Entertainment

'UnREAL' Season 2 Finally Has A Premiere Date

by Ashani Jodha

Mark your calendars for some more deliciously dark and melodramatic fake reality, because Lifetime's UnREAL Season 2 finally has a premiere date — and, it seems the cat fights and dating show theatrics will resume on June 6. The very Bachelor-esque series that originally debuted last June is set to bring back most of the original characters, including scheming executive producer Quinn (played by Constance Zimmer) and equally conniving field producer Rachel (played by Shiri Appleby). Also returning is Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman as Jay, Craig Bierko as Chet, and Josh Kelly as Jeremy. But, new to the reality-show-within-a-show is Everlasting's first black bachelor, Darius Hill — and, a season that promises to explore racial politics and reportedly tackles the men's right movement according to Entertainment Weekly in an interview with show co-creator Sarah Gertrude Shapiro.

This 10-episode Season 2 is sure to be another chock full of soap-opera drama. After Season 1 began with a somewhat public onscreen meltdown that largely contributed to producers Rachel and Quinn manipulating the hell out of their dating show contestants, it ended with Rachel ready to throw her relationship away with Jeremy (played by Josh Kelly) and jump ship with Everlasting's bachelor Adam (played by Freddie Stroma). But, once Quinn decides to fill Adam in on Rachel's past, Adam changes his mind about Rachel. Spinning from Adam's rejection, Rachel leaps into action to deliver the greatest finale in Everlasting history. Thankfully, the new season vows to continue the excitement where Season 1 left off.

In the same interview with EW , Shapiro revealed that, in Season 2, the job descriptions have changed. Rachel is now doing Quinn's job and Quinn is doing Chet's job, because well, Chet has disappeared. "All of that is a power struggle for the whole season," she says. Not to mention, the issue of diversity (or a lack thereof of it) in reality TV is addressed. “Breaking this story is so scary,” Shapiro said. “I’m a Jewish white girl breaking a story about race, I mean we have people of color on our staff and they’ve definitely taken a very, very primary role in talking about a lot of these things, but it’s terrifying... it’s the elephant in the room… like the fact that those shows have never had an African-American lead. For us, I think you top [a previously successful season] by pushing our universe into a place the real universe hasn’t gone." And I definitely can't wait to see where Season 2 goes.

As for how to get ready for all the salacious scenes and intense topic discussions on June 6? Don't worry, you have more than enough time to marathon the first season before the premiere this summer — precisely two Mondays after the premiere of The Bachelorette.

Images: James Dittiger, Joseph Viles/Lifetime