Is The First Lady Season 2 canceled by Showtime? Continue reading to find out.
The chance to witness more stories of the various first ladies of the United States and their journey to Washington, DC in Showtime’s The First Lady was short-lived, as the series is listed among the other TV series that were abruptly canceled by the network this year.
The second season of The First Lady, an anthology series, will not be continued as many viewers expected it to do so after the reception of the prior episodes did not live up to the expectations of many viewers who were initially involved in the premiere of the show by the look of the teaser trailer. The choice was made a little more than six weeks after the network aired the finale episode of season one on the platform. Here is everything we know about The First Lady’s Season 2 cancellation.
Will there be a Season 2 of The First Lady?
Showtime just announced in August 2022 that the anthology series was canceled after only one season. As a result, the series has no chance of being renewed by the network, as Showtime joins other streaming platforms which have been reported to cancel major tv series this year.
Even though the series has gained a fairly average amount of viewers who were eager to see how the portrayals of various first ladies of the USA will be dealt with. Unfortunately, The First Lady has fallen into a similar list of canceled series even if the show had the potential to get better after improving the way some decisions were made behind the scenes.
Why was The First Lady Season 2 canceled?
“Showtime can confirm that the anthology series The First Lady will not be moving forward with another season,” a spokesperson for the network said in a statement to Deadline. We would like to applaud the artistry and commitment of our showrunner Cathy Schulman, director Susanne Bier, their fellow executive producers, our amazing cast — led by executive producer Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Gillian Anderson — and our studio partner Lionsgate for their dedicated work in telling the unique stories of three remarkable leaders.
Moreover, The First Lady received a lukewarm reception from critics. The series received mixed reviews, with praise for Pfeiffer and Anderson’s performances, as well as the themes, costumes, and set design, while others criticized its pacing and plot. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 41% approval rating with an average rating of 6.00/10, based on 44 critic reviews.
The website’s critics’ consensus reads, “Despite formidable stars and a rich history to draw from, a lack of focus and shallow characterization make The First Lady second-rate television.” Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 50 out of 100 based on 22 critics, indicating “mixed or average reviews”. According to IMDb, the series has received a score of 5.5 out of 10 with 257 votes which will gradually change with the release of more episodes to determine the final score.
Take a look at some fan’s reactions to the cancelation
Showtime cancelled “The First Lady.” Can’t say I’m surprised tho
— Kyei Mensah (@KyeiMensah_) August 3, 2022
Showtime canceling the remaining installments of their ‘The First Lady’ anthology Viola Davis performed was necessary. I never watched it after seeing promo clips, the portrayal was ridiculous and borderline caricature. Absolutely cringey.
— Ashley (@ashleyemrson) August 3, 2022
not the first lady being canceled lmaoooooo
— mar (@catebismyfav) August 2, 2022
What could have been the plot of The First Lady Season 2?
According to Showtime, the series follows a revelatory reframing of American leadership through the lens of the First Ladies. Starring Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford, and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, this series delves deep into the Ladies’ personal and political lives.
Exploring everything from their journeys to Washington, family life, and world-changing political contributions, the impact of the White House’s women is no longer hidden from view. In the show was renewed for another season, the viewers were given heads up earlier this year that at TCA in February, Schulman and Bier revealed that they were looking at potential future episodes that would include Melania Trump, Hillary Clinton, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Dolly Madison, Edith Wilson, Martha Washington, or Rosalynn Carter.
So, the next season should have been focused on these personalities and delved right into their respective personal lives. The 10-episode series is hailed from writer Aaron Cooley, Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions; Oscar winner Cathy Schulman’s Welle Entertainment (Otherhood); and Jeff Gaspin’s Gaspin Media.
Cooley also executive produced with Davis and Tennon via their JuVee Productions, Schulman via Welle Entertainment, Gaspin via Gaspin Media, and Brad Kaplan via Link Entertainment. Showtime and Lionsgate TV co-produced the series. Andrew Wang, Pavlina Hatoupis, and Alyson Feltes also served as executive producers for the series.
The First Lady Official Trailer
In the trailer, we can see an all-star ensemble that offers us a taste of how it will explore the lives of these great women, each of whom made their own mark as first ladies, and the extremely influential men (Gerald Ford, Barack Obama, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.) in their lives who they supported in the ups and downs of the journey during their presidential run.
Where to stream The First Lady?
The First Lady is available to stream on Showtime. Showtime’s streaming platform can be subscribed to for $11 per month or tried for free for 30 days. The series is also available to stream on different streaming services like fuboTV and Paramount+ with different membership plans and locations of the viewers. So, we recommend that to view the different genres of shows offered on the platform, users must purchase a membership based on their preferences.
The First Lady Official Synopsis
The First Lady is an American episodic drama that follows the lives of three powerful first ladies who have made great contributions to America. This series is being told through the perspectives of Betty Ford, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Michelle Obama giving us a behind-the-scenes look at the lives and backgrounds of these three amazing women and their powerful spouses.
You can watch The First Lady season one on Showtime and let us know what you think of the cancelation in the comments.