'The Pact' Season 2 Premieres in August on Sundance Now

The Pact's first season initially debuted on BBC One in the spring of 2021. The six-part thriller series was billed as "Welsh Big Little Lies" at the time of its debut by critics, with Julie Hesmondhalgh (The Trouble with Maggie Cole), Laura Fraser (Traces), Eiry Thomas (Keeping Faith), Heledd Gwynn (Enid a Lucy) and Eddie Marsan (Ridley Road) heading up a starry cast where four female friends find themselves a potential suspects in a murder investigation, one that they are far more involved in than they want anyone to know. The title comes from the "pact" they make to hide their involvement from investigating officer DS Holland (Rakie Ayola). 

Much like HBO's Big Little Lies, the series was a close-ended story with little place to go for a second season, and just like the HBO series, it got given a second set of episodes anyway. However, unlike BLL, which made the ill-fated choice to attempt to continue the story (and whose ratings collapsed under the weight of having nothing to say), The Pact Season 2 decided to go the anthology route. As the BBC press release put it, "Using the device of a secret pact, series two introduces us to a compelling new group struggling with morality, loyalty, and faith as their lives spiral out of control."

Sundance Now picked up The Pact's first season in the fall of 2022, where it streamed on both Sundance's service and flagship parent streamer AMC+. Now Season 2 is following suit, landing on both Sundance Now and AMC+ at the tail end of August 2023.

Here's the second season synopsis for The Pact:

The second season of the hit thriller tells a brand new, suspenseful, and emotional story of Christine who, along with oldest son Will, youngest son Jamie, and daughter Megan, are trying to get on with their lives after the recent tragic death of their son and brother Liam. As they look forward to Megan’s wedding, the family will have their lives turned upside down when a stranger, Connor arrives in town claiming a connection that nobody could have imagined. As buried secrets come to light, they must consider who they are and grapple with morality and divided loyalty – and while their lives spiral out of control, a terrible pact may be all that can save them.

Season 2 sees the return of Ayola (Anthony) in the new role of Christine. She'll be joined by Lloyd Everitt (The Sandman) as Will, Aaron Anthony (Behind Her Eyes) as Jamie, Mali Ann Rees (Tourist Trap) as Megan, and Jordan Wilks (Flatmates) as Connor. Co-stars include Lisa Palfrey (COBRA), Jacob Ifan (Rogue Heroes), Rebekah Murrell (In My Skin), Kristy Phillips (Will), Christian Patterson (Mr. Selfridge), Matthew Gravelle (Broadchurch), Elizabeth Berrington (The Nevers), Callum Hymers (Sherwood), Huw Novelli (The Capture), Marsha Miller (The Bill), Steven Mackintosh (Luther), Kaylen Luke (Trying), and newcomer Nick Hywell.

The Pact was written and created by Pete McTighe (A Discovery of Witches), who penned four of Season 2's six episodes, with Joy Wilkinson (The Life and Adventures of Nick Nickleby) taking the other two. Helming duties were split between directors Nicole Volavka (The Bay) and Christiana Ebohon-Green (Grantchester).

The Pact Season 2 debuts on Sundance Now with two episodes on Thursday, August 31, 2023, with one a week to follow through the end of September.