Nearly three years after the series premiered, Drops of God returns to Apple TV with a sophomore season that continues to deliver high-quality cinematography, acting, and storytelling. In the wake of winning the 2024 International Emmy Awards for Best Drama Series, Drops of God looks to up the ante as we reunite with half-siblings Camille Léger (Fleur Geffrier) and Issei Tomine (Tomohisa Yamashita) for a new adventure that will take them on a globetrotting quest to find the origin of the world’s greatest wine. But as old traumas, buried secrets, and changing relationships converge, our characters find themselves facing some of their greatest challenges and personal struggles yet.
DROPS OF GOD SEASON 2: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
Opening Shot: Issei Tomine submerges himself in water, and we zoom out to see that he appears to be taking scuba diving lessons in Okinawa, Japan. Through voiceover, Issei confesses to developing a new, childlike fear of the dark, and we see it affect him as he passes out in the midst of an attempt to reemerge from the Pacific Ocean’s dark depths.
The Gist: Drops of God: Season 2 picks up in the wake of the decisive three-round blind wine tasting competition that saw French writer Camille Léger (Fleur Geffrier) emerge victorious over Japanese oenologist Issei Tomine (Tomohisa Yamashita) to win the $150 million wine collection of deceased leading wine authority, Alexandre Léger (Stanley Weber). With the previous season’s reveal that Alexandre is not only Camille’s estranged father but also Issei’s secret biological dad, Camille and Issei are now trying to learn how to heal and be siblings in the wake of the chaos and emotional turmoil that their father wrought.
Things seem to be going well between Camille and Issei initially as Issei and his father in all but blood, Hirokazu (Satoshi Nikaido) travel to the Chassangre Estate in Provence, France to for a joint celebration of the half-siblings’ 30th birthdays, alongside Camille, her mother Marianne (Cécile Bois), her fiancé Thomas Chassangre (Tom Wozniczka), Thomas’s father Philippe (Gustave Kervern), and Alexandre’s lawyer Talion (Antoine Chappey). Tension starts to creep in as Issei informs a concerned Camille about his recent failed attempt at free diving 50 meters, brushing her worries aside as he admits to now finding wine “boring.” He continues to refer to Camille’s synesthetic reactions to wine as “visions,” and he seeks to witness his own by pushing his body, mind, and fear of darkness to the brink deep undersea.
However, this agitation soon boils over when Talion reluctantly gifts a box to Camille. A note from her late father reveals that the enclosed bottle of wine is “perfection itself, the ambrosia of the gods, the light in the dark,” and meant to go to the winner of his three trials. Alexandre wishes for his heir to surpass him once and for all by doing what he never could: tracking the origin of this mysterious, labelless red wine.
While Camille refuses to indulge in her father’s games and doesn’t want to embark on this wild goose chase, Issei sees this wine as an opportunity to solve his current identity crisis and get closer to the elusive visions he has been chasing. Issei is willing to risk everything to follow the breadcrumbs of this auction-won wine and fulfill his true potential, all while Camille drowns in her own guilt, imposter syndrome, and unresolved father issues. If she joins him on this journey, will Camille grow closer to Issei, or will their already fragile sibling bond shatter in the process?
What Shows Will It Remind You Of? If you like Drops of God, you may want to check out other series featuring complicated families, intense drama, and stunning cinematography, like Pachinko, Succession, and The Queen’s Gambit.
Our Take: Drops of God: Season 2 continues the great work of Season 1 and even elevates it through strong acting performances, striking visuals, and rich character-focused drama. The recurring diving motif feels like the show’s own commitment to delving deeper into the characters as we unlock new fears, secrets, and obstacles for Camille and Issei in particular, showing how the further they proceed down their current course, the higher the risk.
This season focuses a lot on Camille and Issei’s tentative bond as siblings. As their relationship intensifies, so do the feelings that come with family, from the good like shared memories, community, and love, to the bad, like rivalries, tension, and jealousy. All of these things culminate to make Season 2 feel fresh, engrossing, and inherently human, even as the show itself revolves around the niche world of wine. With an international adventure charged with emotion and lofty expectations ahead, there’s no doubt that Drops of God: Season 2 is eight episodes of rich, complex, and intriguing television well worth your time.
Performance Worth Watching: Fleur Geffrier continues to shine as Camille Léger. She walks a tricky tightrope, depicting guilt, ambition, hope, and resentment, all while juggling three different languages, but maintains an impressive balance that will compel and impress you from the jump.
Sex And Skin: None in this episode.
Parting Shot: As Camille looks at Issei while he’s in pain, hooked up to a respirator in the hospital after another failed diving attempt, she resolves that she will join him on the journey to find the origin of the world’s greatest wine. Her emphatic assertion that they’ll do this together as siblings is met with a seemingly unsettled or wary reaction from Issei, leading both Camille and the viewers to end the episode with unanswered questions.
Sleeper Star: In this first episode, Tomohisa Yamashita truly flexes his range as Issei Tomine. From thrilling free diving in deep, dark waters to managing major internal struggles across various cities, countries, and languages, Yamashita delivers as Issei and keeps you eager to witness what his character will do next.
Most Pilot-y Line: Perhaps it’s this quote from Issei about the mysterious god-tier vino: “It’s inspiring, Camille. This wine… I need to find who made this beautiful thing.”
Our Call: Drops of God: Season 2 continues to deliver a layered, character-driven story that raises the bar from Season 1 as it blends cultures, explores complex family ties, and satisfies the senses on an even greater scale. STREAM IT!
Maddy Casale is a Chicago-based writer and comedian who covers everything from animated series to Hallmark movies. Follow her on Duolingo @MCasale.
