Ratched Season 2: Everything We Know So Far

 

Netflix’s Ratched serves as an origin story to the character of Nurse Ratched from the much-acclaimed 1975 motion picture, titled One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which was based on Ken Kesey’s novel of the same name.

 

The show stars Sarah Paulson in the titular role and traces her sinister journey as the “Angel of Mercy” who is hired to work at the Lucia State Hospital. However, unbeknownst to everyone, this angel has wicked and unmerciful plans in place that threaten to turn the healing facility into a place laden with misery and bloodshed.

 

Created by renowned producers Ryan Murphy and Evan Romansky, it debuted on Netflix back in September 2020 and served as a prequel to the iconic Jack Nicholson-starrer. The show, which had the talented Sarah Paulson playing the titular role of Mildred Ratched, opened to decent reviews and was reportedly supposed to be renewed for a second season.

 

However, it’s now been over three years since the first season premiered and there is no talk about the second season whatsoever. Needless to say, the people who liked the show are now left wondering if Ratched’s story is going to continue after all.

 

Let’s find out.

 

 

 

Official Announcement Of Ratched Season 2

 

Not many people are aware of the fact that Ratched had originally received a two-season order from Netflix. Since there has been no official announcement on its renewal, nobody really knows if the follow-up is going to see the light of day.

 

However, it is imperative to mention that long before the show’s debut, the streaming giant had announced that it is going to run for at least two seasons, comprising 18 episodes.

 

The first season featured eight episodes so it was expected that the second will encompass ten, if not more. But, now, it is more or less clear that the second edition may not be able to push through at all.

 

What’s even more astounding is that Ratched producer Ryan Murphy has reportedly bid adieu to Netflix. Indeed, his departure is ascertained that we have seen all that we could of Ratched already.

 

It is not surprising then that the second season hasn’t gone into production yet. Now that it’s been over three years, the chances of the same are as dim as ever.

 

 

 

Previous Season And Episodes Of Ratched

 

Sarah Paulson does justice to her character as Nurse Ratched in the show. While her dark exterior tries to keep the suspense in the show intact, her soft interior adds a tinge of drama to this crime series; requesting certain episodes to swirl around issues like domestic abuse and same-sex love.

 

Having said that, Ratched ceases to retain its surprise factor and starts banking heavily on the many creative liberties it has taken to connect. If the opening of the series feels rather rushed, the subsequent killings orchestrated by the titular character appear way too easy to be believable.

 

Also, the set design looks vaguely familiar to the sets shown in the movies of acclaimed director Wes Anderson. That said, some of the finest episodes in the first season are titled: Angel of Mercy: Part Two, The Dance, Angel of Mercy, Got No Strings, and The Bucket List.

 

Each of the episodes is 45-62 minutes long.

 

 

 

Where To Watch Ratched

 

The psychological thriller series is available for streaming on Netflix in countries like the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Canada. So, what are you waiting for? Just go ahead and hit the play button on Netflix.

 

 

 

Google Trends Data Analysis Of Ratched Season 2

 

Even though it has been almost three years since the first season’s debut, the search trends related to the second edition on Google are yet to hit rock bottom. While it’s a tad tough to gauge what may have led to the show inspiring an almost stagnant search pattern, what however is possible is that it may have truly struck a chord with the people who fancy the genre.

 

Indeed, there is a strong possibility that the viewers who took to the first season of the psychological thriller series may look up its second instalment to get an idea about when and if at all it will be hitting Netflix in the near future.

 

Some may perhaps still be hopeful because the show received a two-season order from the streaming giant a long time ago. While the second instalment hasn’t gone into production yet, it was further delayed due to the strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild (SGA).

 

That being said, it seems highly unlikely that Ratched will be renewed for another season, irrespective of how the trends concerning its second edition function on Google.

