Netflix has announced that Russian Doll, the Natasha Lyonne-led comedy-drama series, will return to the streaming platform on April 20th. The announcement coincides with the release of a trailer, giving viewers a glimpse at the series’ long-awaited second season return.
Russian Doll was created by Lyonne (Orange is the New Black) alongside Leslye Headland and SNL‘s Amy Poehler in 2019, with all three also acting as writers and directors. Its plot revolves around Lyonne’s character, Nadia, after she gets stuck in a strange time loop on the night of her birthday party, in which she dies and then relives the same day over and over. Nadia’s path then mysteriously overlaps with that of Charlie Barnett’s character Alan, who is trapped in a similar Groundhog Day-esque loop.
One of Netflix’s most critically-acclaimed shows in its debut year, Russian Doll garnered praise for its original and darkly comedic exploration of mortality. It won two primetime Emmys for its first outing and gained Lyonne a Golden Globes nod.
The new promo teases more of what drew viewers into the series’ first season, with explorations of existentialism set against a flurry of NYC hotspots. Its highlights include Nadia appearing to walk up out of her grave, stumbling around on a manically veering subway train, and wryly declaring, drink in hand, “When the universe fucks you, let it.”
Alongside Lyonne, Poehler and Headland will also return in an executive producer capacity and new faces on the block include Carolyn Michelle Smith and Schitt’s Creek alum, Annie Murphy. Smith, in particular, will have a significant part to play, with Lyonne telling EW that her character is a “core component and heart of the season.”
According to Deadline, the upcoming series will also find Nadia and Alan “delving deeper into their pasts through an unexpected time portal located in one of Manhattan’s most notorious locations.”
What else can we expect from the next instalment of Russian Doll? Certainly not tameness. Speaking to Vanity Fair, co-creator Headland shared that Netflix actually requested they push the show into even more of “an original space, a riskier space.” Is your curiosity piqued? Then tune in next month to see how it all plays out. As Nadia, herself would put it, “Season 2 – what a concept!”
Words by Eleanor Burleigh
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