'Outsiders' Will Return With A Bang

One of the best surprises of early 2016 has been that the winter/spring TV season premiered a fantastic bunch of new shows, including Outsiders, WGN America's Appalachian drama about a grizzled family with their own, almost completely independent society in rural Kentucky. The series was so successful that the network renewed Outsiders for Season 2 back in March, as reported by Variety, so there's no need to worry about being left with a cliffhanger. Of course, fans will still have to wait for Outsiders Season 2 to premiere after Tuesday night's season finale, so there could be a bit of a wait before any cliffhangers are resolved.

Though no premiere date has been announced for Season 2, Deadline reported that filming will begin this summer. Given that time frame and the fact that Season 1 premiered in January, it's likely that Season 2 will start in early 2017. Until then, though, there's going to be a long, long offseason. And while there is plenty of other TV to catch up on (there's even a whole genre of shows about unconventional families in their own unique local culture, from Shameless to Bloodline), there will likely also be many questions to speculate over while Outsiders is on hiatus.

The Farrell clan members have to be everything to one another — coworkers, neighbors, and, yes, even romantic partners. So Asa's reintegration into the fold has been a mess and — if you believe the cliffhanger at the end of the season's penultimate episode — caused his death. But I don't actually buy it. I think Asa is still alive, in adherence to the prophecy Lady Ray gave before her death.

I think a great way to start Season 2 would be to have Lady Ray's prophecy come true, leading to Asa unseating Big Foster as the community's leader. First of all, that would mean that Big Foster would become an even more dangerous villain, having lost the one thing he's always wanted — to take over his mother's position and assume complete control over his family's life. When bad guys want things, it usually doesn't work out if you take those things away.

Though perhaps Outsiders could go in a different direction — is it possible that Asa and Big Foster could work together? I know they didn't mix in Season 1, but this is a brand new season I'm talking about. If a big enough threat — like, say, some new action from the power company looking to take their coal — threatens the family, then Big Foster could be forced to finally take his cousin seriously.

Even though Big Foster has rejected anything that's even touched the outside world, I think the majority of the Farrells are secretly more like Hasil and G'win, intrigued by the idea of learning more and possibly even coexisting alongside the rest of the world.

Hasil's burgeoning almost-official relationship with Sally-Ann is another thread I'd love to see more from in Season 2. Right now, even their romantic chemistry and friendship are enough to prompt both of their families to get upset. If it ever went beyond that and became a serious relationship, it could be the perfect way to generate more conflict between the Farrells and the rest of the people in Blackburg. Plus, they're cute together. Am I crazy for wanting to know if those lovestruck kids can make it in our cruel world?

And while I'm throwing out ideas for Season 2 of Outsiders, how about one more: that this surprisingly popular show keeps up the surprises by somehow defying all of my predictions and still delivering a fantastic follow-up season.

Images: WGN America (2)