Fans can expect more of The Rainmaker on the USA Network. We just learned that the network made a big decision about its first scripted drama hit in a long time.
According to a press release, USA Network just confirmed that The Rainmaker season 2 is officially happening. The series, which just wrapped up its first season this fall, is already renewed for season 2.
In a statement, Val Boreland, President of Entertainment for Versant (the new media company overseeing USA) praised the decision.
“The verdict is in — The Rainmaker is returning for season two on USA Network. Along with our brilliant showrunner Michael Seitzman and our partners at Lionsgate and Blumhouse, we’re thrilled to build on the momentum and deliver another compelling chapter of this gripping legal drama for our viewers.”
Per the press release, the show has averaged 1.3 million total viewers, USA’s most-viewed freshman series in seven years. A renewal was hopeful for fans, but it’s great to see it finally confirmed.
Once upon a time, USA Network would definitely pick up this series for another season. The network was dominated by original scripted programming from 2002-2015, known as the “Blue Sky” period for the network, and featured many scripted shows, most of them crime series, all with a light breezy air and compelling characters.
The big show during that time were the Emmy-winning Monk and Suits, which later became an even bigger hit on Netflix. We also had White Collar (due for a revival), Royal Pains, Burn Notice, Covert Affairs, and more. The latter slate had darker but still compelling shows like Mr. Robot.
However, by the 2020s, USA Network had pretty much gotten out of the game and not into scripted series. That was a sad trend with other cable networks, and it robbed USA Network of some flavor.
Thankfully, that trend changed with the debut of The Rainmaker on USA Network earlier this summer.
What to expect in The Rainmaker season 2
Based on the novel by superstar author John Grisham (which had a movie adaptation in 1997), The Rainmaker follows Rudy Baylor (Milo Callaghan), an idealistic young attorney fired from his firm for daring to represent a mother suing a healthcare corporation. Rudy lands a job with small-time attorney Bruiser (Lana Parrilla) to pursue the case, which means going up against his old boss Leo Drummond (John Slattery) and Rudy’s ex-girlfriend Sarah Plankmore (Madison Iseman). The case soon has Rudy uncovering a deadly murder plot.
Without giving away many spoilers, season 1 ended with Rudy winning the case and set for more in the legal world with Bruiser, while Sarah appeared to have fully embraced becoming a corrupt lawyer under Leo.
While nothing is definite yet, showrunner Michael Seitzman shared with TV Insider how he has some ideas for a second season, which may include an almost entirely different cast.
“I don’t know. I have a lot of ideas for season 2, but none of them have really calcified yet in my mind, and some of them include those characters, and some of them don’t. There’s a part of me that wonders if we just completely wipe the slate clean in season 2, and the characters who are not in trouble come back, and the other characters who were in trouble, we treat that as backstory. There’s another part of me that wonders how I could bring them back, but it’s a tricky thing. I have to think about it some more.”
The series was just the sort of drama USA Network used to specialize in: A mix of legal dramedy and personal storytelling with some steamy material and some thrills. It's a reminder that in a world dominated by streaming, there's still room for cable networks to deliver some wonderful shows and hopefully leads to a renaissance at USA Network.
That means it’s hard to predict right now which actors could return, even though there are many plotlines to pick up on, like Bruiser’s issues with her criminal father and if legal aide Derek (P.J. Byrne) ever passes the bar. A new case with a mostly fresh cast could fire up the show more.
At least fans of The Rainmaker know the series will continue to open up a new era of storytelling for USA Network and a return to form.
The Rainmaker is streaming on Peacock.