Kate Winslet Says They Have ‘Very Cool Ideas’ About Where Mare Of Easttown Season 2 Could Go

Kate Winslet in Mare of Easttown

Could HBO and Kate Winslet be gearing up to give us more of Mare? It has been the question on the lips of dedicated audience members since the finale of the first (and only?) season of Mare of Easttown aired on the cable network. Not that Mare ended on some massive cliffhanger that needs to be resolved. But there absolutely are more than enough dangling plot threads established by show creator Brad Ingelsby that prove a follow up season could easily be in the cards. Only, the strain of putting the limited series together suggested that the creators behind the show might hesitate to dive back in, despite what Winslet is saying in interviews now.

Kate Wisnlet is doing press for Mare of Easttown ahead of the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, which will air on CBS on September 19. And near the end of a recent conversation, the Oscar winner got the question about a potential season two, and Winslet dangled a thread of hope in front of fans who might have given up on the possibility of more Mare of Easttown. Winslet told EW:

At the end of shooting we were like, ‘Holy hell we can never do that again. If HBO brings up the idea of a Season 2, we all just have to say absolutely not. There’s just no way we could possibly do it.’ And then there was talk, like, ‘Could there be?’ Especially when the show was getting such good responses… Creatively, Brad has shared some very cool ideas. We will see what happens. I also have to figure out if I can do it. Can I go through it again? It did cost me a lot emotionally to be her, and I have to figure out if I can summon it all up again and do it again.

The impediment should be story. The first season of Mare of Easttown juggled numerous compelling narratives that extended way beyond the central murder of teenage mom Erin McMenamin (man, I miss hearing that name in Mare’s signature Pennsylvania accent). And that’s a combination of the excellent writing, but also the powerful performances delivered by Winslet, Julianne Nicholson, Angourie Rice, Jean Smart and many others. Mare of Easttown was so strong for an entire season, you almost fear what might happen if they force its continuation. Those who tried the follow-up seasons of the brilliant first season of True Detective know that some shows, no matter how good they are, should just be left alone.

But any series that captures 16 Emmy nominations, the way Mare of Easttown did, is going to at least have conversations about extending the story. So now we wait and see. Here’s Kate Winslet’s full conversation with EW heading into the Emmy season.

And while we don’t have new episodes of Mare of Easttown to look forward to (just yet), there are so many new and beloved television shows that are preparing to return for anticipated seasons. We’ve compiled the latest information on when your favorite programs are coming back this fall, so scan this list and start making your plans.

Sean O'Connell
Managing Editor

Sean O’Connell is a journalist and CinemaBlend’s Managing Editor. Having been with the site since 2011, Sean interviewed myriad directors, actors and producers, and created ReelBlend, which he proudly cohosts with Jake Hamilton and Kevin McCarthy. And he's the author of RELEASE THE SNYDER CUT, the Spider-Man history book WITH GREAT POWER, and an upcoming book about Bruce Willis.