Rhea Seehorn’s Emmy-Nominated Short-Form Series ‘Cooper’s Bar’ Lands Second Season at AMC Networks
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AMC Networks has renewed the Emmy-nominated short-form series “Cooper’s Bar” for a second season, while Acorn TV — AMC Networks’ streamer devoted to British and international fare — has given a Season 2 renewal to “Harry Wild,” starring and executive produced by Jane Seymour.
Both pickups were announced Wednesday during AMC Networks’ portion of the Television Critics Assn. press tour.
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“Cooper’s Bar” is nominated this year at the Emmys for outstanding actress in a short form comedy or drama series, for Rhea Seehorn (who stars and also directed Season 1). According to AMC, the short-form digital series has already generated nearly four million views on a variety of platforms including AMC+, AMC.com, video on demand and the company’s Facebook, Instagram and YouTube feeds, since its spring launch.
“Cooper’s Bar” was developed and pitched by Seehorn and Louis Mustillo (“Mike & Molly”), and followed the tale of a struggling actor who pitched his Tiki Bar TV show concept to notorious Hollywood executive, Kris Latimer (Seehorn). In real life, Mustillo runs a Tiki Bar in his actual Los Angeles home, which served as inspiration for the series.
Seehorn will return for Season 2 in her co-starring role, and focus on Mustillo, as Cooper, actually turning his bar in to a TV series. Content Room, AMC Networks’ internal group dedicated to short-form digital content and storytelling, is behind the project, along with other entries like “Bottomless Brunch at Colman’s,” featuring Colman Domingo (“Fear the Walking Dead”).
“We knew we had to follow the story of this crew of has-beens, never-was’s and maybe-could-be’s into a second season,” said Kevin Dreyfuss, senior vice president of Content Room digital originals. “Shows like ‘Cooper’s Bar’ are great creative playgrounds for our AMCN talent and a way to serve the fans something fresh. It was great to collaborate with Rhea and everyone else associated with the show on both sides of the camera for season one and we are looking forward to a fantastic season two.”
“Cooper’s Bar” Season 1 will now appear on two of AMC Networks’ FAST channels carried by third-party platforms, and also recently ran on the IFC linear network.
As for “Harry Wild,” AMC Networks said the show was “the most successful series launch and most-watched season of any series on Acorn TV in 2022,” and said that more than 40 percent of Acorn TV viewers have sampled the show’s first season.
“Harry Wild” Season 2 will consist of eight episodes. The show stars Seymour as Harriet “Harry” Wild, a retiring university literature professor who moves in with her son, Charlie (Kevin Ryan), a senior police detective, after she is mugged. Soon, Harry is starting to interfere in her son’s baffling murder case.
From Dynamic Television, “Harry Wild” was created and written by David Logan and is executive produced by Seymour, Daniel March, Klaus Zimmermann, James Gibb, Morgan O’Sullivan and James Flynn. Acorn Media Enterprises, the company’s London-based development division, co-produces.
“We knew this series was special from the beginning and could not be more thrilled by the response of Acorn TV viewers to this first season of ‘Harry Wild’ and to see the remarkable Jane Seymour leading and producing a thrilling murder mystery on our platform,” said Matt Graham, general manager of Acorn TV.
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