One of 2019’s best, though less talked about tv shows was World on Fire, a WW2 drama that focused around the lives of ordinary civilians during the war. The success of series 1 meant that the BBC commissioned a second series that was then delayed by Covid, but is now finally on our screens, with Jonah Hauer-King (The Little Mermaid) returning as drafted soldier Harry Chase. The first episode of the new series debuted on 16th July, and proves it’s still worth your viewing.

What is World on Fire about?

Series 1 of World on Fire was set in the first year of the Second World War, featuring a large cast of characters across different countries caught up in the war, like Britain, Germany, France and Poland. Central to the show is Harry, who in the series’ first episode is working in Warsaw as a translator. Caught in a love triangle with Lois, his girlfriend in England, and Kasia, a local Polish woman, Harry ends up being commissioned into the British Army. After returning to Britain and learning that Lois is pregnant, Harry is then sent back to Poland to meet with a resistance group that Kasia happens to be a part of- but just as they are reunited, the group is ambushed by Germans.

What can we expect from Series 2?

Series 2 picks up sometime after Series 1’s dramatic ending, with the action having now moved on into 1941. Harry and Kasia look to have escaped their predicament, but now face strains on their relationship as Harry is assigned to be deployed to North Africa. Lois meanwhile has become an ambulance driver, along with Connie (Yrsa Daley-Ward). There’ll be plenty more storylines explored, as the series expands in scope across Europe and beyond as the war continues.

Who’s in the cast?

One of Series 1’s most memorable characters was Douglas, played by Sean Bean (Time) the father of Lois and a conscientious objector. He’s not returning in Series 2, as he was revealed to have died in between the two series. Also not coming back is Nancy Campbell (Helen Hunt), the US journalist investigating Germany’s plans for war in Poland. But there are new characters for us to be introduced to instead: series 2 explores Nazi Germany more closely, and we meet Marga (Miriam Schiweck), a young German girl who joins the League of German Girls. We’ll also follow Harry’s North African deployment, alongside British Indian Army soldier and sapper Rajib (Ahad Razar Mir).

There’s certainly a lot of characters and plotlines to keep up with, but the first two episodes and early critic reviews indicate that Series 2 of World on Fire will be just as thrilling as the first. You can watch episodes 1&2 on iPlayer, as well as the whole first series, and Series 2 will be airing weekly until 20th August.

Looking for other BBC dramas? Check out our preview of Michael Sheen’s new BBC series The Way

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