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Apple TV renews Imperfect Women for season 2, centred on Kerry Washington's Eleanor

Apple TV has ordered a second season of Imperfect Women, originally a limited series. It will follow Kerry Washington's Eleanor in an original story set in Martha's Vineyard, with Justin Hillian joining as co-showrunner.

5 outlets · 2L · 3C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: Deadline
Image: The Hollywood Reporter
Image: TVLine
Image: Variety

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The story, neutrally told

Left · 2Apple TV has renewed Imperfect Women for a second season, with Kerry Washington returning as Eleanor to lead it. Left · 3The show was initially positioned as a limited series, and the renewal comes about five months after the first season concluded; Season 1 debuted on Apple TV in March. Mixed · 2Season 1 was based on Araminta Hall's novel and starred Washington, Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara; there is no second book, so Season 2 is an original story from creator Annie Weisman and Justin Hillian.

Left · 2Weisman, who was Season 1's writer and showrunner, will co-showrun with Hillian, whose credits include The Chi, Snowfall and I'm Dying Up Here. Mixed · 2The official logline says Eleanor returns to her hometown roots in the affluent Black enclave of Martha's Vineyard, where secrets and scandals threaten to upend everything she thought she knew about her past; Deadline notes the setting changes from Los Angeles, where Season 1 was set. Left · 2Moss will not return on screen but remains an executive producer through Love & Squalor Pictures, which optioned the book; Washington executive produces through Simpson Street with Pilar Savone, and 20th Television and Apple Studios produce.

Centre · 1Deadline reports there are no plans for now for Moss's Mary or Joel Kinnaman's Robert to appear, that cast deals are still being worked out, and that Leslie Odom Jr. and Sheryl Lee Ralph, who play Eleanor's brother and mother, are expected to return; the season picks up from Eleanor's flash-forward in the finale. Left · 2Washington said in a statement she was excited to "step back into Eleanor's shoes", and Apple TV head of programming Matt Cherniss called the new story an "exciting and natural next chapter".

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left2 outlets

Framing
Variety and The Hollywood Reporter present a straightforward trade renewal report, leading with Washington's return and Hillian's arrival as co-showrunner.
Emphasis
Production credits, executive producers, Hillian's résumé and the official logline and quotes.
Leaves out or plays down
Neither mentions the casting status of Odom Jr., Ralph, Mary or Robert, or the move from Los Angeles.
Charged language
“no longer limited series”
For example
“Add another show to the ranks of no longer limited series: Apple TV‘s Imperfect Women.” — The Hollywood Reporter
“Justin Hillian will join the series as co-showrunner going into the second season” — Variety

Centre3 outlets

Framing
Deadline treats it as part of a trend of limited series becoming ongoing ones, with a spinoff approach; Collider frames it as Apple's answer to Big Little Lies making a major change.
Emphasis
Deadline: cast status, finale setup and Los Angeles-to-Martha's Vineyard change. Collider: Apple's book-adaptation successes and the shift beyond the novel.
Leaves out or plays down
Collider omits Hillian's credits and executive producer details.
Charged language
“Big Little Lies' Replacement”“Major Change”
For example
“The trend of streaming limited series becoming ongoing ones continues with Apple TV ordering a second season of thriller Imperfect Women.” — Deadline
“Apple TV officially renews Big Little Lies replacement, Imperfect Women, with Kerry Washington’s Eleanor leading a new chapter.” — Collider

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.