 

 

Social Media Engagement For Ratched Season 2

 

Ratched goes overboard in attempting to showcase the nurses and doctors as both killers and junkies; something which could be exceptionally hard for the viewer to either relate to or accept.

 

Irrespective of its obvious shortcomings, it managed to intrigue its targetted section of viewers. That is perhaps why some of them are even waiting for it to come up with a new season.

 

Matter of fact, the show seems to have appealed to a large section of the audience on X (Twitter), who seems to be waiting for a new season with bated breath.

 

In the past couple of years, some have even gone to the extent of saying that all they want for Christmas is the second season of Ratched. If you happen to be an admirer of Sarah Paulson’s work (like we are), you must be finding it hard to wait and see her go all out in the second season.

 

Be that as it may, it’s still not clear if the second season is going to see the light of day. But, what is clear as day is the fact that some users on social media still crying over Ratched Season 2 not happening.

 

Well, you can’t really blame them, can you?

 

 

Expected Plot Of Ratched Season 2

 

Those who have seen the debut season believe that the show truly thrives on its supporting performances. Actors Sharon Stone, Cynthia Nixon, and Jon Jon Briones make their presence felt in the storyline comfortably.

 

So, if there’s ever going to be a second edition, some of these cast members may certainly have to return. Sure, a good chunk of the cast died in Season 1, room can certainly be made for the ones who managed to survive.

 

Indeed, if the makers decide to launch the second season with Sarah Paulson as Mildred Ratched, we’re likely to see her return alongside other key players such as Cynthia Nixon’s Gwendolyn Briggs and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Governor George Willburn.

 

Since no official announcement has yet been made regarding the second edition of the series, it is safe to assume that it may not return anytime soon. That the second season hasn’t gone into production yet may be a testament to the fact that the writers have stopped working on developing a storyline for the same.

 

There’s no denying that the first season successfully showcased how some monsters are made, not born. Therefore, it was expected that Ratched and Tolleson’s story would continue with more layers being ingrained into their respective stories in the follow-up.

 

However, that doesn’t seem to be the case at present.

 

 

Top Characters In Ratched

 

The main characters in Ratched manage to keep you glued to your screens with their presence and antics. Who among these do you think you like the most?

 

1. Mildred Ratched

 

Mildred Ratched is as enigmatic as the character could get, and Sarah Paulson has done a wonderful job bringing her to life in the show. Even though she engages herself in committing a lot of poor acts, her antics continue to keep us hooked until the very end.

 

She derives her strength from her intelligence which ensures that she’s one step ahead of everyone around her. Add to that the fact that her humour is dry and she wishes to help her brother.

 

2. Huck Finnigan

 

Huck Finnigan may not be a central character in the series but he certainly is the nicest of the lot. He seems to have everyone’s best interests at heart and does all he can to stop the torture a select few patients have to endure.

 

Even though he has withstood a ton of cumbersome situations as a war veteran, he doesn’t allow his past to inject him with negativity.

 

3. Gwendolyn Briggs

 

You can say that Gwendolyn Briggs is a tad more likeable than even our central protagonist. She is kind, believes in doing things by the book, and does not want to cause hurt to anyone.

 

Indeed, she does her best to help those around her no matter what the situation. Over time, we see her battling cancer and accepting her sexuality and owning it, which was incredibly tough to come to terms with given the era in which the show is set.

 

4. Betsy Bucket

 

Once you start streaming the show, you’ll find Nurse Betsy to be a tad cold and uncaring. However, as the story progresses, more of her personality is steadily revealed. A personal favourite character, Judy Davis’s Betsy has a scintillating screen presence and a surprisingly good amount of dark humour to go with her razor-sharp demeanour.

 

Soon into the story, she becomes one of the most likeable characters who is fun to watch.

 

5. Nurse Dolly

 

Yes, we do realize that Nurse Dolly is firmly responsible for the death of one guard, but that doesn’t negate the fact that she makes her presence felt in the story.

