“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” X-Men ’97 season one was a burst of color, creativity, pitch-perfect storytelling, and just the right amount of fan service. It is honestly incredible that a show could not only continue the quality of a TV series after an 18-year hiatus but also mature with its audience. What is also impressive is that season two does not backslide in any way.

The X-Men are comic book melodrama. They pair off constantly, everyone is related through blood, marriage, or adoption, and they never have a regular day. Each adventure is either the end of the world or the end of their world, and the show does a good job of translating not just the story but the emotions that come with those kinds of stakes.

The animators never miss an opportunity to show off. The fights are dynamic and colorful, with more than a few clever Easter eggs from comic-book adventures or references to previous episodes.

This season picks up right where season one left off: the X-Men team is split up, with one group in the distant past and the other in the distant future. Like the first season, it gets up to speed quickly, spends time with each X-Man reminding us why every one of them is someone’s favorite, and ends on a bittersweet note with a promise of more fun and complications to come. Kurt Wagner, Nightcrawler, in particular has some of the very best fight scenes and dialogue in the show.

X-Men ’97 season two is the result of talented, passionate, and smart fans working to make the very best TV show they can. It is appointment viewing, and in a few months I am going to rewatch it.