Much like Hulu and FX’s The Bear, Apple TV+’s Hijack qualifies as a sleeper summer hit that also managed to stress out its audience, but they loved it. Idris Elba found himself back in leading-man shoes as Sam Nelson, a negotiator-by-day and bizarrely light-traveling passenger who used at least one of those skills to save lives in the not-so-friendly skies.
The first season was a shot of adrenaline, actually seven shots whipped into a panic attack of a watch that went down in close to real time, and even though the ending felt tacked on (reshoots, perhaps?), word of mouth boosted this show to enough views that Apple TV+ eventually announced a second season. In retrospect, this renewal isn’t a huge surprise even though the ending was rather silly. The suspension of belief usually happens in action films that take place on airplanes, so let’s get down to business on what to expect next.
Plot
Here’s where things get tricky. Elba previously (before the show was officially renewed) suggested to Variety that perhaps “I just don’t want to put him on another hijack.” So if the show’s writers decide to pull a Speed 2 and, say, switch the mode of transportation to a cruise ship, then that could tip the balance of this show’s appeal due to sheer inertia. Surely, they can come up with something more exciting.
Additionally, it’s important to remember that this was almost (and no doubt intentionally) mindless summer-popcorn fuel from inside viewers’ living rooms. Plot holes were everywhere — how did the plane actually manage to enter civilized London flight space? was the bear-jacking of the financial market even a believable explanation? was the necklace really the best way to put Sam back into plane action at the end? why was the head hijacker still hanging out inside? why did the plane’s wifi… actually work? — so the second season cannot exactly be an entirely different beast that makes sense. Viewers expect the show’s writers to intentionally paint Sam into more corners, only for him to use his swagger to emerge victorious again.
It’s also worth noting that certain corners of the internet were kind-of rooting for Sam to be revealed as involved in the hijacking plot. And since the show made such little sense in its resolution, it really wouldn’t be that much of a leap to completely turn Sam from simple hero to secret villain, possibly in competition with other villains.
Of course, this is mere hypothesizing. The only hint that has really been revealed is that Elba would like Hijack‘s second season to revolve around something other than a “hijack.” Since Elba is an executive producer on the show, he could very well get his way during the crafting of what is to come.
Cast
Idris Elba will obviously return as Sam. If the character ends up on a literally hijacked plane again, he could be accompanied by an entirely different cast, but you never know. There’s every possibility that we could see Archie Punjabi return as her counterterrorism officer character. Likewise, Max Beesley could be another common tie as an on-the-ground investigator while drama takes place in the sky.
Release Date
The official renewal word came down in late January, so in all likelihood, we should expect a year-long wait for more. The good news is that this is a lean, mean story, and if they keep the same type of setting, Apple TV+ will hopefully be able to whittle down time as much as possible. Still, patience!
Trailer
Any footage from a second season will have to wait, but if you’d like to stress all over again, you can rewatch the “landing” scene.
