and the show’s “fearless refusal to offer easy comfort.” The Hollywood Reporter noted: “Untamed is no longer just a survival story — it’s a searing indictment of how far people will go when survival becomes a zero-sum game.” With a 95% Rotten Tomatoes audience score, fans have echoed the praise: “I binged all six episodes in one night and couldn’t sleep afterward” and “This season broke me in the best way.”
The series also tackles timely themes: climate change’s impact on remote wilderness areas, the ethics of government secrecy, and the psychological cost of trauma. It never preaches — it simply shows the consequences of human decisions in a world that doesn’t care if you survive.
All six episodes of Season 2 are now streaming on Netflix. If you loved Season 1’s raw intensity, prepare yourself — Season 2 goes darker, deeper, and more unrelenting. It’s not just about surviving the wilderness; it’s about surviving each other.
Clear your schedule, grab blankets, and brace yourself. Once you enter the Alaskan wild with these characters, there’s no turning back — and no guarantee anyone makes it out alive.
