Ragesh Dipu
Netflix has renewed the hit drama series ‘Russian Doll‘ for a second season. The announcement was made during an interview of ‘Russian Doll’ co-creator and star Natasha Lyonne and Netflix content VP Cindy Holland by Kara Swisher at Recode’s annual Code Conference on Tuesday. Lyonne creates the show along with Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland. The critically acclaimed series will have 8 episodes in its upcoming second season, reports Variety. The makers revealed the news in a dramatic fashion in the midst of the Code Conference panel discussion.
“Want to do a season two, Natasha?” Holland asked Lyonne.
“Me, Cindy? Same show, just weirder? Are you sure?” Lyonne replied. “Nadia Vulvokov is a coder, as you know, so I guess it would be somewhat appropriate to maybe have this be the time and place to say yes, very much so, I would love to do that, Cindy.”
‘Russian Doll‘ season 1 followed a New York woman named Nadia Vulvokov (Lyonne), who is trapped in an endless time-loop which consists of events like her birthday party and consequent death. She repeatedly dies in the cycle only to come back to her birthday celebration. The series, which debuted in February, garnered critical acclaim and widespread popularity. Apart from Lyonne, the main cast included Greta Lee, Yul Vazquez, Elizabeth Ashley, and Charlie Barnett. Chloë Sevigny, Dascha Polanco, Brendan Sexton III, Rebecca Henderson, Jeremy Bobb, Ritesh Rajan, and Jocelyn Bioh appeared as guest stars in the first season.
Holland described the series as a hit considering its budget. “We learned when we had a catalogue of foreign films and not what traditionally Hollywood makes, you realize people have eclectic tastes,” she said in the panel discussion. “It gave us early success. Going into original programming, we wanted content made for the Internet.” Lyonne joked that she takes a bit of relief in the algorithm at Netflix.
The series has secured a 96% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes after it first season run. Lyonne and Poehler team up with Headland to executive produce the show. Lyonne and Headland also serve as co-writers and directors. Universal Television produces the series in association with Poehler’s Paper Kite Productions, JAX Media and 3 Arts Entertainment. Jamie Babbit also joins the project as one of the directors.
Lyonne shared her “surprise and delight” in coming back with ‘Orange is the New Black‘ at the panel. “I would describe my career before Orange is the New Black as nowheresville,” she said. Lyonne, who plays the role of a prison inmate named Nicky Nichols, who is in ‘Orange is the New Black,’ earned critical praise and widespread popularity for her stunning performance. The seventh and final season of ‘Orange is the New Black’ will debut on July 26, 2019, on Netflix.
Cover Image Courtesy: Netflix (Russian Doll)
