The first season of Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist is poised to end on a high note, but the question of whether or not the Jane Levy-starrer will return for season 2 looms large. Zoey's is a prime example of the way TV viewing habits have shifted. While the musical dramedy pulls in okay weekly ratings on NBC, it has garnered a passionate fanbase that watches the series on Hulu and NBC.com. Given how well it's doing online and just how addictive the show's brilliantly choreographed musical numbers are, there's an excellent chance that NBC will give Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist a second season to explore Zoey's musical gift. But it could be some time before an official renewal or cancellation decision is made.
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Usually, the networks announce their fall schedules in May, but this year's upfronts have been delayed. As a result, shows like Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist which are considered to be on the bubble (meaning it could easily be renewed or canceled) could be stuck in limbo for a while. That's not necessarily bad news for the show though. With Hollywood productions shut down, sticking with a freshman show that already has a strong following makes more sense than taking a chance on a new show that hasn't even been filmed yet. Additionally, with season 1 streaming on Hulu, word of mouth could help the show's audience grow even more over the summer — just as NBC's Good Girls did when its first season landed on Netflix.
Also working in Zoey's favor is the sheer amount of story it still has left to tell. Season 1 has zeroed in on Zoey coming to terms with her father's failing health and learning how to use her ability to see people's inner thoughts expressed through song for good. A potential season 2 would likely focus on what happens after Zoey and her family loses their patriarch. While the show is full of stylish musical numbers, it has also proven to be a sneakily eloquent meditation on how people deal with grief.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Mary Steenburgen, who plays Zoey's mom Maggie, shared why she believes the world needs Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist more than ever right now.
"We gave both these characters and also our audience a piece of all of our hearts in the last episode," she told EW. "We couldn’t have known what the world is dealing with right now but it’s coming at a moment in time where it’s a special gift because we’re all needing to laugh and be joyful and we’re all needing to breathe and grieve the loss of people we love and the loss also of our freedom and our connection to people we love, holding people we love. I think people will connect in a very deep way because of this."
If the season does end with Zoey saying goodbye to her dad, it would be absolutely heartbreaking to see this joyful show canceled. Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist is the kind of bright and resonate series people need.
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