Expats came out of nowhere in 2024 and blew everyone’s mind. The drama miniseries is created and directed by Lulu Wang and is based on the 2016 novel The Expatriates by Hong-Kong born American author Janice Y. K. Lee. It stars Nicole Kidman, Sarayu Blue, Ji-young Yoo, Brian Tee, Jack Huston, and Tiana Gowen among others.
Upon its release on January 26 on Amazon Prime Video, it met with a warm response from viewers with particular praise towards the writing and the performances. The great reception of its first season has generated a lot of buzz around its second season. If you are wondering about the same and looking for an update, we have got you covered. Let’s get right into it.
What Happened In The Previous Season?
The story of Expats is set in Hong Kong and revolves around the lives of a close-knit expatriate community. It follows the disappearance of the youngest son of Margaret Woo (played by Nicole Kidman). Her life as well as the other American actress is set in the backdrop of the 2014 Umbrella Movement protests that took place in Hong Kong.
The sixth and final episode of Expats titled Home concludes the story of Margaret, Hilary, and Mercy. The episode features several decisive and strong moments that were earlier hinted at in the story. It ties all the loose ends to give a satisfying and thrilling conclusion without a resolution.
Hilary goes back to the United States, Mercy gets a visit from her mother and Margaret reckons about moving back to the US while her son Guss is still missing. The episode shows Margaret coming to terms with the absence of her son. She also comes face to face with Mercy whom she holds responsible for Guss’ disappearance.
The last scenes follow the last morning of Margaret in Hong Kong with her family. At the airport, she struggles to let go of the city knowing that she wasn’t able to find her son. She then stops and witnesses her family leaving for the US. We then see her going through a busy street of Hong Kong.
We also get to know that Mercy is pregnant. Hilary, on the other hand, goes back to the United States to see her ailing father who is admitted to a hospital. She is shocked to see a secret group of siblings besides her father as a result of his affair years ago.
What To Expect From Season 2 Of Expats?
While there is no official confirmation of a second season of Expats, its creator Lulu Wang has talked about it. She said in an interview, that she is never going to say never. However, she also said that currently there are no talks of greenlighting a follow-up season.
If it happens, we can expect the continuation of the story of the three ladies: Margaret, Mercy, and Hilary. The final episode doesn’t give all the answers and leaves the viewers wanting for more. The makers might follow Margaret as she continues the search for her son.
Do We Have A Release Date?
Unfortunately, no. As of now, the makers have not talked about a second season or its release. However, not all is gloomy since a second season of a miniseries getting greenlit is not uncommon. Given the amazing response the series has received, the viewers are expecting a piece of good news anytime soon.
Margaret’s staying in Hong Kong to find her son, Mercy’s pregnancy, and Hilary’s relationship with David are angles that can be explored further.
The highly awaited follow-up is expected to carry forward the storyline of the three American expats in Hong Kong and their lives as they fight their own battles.
Who Will Be In The Cast?
With the absence of any official confirmation, anything written about the second season is entirely speculative. But a second season won’t be possible without its three leading characters who hold the entire plot together. Margaret (Nicole Kidman), a mother longing for her son as well as Margaret and Mercy Cho are expected to return for a second season.
Without them, the story will not have the same level of gravitas as the previous one. Apart from the leading ladies, Jack Huston (David Starr), Brian Tee (Clarke Woo), Tiana Gowen (Daisy Woo), and Bodhi del Rosario (Philip Woo) are also expected to return to the ensemble.
Conclusion
Expats is one of the shows that surpasses its original source material. Nicole Kidman, who has also done Big Little Lies, is familiar with such kind of storytelling. The miniseries beautifully captures a mother’s grief and the psychological impact of the disappearance of her son. The series plays like a mystery thriller as it gives a sneak peek into the minds of its three leading ladies.
The first season met with positive reviews with particular praise for its compelling storytelling, writing, and the performances of its actors. The final episode keeps the door open for a second season with several loose ends still untied. A sad mother looking for a son, an overwhelmed student, and a wife fighting her own demons while dealing with pregnancy. All these plot lines were left out and can be explored by the makers in the second season.
Over the past few years, the miniseries space has seen various acclaimed works. This includes names like Chernobyl, Station Eleven, and Maid among others. Expats is an addition to this list and remains one of the best-reviewed series of the year 2024. Its open-ended finale episode has intrigued everyone and we can hope that the makers continue to tell this story in a follow-up.
We believe that this interesting world of Expats deserves a follow-up as this story needs to be concluded in a strong manner. The success of its first season has given us hope that the makers might consider returning with a second season of Expat.