Netflix just released new images for the upcoming second season of the hit series Russian Doll. The new photos show Natasha Lyonne along with a look at the new costars to join her, including Schitt's Creek's Annie Murphy. The first season of the show followed Lyonne's character Nadia as she cycles through a time loop, unable to escape one cold party in New York City. The first season of Russian Doll consisted of eight episodes and originally aired in February 2019. The first season won four Prime Time Emmys including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. The series was renewed for a second season in June 2019.
The second season will pick up four years after the time loop in season one. The second season will revisit Nadia and her time looping partner Alan, played by Charlie Barnett. The pair will have to face their own pasts while exploring existential issues.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Lyonne teased at the second season, saying that the second season is "...definitely a wild ride. It is deep, and deeply off-the-wall." She continues, "I genuinely think the joy of the game is to watch it with fresh eyes as much as you can in order to be taken by the story." The first season definitely leaned into this approach, often subverting viewers' expectations of time-loop stories. The intent for the second season is to immerse the viewer into the narrative so much so that they disappear into the story itself, a much-needed distraction for pretty much everyone right now. Indeed, the new photos released today tease at even more ridiculous and meaningful adventures, with Annie Murphy sporting a spiffy pair of glasses and heavy shoulder-padded jacket, potentially pointing to her anachronistic place in time.
In addition to Murphy, South African actor Sharlto Copley will be joining the cast for season two. He has previously starred in the South African film District 9. Previously he has worked on The A-Team, Spike Lee’s Oldboy, Maleficent, Free Fire and Hardcore Henry. The series is created by Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler, and Leslye Headland. All three also serve as executive producers along with Dave Becky, Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns, Allison Silverman, and Alex Buono. The series is produced by Kate Arend, John Skidmore, and Ryan McCormick.
The second season of Russian Doll is expected to premiere on Netflix this spring. Netflix also released several first look photos, including a glimpse at the fan-favorite Maxine, who is played by Greta Lee. Check o ut the new images and synopsis below:
Set four years after Nadia (Natasha Lyonne) and Alan (Charlie Barnett) escaped mortality’s time loop together, season two of Russian Doll will continue to explore existential thematics through an often humorous and sci-fi lens. Discovering a fate even worse than endless death, this season finds Nadia and Alan delving deeper into their pasts through an unexpected time portal located in one of Manhattan’s most notorious locations. At first they experience this as an ever-expanding, era-spanning, intergenerational adventure but they soon discover this extraordinary event might be more than they bargained for and, together, must search for a way out.