One of the best new shows of 2013 has set a summer premiere date for its second season.
SundanceTV announced on Thursday (March 6) that “Rectify” will return on Thursday, June 19 at 9 p.m. This clarifies SundanceTV's TCA press tour announcement from January that was merely “summer 2014” for the 10-episode second season.
“The response to ‘Rectify” has been incredible,” blurbs SundanceTV President and GM Sarah Barnett. “We feel as though this story has tapped into something truly unique, with both critics and audiences using their platforms to share such strong, personal reactions to this very distinctive TV series. There”s so much drama and character that”s been set up in the first season, it will be electrifying to see where ‘Rectify” goes in season two.”
The first season of “Rectify” premiered last spring and focused on former death row inmate Daniel Holden (Aden Young in one of TV's best unsung performances). Newly released from prison, Daniel has to deal with the challenges of a changed world and a community and family that may not be ready to welcome him back with open arms.
Per SundanceTV's predictably fuzzy description, “In season two we find Daniel becoming an active participant in his life, making decisions and thinking about the future as he struggles to find meaning in a dangerous and unpredictable world. It will also delve into the lives changed by Daniel”s return and the ripple effect his actions have on the people around him.”
Cryptic!
Created by Ray McKinnon, “Rectify” was my No. 4 show for 2013 and it finished at No. 14 in HitFix's Annual TV Critics' Poll. Among new shows, it came in at No. 8, right in-between SundanceTV's “The Returned” and SundanceTV's “Top of the Lake.” It was a good year for Sundance TV.
On the even of production, McKinnon dropped by the January press tour and imparted vague hints that make SundanceTV's seasonal description seem specific.
“The bigger question I think for Daniel is, you know, to be or not to be? Do I want to live in this world with all the things and the pain and the sadness and perhaps the guilt that follows me?” McKinnon said.
Of the aftermath of last season's shocking finale and its complications, McKinnon was also vague.
“It”s probably not going to be good,” he said. “And the prison for him, and though there was, you know it”s part dungeon and part monastery, so the monastery part was he had a schedule and he didn”t have to deal with the complexities of modern life, and he tried to avoid doing that in Season 1, but he wasn”t able to, and whether he overtly caused something or just by his being put back in the community and the family he caused something, there are ramifications of that, as there are in life. So the second season we”ll be dealing with those ramifications.”
That's not concrete, but I still can't wait.
And y'all?