Lexi & Danny are back!

Blood & Treasure appeared in 2019 – then just as promptly disappeared, much like the ancient treasures Danny and Lexi hunt for. A brief recap reintroduces viewers to rivals-turned-partners-turned-lovers Danny McNamara (former FBI) and Lexi Vaziri (former master thief). The pair solve ancient mysteries, recover lost artifacts, and beat the sinister bad guys to the prize, thereby preventing world domination. A voiceover then quick teaser scene establish the dynamic between the characters.

Season 2’s  story proper opens with a vicious attack on the Vatican. Masked intruders moving with the precision of a Navy SEAL team kill several of the Swiss Guard. They breach a secret vault, injuring Father Charles Donnelly, a good friend of Danny and Lexi, and several other religious personnel. The thieves escape but not before igniting a flaming symbol in the Vatican courtyard.

Cue Lexi and Danny. The symbol points them to a deeply significant powerful object from antiquity: the Soul of Genghis Khan, a banner he flew in battle and that some people believe literally contains his soul. Jay Reece III – the first season’s antagonist –reaches out to them with information but shadow operatives murder him before he can divulge it. For help, Danny and Lexi recruit Father Chuck and Aiden Shaw (gunrunner-turned-good-guy also returning from season 1). They also enlist the aid of Kate Reece, Jay’s daughter and Danny’s ex-fiancée; and Violet, Lexi’s ex-partner in crime.

Charming leads Sofia Pernas (Lexi) and Matt Barr (Danny) share a comfortable, effervescent chemistry. Blood & Treasure follows in the footsteps of the likes of Raiders of the Lost Ark with its globe-trotting tale of international crime and intrigue. Past and present collide, and current-day baddies seek Khan’s banner to cement their own power. The show gleefully bounces from trope to trope, sometimes employing them to full effect, other times turning them inside out.

The action zooms from Italy to all over southeast Asia, never lingering in one place for too long. Always self-aware but never self-important, the series tells a single story over the course of the season rather than presenting standalone episodes. At forty-three minutes each, the first two episodes fly by way too fast. Basically an enjoyable froth of a show, its characters display enough depth and nuance to ground the show and pull viewers in.

Verdict: A fun, fast-paced adventure/romance with appealing, likeable characters and a refreshing lack of angst. 8/10

Rigel Ailur