Alaska Daily Season 2: Everything We Know So Far

 

Drama is what often drives our lives irrespective of whether we want it or not. And, while we may not always appreciate it within our lives, we certainly do enjoy it on television.

 

Not surprisingly then, dramatic storytelling has been the heart of some of the most popular mainstream television shows over the years. One such series that thrives on drama but remains slightly underappreciated is Alaska Daily.

 

Developed by Tom McCarthy and headlined by the talented Hilary Swank, it features the latter as Eileen Fitzgerald; a well-known and inquisitive journalist from New York City who decides to move to Anchorage, Alaska, after having suffered a major setback in her professional journey.

 

She joins a daily metro newspaper there and does everything she can to make the most of her fresh start to restore her once-illustrious job. Sooner than later, we find her getting involved in an incredibly moving and complicated case involving missing and murdered Native women.

 

While she strives hard to clear her name of some personal misdeeds, she also ends up uncovering the truth regarding the case. Thanks to its engrossing storyline and riveting cast performances, Alaska Daily managed to keep the viewers glued to their seats until the very end.

 

Aside from this, the show also brought to light some Native American issues and showcased the realities of print media in the modern age.

 

 

 

Official Announcement of Alaska Daily Season 2

 

Despite its gripping storytelling, the show failed to establish itself and attract viewers for a possible continuation. Indeed, the ratings were lower than expected, but what added to ABC’s decision to cancel was that Swank learned that she was pregnant with twins shortly after work commenced on the first season.

 

Needless to mention, the team had to withstand delays in filming with a multi-month hiatus before the season concluded for good. While the aforementioned issues did make the cancellation unsurprising, the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike didn’t help the cause either.

 

At the same time, it was also a given that Alaska Daily’s lead star would require more maternity leave before a fresh season could see the light of day. Either way, it was indeed a tad disappointing to see the series end after trying to make an impression with its promising first season.

 

 

 

Previous Season and Episodes of Alaska Daily

 

The creators of the show decided to bank on 11 episodes to tell the story of a star journalist who moves to Alaska for a fresh start after a potentially career-killing misstep.

 

The episodes were fun to watch and the way they were put together was more than satisfying for most viewers. So, of course, they wished to know more about what transpired as the plot progressed.

 

Out of the 11 episodes that are currently up for streaming, the ones we think you’ll enjoy the most are Most Reckless Thing I’ve Ever Done (Season 1 – Episode 11), Truth Is a Slow Bullet (Season 1 – Episode 10), You Can’t Put a Price on a Life (Season 1 – Episode 6), I Have No Idea What You’re Talking About, Eileen (Season 1 – Episode 5), and Enemy of the People (Season 1 – Episode 7).

 

The runtime of the episodes ranges from about 42 to 47 minutes, which, we feel, is a length apt enough for an episode of a drama-heavy series.

 

 

 

Where to Watch Alaska Daily

 

Those who are residing in the United Kingdom, Canada, and other parts of the world will find it difficult to stream Alaska Daily for it isn’t officially available on any streaming platform.

 

However, viewers in the United States of America can comfortably catch the show on platforms like DirecTV and Spectrum.

 

 

 

Google Trends Data Analysis for Alaska Daily Season 2

 

The data pertaining to the engaging series on Google reveals that people were seen searching for it during its run on television. In fact, these searches peaked when the finale episode of the show hit the small screens.

 

However, for some strange reason, the show’s television ratings ceased to go up. But, if you look at the search trends on Google, you’ll notice that a lot many viewers looked it up in March and April (2023).

 

This was the time when its final episode was streamed for the audience. While the trends in the following few weeks remained more or less stable, a sharp decline was witnessed when ABC announced that they had no plans to renew Alaska Daily.

 

As of today, the searches concerning the show have hit rock bottom and are unlikely to rise unless a fresh update is released by its creators. Be that as it may, it’d be safe to assume that the series had managed to grab eyeballs only in its home country, which is perhaps why the rest of the world seemed to be searching for it very less compared to its audience in the United States.

 

 

Social Media Engagement for Alaska Daily Season 2

 

Ever since the makers of Alaska Daily announced that the show will not be renewed, people have been less and less involved with discourses related to its second season on social media.

