By all measurable metrics, "Insatiable" was a disaster for Netflix, but that doesn't mean Season 2 is off the table. — Very Good TV Podcast Within six minutes, “Insatiable” tosses out a joke so offensive even a great series might not come back from it. When Bob Armstrong, who’s somehow the second best attorney / beauty pageant coach in a small Georgian town, reveals he’s been accused of sexually assaulting an underage girl, he quips, “I was an accused molester saying the victim had made it up — which was almost as bad as if I’d actually done it.” Whether this is the pitch-black satire “Insatiable’s” lonely defenders claim pervades the whole series or just a really tone-deaf means to score pity points for a down-on-his-luck wealthy white guy, nothing that comes after this eye-opening faux pas contradicts the idea Bob put out in the world: that being falsely accused of sexually assaulting a minor is as bad as doing it. From this point forward, Lauren Gussis’ Netflix original series only invokes more causes for concern, but despite critics ravaging the series and vocal backlash from the public, all the moaning may be for naught. Does a catastrophic critical debut really matter to Netflix if the ratings are high enough? Or, to put it another way, can anyone define a failure for Netflix other than the service itself? As crazy as it may sound, Season 2 could still happen. As of 2 p.m. ET Monday afternoon, “Insatiable” is listed in the “Popular on Netflix” section of this writer’s account — not that such a classification proves credible popularity; after all, it’s sitting right next to “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,” which simply cannot be a hit based on its word jumble of a title alone. And, personal bias aside, even if both are being watched — which mortals locked outside the Netflix Algorithm Vault will never know — that’s the only metric by which “Insatiable” is winning. Annette Brown/Netflix Shortly after the trailer came out, a Change.org petition called for the series’ cancellation and has garnered more than 231,000 signatures so far. Viewers immediately took issue with the use of a fat suit to depict a plus-sized teen, as well as the proliferation of “diet culture,” specifically related to young women. Once people saw the whole show, reactions didn’t fare any better. On Metacritic, “Insatiable” is the worst reviewed series of the year — by a wide margin. With an average rating of 23, it’s No. 110 on the site’s list of 2018 TV shows, and 19 points lower than No. 109 (“Our Cartoon President,” which is also very bad). With a 14 percent “rotten” score on Rotten Tomatoes, “Insatiable” lands at a historically low tally: It’s just below the first season of “Iron Fist” (17 percent) and just above the cancelled 2015 sitcom “Truth Be Told” (13 percent) — or tied for 18th worst TV series ever rated on the site. But if you know your Netflix history, you’ll notice precedent for renewal despite terrible reviews and damning scandals: “Iron Fist,” the fourth Marvel series in its “Defenders” franchise, faced early complaints about cultural appropriation followed by the aforementioned reviews, which were, again, abysmal. Though it took four months, Netflix did pick up a second season of the series with a new showrunner attached and a slightly revamped image after “The Defenders.” Could the same fate await “Insatiable”? As with most decisions within the buttoned-up halls of Netflix, it’s hard to say. Speaking at the Television Critics Association press tour last month, Cindy Holland, Netflix’s vice president of original series, said, “The most important thing in renewing a series [is], ‘Are we getting enough viewership to justify the cost of series?’ She also said Netflix looks at “how beloved the fan community is, how social the title is, and there are a lot of other things we look at that you all can see in the world.” Their last drama series to see largely negative critical reactions — “Gypsy,” which scored a 45 rating on Metacritic — didn’t make it to Season 2. Another drama, “Seven Seconds,” saw better markings (68), but was also canceled (before being billed as a limited series to snag Emmy attention). Both were attempts at prestige TV; they had limited audience potential due to serious subject matter, which may explain why a family adventure series like “Lost in Space” and a sci-fi action drama like “Altered Carbon” earned second seasons despite worse reviews (58 and 64 ratings, respectively). Tina Rowden/Netflix Netflix has made it clear critical reaction doesn’t define its choices or even carry the same weight as it does for other networks, like FX and HBO. Well-reviewed series have been quickly axed (like “The Get Down” and “Everything Sucks!”) as Netflix vowed to cancel more programs, while the secret algorithm and its findings (including detailed ratings breakdowns) still drives decisions. This helps justify renewals and cancelations because it’s hard to be critical when you don’t have all the information. Moreover, it protects the streaming service from backlash splashing from the criticized shows to the network itself. The executives are just doing what’s best for business, and moves like hiring a new showrunner for “Iron Fist” shows they’re trying to improve their product. This stands in staunch contrast to at least one network often billed as Netflix’s rival: HBO. When “Here and Now” was dragged by critics earlier this year, it didn’t take long for everyone to acknowledge its demise. The drubbing and low ratings were a one-two punch for a quick K.O., and because HBO doesn’t have that many dramas, it was seen as a big blow, as the network kept searching for its next hourlong hit. Netflix doesn’t see the same blowback because a) it has many, many more dramas, and b) ratings aren’t shared with the public, so the success or failure of any drama is speculative. “13 Reasons Why” may not seem like a “Stranger Things”-sized hit, but maybe it is; maybe “Altered Carbon” was a monster, and maybe “Iron Fist” is the highest-rated Marvel show.<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up fornow for the biggest moments from morning TV Will there be another season of Insatiable on Netflix? Netflix has announced that controversial series Insatiable has been renewed for a second season. The series premiered this summer and received widespread backlash for its depiction of weight loss and body-shaming. A petition to cancel the show has received over 230,000 signatures on Change.org, but the streaming giant have decided to go ahead and recommission it.<doc-sep>Netflix’s new series Insatiable has stirred up a mountain of controversy due to its perceived stereotypes about weight. The trailer alone led to a petition to keep the show from airing, which acquired over 220K signatures. Despite the controversy, however, many viewers are curious whether Insatiable will return for a second season now that its been released. Based on early reviews and response from fans, it doesn’t look as though Insatiable will be returning for another round of episodes. The series currently holds a 15% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with a summary that reads: “Broad stereotypes, clumsy social commentary, and a failed attempt at “wokeness” make Insatiable hard to swallow.” Insatiable | Official Trailer | NetflixA coming of rage story. Insatiable, starring Debby Ryan, arrives August 10 on Netflix. Watch Insatiable on Netflix: netflix.com/in/title/80179905 SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/29qBUt7 About Netflix: Netflix is the world's leading internet entertainment service with 130 million memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members… 2018-07-19T15:01:13.000Z Of the countless shows that Netflix has cancelled over the past few years, none received as low a score, and many, including The Killing (70%), Sense8 (84%), and The Get Down (80%), were positively reviewed by critics. The only series that nears Insatiable in terms of negative reviews is Hemlock Grove, which still earned a 38% rating. Another factor working against it is that Insatiable is an original property, and therefore doesn’t belong to a literary series that could otherwise inspire interest in additional stories. That said, the series has been given an unexpected amount of attention due to the controversy, and neither the cast nor series creator Lauren Gussis have booked projects that would conflict with a potential second season. There is also the fact that Insatiable was initially planned to air on The CW, a network that rarely ever invests in limited series. With this is mind, its likely that Gussis had plans to move forward with the characters. Netflix has not yet commented on the future of the series. UK resident Florence Given, who started the petition to cancel Insatiable, feels that series promotes a toxic narrative about girl’s bodies. “The toxicity of this series, is bigger than just this one particular series,” she wrote. “This is not an isolated case, but part of a much larger problem that I can promise you every single woman has faced in her life, sitting somewhere on the scale of valuing their worth on their bodies, to be desirable objects for the male gaze.” Debby Ryan, Alyssa Milano, Lauren Gussis & Dallas Roberts Chat Netflix's "Insatiable"Created by Lauren Gussis, "Insatiable" is a dark, twisted revenge comedy starring Debby Ryan, Dallas Roberts and Alyssa Milano. For years, Patty (Debby Ryan) has been bullied, ignored, and underestimated by those around her because of her weight. But now that she finds herself suddenly thin, Patty is out for payback against anyone