Ratched was the third new Ryan Murphy program to premiere exclusively on Netflix, and if you’ve already devoured the eight episodes, more are on the way, but not anytime soon.
Now that season 1 has been available on Netflix for well over a year, we know so far about season 2 of Ratched.
Let’s provide a little review for anyone unfamiliar with the episode.
The television series acts as a precursor to the 1962 novel and accompanying film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (but it stands as a standalone experience that can be appreciated without having seen the original film).
Sarah Paulson (with whom Ryan Murphy regularly collaborates) joins the cast, as do Finn Wittrock, Cynthia Nixon, and Jon Jon Briones. On September 18th, 2020, the series premiered to excellent acclaim from reviewers and audiences alike. Additionally, the series garnered four Primetime Emmy nominations.
How well-received was Ratched on Netflix?
The series is currently one of the most-watched Netflix Originals. Netflix said that 48 million people watched the show in its first four weeks.
Nielsen numbers for the title were available and revealed 972 million minutes viewed in the United States alone.
The top tens can also provide insight into the show’s performance. According to Flixpatrol, the series was the tenth most popular television show of 2022, which is rather impressive considering the series premiered relatively late in the year.
In the United States, the show spent 28 days in the top ten. It spent 39 days in the UK’s top ten.
Netflix has revoked Season 2’s renewal status.
It’s worth noting that Ryan Murphy’s overall Netflix agreement does not apply to Ratched (or indeed The Politician). Both series are produced by ABC and Fox studios and then sold to Netflix rather than being produced by him under the streamer’s brand.
Murphy’s first major Netflix Original was Hollywood, which included much of the sparkle and glamor of Ratched but ultimately fell short for us.
When Netflix took up Ratched in September 2017, it was with a two-season order. It’s slightly different from the initial press release in that we get one more episode, but as Deadline writes, “Ratched has been ordered to a two-season, 18-episode straight-to-series order.”
That implies season 2 is 100% certain to happen, but the exact date is dependent on a variety of factors, which we’ll discuss momentarily.
Numerous publications, including major outlets such as DigitalSpy and other UK tabloids, are stating that the series’ second season is still up in the air. However, Netflix purchased two seasons of The Politician and fulfilled it, and we have no reason to assume that will not be the same here.
What to anticipate from Ratched’s second season
You’re undoubtedly well aware that Season 1 of Ratched finishes on a massive cliffhanger.
Edmund Tolleson nearly escaped the mental facility, meeting Charlotte and Louise on their way to Mexico, but will he return and complete the job?
Apart from that, DigitalSpy expects that numerous relationships will be examined, including those between Ratched and Briggs and Edmund and Charlotte.
Whether the series will continue through season two is another matter. “We have an end goal,” she explained in an interview with OprahMag. There is a conclusion to the narrative as we know it culturally, yet the movie and book reveal so little about Mildred Ratched.
There is no information regarding her past. She is an enigma. It’s almost as if she isn’t a human at all.”
Some have hypothesized that the series may eventually conclude with the 1975 film, although that is all speculation at the moment.
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When will filming on Ratched season 2 begin?
We still have no idea when the series will resume production more than a year after season 1 debuted on Netflix.
We’ve seen no sign of filming, which is surprising considering Sarah Paulson’s busy schedule. She has worked on a variety of projects, including American Crime Story.
Murphy is also currently developing 11 films for Netflix as of November 2021. (in addition to his other library titles available).
Our best guess is that filming will begin in 2022, which means that even a 2022 release date for Ratched season 2 appears to be a stretch.
We will note that one of the Ratched filming locations, the Lucia Lodge Resort in Big Sur, was tragically destroyed by fire last summer.