 

What’s odd about her is the fact that she seems to have fallen in love with a maniac. Be that as it may, she comes across as nice to everyone who stumbles upon her.

 

It is imperative to mention that she might just be the only character who treats Edmund as a human.

 

 

Important Crew Members Of Ratched

 

The following crew members have put their best foot forward in making sure that Ratched is liked by its target audience.

 

1. Ryan Murphy

Ryan Murphy is a writer, director, and producer who has made a name for himself by creating and producing a number of television series. His contributions have come in shows such as Nip/Tuck, Glee, American Horror Story, American Crime Story, Pose, 9-1-1, 9-1-1: Lone Star, American Horror Stories, and Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, to name a few.

 

A recipient of six Primetime Emmy Awards, he is also one of the creators of Ratched.

 

2. Evan Romansky

Evan is a Sycamore High School graduate who managed to grab eyeballs after having created Ratched with his team for Netflix in 2020. He served as the Creator/Co-Executive Producer on the same and was one of the many TV people to participate in the Writers Guild of America’s strike, which is said to be the first writers’ strike and the first Hollywood strike of any kind in at least 15 years.

 

3. Michael Uppendahl

Both Ryan Murphy and Michael Uppendahl are credited with directing a couple of episodes of Ratched. The latter is also known for his work in television shows such as Mad Men, American Horror Story, Fargo, Legion, and Glee.

 

The man went on to make his feature film directorial debut with Adam (previously named Grounded), which hit the screens in 2020.

 

4. Mac Quayle

Mac has worked as a music composer for film, television, and video games. Some of his better-known projects are Ratched, Mr. Robot, and American Horror Story. Born in Suffolk, Virginia, the man is said to have “discovered” music at the tender age of six when he was part of his church’s choir.

 

Soon after, he started taking piano lessons. He received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series for his work in Mr. Robot.

 

5. Simon Dennis

Simon Dennis has taken care of the cinematography work in at least four episodes of Ratched. He is a Bafta-nominated cinematographer who has been shooting motion pictures and television shows pertaining to different genres for as long as two decades now.

 

 

Shows Similar To Ratched

 

If you’re truly someone who has liked Ratched, you should make time to check out these shows that happen to have similar and equally engaging themes.

 

1. Bates Motel

 

In this classic reinterpretation of the legend of the infamous killer Norman Bates, we witness actors Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga delivering one of the best performances of their respective careers.

 

The former plays the role of the antagonist who’s gone on to immortalize Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. In the show, we see how Norman’s mother doing her best to protect her son against all odds.

 

The complicated inner workings of Bates’ mental health are amazingly explored in this horror drama.

 

2. The Fall of the House of Usher

 

Created by the inimitable Mike Flanagan, The Fall of the House of Usher is a horror drama series that is based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Full of shocking twists and deaths, it documents the dramatic rise and brutal fall of the infamous Usher family.

 

The story is a treat for those who fancy a horror storyline that actually makes a lot of sense and is simply not dependent on jumpscares to get the job done.

 

3. The Haunting of Hill House

 

Yet another popular and successful creation of well-known horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan for Netflix is The Haunting of Hill House. Easily among the most popular horror shows in the world today, it introduces us to complicated family members who seem to be battling horrifying memories of an old haunted house.

 

The story fluctuates between the past and present and thrives on its believable performances.

 

4. The Haunting of Bly Manor

 

The second entry in Flanagan’s The Haunting anthology series is an on-screen adaptation of the 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. The story tracks the journey of a young governess, who, after having set foot in Bly Manor, begins to see apparitions haunting the estate.

 

5. The Sinner

 

The Sinner is a crime mystery anthology series which features Bill Pullman as a detective investigating gruesome crimes in every season. We see him doing his best to understand the reason/s behind the people committing such heinous acts.

 

Compelling and engaging at the same time, the show also manages to touch upon themes like toxic masculinity in its current three seasons.