Will There Be An Unstable Season 2? Rob Lowe’s Sitcom Is Based On Real Life

Rob Lowe is no stranger to the feel-good workplace sitcom, having starred as the ever-optimistic Chris Traeger on NBC’s Parks and Recreation. But his latest project in the genre comes with an added perk: working with his son, John Owen Lowe. Netflix’s Unstable marks the pair’s latest collaboration, and their first as co-leads and co-creators.

The eight-episode debut season, which dropped March 30, follows Rob Lowe as Ellis Dragon, a biotech businessman who genuinely wants to help the world, and John Lowe as Jackson, a flutist who wants to be independent of his dad’s reputation. Yes, the concept was inspired by real life. While writing on 9-1-1: Lone Star, on which the senior Lowe stars, John Lowe had a pivotal phone call with his manager and agent. “The proximity to my dad was driving me insane,” he recalled to The New York Times, “the idea of never escaping his shadow ... I would say, ‘I’m going crazy. I’ll never separate from him. Is this my destiny?’”

The conflict gave John Lowe the idea for a show, though, and he worked with his dad and Santa Clarita Diet creator Victor Fresco to make it happen. And just like John Lowe leaned into the unique father-son dynamic instead of running from it, Jackson did the same on Unstable — ultimately coming to work at his dad’s company in the wake of his mom’s death. (Don’t worry: his real-life mom, Sheryl Berkoff, is very much alive and well.)

So, will there be an Unstable Season 2? While the show hasn’t been officially renewed, Deadline reported on May 4 that six out of eight scripts have already been written, and that filming was set to start this spring. But, the site adds, production has shut down during the writers strike. “We’re only as good as the writing we get,” Lowe told the outlet from the picket line earlier in the week.

While the strike makes the timeline of Unstable’s future uncertain, here’s everything to know about what a potential second season could look like.

Unstable Season 2 Cast

The Lowes and their father-son dynamic are the heart of the show, so you can certainly count on them to return. Need a refresher on the rest of the cast? Sian Clifford plays Anna, Aaron Branch plays Malcolm, Emma Ferreira plays Ruby, and Rachel Marsh plays Luna.

Unstable Season 2 Plot

While viewers will have to wait a while to see what a potential Unstable Season 2 has in store, the workplace comedy format lends itself to unlimited storylines — and Rob Lowe is looking to some of your favorite sitcoms for inspiration. “I want people to know this is a comedy with a capital C,” he said in a recent Netflix press release, adding that Unstable “aspires to be in the vein of Arrested Development, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 30 Rock, [and] Parks and Recreation.”

Unstable Season 2 Potential Premiere Date

The debut season of Unstable was announced last April and released nearly a year later — so if Season 2 gets the green light soon and follows a similar timeline, the Unstable Season 2 premiere date could feasibly be next summer.

This post will be updated with the trailer, release date, and additional plot details as more information on Unstable Season 2 becomes available.