who has… 2018-08-07T22:14:14.000Z “That is exactly what [Insatiable] does,” she adds. “It perpetuates not only the toxicity of diet culture, but the objectification of women’s bodies. This series needs to be cancelled. The damage control of releasing this series will be far worse, insidious and sinister for teenage girls, than it will be damaging for Netflix in their loss of profit.” Gussis, who worked on Showtime’s Dexter, told The Hollywood Reporter that the story is meant as a “cautionary tale” and not a critique. “I wanted to poke at all those issues through comedy,” she explained. “But every single one of the issues that these characters struggle with — from eating disorders to body dysmorphia, to sexuality to needing outside power and validation, to wanting to be perfect, to mental illness — I have struggled with every single one of those things.” “People are mad, and they’re talking about it,” she continued. “I appreciate the room for the conversation. That’s my intention with art, is to spark conversation through satire and comedy. Because then at least people are talking about it and not brushing it under the rug, and airing it out. They have the opportunity to eventually find out how somebody else feels about an issue. Then ultimately, they feel more connected to each other.” Insatiable season 1 is currently available to stream on Netflix.<doc-sep>Insatiable Season 1 Episode 2 Recap In the first episode of Netflix’s Insatiable, Patty had failed in her attempt to seduce John the homeless guy. She had poured his vodka on him and the bed and almost lit it. Instead, she called Armstrong and agreed to do pageants with him. The second episode of Insatiable picks up right where the previous episode had left off. Beauty Queens Don’t Need School Patty woke up hungover in her own bed with little memory of what happened after turning on Firestarter. After attempting to ditch school, she walked the halls, and her classmates didn’t recognize her, including Brick. Magnolia did, however, and intimidated Patty into backing off from Brick by calling him her boyfriend. Brick was surprised and told Magnolia he loved her. There is still something off about Brick, though. A Murderer Only If He Dies In Spanish class while discussing local news, a classmate told the students (in English) about a man in critical condition after a fire broke out at a motel. Patty panicked, remembering how close she was to lighting the homeless guy on fire the night before, and Nonnie left school to investigate. The more Patty found out about the story, the more she was convinced she was guilty. She called on Armstrong to help her investigate as well. While Nonnie was out bumping into her cop father at the hospital, Patty struggled to find a place to sit at lunch because inside she still feels like Fatty Patty. But she found a lunch buddy in new guy Christian, who knew nothing of her overweight past. No Mercy Coralee went over to the Barnards’ looking for Etta Mae, but Barnard, answering the door shirtless, invited her in to iron his shirt for him since his wife is out of town. He inexplicably left Coralee in his house while he went to investigate the motel fire. While there, Regina left an envelope of photos of Armstrong and Magnolia for Barnard, which Coralee intercepted. Pretending to need evidence for divorcing Armstrong, Coralee convinced Regina to text her the photos and called it trafficking in child pornography, keeping Regina at bay for now. This is the most likable Coralee has been so far. The Smoking Bra After school, Patty and Nonnie visited Donald to retrace Patty’s steps. He told her she had flashed him, and she wasn’t wearing a bra. Nonnie used her police connections to sneak Patty into the evidence locker to get the bra back. Armstrong told her it wasn’t enough, since witnesses saw her check in with John the homeless guy, and she needed a solid alibi. Patty and Nonnie went back to find Donald, confident that there would be security footage of her at the Booze ‘N Stuff. They found him in his car, masturbating to the video. However, when they checked the timestamp on the video, it wasn’t enough for an alibi. They decide to replicate the conditions from the night before by getting Patty drunk. That sent her to the hospital, the exact place she shouldn’t be since John had finally woken up. The Number 10 Realtor in the County One of the most unexpected revelations of the episode was finding out Brick and Regina had been having an affair. Yes, Regina, who had accused Armstrong of molesting her daughter, was having sex with Armstrong’s underage son. Grasping at Straws John saw Patty drunkenly wandering the hospital halls and pointed to her as the one responsible. However, Armstrong quickly realized what happened when he found the smoke alarm battery in John’s pocket. He had dropped a match onto the vodka-soaked bed while trying to light a cigarette. John admitted to blaming Patty to exonerate himself. But after everyone had left, Patty went to see John to get an apology for breaking her jaw. When he rebuffed her, she told him he hoped he’d die. At that the moment, his heart stopped, and he died. And she wasn’t sorry at all. What did you think about the second episode of Insatiable? Let us know in the comment section below!<doc-sep>