 

As a matter of fact, the only time a spike in the discussions is witnessed is when articles related to the same are published. While folks on Reddit have shown little to no interest in a fresh season yet, there has been some engagement on Facebook and other independent websites following the publishing of articles by various entertainment portals.

 

Needless to say, a lot of people have been seen asking several questions about an early renewal for the second season. Also, it is imperative to mention that quite a few of the show’s viewers have gone to ABC’s official website and quoted different reasons to justify why Alaska Daily should not be cancelled.

 

Not only that but there are a few users who believe that the show was unjustifiably called off without being given a chance for its audience to grow. Surely, it’s difficult for them to fathom the fact that Alaska Daily may not be renewed despite being well-written and comprising a great cast.

 

That said, let’s also not ignore that the internal support that the show enjoys is not complemented by the lower-than-expected audience levels and insufficient ratings.

 

 

Expected Plot of Alaska Daily Season 2

 

Since its network hasn’t renewed Alaska Daily after the conclusion of the first season, fans have stopped speculating about the potential plot of season 2. However, even before the cancellation was announced, several fan theories managed to make their way to social media trying to guess what the second season could possibly have in store for them.

 

Be that as it may, we feel that the story can be continued from the point where we see Eileen and Roz listening to Gloria’s final call and locating their lead before an innocent man is put away.

 

At the same time, the team can be seen trying to stand neck and neck with its rivals and showcasing what its work may mean for the future of local reporting.

 

However, the aforementioned summary is pure speculation for the creators have ceased to provide any information about the second season of the Hilary Swank-led show. While it definitely is too early to tell how the story will continue, most of us feel that the second season has the potential to pick up where the first left off.

 

 

Top Characters in Alaska Daily

 

There is no denying that an on-screen story aiming to cover the investigation of missing and murdered indigenous women needed to have solid characters. And, that is precisely what is presented to us by the makers of Alaska Daily.

 

So, let’s take a look at some of the better ones in the show.

 

1. Eileen Fitzgerald

 

The talented Hilary Swank plays Eileen Fitzgerald; a disgraced journalist from New York who not only sees her career hit rock bottom but also becomes an unfortunate victim of “cancel culture.” As the story progresses, we see her trying to do her best to clear her name and withstand all personal and professional obstacles.

 

Since Swank has pretty much been the definition of the perfect professional, she does full justice to her character. Her Fitzgerald comes off as both vulnerable and tenacious and her character play is nothing but a reflection of her real-life persona.

 

2. Roz Friendly

 

Grace Dove’s Roz Friendly is the ambitious star reporter at The Daily Alaskan. Her strength lies in the fact that she shares significant ties to the community she writes about.

 

Needless to say, she goes on to play a huge role in the “Missing and Murdered” investigation. She teams up with Eileen to work on the story and even though their styles clash, it is fair to say that the two know that they are important to each other.

 

3. Stanley Cornik

 

Make way for the calm and confident managing editor of The Daily Alaskan. Jeff Perry’s Stanley Cornik shared a working relationship with Eileen Fitzgerald about two decades ago. Since their rapport was damaged courtesy of an unpublished story, Cornik seems to have been living with the guilt of not giving the diligent reporter her due.

 

That said, he certainly is a supportive boss who provides the necessary insight to his fleet of reporters.

 

4. Claire Muncy

 

Claire Muncy, the seasoned long-time reporter for The Daily Alaskan, has been played ably by Meredith Holzman. She is so devoted to her work that she doesn’t hesitate to cover anything if given a chance.

 

Not only do we find her rushing to cover court reporting and interviewing local business owners but she can also be seen attending several events to get a better sense of the community and its many intricacies.

 

Since her work consumes most of her time, we catch her finding it tough to strike a balance between her personal and professional life.

 

5. Bob Young

 

Matt Malloy’s Bob Young is a senior reporter who is also serving as the interim news editor while the primary news editor is on maternity leave. Soon after he makes an appearance, we catch him and Eileen not agreeing on a ton of things.

 

However, he is surprised at how she enters his newsroom and banks on her vast knowledge to challenge authority. That said, it certainly is fun to catch her and the old-timer differ on certain critical matters.

