The Small-Town Terror Could Continue On 'Fortitude'

If you want to find the Arctic absolutely terrifying, watch Fortitude — a show about a small town that prides itself on its safety, except everything is just a little... off. After just a few years, the series already has a complicated history. Fortitude airs on Sky Atlantic in the UK. The first season was distributed by Pivot in America, and after that service went out of business, Amazon picked up Fortitude. Season 2 premieres April 14 on Amazon and already aired overseas. But will Fortitude return for Season 3, or would Amazon cancel a series they've already rescued after airing just one season?

Well, the streaming service has cancelled plenty shows before, such as Good Girls Revolt and Hand Of God. And, like Netflix, they don't release their viewership numbers, so it's hard to know if a series is doing well. But Amazon clearly saw something valuable in Fortitude, and I'd be surprised if the show is cancelled unceremoniously.

However, you never know. Lots of factors can delay or end a TV series, from an unexpected decision from the network to prioritize another series, to cost, to behind the scenes troubles, to the departure of a star or two. So far, it doesn't appear that Fortitude is dealing with any of these problems. And the series creator is already looking forward to writing more. An unnamed source near Fortitude writer Simon Donald told Radio Times in February that Donald "is currently exploring new and intriguing storylines for future trips to Fortitude."

And the source promises that, if there is a third season, it won't back away from any of the weirdness of Fortitude's first. (Spoilers for season 1 of Fortitude ahead!) That weirdness ranges from the parasites invading the town's residents to the rareness of violent crime, which seems to leave the townspeople particularly vulnerable. And the first season proved particularly willing to kill off or write off its characters, even big names like Christopher Eccleston, Stanley Tucci, and Michael Gambon. More characters could be on the chopping block in Season 2 — including one played by new cast member Dennis Quaid — which could mean a lot of new blood in a potential Season 2.

Fortitude has already survived a lot — this atmospheric drama is as tough as the very place it depicts. Until Amazon announces whether or not the series is returning for Season 3, there's no way to know what's coming next for Fortitude.