Animated Absurdity, Anxiety and Tentacles, Oh My

Read Time:5 Minute, 59 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
The Second Best Hospital in The Galaxy – Season 2
13+ –

Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Year Released: 2024 – (Season 2 – 2025)
Runtime: 8 x 25m episodes
Creator(s): Cirocco Dunlap
Cast: Stephanie Hsu, Keke Palmer, Kieran Culkin, Sam Smith, Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne, Abbi Jacobson
Where to Watch: All eight episodes of the second season premiere on May 27, 2025, exclusively on Prime Video

RAVING REVIEW: THE SECOND BEST HOSPITAL IN THE GALAXY – SEASON 2 continues to thrive on contradictions: hilarious but heartbreaking, strange but surprisingly grounded. It doesn’t try to be everything for everyone, but instead leans into its boldness, using absurdist sci-fi as a launchpad for emotional exploration. The result? A season that often feels as if it was written during a sugar rush and edited during a midlife crisis—but that’s exactly where its strength lies.

The season opens with “Deep Cuts,” which kicks off with Dr. Sleech (voiced by Stephanie Hsu) and Dr. Klak (Keke Palmer) basking in the glow of newfound recognition. A prestigious medical journal finally acknowledges their hospital, but chaos isn't far behind. Dr. Vlam gets hacked, and Dr. Plowp winds up at The Pleasure Hive for a hunger- and libido-fueled detour that sets the tone for the season: delightfully unhinged, but never without a character-driven core.

The voice work from Hsu and Palmer continues to serve as the emotional axis of the series. They’ve developed a connection that makes even the most bizarre dialogue—about tentacle regrowth or existential space blobbing—land with surprising emotional resonance. In "Hoogadoon Bonch," Sleech’s body horror dilemma becomes literal and metaphorical, as she fights her physiology while a blob swallows up everyone else. This could’ve been a one-joke premise stretched thin, but the episode uses the absurdity to highlight Sleech’s growing instability.

“Lone Space Wolf” brings another layer to Sleech’s increasingly fractured psyche, as she pairs up with Dr. Azel on a disastrous house call while Dr. Klak, attempting to move on, gets entangled in a cringe-inducing first date with Dr. Zypha. Abbi Jacobson’s performance as Zypha is one of the standout joys of the season. Her dry delivery and awkward timing make every scene pop, and she gives Zypha a strange, endearing, and oddly unsettling vulnerability. Her chemistry with Palmer is fantastic in all the best ways.

Meanwhile, the season indulges its wackiest instincts in “Should We Buy a Spaceship that’s also a Can Opener?”—an episode set during the impulsivity-fueled holiday of MooniYum, when the moon’s green glow inspires unchecked desires and chaotic spending. The plot spirals into a neon-drenched frenzy of consumer excess, where logic takes a backseat to glittering indulgence. But as always, the satire isn’t just for show. This installment demonstrates the series' ability to take the most ridiculous premise and twist it into a sharp, strangely accurate critique of real-world behavior.

The season's midpoint, “This Is Why I Don’t Go to Parties,” brings things back down with a literal gala gone wrong. Dr. Sleech and Dr. Klak finally get their invite to the prestigious Deep Cuts gala, but their celebration is interrupted by an unexpected guest. The writing in this episode plays on social awkwardness and professional insecurity in ways that feel more like character study than pure comedy. It’s also a reminder that for all their accomplishments, they still exist on the edge of acceptance—never quite belonging, always faking it until it falls apart.

“Zoik Zoik Zoik!” plays like an extended joke about communication breakdowns—but underneath the laughs is a smart, if chaotic, episode about the dangers of assuming understanding in cross-cultural (or in this case, cross-species) environments. Nothing makes sense when the translation systems go haywire, yet everything still lands. That’s a testament to the strong visual storytelling and the nuance in the voice acting. Even nonsense has weight here.

The emotional climax comes with “Welcome to Pweek” and “Sedate That Tentacle!” Dr. Sleech’s return to her home planet is more than just a plot device—it’s the emotional key to understanding her current state of mind. As she confronts her upbringing, Dr. Klak struggles with how to support someone whose wounds are alien in more ways than one. Meanwhile, the hospital itself falls ill—a genius plot twist that externalizes the internal breakdown of the team dynamic.

As the finale approaches, the stakes shift from galactic to personal. “Sedate That Tentacle!” places everyone in crisis mode as Dr. Sleech’s health struggles and unlikely allies attempt to save and keep her around. It’s an ensemble episode where everyone shines, and the tension isn’t just narrative—it’s emotional. How much do these characters trust each other? How far are they willing to go for someone whose choices they don’t always understand?

There’s an honesty to the way THE SECOND BEST HOSPITAL IN THE GALAXY – SEASON 2 treats emotional burnout, imposter syndrome, and codependent relationships—even if the delivery method involves alien parasites and malfunctioning medical AI. It’s not trying to diagnose anyone. It’s just telling a story about people (well, aliens) who are trying to stay afloat in a universe built to break them down.

It’s not flawless, but it doesn’t need to be. It moves with purpose, surprises in how it explores its characters, and consistently takes risks. This isn’t just another sci-fi animated series. It’s one with a voice, a pulse, and something real to say—even if that something is hidden beneath tentacles and neon.

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[photo courtesy of PRIME VIDEO]

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