BAFTA Scotland-Winning Comedy 'Dinosaur' Lands Season 2 Renewal
Ashley Storrie and Kat Ronney in "Dinosaur"
(Photo: BBC)
Fresh off its wins at the 2024 BAFTA Scotland Awards, the BBC has announced that its charmingly offbeat coming-of-age comedy Dinosaur will officially return for a second season.
The series stars Ashley Storrie (The Graduettes) as Nina, an autistic woman in her 30s who lives with her sister Evie (Kat Ronney) in Glasgow. Happy in the established routine of both her life and their relationship, things are thrown into chaos when Evie not only gets a new boyfriend, but agrees to marry him after just six weeks of dating.
Forced to reconcile herself to her sister's impulsive decision, Nina grapples with what this change means for her own life and embarks on a personal journey of self-discovery. This includes everything from a potential move for a job promotion --- Nina's a paleontologist, a fact which helps give the series its title --- to a reevaluation of her feelings toward her kindhearted colleague at the office. At its core, Dinosaur is a series about sisterhood, love, friendship, and being yourself, no matter how uncomfortable that might make others.
Storrie recently took home the BAFTA Scotland Audience Award for her performance in the show, as well as the statue for Best Writer, Film/Television alongside her series' co-creator Matilda Curtis (Goodbye Christopher Robin).
“I’m dead chuffed that the amazing team that brought series 1 to life has been recognized by our peers in the Scottish film and television industry and I’m so excited that we’re getting to share more of Nina and her family’s journey," Storrie said in a statement. "Who knows, there might be actual dinosaurs this time round…”
Ashley Storrie and Kat Ronney in "Dinosaur"
(Photo: Mark Mainz/BBC)
Alongside Storrie and Ronney, the first season cast includes David Carlyle (It’s a Sin) as brother Bo; Greg Hemphill (Still Game) as dad Ade; Sally Howitt (River City) as mum Diane; Lorn Macdonald (The Lazarus Project) as love interest Lee; Danny Ashok (Roadkill) as Evie’s fiancé Ranesh; and Sanjeev Kohli (Moonflower Murders) as Ranesh’s father Sachin.
“What a joy to be bringing the BAFTA award-winning Dinosaur back for a second series," Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning at BBC Scotland said in a statement. "The whole team both in front and behind the camera have created a warm, funny, and poignant series and we’re delighted their hard work has been recognized by the industry with these award wins. Audiences loved getting to know Nina, played so brilliantly by Ashley, and being invited into her world with all its twists and turns. We’re excited to find out where Nina’s journey has taken her and her family and friends in series two.”
Dinosaur is based on an original idea by Curtis, who co-created and co-wrote the series with Storrie. Niamh McKeown (Flooers) directed the first season.
“I'm so grateful for the chance to get back into Nina's world again for Series 2," Curtis said. "Dinosaur is the best cast and crew working at the top of their game and I'm over the moon the show has been recognized by BAFTA Scotland!”
Executive producers include Sarah Hammond, Katie Churchill, Harry Williams, and Jack Williams, with Catriona Renton as Co-Executive Producer and Brian Coffey as Producer.
No word yet on when we might expect to see a second season of Dinosaur land on our screens, but given the comedy's award-season success we can certainly hope for sooner rather than later.
Dinosaur Season 1 is currently streaming on Hulu.