 

 

Important Crew Members of Alaska Daily

 

1. Tom McCarthy

 

Actor/screenwriter/director Tom McCarthy’s talent was on full display in the edifying film Spotlight. He won a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his work in the same. Safe to say, the man is no stranger to analyzing the lives of journalists who seem to be going all guns blazing to unearth the truth.

 

His work in Alaska Daily pretty much reflects the same.

 

2. Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, Miranda Rose Hall, and Michael Rezendes

 

Born and raised in Alaska, Andrew Okpeaha MacLean is a playwright and filmmaker whose full-length feature debut On the Ice premiered at Sundance 2011 and won Best First Feature. He, along with Miranda Rose Hall and Michael Rezendes, has served as one of the writers on Alaska Daily.

 

Miranda Rose Hall, aside from being a playwright and screenwriter, is also an author who has written for ABC and Showtime, including the series we are talking about. The inclusion of Michael Rezendes as a staff writer was important since he is a member of the global investigative team at the Associated Press.

 

The man received a Pulitzer Prize for his eye-opening investigative work for The Boston Globe.

 

3. Peter Nashel

 

Composer and music producer Peter Nashel has gone on to provide the scores to films, television shows, and documentaries pertaining to different languages over the years. His work in Alaska Daily was also acknowledged for the score that he provided blended effectively with the storytelling.

 

4. Tim Orr and Michael Wale

 

While the actors are aptly cast in Alaska Daily, the cinematography in the show plays a huge role in the extensive world-building. It helps in drawing us into the Alaskan world and context in a sophisticated manner.

 

Credit has to be given to Tim Orr and Michael Wale for ensuring that the storytelling is backed by strong cinematography and camera work.

 

 

Shows Similar to Alaska Daily

 

We understand that Alaska Daily managed to find a niche audience even if the ratings were lower than expected. If you happen to be among those few who have been able to sit through the series, we are certain that your eyes must be itching to watch more such stories on your small screen.

 

So, here we are with a few recommendations for you:

 

1. Burden of Truth

 

Anchored by the mesmerizing Kristin Kreuk, this legal drama tells the story of big city lawyer Joanna Hanley, who returns to her hometown to work on a rather astounding case for we catch a group of girls suffering from a mysterious illness.

 

A lot of what is shown in the story comes across as realistic and relatable. One reason for this could be that some of the inspiration for the show came from the classic movie Erin Brockovich.

 

Indeed, here too, we witness a headstrong female lead setting out to do the right thing at all costs.

 

2. Dark Winds

 

The impeccably crafted and satisfying crime drama Dark Winds is full of characters that have stories to tell. As we step into their complex world, we catch two Navajo police officers in the 1970s Southwest being pushed to challenge their own spiritual beliefs.

 

This primarily happens as they are deeply involved in searching for clues in a brutal double murder case. The sharply defined characters and tightly knit story are a major plus here.

 

Also, this show, much like Alaska Daily, continues to remain underrated.

 

3. Stumptown

 

Headlined by the charismatic Cobie Smulders, this drama series traces the journey of Dex Parios; a sharp-witted and assertive Marine veteran who goes on to become a private investigator in Portland, Oregon.

 

Even though her military intelligence skills make her a diligent investigator, she has to withstand complications in the form of her love life, gambling debt, and her brother, whom she has to take care of.

 

4. Karen Pirie

 

After the courageous Karen Pirie gets promoted to Police Scotland’s Historic Cases Unit, she decides to reopen the cold case of a murdered barmaid. The more she looks into the original 1995 inquiry, the more flaws she discovers.

 

Now, the onus is on her to bring justice to the perished. While the storyline of the show feels like it could be the subject of an actual true crime podcast, it truly is fictional.

 

5. In the Dark

 

In the Dark stands true to its title and tells the dark and twisted story of a blind girl named Murphy, who seems to be living a hard-drinking life. However, things come crashing down for her when she stumbles upon a lifeless body in the alley right outside her apartment.

 

Worse still, it appears to be the body of her closest friend. Needless to say, this sets the ball rolling in the story as several things are revealed at the culmination of each episode.