This spoiler-free review is based on the first two episodes of Impulse season 2.

Viewers of Impulse on YouTube Premium have figured out by now that the television adaptation of the Stephen Gould Jumper novels is more true to the themes of personal trauma from the first book than it is to the high octane action film from 2008. As a result, the pacing of the first season is quite deliberate, focusing more on what caused Henry Coles, played by Maddie Hasson, to teleport in the first place rather than accelerating through her origin story and having her quickly gain control over her abilities. Although some of that will change in season 2, the first two episodes made available for review indicate that the details about Henry’s abilities and those that seek to exploit them will continue to unfold with enticing but realistic incremental progress.

And that’s not a bad thing! Although we’re not yet certain whether Callum Keith Rennie’s character can be trusted, the assistance he provides in Impulse season 2 will immediately raise new questions in the viewers’ minds when the show returns on October 16, 2019. However, Nikolai, as he will come to be known, will also bring answers to long held questions, and the shady group he works for will begin to be fleshed out and given its own set of motivations. As good as season 1 was, if season 2 didn’t at least start to address these mysteries, it wouldn’t have been a follow-up worth revisiting.

But for fans of characters like Henry’s sister Jenna (Sarah Desjardins) and the lovable geek Townes (Daniel Maslany), there’s plenty to love about the sophomore season of Impulse. After being visited by the hacker known as “Systems Analyst Manager” in season one, viewers will no doubt look forward to the continuing mystery of the interloper’s identity and whether or not they have the teenagers’ best interests at heart. The friendship and support that Jenna and Townes give to Henry will be challenged to the limit as Henry struggles to deal with the aftermath of what she did to Bill Boone.