10 things we’d like to see in Shadow and Bone season 2

5. Better worldbuilding: Where even are we?

One of the biggest criticisms of Shadow and Bone‘s first season is how it handled its worldbuilding. The show seemed to choose fast-paced action over giving viewers a full understanding of Ravka and its surrounding nations. And while that approach has its benefits, it left a lot to be desired.

The series opens with Ravka at war with two main enemies — Shu Han and Fjerda — but it never gives any insight into why these nations are feuding in the first place. The implication seems to be that everyone outside of Ravka is unwelcoming of the Grisha. However, even Ravka’s ordinary citizens and court don’t seem that accepting of the magic users in their midst. It makes viewers question why they’d bother with a war in the first place, and the show’s refusal to delve deeper into the history and perspectives of all three nations makes the whole storyline feel a bit empty.

Because Shadow and Bone doesn’t delve into Shu Han and Fjerda, it also fails in its attempt to make a statement about racism using Alina’s Shu roots. Rather than explain why our main character finds herself on the receiving end of rude comments and slurs (or do anything to rectify the problem), the show winds up pointing to a real-world issue without saying anything truly meaningful about it.

Even outside of the tensions between Ravka and its neighbors, Shadow and Bone doesn’t put much time or effort into coherently unpacking its magic system or world. This may be fine for readers with a deeper understanding of the locations and various Grisha powers, but it makes it more difficult for newcomers to fully immerse themselves in the show.

If the series does get a second season, hopefully it will correct some of these problems. It may be a little late for a play-by-play of Grisha powers and Ravkan history, but the writers can find a way to work these things into the narrative if they just slow down a bit. And they can definitely put a greater emphasis on fans’ concerns about racism in the show.