Sundance Channel has given a second season pickup to Rectify, the brooding drama that bowed April 22. The second season will consist of ten episodes slated for 2014. Starring Aden Young as a man struggling to re-acclimate to normal life after 20 years on death row, the show has earned critical praise and marks Sundance Channel’s foray into owned original scripted programming. The recent Jane Campion miniseries Top of the Lake was a co-production with the U.K.'s BBC Two and UKTV in Australia and New Zealand.
The channel - part of AMC Networks - is attempting to become a destination for high-quality dramas much like its sister network AMC. And Rectify was originally in development at AMC before moving over to Sundance. The network also has a second drama in the works. The Descendants is from writer Aaron Guzikowski (Contraband, Prisoners) and producer Sarah Condon (Bored to Death).
Rectify is from creator-writer Ray McKinnon (Deadwood, Sons of Anarchy) and executive producers Mark Johnson and Melissa Bernstein, who also produced sister net AMC’s Breaking Bad. The premiere got a repeat airing after last week's Mad Men on AMC. And the six-episode first season will wrap May 20 on Sundance.
“The response to Rectify has been incredible,” Sundance Channel president and general manager Sarah Barnett said in a statement. “We feel as though this story has tapped into something truly unique, with both critics and audiences using their platforms to share such strong, personal reactions to this very distinctive TV series.There’s so much drama and character that’s been set up in the first season, it will be electrifying to see where Rectify goes in season two.”
The second season is scheduled to begin production later this year in Griffin, Georgia.
