Netflis's eight-episode dark comedy Russian Doll has been making waves since its release, but will we get to see Russian Doll season 2? The show stars Natasha Lyonne, who also co-created it with Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) and Leslye Headland (Heathers), and is about a woman called Nadia who dies suddenly on her 36th birthday. However, that's just the start of the story, as Nadia is transported back in time to earlier in the day, in the bathroom at her birthday party. Then she dies again, and again, and again.
While you might feel that Russian Doll's season 1 finale wraps things up well, Lyonne has said that the show was originally pitched to Netflix as "a three-season idea," so there's a strong likelihood that we'll get to see more of Nadia - or perhaps even an anthology series with more bizarre concepts. Here's what we know so far about the plans for Russian Doll season 2.
Last updated: June 18, 2019
Russian Doll Season 2 Renewal
Russian Doll season 2 was ordered by Netflix in early June 2019. Typically, Netflix waits about 4-6 weeks before announcing a renewal, but with Russian Doll, it took them nearly three months. Considering how popular the first season was with critics, hopefully they've got a good story in place for season 2.
When Will Russian Doll Season 2 Release?
Russian Doll season 1 was ordered to series by Netflix in September 2017 and released on February 1, 2019. While many TV shows debut a new season once a year at around the same time each year, Netflix has a somewhat more flexible approach, generally giving showrunners however long they need to develop and release new seasons. Although Russian Doll is relatively short (eight episodes of around half an hour each), its ideas are complex and required a lot of refinement, and there isn't yet a fixed plan for season 2. With that in mind, fans probably shouldn't expect Russian Doll season 2 before Fall 2020 at the earliest, since that would allow for the same kind of development and production time as the first season.
What Will Russian Doll Season 2's Story Be?
Speaking to THR, Russian Doll's co-creator Leslye Headland said that the original concept for the series was three seasons with Lyonne's character always somehow involved, though not necessarily as part of an ongoing narrative:
"When initially pitched, Nadia was a presence throughout all three [seasons]. But it was not in a very conventional way, if that makes sense. She was always a presence, as we knew Lyonne would always be the beating heart and soul of this show. Whether she was being haunted or she was haunting the narrative, she would be there."
In the same vein, Lyonne said, "I definitely have ideas that range from the really out-there anthology to staying on board with our friend Nadia. And maybe it’s all one idea." It doesn't seem like there's a concrete plan for season 2's story just yet, but based on what Headland and Lyonne have said it seems as though Russian Doll could be an anthology-style series with Lyonne potentially playing different versions of Nadia. After all, the promotional artwork for Russian Doll shows many different copies of the character, and season 1 toyed with the idea of multiple alternate timelines.
A key detail from the final minutes of the season finale is two other versions of Nadia walking past her, going in the opposite direction, which seems like a strong hint that seasons 2 and 3 could present different "What if?" scenarios with the same character. It will certainly be interesting to see what Headland and Lyonne come up with next.