I Hate Suzie Season 2 - What We Know So Far
Brits are known for having a dark and awkward sense of humor. It is, after all, the nation that created the original version of "The Office," not to mention "Black Mirror." Comedy-drama "I Hate Suzie" plays up to that tradition of finding comedy in discomfort.
First released on U.K. network Sky TV in August 2020, the series made the journey over to the U.S. three months later, landing at HBO. It opened with now-adult child star Suzie Pickles (Billie Piper) learning in the middle of a photo shoot that someone had leaked photos of her having sex. On top of that, it was with someone who was not her husband Cob (Daniel Ings — star of a certain romantic sitcom hidden gem you can binge on Netflix). As her life unravels, Suzie starts to wonder if her marriage and her career are even worth putting back together.
Despite the not-exactly-cheerful subject matter — or maybe because of it — "I Hate Suzie" was a hit with audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. And the powers that be in TV land took note, because a second season is on the way — one day. Here's what we know so far about "I Hate Suzie" Season 2.
When will I Hate Suzie Season 2 be released?
Not to cast one of Britain's plentiful grey clouds over the excellent news about the renewal for Season 2 of "I Hate Suzie," but don't expect to mark off a date in your calendar just yet. In fact, you'll need at least one new calendar before you can do that.
When Sky TV tweeted its announcement that the show had been renewed for Season 2 on February 18, 2021, the network noted that filming for the new season wouldn't even start until 2022. In which case the new episodes might not even hit our screens until the end of the year at the earliest — possibly even late 2022.
Given that the first season came out in Britain in August of 2020, there is a precedent for a late summer/early fall 2022 release. Following that logic, since the show arrived at HBO in November 2020, American audiences might have to wait an extra three months before they can see Season 2.
However, when the first season aired, it didn't have a home in the U.S. yet. HBO picked it up in October 2020, and if they hang on to the U.S. rights for Season 2 — which they likely will — the process of bringing it across the pond might move a little faster.
Who will appear in I Hate Suzie Season 2?
As "I Hate Suzie" taught us, you can't ever guarantee that an actor is safe in their role. But barring anything Suzie Pickles-dramatic, it's highly likely that Billie Piper, who also co-created the series, will return as Suzie for Season 2. (Now you know what Billie Piper has been doing since leaving "Doctor Who.")
It's also likely that Daniel Ings will reprise his role as Cob. Even though the two characters are on the road to divorce, they still have a son together. Plus Cob has vowed to destroy his soon-to-be-ex-wife's life, so he has no plans to bow out peacefully.
Said son, Frank (Matthew Jordan-Caws), will probably be back too, although the time gap between the two seasons means the show will either have to jump ahead to match the actor, or get someone new to play Frank. That would be ironic, given that the show is partly about the potential difficulties children can face in show business.
It's hard to imagine "I Hate Suzie" without Naomi (Leila Farzad), Suzie's refreshingly direct and ruthlessly efficient friend and manager. In the Season 1 finale, Naomi quits being Suzie's manager and plans to go to Iran. Assuming she follows through with it, the show could follow her, reduce her to a long-distance support/antagonist for Suzie, or just cut her completely. However, the fraught relationship between the two friends gives the show some of its spirit, so hopefully Farzad will return somehow.
One person you might not expect to see back is the man Suzie cheated with, showrunner Carter Vaughan (Nathaniel Martello-White). However, since he could be the father of her unborn child, Carter may find himself in Suzie's life again, whether he likes it or not.
What is the plot of I Hate Suzie Season 2?
Even before Season 2 had been officially confirmed, Piper told the Guardian in January 2021 that she and co-creator Lucy Prebble (who also wrote on HBO's "Succession") had been discussing where they wanted to take "I Hate Suzie" in the future.
The end of the first season laid the groundwork for a few plot points. For example, does Naomi go to Iran, and do we get to follow her there? One thing that could affect that is COVID-19. The first season was set before the pandemic completely upended daily life and prevented travel, so the show will have to decide whether they want to address that. They could follow suit of the way that "Blue Bloods" Season 11 handled the pandemic and skip to a time when COVID-19 is no longer a threat. This makes some sense, given that they'll have to address the time jump between Seasons 1 and 2 somehow. Or explain how Frank has magically aged three years in a matter of months.
However, time-jumping as much as three years into the future seems like a waste of the storylines set up in the first season. In addition to Naomi's decision to leave, Suzie finds out she's pregnant, and Cob threatens to ruin her life. Those are two pretty tantalizing scenarios for viewers who have spent eight episodes watching someone's life fall apart on screen. Will the show address these or skip ahead? Maybe through flashbacks? Whatever happens, if the first season is anything to go by, it will be funny, sad, and different from anything else on TV.