Kleo season 2 review, female assassin German style

Kleo is a German thriller set during the Cold War just after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It’s glorious to view with creative cinematography and costumes. The female assassin is Kleo (Jella Haase) and she is hard to kill, although many try.

When I reviewed season 1 of Kleo, I compared it with Killing Eve. That comparison still stands, but season 2 takes some different turns. Season 2 has only 6 episodes. All six were directed by Isabel Braak and Nina Vukovic.

Sven (Dimitrij Schaad) followed Kleo around, insisting the two of them were meant to work as a team. Kleo never actually agreed to that, but Sven was always there, lovestruck, and Kleo often put him to work in her exploits.

The red suitcase from season 1 was still in play. Kleo and Sven spent the entire season searching for it. Inside was “the pact.” It was an agreement between the United States and East Germany that would have changed the world if it was put into effect. The Russians wanted it, the CIA wanted it, the Germans wanted it. And everyone who wanted it thought Kleo was the key to getting it.

Kleo began to recall her childhood. She had repressed most of it because of a trauma. As her memories returned she talked with her mother, her grandmother, and even her father. Her father was not who she thought. His identity was one of the better plot twists. There was another surprise twist at the end regarding her family, which would be a good start to a third season if there is one.

Kleo’s roommate Thilo (Julius Feldmeier) still believed he was from another planet and techno music would save the world. Thilo and his girlfriend Ciana (Alli Neumann) were part comic relief as they stumbled through their drug filled delusions. In spite of being drugged to the max, Thilo managed to be right about some things. He reached his conclusions through bizarre mental gymnastics, but somehow they were right.

I really enjoyed the cinematography in season 2. Interesting camera angles made scenes that could have been ordinary look wonderful. There was so much color. The series had saturated intense color everywhere. People wore loudly patterned clothing, too. What a contrast with the plot, which had people being murdered in every episode.

Kleo is a great character. She has a big growth arc as she remembers her childhood and decides she wants to stop killing people. She’s smart and inventive and finds unusual ways to accomplish her tasks.

The trailer is full of some of the more murderous bits. You can see both seasons of this thriller on Netflix.