Nathan Fielder's Bizarre HBO Comedy The Rehearsal Renewed For Season 2

Ahead of The Rehearsal's Season 1 finale this evening, HBO has renewed Nathan Fielder's vexing and also definitely cringe-funny docu-comedy.

The show was originally announced and billed in 2021 as a forthcoming show about Fielder (Nathan For You) "giving people the opportunity to rehearse for their own lives," and has instead slowly revealed itself to be a disturbing and vexing The Truman Show for the 21st century. The Rehearsal's pilot demonstrated the lengths Fielder would go to in seemingly helping Americans prepare for difficult conversations using sets and actors to recreate real situations. But after that first episode, the show has instead apparently become an expansive form of therapy for Fielder, or his onscreen persona.

Here's the synopsis: "The Rehearsal explores the lengths one man will go to reduce the uncertainties of everyday life. With a construction crew, a legion of actors, and seemingly unlimited resources, Fielder allows ordinary people to prepare for life's biggest moments by 'rehearsing' them in carefully crafted simulations of his own design. When a single misstep could shatter your entire world, why leave life to chance?"

Since the finale was billed as shutting down the show, the announcement of Season 2 is somewhat of a surprise--for viewers, and HBO alike. "Nathan has sparked such a lively conversation with The Rehearsal," Amy Gravitt, executive vice president of HBO programming said in a release. "We have no idea where Season 2 will take us, and that is the delight of this boundary pushing show from a truly singular talent."

Fielder stars, directs, writes and executive produces The Rehearsal. Clark Reinking executive produced the first episode, with Dave Paige executive producing episodes two through six. Christie Smith and Dan McManus executive produce for Rise Management.