To kick off February, Netflix unleashed a brand-new original series starring the one and only Natasha Lyonne. (She also executive produced it with Amy Poehler [1] and Leslye Headland, by the way!) Russian Doll, offers a modern take on 1993's Groundhog Day; our heroine, Nadia, finds herself reliving her 36th birthday [2] over and over again; every time she dies, she regains consciousness at her birthday party in her friend's posh NYC apartment. Russian Doll may not have a unique concept, but the magic in the show lies in the nuanced exploration of its themes, and the way it uses this "nightmarish time loop" device to make a more profound statement about the human experience. Oh, and it's got a killer soundtrack [3], to boot.
If you burned through all eight episodes in one dizzying go like me, chances are you're dying to know what will happen next. And as luck would have it, a new interview with the creators [4] not only hints at a second season concept, but also a potential third season. "We definitely pitched it as this three-season idea, and yet, it's so interesting to think about how that shapes and morphs in the time since making it," Lyonne told The Hollywood Reporter. "Who knows if we'll be lucky enough to go back down the rabbit hole. That's tomorrow's question. But I think we have some ideas."
That's already pretty promising, right? Of course, Netflix has yet to make any sort of comment about whether or not the show gets a second season, but then again, it's only been out a couple days. We imagine the powers that be will wait a bit longer to see how the viewership adds up. But it's a comfort to know that those who came up with the show are ready to spring in action and tell the next part of the story. Which, of course, begs the question: what exactly would we get out of season two? Will we continue to follow the trials and tribulations of Nadia and Alan? Is there a chance they'll accidentally fall into another time loop? Or will we focussed on another pair of star-crossed lovers?
The creators were a bit more vague when it came to what we could expect from the story. That said, Headland did say their original pitch had Nadia involved in all three seasons as a sort of "beating heart" to the story. "When initially pitched, Nadia was a presence throughout all three of them. But it was not in a very conventional way, if that makes sense," she said. "She was always a presence, as we knew Lyonne would always be the beating heart and soul of this show. Whether she was being haunted or she was haunting the narrative, she would be there." Lyonne echoed the sentiment but offered an alternate path: "I definitely have ideas that range from the really out-there anthology to staying on board with our friend Nadia," she said. "And maybe it's all one idea."
Whether or not the story gets to continue (and with or without Nadia, for that matter), the first season is a triumph in and of itself. So, you know, give it a watch [6] and full into the dark, heartening, and repetitive fairy tale.