Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas, and Season Two of ‘Manifest’

The television show Manifest (2018- ) recently aired the final episode of a 13-episode second season on the National Broadcasting Company this past Monday, April 6th. The second season began its run in January, aiming to keep an audience similar to the show’s higher ratings seen in the first season. The final four episodes performed better, though the show never quite reached the level of the finale of season one.

(From left, Melissa Roxburgh as Michaela Stone, Jared Grimes as Adrian and Josh Dallas as Ben Stone in season two of Manifest).

Melissa Roxburgh as Michaela Stone and Josh Dallas as Ben Stone continue to be central sister and brother survivors of Montego Air Flight 828, which vanished for five and a half years, returning at the beginning of season one. Athena Karkanis portrays Grace Stone, Ben’s wife and mother to Grace and Cal, portrayed by Luna Blaise and Jack Messina, respectively. Season one deals largely with the relationships this core family has in reintegrating into a single family unit while trying to understand the mystery of the situation.

(From left, Jack Messina as Cal Stone and Athena Karkanis as Grace Stone in season two of Manifest).

Season two returns with resolution to a large cliff hanger involving Michaela’s ex-fiancé Jared Vasquez and Zeke Landon, a character introduced in the last third of the first season. Matt Long portrays Zeke whereas J.R. Ramirez portrays Jared. The relationships among these three change greatly in the second season, which includes a distinct narrative that pushes Michaela apart from Jared, who gets divorced. Drea Mikami, as portrayed by Ellen Tamaki, becomes Michaela’s partner at the New York City police department where Jared and Michaela work. Tamara, a bartender portrayed by Leah Gibson, connects part of this story.

(From left, Melissa Roxburgh as Michaela Stone and Matt Long as Zeke Landon in season two of Manifest).

Zeke’s story serves as an interesting fence post for the second season, connecting strongly with the narrative of the Stone family. As Ben and Grace spend a large portion of the second season of Manifest pregnant with various interpersonal stories bubbling up from there, the calling connects questions of an emotional place for Grace, Olive and the pending child for the season. Ben, Grace and Olive all drift in different directions about the roles of science, faith, and a potential spiritual connection to the calling, as most directly manifested through the story of Adrian. Jared Grimes portrayed Adrian, and raised the possibility of a malevolent interpretation to the calling.

(From left, J.R. Ramirez as Jared Vasquez and Ellen Tamaki as Drea Mikami in season two of Manifest).

Olive Stone and T.J. Morrison offer a narrative line that concretely and rather elegantly offers a means of rescuing the relationship from an essential disagreement between Olive and Ben. Luna Blaise portrayed the older version of Olive, whereas Garrett Wareing plays T.J., a survivor of Montego Air Flight 828. Ben’s work at a university, and as Olive’s caring father that connects psychologically to the needs of his daughter, works in separate parts owing to Morrison.

(From left, Luna Blaise as Olive Stone and Garrett Wareing as T.J. Morrison in season two of Manifest).

Ben and Zeke connect back to narratives including Saanvi Bahl, The Major, and NSA Director Vance. Saanvi, as portrayed by Parveen Kaur, is a fifth survivor with a recurring role in the second season. Saanvi’s experimentation and desire to reconnect to her life from 5.5-years before Montego Air Flight 828 are given voice. A narrative aimed at ridding passengers and others who experience the calling, and the governments interest in the medicine of stopping that, connects Saanvi to The Major and NSA Director Vance. Elizabeth Marvel portrays The Major while Daryl Edwards portrayed Vance.

(From left, Parveen Kaur as Saanvi Bahl and Elizabeth Marvel as The Major in season two of Manifest).

The interests of Vance and The Major do not delve into the supernatural, whereas the stories of Adrian, Cal, other survivors of Montego Air Flight 828, and even Zeke point at that notion. The larger story looks as if it will extend this notion into the next season, should one be offered. Lourdes, as portrayed by Victoria Cartagena, and Danny, as portrayed by Daniel Sunjata, who had relationships with major characters in the first season, quietly disappeared with the second.

(Daryl Edwards as NSA Director Vance in season two of Manifest).

My feeling is that there is enough story left in Manifest to bring the show back for a third season. The larger story season two of Manifest did not deliver the emotional punch of the first season, though this can be recovered. For example, I’d find it emotionally satisfying if the story of a pair of the central characters took a turn that didn’t fully recuperate within a single season. Perhaps having one of the lost characters return in third season would be interesting. Regardless, my recommendation is to review season two. The second season of Manifest earns a rating of 3.5-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, April 15, 2020