'Scrublands' Renewed for Season 2

The Western Australian series Scrublands is officially coming back for a second season, as Australian streaming service Stan releases the first image now that filming is underway. Based on Chris Hammer’s debut novel of the same name, the series was one of those lost in the niche streaming services owned by AMC Networks here in the States, technically debuting as a Sundance Now series, but co-streaming on AMC+, which at least has a decent subscriber base. However, despite the series not gaining much traction over here (at least not yet), STAN found itself a hit and is proceeding with a new season, once again based on a Hammer novel.

Season 2 will adapt the second novel in the Martin Scarsden series, Silver, which arrived a year after Scrublands was originally published in 2018. Luke Arnold, best known in the States for starring in Black Sails, returns to reprise his role as Scarsden, the investigative journalist turned amateur detective. Season 1 featured the character's first case, where he is initially sent to write a "One Year On" in a small town where a mass shooting took place. Of course, upon arriving, he discovers nothing about the case as he understood it is true, and within the first episode or two, the real antagonist is revealed. The series, which ran eight episodes, wound up more of a thriller than a whodunit, as Scarsden works to prove who the real guilty party is.

Season 2 sends Scarsden back to his hometown, thinking of his mystery-solving adventures behind him. How wrong he is. 

Here's the Season 2 synopsis:

A year after the life-changing events of Season 1, investigative journalist Martin Scarsden returns to his coastal hometown, Port Silver, to set up a new life with partner Mandy Bond. When he arrives to find his childhood friend Jasper brutally murdered and Mandy, the prime suspect, Martin struggles with doubts about Mandy and about his own ability to recognize the truth. As he pushes forward to find the real murderer and absolve Mandy, Martin confronts secrets about Port Silver and his long-buried past.

Returning leads Luke Arnold and Bella Heathcote reprise their roles as Martin and Mandy respectively. They'll be joined for Season 2 by new cast members Luke Carroll (The Artful Dodger), Debra Lawrance (Home & Away), David Roberts (Please Like Me), Tasma Walton (The Twelve), Luke Pegler (Hacksaw Ridge), Caroline Brazier (Year Of), Joel Jackson (Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door), Toby Truslove (La Brea), Sarah Roberts (Wolf Like Me), Hamish Michael (Frayed), Radek Jonak (The Surfer) and Damian De Montemas (Hounds of Love).

Felicity Packard, Fiona Kelly, and Jock Serong are the Season 2 writing team, with director Ben Young helming the eight-episode series. Packard executive produces alongside Martha Coleman, Ian Collie, and Rob Gibson, plus Michael Healy and Andy Ryan from the 9 Network and Cailah Scobie and Alicia Brown for Stan.

The series is filming Western Australia. Production is underway, and the new season of Scrublands is expected to air in 2025.