Netflix has announced that the Ryan O’Connell-led sitcom Special will return for a new season this May 20. Unfortunately, it will also be the last for the show.
Comedian O’Connell created the groundbreaking show based on his own experiences as a gay man with cerebral palsy. Netflix has also announced that episodes in the second season will run 30 minutes–double the length of the first season entries.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, O’Connell revealed that expanding the length of the episodes was his idea. Cancelling the show, however, was not.
“It would surprise no one that it wasn’t my decision,” O’Connell laughed. “Netflix told me pretty early on that it was going to be the final season and I appreciated that because I was able to craft a season that felt very much like a final season. The story will feel complete.”
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Spring is going to be extra SPECIAL this year – the second and final season of the groundbreaking show arrives on Netflix May 20. *dances is gay* pic.twitter.com/FeiGrbKu8V
— Most (@Most) March 10, 2021
O’Connell also added that his insistence on expanding the episodes to a more traditional 30-minute format caused production delays, as did COVID-19. He also says that he’d intended the show to run three seasons, but the expanded episode runtime also let him tell the full story he envisioned for the show. He also insists that while Special may end, he has no plans to retire from showbiz.
Related: Netflix announces Ryan O’Connell’s ‘Special’ will return for Season 2
“People will be surprised that Special is ending but this is just the tip,” O’Connell said. “I’m not finished telling stories about disability. I’m not finished telling queer stories. This is really just a beginning of a new chapter, so hang tight, baby, I’m coming!”
The cancellation of Special comes on the heels of the cancellation announcement for several other LGBTQ-themed series. FX announced the third season of Pose will be the final season last week. Netflix, meanwhile, canceled the shows The Society, I Am Not OK With This and GLOW due to ongoing issues with the pandemic.
lather
Love Ryan O’Connell and love the series. Glad it’s coming back so soon, but certainly wish there were more seasons to come.
skeldare
Hopefully the episodes will be longer, that was one of my main complaints of the first season. The episodes were way to short with too few of them.
one more thing
Netflix pisses me off, every show that I like gets cancelled after one or two seasons…..