Peacemaker (John Cena) was, for various reasons, my least favorite character in The Suicide Squad. When I first heard that he -- ostensibly dead at the end of the movie, post-credits scene notwithstanding -- was getting his own spinoff series on HBO Max, I wasn't interested.

Then I saw that James Gunn, director of The Suicide Squad and, for the other team, Guardians of the Galaxy, was writing and directing the series, and I'll admit my interest was piqued.

Then I saw the series trailer. Of course, I watched the series.

If you need any convincing that Gunn, Cena and the rest of the cast and crew of Peacemaker are approaching the story with a wry sense of humor, just look up the opening credits on YouTube (never mind, here, I did it for you). Once you watch Cena and his fellow cast members dance awkwardly to "Do Ya Really Wanna Taste It," a lively anthem by the Norwegian glam metal band Wig Wam, you kind of have to see what comes next.

And the series doesn't disappoint.

Peacemaker (aka Chris Smith) is assigned to Operation Butterfly, a covert operation largely staffed by several Task Force X subordinates who rebelled against A.R.G.U.S. head Amanda Waller at the end of the movie (allowing Bloodsport and the surviving squad members to defeat the rampaging Starro). Yes, they're being punished. But it turns out their mission is also pretty important, as they're facing a potential world-ending threat.

Peacemaker is a ludicrous character, a jingoistic villain who sees himself as a patriotic hero, willing to kill anyone in order to achieve peace. He also has a dark past, much of which is revealed in the series; looming large in his broken psyche is his father, Auggie Smith, a brutally racist supervillain known as White Dragon, played here by an over-the-top, yet unsettling Robert Patrick.

The team is led by the taciturn Clemson Murn (Chukwudi Iwuji). With him are Agent Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland), computer guy John Economos (Steve Agee) and Smith's handler Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), who is also Waller's daughter. Joining them along the way is Adrian Chase, aka Vigilante (Freddie Stroma), a strangely likable sociopath who also sees himself as a hero and who, unlike Peacemaker, never questions the team's growing body count.

It's a testament to both Gunn and the cast that Peacemaker -- a one-note character at best in the movie -- actually shows growth and earns sympathy by the end of the series. Along the way, the story is a lot of fun, with interaction between the characters and the sheer craziness of the violence the whipped cream and cherry on top.

The team takes a beating by the end. And damn if you don't find yourself questioning if Peacemaker did the right thing in the final episode, too.

Peacemaker has already been renewed for a second season, again with Gunn at the helm. And yeah, I'm actually looking forward to it.