Step Right Up!is back! Well, almost. Fansof Hulu’sRebootwill need to wait for a second season to see if the troubled revival finally makes it to air. While there has not been any confirmation of a second season, the first season finale certainly left numerous unresolved cliffhangers.
The first season centered on the cast of the early2000s sitcomStep Right Up!(Keegan-Michael Key, Johnny Knoxville, Judy Greer, Calum Worthy) as they attempt to revive their show for a new audience. Of course, after going their separate ways 15 years ago, coming back together isn’t easy. We see the cast work through their personal issues while trying to find a way to update their two-decade-old sitcom for the current times.
While it seemed like everything was going smoothly, the season finale dropped bombshells that could permanently change the show going forward. The finale hit almost all the conventional sitcom cliffhangers. We had characters confess their love for each other, move to a new home to rebuild their lives, leave a job for new opportunities, etc. Again, we don’t know ifRebootwill begetting a second season, though it has its work cut out for it resolving these cliffhangers.
Hannah, the Solo Showrunner
In theRebootfinale, Hulu welcomed the new president, Tyler Griffin (Peter Gallagher). Gordon (Paul Reiser) hates Griffin, as his consistent schedule shuffling led to the demise of the originalStep Right Up. After taking over Hulu, Griffin wasted no time exacting revenge by casting Timberly (Alyah Chanelle Scott) in a new series, forcing the team to write her offStep Right Up.Fearing that Griffin will kill the revival, Gordon agrees to leave the show in return for Griffin staying out of production. This leaves Hannah (Rachel Bloom) as the sole showrunner moving forward.
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At the beginning of production, Hannah was extremely reluctant to work with her estranged father, as he walked out on her when she was young, and his ideas for the revival didn’t match how she wanted to update the series. However, we saw the two of them grow closer throughout production, even enjoying working together. Hannah saw Gordon as a mentor; he could help guide her in the industry, even if their views didn’t always match. By the time of the finale, the two are happily co-showrunning, with each coming to appreciate the other’s style of humor. Gordon’s exit presents Hannah with what she wanted from the beginning, runningStep Right Up!on her own. Her goals changed, however, and she does not seem ready to work in the business without her father there to help.
Since it doesn’t seem likely that Gordon will return, at least not immediately, Hannah will likely run the show on her own in the near future. This could present an opportunity for her to use what Gordon taught her going forward, even though he is not physically there. We will likely see Hannah grow more confident in her own abilities. Gordon might still be around occasionally to offer tidbits of advice, but the second season will likely devote itself to Hannah and her personal growth and confidence as ashowrunner in the industry.
Forbidden Love
Ah, the unrequited love for a longtime friend. It’s one of the oldest tricks in the sitcom playbook. By the finale, it’s obvious to everyone that Bree is still in love with Reed, never truly moving on after their breakup when the original series ended. While Bree is stuck in the past, Reed has moved on with new girlfriend Nora (Eliza Coupe), who has been suspicious of the two co-stars' relationship all season. That suspicion is only heightened with Bree pretends to be in a relationship with Reed after learning her ex-husband has moved on.
Reed counters this by proposing to Nora to quell any concern she has about Bree. Though that seems to have worked, for now, Reed and Bree will still have to see each other almost every day on set, likely contributing to an awkward atmosphere between the two. Bree wants to rekindle her flame with Reed, while he wants to move on with Nora and put the past behind him.
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At the same time, Zack was shot down by executive Elaine Kim (Krista Marie Yu) for fear that dating an actor from a show she supervises would jeopardize her career. Though in this case, Elaine does, in fact, reciprocate Zack’s feelings. These two clearly want to be together, and the show wants them to be, as evidenced by their “coincidental” run-in in a movie theater in the final episode.
While Reed and Bree seem to be growing further apart, Zack and Elaine will likely grow closer. Exploring how forbidden love changes all four of these characters could be a great way to further their development in the new season.
Clay Moves Forward
Not to be left out, Clay also experiences some personal growth of his own in the finale. He regretfully buys a house as partof his addiction recovery, as there are too many tempting influences in his apartment building. Despite some warnings from Zack about the state of their careers after Griffin takes over, Clay follows through with buying the house and immediately regrets his new suburban lifestyle. Clay’s desire to stay sober contrasts with missing his days of partying, while the stability from owning a home is the final nail in the coffin of his wilder days. A gift of alcohol from the Hulu executives only furthers Clay’s uncertainty, and it’s unclear by the finale if he’ll return to his addictive ways.
The second season could explore the internal struggle within Clay, matching his genuine desire to stay clean with nostalgia for his past. In the early episodes, his repeated arrests were a source of comedy. However, by the end, we see that he genuinely is struggling. That makes us want him to succeed, and hopefully, he can stay on that path to recovery in a second season.
