Idris Elba playing a DJ and also working as a full-time nanny for an adorable little girl — what more could you want out of a television show? While that sentence certainly sounds like some sort of wishful thinking for a dream series, it’s actually the plot of Netflix’s latest Turn Up Charlie. The show follows Idris Elba as he plays the titular Charlie, a struggling DJ who takes the job as a nanny (or a “manny,” as they call him on the show) to cover the bills. And now that you know this show exists, you’re probably wondering how you can get your hands on more of it, as in Turn Up Charlie Season 2. Sadly, it’s way too early to tell if there will be a second season of the show — but there is some hope.
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Netflix, as always, works in mysterious ways when it comes to canceling and renewing shows, and many times there’s no rhyme or reason to it (that we know about, Netflix always has its reasons). Turn Up Charlie might be a safe bet to secure a highly coveted second season, if only because of Elba alone. I mean, it’s Idris Elba. He’s an international movie star and People Magazine’s Sexiest Man of the Year for 2018. Why wouldn’t his starring vehicle on Netflix secure a second season — and then a third, fourth, and fifth?
Well, sometimes not great TV shows happen to People’s Sexiest Man Alive. Unfortunately, Turn Up Charlie has been hit with a string of bad reviews prior to release. And while that’s certainly not the only deciding factor when it comes to renewals at Netflix — the streaming site still relies heavily on viewership — it sounds like it’s enough to scare many casual viewers away, or at least get them to completely turn off Charlie after an episode or two.
Clocking in at only eight episodes that run 30-minutes, what sounds like a show that should be easy to binge is actually weighing viewers down. The Hollywood Reporter mentions that many joke setups are a, “painful bit of writing that plagues this series” and IndieWire calls the whole thing a “paint-by-numbers plot.” If you’re looking for twists and shockers, Turn Up Charlie is not the answer. But, at least TVLine says Elba is, “easily the best thing” about the show.
Now you might be asking yourself why Elba would attach himself to something that is getting panned by critics. Elba not only co-created the series, but he’s starring in it because he was looking to take a break from his more serious, tough guy roles (like the upcoming Hobbs and Shaw and his new role as Deadshot in Suicide Squad). Also, Elba is actually a DJ on the side in real life, and scored a gig at last year’s Royal Wedding, and is set to play Coachella this year. Yes, really. Mixing his DJ life with a situational comedy was a way to stretch his comedic chops, something we really haven’t seen since his time on The Office. (Remember when Idris Elba was on The Office?)
Throughout all the press interviews leading up to the release of Season 1, no one ever talked about the direction of a Season 2 should the show receive it (also not a great sign). But, seeing as how busy Elba is going to be over the next few months (if not years) between movies and his real-life venture into DJing, one season of Turn Up Charlie might just be enough.