A potential season 2 for Ratched won't be connecting with the events of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The Sarah Paulson-led Netflix series is a prequel-of-sorts to the seminal '70s film, which starred Jack Nicholson as a man feigning mental illness in an institution to avoid an actual prison sentence. Ratched, produced by Paulson's frequent collaborator Ryan Murphy, traces the origin of Nurse Mildred Ratched, Cuckoo's Nest sociopathic villain, played by Louise Fletcher, which earned her a well-deserved Oscar.
Netflix gave the series a two-season order as part of the massive deal Murphy signed with the streamer. Premiering earlier this month, Ratched has attracted popularity due to the players involved but hasn't fared so well with critics. Despite that, fans of the series are eager to find out what becomes of the characters following the shocking season finale, and just how close the narrative is to coinciding with that of Cuckoo's Nest.
In a recent interview with The Wrap, Paulson stated season 2 wouldn't be connecting with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, despite Netflix granting the origin story at least two seasons up front. “I don’t know that we would ever go into the [Cuckoo’s Nest] hospital," Paulson said, "simply because — and this is me saying this, I don’t know what Ryan’s plan would be — I certainly don’t want to see me acting opposite a computer-generated Jack Nicholson." Murphy reportedly envisions a four-season narrative arc for Ratched, with the final season not just leading up to Cuckoo's Nest, but essentially reimagining events of the film within the season.
Paulson, however, offers thoughts in the interview on what fans can expect from the titular nurse. The season 1 finale breaks Ratched's soft exterior, which could segue to a "Mildred who has now become even harder." The series's premise has always promised that it would show the nurse's journey that would eventually culminate into the wicked persona seen in the film, implying that the series still has a long way to go before it connects to Cuckoo's Nest.
Murphy's initial plan for the series is an ambitious one, taking a leaf out of the Bates Motel book. This Psycho-prequel series reimagined the infamous shower scene with Rihanna in the role of Marion Crane. As exciting as that pop culture event was, the purpose of Ratched is to trace the character's origin; she wasn't always so cold and manipulative. How does a career nurse become the villain in a psych ward? Is it disillusionment, revenge against the system, a tragic run-of-the-mill backstory? That's the narrative Murphy plans to tell here, and it's the type of story that he's executed so beautifully before.
Of course, it'd be exciting to witness a young actor take on Nicholson's big shoes and go head-to-head with a giant like Paulson. Still, what Paulson and company have already achieved with season 1, fans are undoubtedly excited for whatever they have in store.