Netflix’s Polish mockumentary 1670 returns for a second season, but early reviews suggest it struggles to improve on the first. Critics say the show remains centered on Jan Pawel Adamczewski and his affable ego, with the broad, anachronistic humor that plagued Season 1 persisting into Season 2. The result, they argue, is a slog that sacrifices character development in favor of slapstick and quick gags.
The season widens the principal cast while keeping Jan Pawel at its core. The Adamczewski family — Sofia, Aniela and Jan Pawel’s sons Jakob and Stanislaw — head toward the Turkish resort The Al-Inklusiv, inviting a sharper contrast between Jan Pawel’s ambitions and the more nuanced personalities around him. Jan Pawel has been invited by Leszek, the head of the Polish nobility, as a vehicle to climb the social ladder. But as political tensions between Poland and Turkey intensify, the prospect of peace becomes fragile, and Jan Pawel—whose Turkish is riddled with errors—volunteers to serve as interpreter, a role that underscores his overconfidence and flawed judgment.
Behind the main arc, Aniela seeks out more ordinary connections, while the worker assigned to help her social circle dismisses her aspirations as “annoying.” Back on the Adamczewski estate, Maciej goes to great lengths to have a letter read by Aniela, including staging a surprise party for Sofia’s brother Bogdan. The series also continues its habit of weaving in meta touches around the production: a shift in Stanislaw’s casting is teased as the season teases a different actor playing him, signaling the show’s wink-at-the-camera self-awareness.
What shows will it remind you of? The season’s structure remains reminiscent of What We Do in the Shadows and Our Flag Means Death, two umbrella-dramedies that blend mockumentary formats with historical absurdity. But reviewers note that 1670 never quite lands the same sustained humor as those titles. Jan Pawel’s constant bid to ingratiate himself with those who might advance his status remains the engine, yet his attempts feel strained rather than revealing a fully realized character. By the end of the first episode, the narrative pivots toward a grand harvest festival that, given the era and setting, seems destined to unravel under its own ambitions.
The strongest material, according to critics, continues to hinge on Aniela and Maciej. Their exchanges illuminate a more grounded, relatable core amid the broader political and social chaos. The tension between personal longing and societal expectations provides the season’s best moments, but they are often sidelined by Jan Pawel’s misadventures and the show’s penchant for broad, quick-fire gags. Consequently, the humor can feel repetitive and unsatisfying for viewers who hoped Season 2 would deepen character arcs rather than widen the field of players.
The production features notable performances, with Michał Sikorski delivering a few standout moments as Jakob, the heir apparent who resents his father’s grip on the estate while quietly plotting to claim leadership for himself. Other cast members, like Katarzyna Herman (Sofia) and Dobromir Dymecki (Bogdan), populate the world with color, but the tonal drift between sharp character beats and broad punchlines remains a defining tension.
Sex and specific imagery appear briefly, including a fleeting glimpse of Zofia eyeing sculpture depictions of adultery, a reminder that the show tethers its absurdity to an undercurrent of adult themes. The closing beat sees Jan Pawel witnessing Leszek’s death from a prolonged, excessive meal—and, in a darkly comic turn, vowing to take leadership from Leszek’s throne. That moment crystallizes the season’s mix of satire, ambition, and a looming sense that the festival Jan Pawel plans will ultimately reflect the very flaws that undermine the show.
Critics’ verdict is clear: skip it. The season does little to elevate the premise beyond Season 1, and its reliance on broad, silly gags can be tiresome before the midseason mark. The strongest throughlines remain Aniela and Maciej’s relationship and ambitions, but they often compete with a lead character who, while well-meaning, remains emotionally underdeveloped. For viewers seeking sharper satire and more fully realized character work, the season’s balance tips away from what could have made it memorable. Still, Sikorski’s occasional quiet intensity and the ensemble’s occasional sparks offer glimmers of what the show could be at its best.