Maxton Hall – The World Between Us Season 2 Review: A Cartoonish Villain Overwhelms What Should’ve Been A Solid Second-Chance Love Story

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Unfortunately, season 2 of Maxton Hall – The World Between Us doesn’t capture the spark between the main characters. While Harriet Herbig-Matten and Damian Hardung deliver strong performances and can convincingly portray emotional scenes, the season is ultimately weighed down by overly dramatic and unbelievable villains. Any positive aspects are lost because of them.

The first season of Maxton Hall – The World Between Us wasn’t perfect, but it was enjoyable. The chemistry between the leads – Herbig-Matten as Ruby and Hardung as James – made even the predictable plot points work. There were some genuinely fun moments, like Ruby playfully flipping off James while he clearly cared for her. Unfortunately, the second season lost that spark and isn’t nearly as fun to watch.

Maxton Hall Season 2 Has Lost Its Romantic Spark

Credit: Prime Video via MovieStillsDB

Considering the shocking death of James and Lydia’s mother at the end of last season, the grim start to this season isn’t unexpected. However, the show quickly becomes excessively bleak. Ruby is left helpless as her life falls apart, with two wealthy individuals seemingly indifferent to her suffering.

One opponent is a classic, intensely jealous rival, while the other is a grown man determined to ruin Ruby and her family. It’s not simply about him disapproving of Ruby for his son due to old-fashioned social snobbery; he actively enjoys causing them pain and doesn’t seem to care how much his actions hurt his own children.

In the first season, Ruby and James’ romance develops with help from James and Lydia’s father, Mortimer Beaufort (Fedja van Huêt), though he’s a manipulative figure lurking in the background. By the second season, Mortimer’s power is immense, leaving Ruby and James facing seemingly insurmountable odds in their relationship.

Eventually, this character becomes less interesting and more frustrating. His intense anger takes over the whole story. In the second season of Maxton Hall, Mortimer’s final actions are particularly shocking, especially because it’s clear his behavior throughout the season isn’t motivated by genuine care for his children.

It was honestly draining to watch, and I kept wishing for scenes that focused on the heartwarming friendship between Ruby and Lydia, Ruby’s realistic relationship with her sister, Ember, or James’ important progress towards healing. James really stands out this season – he’s the only character who noticeably grows. He finally confronts his sadness over his mother’s death – a particularly emotional scene where he breaks down while Ruby comforts him – and starts to break free from his father’s influence, showing a real desire to improve himself.

Unfortunately, the storylines and the developing relationship between Ruby and James—though occasionally charming, and sometimes feeling drawn out, like their fancy restaurant date—aren’t enough to overcome the fact that season 2 of Maxton Hall – The World Between Us feels repetitive.

As a fan, I’ve been following Ruby’s storyline this season, and it really centers around her putting on another big event at school – she nails it, by the way – all while trying to get into this… weird version of Oxford. It feels like they’re trying to check all the boxes for her application. Then there’s Ruby and James; they start off fighting, but predictably fall back in love. Honestly, it feels like they needed to make things really dramatic with Mortimer – turning him into a full-on villain – because everything else is playing out pretty much the same way it did in the first season. It’s like they’re asking, ‘How do we raise the stakes when we’ve already seen this before?’

While I don’t expect Maxton Hall season 2 to become as popular as The Summer I Turned Pretty, the intense emotions and romantic tension reminded me of what I loved watching as a teenager. The show’s dedicated fans will likely enjoy this season and be excited for more, and in that way, it’s a success. However, the story could have benefited from a bit more balance.

The first three episodes of Maxton Hall – The World Between Us season 2 will be available on Prime Video starting November 7th. After that, new episodes will come out every Friday.

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2025-11-07 11:10