Last year, Netflix launched one of its best series to date: the twisty family drama Bloodline. Set in the Florida Keys, it was the perfect antidote to the winter doldrums, not only providing a warm, summery locale to dream about, but also an exceptionally binge-worthy set of initial episodes. The series explores the story of the Rayburn family, who own a small hotel in Islamorada, Florida, and who are essentially pillars of the community. The family is also made up of some pillars of acting, including Kyle Chandler, Sissy Spacek, and Linda Cardellini, with the exceptional Ben Mendelsohn as the Rayburn's black sheep.
The return of Mendelsohn’s Danny sets of a series of unfortunate events, encapsulated by Chandler’s character saying, “we’re not bad people, but we did a bad thing.” Going back and forth in time (a hallmark of the dramas, like Damages, written by the executive producers Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman, and Glenn Kessler), the series revealed the family’s dark secrets over the first 13-episode season, and left off with a huge cliffhanger that solidified the fact that while the family may have gotten away with murder for now, the ghost of their misdeeds is definitely going to haunt them.
I’m being cryptic with the details up to this point, because I very much encourage anyone who hasn’t watched Bloodline to give it a shot. Now the spoilers begin, so if you are not caught up, turn back!
Ready? Today, Netflix announced the long-awaited premiere date for Season 2 — May 27th — and also has provided a few first-look photos:
“Season 2 begins with the Rayburn family struggling to conceal their unthinkable crime. Mysterious strangers from Danny's past arrive with a dangerous agenda. Law enforcement is closing in on the truth behind Danny's murder. And the tight-knit family's once harmonious relationship is poisoned by paranoia and mistrust as it slowly begins to unravel. Lies mount. Alliances are betrayed. Relationship are destroyed. With their backs against the wall, good people may have to do some very bad things...“
The series will be returning for a shortened 10 episodes, which I think is a good thing. Netflix has been holding too tightly to their 13-episode model for original series, and some (most) series don’t need that much time. A tighter run of episodes might be a great thing for Bloodline, whose first season was engrossing, but it did spin its wheels a little bit towards the end. I was able to visit the set in January (yes, be jealous — it was one of the most peaceful and gorgeous locations I’ve ever been to), and I’ll have more about the cast’s thoughts on Seasons 1 and 2 coming soon.
But in the meantime, take a gander at these first photos — who do you think will crack first? How is Meg going to end up back in the Keys after moving to New York? Will Mama Rayburn ever find out the truth? And remember how Danny’s son showed up suddenly at the end of Season 1? There’s still a lot to unpack.
Bloodline Season 2 will premiere Friday, May 27th on Netflix. The series also stars Norbert Leo Butz, John Leguizamo, Andrea Riseborough, Jamie McShane, Jacinda Barrett, Enrique Murciano and Owen Teague. Chloe Sevigny, Steven Pasquale, and Katie Finneran all set to guest-star.
