Prodigal Son Renewed for Season 2

Rebecca Iannucci
·2 min read

Malcolm Bright might want to get a few more therapy sessions on the books, now that Prodigal Son has been renewed for a second season at Fox.

“From the moment Prodigal Son premiered, fans have been captivated by the astounding performances turned in by Tom Payne and Michael Sheen, as they go head-to-head in one of the most unique family relationships on television,” said Michael Thorn, Fox’s president of entertainment. “Adding to these searing dynamics are the equally compelling portrayals from Bellamy Young, Lou Diamond Phillips, Halston Sage and the entire cast in a brilliant premiere season as told by Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver. We’d like to thank our friends Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter, and everyone at Warner Bros. Television for helping make a series that left everyone wanting more, and we’re thrilled to have Prodigal Son return for our 2020-21 slate.”

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Across its 20-episode freshman run, Prodigal Son averaged a 0.75 demo rating and 3.4 million total viewers (in Live+Same Day numbers). Out of the seven dramas Fox aired this TV season — three of which have ended or already been cancelled — it ranked third in the demo (trailing the two 9-1-1s) and fourth in audience. It also enjoys the largest increases via DVR playback of any Fox series.

The drama stars Tom Payne (The Walking Dead) as Malcolm, an NYPD profiler who is also the son of Martin Whitly (Masters of Sex‘s Michael Sheen), better known as infamous serial killer The Surgeon. As Malcolm helps the police solve unconventional murder cases — sometimes with the input of his incarcerated father — he must also manage the psychological toll that his relationship with Martin takes on him.

Prodigal Son fans will now get to see the fallout from the game-changing freshman finale, in which Malcolm’s sister, Ainsley, brutally and unexpectedly killed Dermot Mulroney’s Nicholas Endicott. (It could be a while, though: Per Fox’s recently announced, pandemic-proof schedule, the network plans to hold its returning scripted fare until 2021.)

TVLine’s 2020 Renewal Scorecard has been updated with Prodigal Son‘s pickup. Are you glad the show will be back for Season 2?

Launch Gallery: 2020 Broadcast-TV Renewal Scorecard

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