Netflix’s “Special” looks poised to go out on a high note, with new characters, an extended run time and a messy love triangle.
The second and final season of the comedy series, due out next month, once again follows Ryan (played by writer-creator Ryan O’Connell), a 20-something gay man with cerebral palsy in Los Angeles. After the events of Season 1, the character is navigating a challenging time at work and is estranged from his overprotective mother (Jessica Hecht).
Things start looking up when Ryan meets a handsome dance instructor (Max Jenkins of “Dead to Me”), who lays on the charm despite being in a relationship with someone else. Meanwhile, his gal pal Kim (Punam Patel) is facing some life changes of her own.
Viewers can also look forward to an exciting slate of guest appearances by “Russian Doll” actor Charlie Barnett, Lauren Weedman of “Looking” and even Leslie Jordan. To expand on these storylines, each episode of “Special” will now be 30 minutes, instead of the original 15-minute run time.
Watch the Season 2 trailer of “Special” below.
A screenwriter whose credits include NBC’s “Will & Grace” revival, O’Connell based “Special” on his personal experiences navigating his real-life sexuality and disability — many of which he recounted in the 2015 memoir “I’m Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves.”
Speaking to HuffPost in 2019, he said his decision to adapt his autobiography for the screen was borne out of the historic lack of disability representation in mainstream entertainment. “People are so uncomfortable around disabilities, and they’re so scared of offending or treating someone the wrong way, they choose to ignore us,” he explained. “We’re strong, independent, emotionally complex people with our own wants and desires.”
Much of the buzz surrounding the first season of “Special” focused on the show’s third episode, which featured a startlingly frank depiction of gay sex. The scene, O’Connell said, was a response to his frustration with movies like “Call Me by Your Name,” which depict queer relationships as mostly chaste.
“I was just like, ‘Can we really just talk about anal sex, the positions?’ Because no one ever has,” he said at the time. “I was beyond frustrated. So I was like, ‘Fuck, I’ll do it,’ and then we can start a conversation. Better late than never, you know?”
Season 2 of “Special” debuts on Netflix May 20.
