India, May 8 -- The first season of Citadel was a puzzling mess for me. On paper, the show had everything. Backed by the Russos, starring Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden, and filled with enough lore to generate new fans for a gripping spy thriller. The problem was that the show never gripped. It remained convoluted, mundane, almost. Priyanka kicked butt, but the action thriller never kicked into high gear. It is ironic that season 2 flips that problem. This time, the show is more fun, more engaging, and infinitely more watchable. But the problem is the leads. Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra, carrying that intensity from season 1, look like misfits amid it all.

Season 2 takes off right where season 1 ended. Mason has discovered he w...