Netflix's new limited series Untamed starring Eric Bana continues to be one of the most surprising new releases on the platform. After the mystery thriller limited series premiered on July 17, the show shot straight to the No. 1 position on the daily top 10 most popular shows on Netflix, where it's remained a week later. But the show's debut ratings are even more cause for celebration.
On July 21, Netflix revealed that in its first four days of release, Untamed debuted with 24.6 million views, which translates to 119.5 million hours viewed. The series hit the peak of the weekly top 10 most-watched English-language shows on Netflix. Last week, the No. 1 show on the chart was The Sandman with 5.9 million views. That's a huge change!
Untamed season 2 should happen after huge ratings debut
Admittedly, I wasn't expecting Untamed to pack such a punch right away. The series, which is definitely in the wheelhouse of the Netflix audience as a dark and twisty mystery thriller, didn't have much buzz behind it pre-premiere. Untamed seemed more primed to become a word-of-mouth hit rather than a breakout sensation. However, Bana immediately brought the viewers in.
Netflix has designated Untamed, which also comes from American Primeval creator Mark L. Smith, as a limited series. That would typically mean that usually Netflix wouldn't consider renewing the show for a second season, but I would venture to believe that these viewership numbers have the team reconsidering whether Untamed should really be a "limited" series after all.
When the show was released, co-creator and showrunner Elle Smith shared that she was hopeful that Netflix would renew the series for season 2 and suggested that a new season would take place in a new park. Whether that means we would follow some of the same characters, like Kyle Turner (Eric Bana) and Naya Vasquez (Lily Santiago), or new characters, a change of scenery would be ideal.
Bana revealed that he hadn't thought about Untamed season 2 happening, but Vasquez was also hopeful that season 2 would continue Naya's story now that she's a confident ranger having learned under Turner's wing. Even though the finale episode wraps up all of the storylines, revealing who killed Lucy Cook and what really happened, there's room for much more to explore in season 2.
Naturally, a second season of Untamed could go the route of the USA Network's The Sinner and follow one (or in this case, possibly two) detectives investigating different mysteries each season. A hybrid anthology model. Turner and Naya, who have both been changed in different ways after season 1, reuniting in a new park for a new case would be exactly what I would want to see.
The viewership success of Untamed clearly showcases the Netflix audience's desire for these stories, and it wouldn't be the first time that a streaming service or network would renew a supposedly "limited" series for another season. For now, Netflix hasn't made any announcements regarding the fate of the series, but hopefully there will be exciting news to share in the future.
Read Untamed recaps from Show Snob: