Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue Season 1, Episode 2 Morphs Into a Murderous Ensemble Piece (2025)

Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue had to get better. After an opening episode that struggled to hit pay dirt dramatically, another installment of this MGM+ original was not a welcome prospect. For a series that had been hailed as a complex murder mystery filled with countless twists and turns, there was little evidence of that in the premiere. An hour of bone-dry introductions that did little to instill confidence or give this group of talented actors much to work with. However, with two bodies already under a tarp, at least this murder-mystery will be short-lived.

What a difference a day makes; not only is Season 1, Episode 2, “Black Angel” an improvement on that opener, but it feels like a different show. Gone are those awkward moments of dramatic downtime punctuated by furtive glances and melodramatic stink eye. After an hour of protracted screentime, Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue is out of the woods. Something that feels like warm summer sunshine after a ferocious thunderstorm as it starts to find some traction. For the first time, there is something at stake, someone in danger, and a show worth the emotional investment.

These Murder Victims Finally Start Talking

Anthony Horowitz Delivers the Goods

This is the first time audiences have had an opportunity to get up close and personal with these people. A ragtag band of strangers dropped into the Mexican jungle with no apparent common ground. Nine Bodies might have been dragging its heels dramatically in that lackluster opening, but Eric McCormack and David Ajala make up for it now. Both Kevin and Zack carry their own emotional baggage going into Season 1, Episode 2, “Black Angel,”. Their measured conversations, which serve as an exposition dump for the writers, finally give audiences something to invest in. In camp, suspicions are rife, quiet cliques are forming, and allegiances are beginning to take shape. Husbands and wives, alpha males, academics and loners are all finding neutral space, and Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue is better for it.

This is what pumps lifeblood into the show, adding a real sense of tension as people begin to take sides. Conversations between couples, backstories that are packed with revelations, and an intrepid edge add momentum to this stranded group of strangers. Anthony Horowitz might have gone with standard archetypes, making that opener bone dry, but these developments give them some much-needed personality. Among this eclectic ensemble, it feels like Eric McCormack, David Ajala, and Lydia Wilson have really got their feet under the table. This no longer comes across as a copybook murder-mystery combined with castaway elements, it is gradually gaining substance and allowing audiences to connect. What will keep people coming back is the uncertainty that is growing within this group. There is so much not being said, motivations in so many shades of grey, and a mountain of questions back in the morgue.

Another first is the fact that the Mexican morgue feels relevant. That has nothing to do with the bodies in those bags, but more to do with the characters near the plane crash. There are other extraneous factors influencing these dramatic shifts, but it all goes back to how the dynamics in the camp have improved. Beyond that, flashback elements continue to be a mystery best served cold, with fleeting clues offering no way forward. With a story that finally has some traction, Anthony Horowitz and his writer’s room start peppering this episode with clues. Plot points concealed in hand luggage, essential medications that might go missing, everything is up for grabs. These all feel like clichés, but they are also crucial elements in the murder-mystery genre. Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue has made it out of the weeds and onto dramatic dry land, offering audiences a reason to stick around. From now on, people will keep tuning in to see how this murder-mystery is made, what ingredients go into the sausage, and who the butcher might be. This has now turned into an exotic game of Cluedo, with suspects dropping like flies and too many passports back in Mexico.

Eric McCormack and David Ajala Finally Work Together

Nine Bodies Starts to Feel Like a Murder Mystery

Anybody could be the murderer, and that is why this MGM+ original finally works. Shows like this are all about the journey, not the destination, which helps if there are characters to care about. Just going on simple mathematics, with only four more episodes to go and eight people still standing, that murderer needs to get busy. Spotting those breadcrumbs, connecting those dots, and becoming armchair sleuths is half the fun of whodunnits. That is why Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue needs to walk a fine line between being sophisticated but not overly complex. Giving audiences enough character quirks to keep them guessing, but not so many that people switch off, or worse still, lose sympathy. Hitting that sweet spot and making it feel original when everybody knows the game requires a particular set of skills.

Season 1, Episode 2, “Black Angel,” also gives the flashback structure some context, throwing another intriguing spanner in the works. Although there is next to no action from the Mexican morgue at this point, switching between locations and time periods adds something new. Throughout this second installment, that juxtaposition continues to plant seeds of doubt and raise questions, if only to keep this plot ticking over. All of this is possible because Kevin, Zack, Travis, Lisa, and everyone else finally have some definition. Both Olafur Darri Olafsson and Siobhan McSweeney play their conniving couple card to perfection, throwing shade on their crash site companions and fueling unrest elsewhere.

With alliances occurring between the most unlikely people, and artillery now being thrown into a volatile mix, Nine Bodies has turned a corner. For anyone who doubted the skills of best-selling author Anothony Horowitz, shame on you. With an illustrious career and astronomical book sales, never let it be said that writers are unwilling to backtrack. There is clearly more to Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue than meets the eye, and “Black Angel” makes that abundantly clear. However, with the increasing body count, and last-minute revelations, how many trump cards can this story hold in reserve when audiences have not even reached the halfway point?

Nine Bodies Has Risen Like a Phoenix from the Ashes

Episode 2 Offers Audiences Hope

Like a phoenix from the ashes, Nine Bodies at a Mexican Morgue has been resurrected. With a substantial injection of drama, some thought-provoking conversations, and more than a few surprises, all those doubts that might have plagued people going into this second installment are quickly laid to rest. In a matter of 45 minutes, creator Anthony Horowitz has put pay to any fears and given these stranded strangers something to worry about. The knock-on effect of that is an MGM+ original drama that has some bite and backbone. Among an impressive ensemble who are finally given an opportunity to show their skill, Eric McCormack and David Ajala stand out as Kevin and Zack. Lydia Wilson also makes a solid impression as Sonja during her limited screen time, adding distinctive shades to a two-dimensional character. As a result, “Black Angel” stands apart from the season premiere because the characters start talking. It sounds so simple, but conversation builds drama, drama builds intrigue, and all that gets audiences asking questions. The evolution of cliques within Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue is also a gamechanger for this show. Backstories begin to have meaning, which creates character moments, making these people matter. This also gives the Mexican morgue some meaning and allows audiences to start slotting everything together.

There are still little quibbles that stop this show from being perfect. Number one on that list is the production design, which is still unable to disguise the fact that their crash site is a sound stage. As much as the filmmakers do their best to conceal the limitations, rock faces look flimsy and cut-away shots of a mountain top struggle to convince. In comparison, that sun-baked Mexican morgue feels inhospitable, arid, and run down. The personnel who man that facility take authenticity to new levels, grounding this drama in a matter of minutes. If the phoenix seems to flatter at any point, then it happens most obviously in those moments between the crash site and that Mexican morgue.

It might seem like an insurmountable obstacle for many, but this is minor compared to the premiere. Looking past those superficial gripes, Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue has come on leaps and bounds. With the foundations of a solid murder-murder in place, and an ensemble cast who finally look at home, this feels like real progress. Anthony Horowitz might have restored some faith through “Black Angel,” but now this MGM+ original has all the hallmarks of something with enormous potential worth investing in.

Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue is streaming this Sunday, Mar. 9 on MGM+