Unorthodox Season 2: Will We Ever Get To See A Sequel?
Season 1 of Netflix's hit show Unorthodox was a smashing success. Based off Deborah Feldman's memoir of the same name, the four-part miniseries gave viewers a glimpse into the life of an ultra-orthodox Hasidic community living seemingly in the past, despite being in the midst of modern-day Brooklyn. Fans fell in love with the vulnerability and bravery of the main character, Esther "Esty" Shapiro, played beautifully by Shira Haas.
Now, the world wants more. While a miniseries that adapts real-life experiences might not be traditional fodder for a second season, the success of Unorthodox might just encourage Netflix producers to think otherwise. Season 1 did do a wonderful job of carrying the story through a complete narrative arc — but ideally, any good season of television does that, and that's no reason not to continue the story with a second season.
While there may be no immediate plans for a sequel season of Unorthodox, becoming a hit series on Netflix is nothing to scoff at, and can be a big motivator for creatives looking towards the future of shows on the platform. Let's take a look at all the signs pointing toward — and away from — Netflix possibly making another season of Unorthodox.
The Unorthodox sequel book could be adapted for a second season
The fact that author Deborah Feldman wrote a sequel to Unorthodox is giving fans a glimmer of hope for a second season of the series.
Exodus is the sequel book to Unorthodox, and it's got plenty of material to adapt should the writers and producers decide to bring it to life on screen. After Esty's daring escape from her Hasidic community and the oppressive, constrictive lifestyle it entailed, she sought a new life in the old world. Living through an unhappy arranged marriage to Yakov, played by the excellent Amit Rahav – and being put under intense pressure to get pregnant and then keep having as many children as possible — would be traumatic for any 19 year old, and that's part of what makes Esty's story so compelling to audiences. It seems like fertile ground for a possible season 2, since on season 1, we see her breaking free from this world.
Discovering she was pregnant and running away to that bastion of freedom Berlin, Esty has a whole new world of possibilities open to her. Season 1 ends on a seemingly hopeful note. Esty's newfound freedom has been given life through music and new friends, and opportunity seems to pave the way for a happy ending. However, a young, single mother living in a foreign country haunted by violence towards her ancestors seems like a pretty good premise for a show in its own right.
Feldman's Exodus describes her reveling and exploring the wide world outside her Hasidic roots. While the successful Netflix show takes artistic liberties with Esty's life once she gets to Berlin (for example, Feldman becomes a writer and Esty becomes a musician), there's plenty of inspiration to draw from in the follow-up book. Travel, love affairs, meeting new kinds of people, trying new foods — fans of Unorthodox would love to come along for the ride as Esty discovers all that life has to offer, and all the drama that goes along with it.
Unorthodox producer shuts down talk of a second season
Unfortunately, as much source material is out there to translate to the small screen for a second season, Unorthodox producer Anna Winger doesn't seem too keen on telling more of Esty's story. In an interview with Metro UK, she dashed hopes of a possible sequel season, explaining that the first season accomplished what it set out to do.
"We're not doing a sequel to this because we feel that we really told this story. It was always designed as a mini-series," said Winger. "I suspect that I will work with these actors again, and with many of my collaborators from this project. We have a lot of new things in development. So it's not the end of the road for this constellation, but I don't think we'll tell this story again. We've told it."
Of course, things could change down the line, but Winger seems set on the fact that a second season isn't happening.
There are lots of incentives for Netflix creators to make a second season of Unorthodox
It would be a real shame if we don't get to learn more about the characters we came to know on Unorthodox season 1, maybe even following up with the community back in Brooklyn, to see if Esty's flight inspired anyone else to do the same. It would also be disappointing if we didn't get to see more of the cast and crew that made season 1 such a success working together again. The excellent acting makes this intimate portrait of a secretive community hard to look away from, and in the increasingly competitive field of streaming shows, that should give producers a heads up that fans want to see more. The viewing landscape is littered with costly and embarrassing flops that studio execs will go to great lengths to avoid, so when a show grabs audiences like the first season of Unorthodox did, it's hard not to consider a second season at least.
With only four episodes and no big explosions or massive stars demanding equally massive salaries, the budget for Unorthodox is probably a lot lower than some more special-effects-laden Netflix offerings — another reason producers might consider extending the show. With much of the show shot in Yiddish, it also gives some fantastic Israeli and Jewish actors a chance to truly shine, and a chance for audiences worldwide to become completely spellbound with this enchanting story of Esty's fight for freedom.
While it might be a long time before we know if we'll ever get the season 2 (or even season 3 and 4) that the story deserves, there's plenty to watch on Netflix in the meantime.