Three Busy Debras Season 2 - What We Know So Far
Three Busy Debras follows three women named Debra who, well, live quite busy lives. Created by Mitra Jouhari, Sandy Honig, and Alyssa Stonoha, who star as the three Debras, premiered on Adult Swim in March 2020. According to IndieWire, the three actresses met while performing with the sketch comedy group, Upright Citizens Brigade, where the initial idea for Three Busy Debras came about during one of their performances. They then turned it into a one act play, then a web series, before finally bringing it to television — and nabbed a star producer in Amy Poehler. Within its short episodes — around 12 to 15 minutes each — Three Busy Debras parodies suburban life, specifically that of suburban housewives, along with wealth and privilege.
The critical response was highly positive overall, as TIME Magazine called it "delightfully absurdist." Paste Magazine declared that the show hits its intended mark. "It takes on not just suburbia and the media that depicts it, but targets the socioeconomic conditions that created them — as well as our history-long subjugation and diminution of women — with a gleeful, nihilistic absurdity, wrapped around a core of weary indignation. And then it even makes fun of itself when it seems like it's getting too close to a message."
Naturally, the show was picked up for a second season. Here's what we know so far.
When will season 2 be released?
As of now, it's unclear when the show's second season will premiere. The initial series order announcement came in May 2018, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Amy Poehler was announced as a producer, through the company Paper Kite Productions. Poehler gave a statement at the time, "Paper Kite is thrilled to help amplify the bold and bloody voices of the Three Busy Debras. We hope this show makes you feel strange in all the right ways."
The show then premiered two years later on March 30, 2020, and aired its six episodes weekly, with its season finale coming out on May 4, 2020. Just a few weeks later, the renewal of Three Busy Debras was announced (via THR). The Sunday episode airings were bringing in an average of 543,000 viewers, which is considered a fairly sizable number for the Adult Swim network, making the renewal a natural step forward.
Considering that COVID-19 has halted or pushed back countless shows and films, it's probable that production of Three Busy Debras was postponed as well. Still, considering that we're nearing a year since the renewal, it seems likely that we'll receive some updated news on the second season soon.
Who will be in season 2?
True to its name, it can pretty much be guaranteed that the three Debras will return. After all, Jouhari, Honig, and Stonoha are not only the lead actresses but the creators and writers. This is a project they have carried with them for several years and through several formats since its initial improv comedy stage iteration.
There are no other main cast members besides the three women creators, but their characters are definitely brash and bold enough to hold the show all on their own. Jouhari, Honig, and Stonoha spoke with Decider in April 2020 about the show and discussed their inspirations for the three individual Debras, who must exist within the umbrella of being the group of Debras, while also existing on their own. "They're largely, us. Each of us has a person in our life that I think our Debra or a Debra is based off of, but the characters themselves are definitely informed by us," Jouhari said.
What will season 2 be about?
There is no information known right now about any plot details for the upcoming season. Season 2 will likely be in the same vein as season 1, which the women described to Decider as "a live-action cartoon." Stonoha added, "We all think very cartoonishly in some ways when we write jokes, very visually, so we try to translate that to the best of our ability in a live action way."
Their episodes explore wealth and privilege through the perspective of these three unhinged housewives who are so similar to one another that they don't even have different names. In one episode of season 1, an ATM begins acting on its own accord and dispensing cash rapidly for anyone in their town of Lemoncurd to pick up and keep. In an interview with the creators, Vulture brings up this episode. "It's their socialism episode: They imagine a world where suddenly everyone has what the Debras have," the outlet wrote.
"The ATM erupting means that Lemoncurd is now flooded with cash. What does that mean for the Debras and their status in the town?" Honig said about the episode. "It's like, If I don't have my money, which is my power, then who am I?" Questions and scenarios such as these are likely to continue with season 2, and fans will just have to tune in to see exactly what the Debras get up to next.