There are so many British shows that have become popular in the States thanks to Netflix (thank you, by the way, for The Bodyguard, Netflix). Now, worldwide viewers can add another show to their Watch List with BBC Two’s Black Earth Rising. The show stars Michaela Coel and John Goodman and has received high praise since its September premiere in the U.K. It has an 86 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and received five stars with The Guardian, who even put it at number 8 on their Best TV Shows of 2018 list. Now a whole new crop of viewers are stepping into this series that is a thriller and political drama rolled into one. But for fans who've already devoured the series, is Black Earth Rising season 2 something we can look forward to? Well, it might not happen, but don't stress too much: that may have been the plan all along.
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Technically, the series is a limited series, but ever since HBO's limited series Big Little Lies got a second season against all odds, the game has changed.
The series premiered back on BBC Two in the U.K. in September, so, even though it's only just hitting Netflix, those in charge have had a bit of time to stew over whether they want to order another season or not. And as of now, there is no confirmation or news about a new season of Black Earth Rising.
And while the Big Little Lies effect is real, there's a little something that furthers the likelihood that this limited series will stay limited. Writer and director Hugo Blick doesn’t usually do more than one season on his projects. As Express points out, The Honorable Woman and The Shadow Line, his last two series, were miniseries in eight and seven parts, respectively. He’s made multi-series shows in the past, of course, but the last one was in 2005 with Sensitive Skin.
But even if you loved Black Earth Rising, the series being finite is probably not a bad thing. For one, that allows viewers to feel a sense of completion when the series ends. Secondly, there's a whole lot of television to catch up on, so a limited series is kind of a blessing. And at the very least, it’s a great watch for anyone into high stakes, dramatic thrillers. And shouldn't that be enough?