Will 'Insatiable' Be Renewed For A Second Season? Picture: Annette Brown/Netflix By Nicky Idika Will Netflix's controversial dark comedy 'Insatiable' be renewed for a second season? Despite being skewered by critics, some fans are pushing for a second season. So, what are the odds Netflix allows 'Insatiable' to return for season 2? If you're reading this, I'll assume you're at least somewhat aware of the controversy surrounding Netflix's new dark comedy, Insatiable. If you're not aware, here is the short version. Netflix made Insatiable available on its platform on Friday, August 10. The controversial show is about a teenage girl who loses a great deal of weight after a physical altercation lands her in the hospital with her jaw wired shut. The trailer's release led to petitions and calls for the show to be canceled ahead of its premiere, citing concerns about body-shaming. Even before its release, critics called the show everything from "dull and lazy" to "hollow harmful and hateful". Members of Insatiable's cast have since defended the show, with Alyssa Milano saying that she's "proud" of their work. Picture: Eliza Morse/Netflix Now, before we dig in to the reasons Insatiable season 2 doesn't need to happen (but might happen anyway), I'll give one little disclaimer. While I did not enjoy the series, I also didn't hate Insatiable as much as some other critics did. Keep in mind, I have an incredibly high tolerance for bad TV. Let's begin. Insatiable could very well get a second season. To put it bluntly, 13 Reasons Why, a show which depicted the very graphic suicide of a teenage sexual assault victim, is about to begin production on its third season at Netflix. Meanwhile, Everything Sucks!, a nice show about nice teenagers was canceled in its first season. If people are streaming Insatiable in big enough numbers (and it appears that they are), a second season is entirely possible, and plausible. Despite its problematic premise, watching Insatiable felt, at times, like watching a show very much on the verge of...something. Insightful commentary about sexual orientation, body image, or bullying was often followed by weird throw away jokes that made the earnest moments feel paper thin. Still, people are defending Insatiable, citing its use of dark humour to subvert stereotypes about topics like bisexuality and body image. One viewer wrote on Twitter that the series "is not a show about body shaming, but rather focuses on 'skinny isn't magic'." Initial reactions to the show were critical, but a quick scroll through Twitter will confirm that the show is building a surprisingly loyal (and vocal) fan base. This alone could convince Netflix to give the series another chance. via Netflix Insatiable shouldn't get a second season. Insatiable might not be as bad as people thought it would be, but that still doesn't mean it's good. Fans are citing its "brilliant" use of satire, but if you have to explain the joke, is it all that funny? While Insatiable does go to painstaking efforts to appear as though it is subverting the overweight to skinny trope, putting Debby Ryan in a fat suit in this way is damaging, no matter how you spin it. Picture: Netflix/Screenshot On the technical side, the series is clunky in its never ending plot points and dialogue. It tries to tell so many stories at once that it ends up not being able to tell any of them very well. Insatiable takes up valuable Netflix real estate that could be used to tell empowering and funny stories of women of all body types and sexual orientations (and which don't involve a weight loss revenge fantasy). While Insatiable isn't the worst show ever green lit, it certainly isn't groundbreaking or innovative in the "dark comedy" genre. It should not receive a second season. Sidebar: Nonnie Thompson (Kimmy Shields) is an angel who deserves her own spin off . via Netflix So, will Insatiable be renewed for a second season? It looks very possible. The first season ended with a huge cliff hanger and Netflix may be keen on giving viewers a resolution. Unlike 2017's Girlboss, which was canceled after one season, viewers actually seem to be enjoying the show, despite its poor critical reception. It all depends on the viewership figures (which Netflix is notoriously private about). If there are enough streams, Insatiable will likely get a second season.