When Kingdom was first released on Netflix a little more than a year ago, it made for a tremendous breath of fresh air in the zombie genre. The Korean horror show offered a gruesome delivery of gore and zombie carnage, alongside a good heaping of political intrigue. As of this past March, Kingdom returned with its second season, ramping up the carnage and drama.

Like season one, season two also runs for six episodes. It is now revealed that the zombies can be active at all times of the day, not just night. The main conflict of Kingdom (besides the plague) still involves the Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) and that of Queen Consort Cho (Kim Hye-jun) and Cho Hak-ju (Ryu Seung-ryong). Kingdom’s second season contains lots of political scheming and trickery; between the Queen searching for a male heir and Hak-ju working against the Crown Prince, there is a solid rhythm of conspiracy taking place. When it comes to the acting, everyone offers good performances that elevate the show’s political stakes. In particular, the Crown Prince and the physician Seo-Bi (Bae Doo-na) make for some of the best performances.

That said, the show’s biggest highlight is its zombies.

In season two, the zombies are as vicious and terrifying as ever. The way they swarm upon warriors and villagers is over the top madness; watching them run and screech provides an unnerving rush as the camera moves about the action. Each zombie bite is chilling, the gore detailed in each strangling piece of flesh. But the action isn’t all one-sided, for while the zombies are biting away, our heroes deliver their own array of onslaught. From the killer sword moves of the Crown Prince to the marksmanship of Yeong-shin jein (Kim Sung-kyu), combat between the living and the dead makes for an awesome frenzy.

When it comes to pacing, Kingdom does a solid job making sure to provide a good mix of tones. While the season starts with lots of blood and fighting, it then simmers down for a bit, focusing more on the drama between characters. Then, after enough heavy dialogue, the show throws in some form of combat to spice up the mood. Overall, Kingdom works to keep the viewer engaged with what is taking place; whether that is appealing to adrenaline or intellectual intrigue.

Along with its stunning combat, Kingdom’s second season is gorgeous across the board. Between all the various locales, the show is packed with a combination of beautiful and haunting imagery. Whether it is the camera hanging in the air over a camp of dead bodies, or it slowly setting on a narrow trench where zombies may appear, the camera work is excellent. Additional visual treats come in the form of costume designs; main and side characters are decked out in cool wardrobes. It’s just a stunning show through and through.

With the fear of the plague and human enemies opposing the Crown Prince, Kingdom is packed with excellent tension. It is exciting to see how the plot unravels, especially given all the surprises that pop up throughout the season. The final physical conflict makes for total mayhem (satisfying those viewers looking for a bloody good time). The ending offers an interesting tease that’ll surely get viewers curious as to what may come from a possible season three.

Kingdom remains a unique take on the zombie genre. Its second season carries over the awesome qualities of its first season, allowing for the continuation of a fascinating narrative. The brilliant set design, compelling drama and exhilarating action all come together to provide an experience that’ll keep viewers on the edge of their seat, anticipating what will come next.

Kingdom remains a must-see for anyone craving something new from zombie stories.