The first season of Our Kind of People received all kinds of hype from Fox before its premiere back in September (and a slap getting cut from the first episode didn’t hurt the buzz), and even drew Yaya DaCosta over from Chicago Med and Morris Chestnut from The Resident for major roles. That said, the show didn’t achieve stellar ratings, and there was no guarantee that a second season would be on the way. Now, with the Season 1 finale on January 25, it’s time to look at the latest on whether or not Our Kind of People will return.
Ahead of the Season 1 finale, showrunner and executive producer Karin Gist weighed in on a potential Season 2, telling TV Insider:
This finale wraps up the first season by tying up what we’ve been waiting to learn for the last twelve episodes, but in the final half of the episode, every single character gets set up for what is sure to be an EXPLOSIVE second season. If you thought the drama was big in Season 1, the drama set up for a possible Season 2 will leave you breathless.
A finale that sets up an “explosive” Season 2 that will leave fans “breathless” with anticipation? Yes please! Considering the sheer number of characters on Our Kind of People, every single one getting set up for even more drama if the show comes back is a pretty impressive feat. Still, as of the airdate for the Season 1 finale, the show has not been renewed for Season 2, and there are a lot of variables to consider when speculating about the future.
Back in November, Fox released its midseason schedule that confirmed Our Kind of People would not be back with more episodes beyond the initial order for twelve. A freshman series not receiving a back order for more episodes in the second half of a TV season can be a bad sign for its future, but Deadline reported in the fall that Our Kind of People Season 1 had been designed to end after a shorter run, with Fox expected to make the decision about Season 2 in the spring.
Plus, Lee Daniels came on board as an executive producer. After his success on Fox with Empire, the network has plenty of evidence that he knows how to make a primetime hit with the potential to run for many seasons. In fact, Our Kind of People explores complicated family dynamics in some very dramatic ways that recall what Empire delivered over six seasons (and a possible Cookie-centric spinoff), despite having to wrap on an episode not planned as the finale.
That said, the show is not the biggest winner in the ratings, and it doesn’t have the strongest numbers heading into the finale. According to STVPlus, Our Kind of People is currently averaging a rating of 0.3 and audience of 1.35 million in the key 18-49 age demographic. While those aren’t the worst numbers in primetime, they don’t make it a sure thing that Fox will give the order for Season 2.
So, for now, fans can take heart that showrunner Karin Gist has big plans for Season 2, and the lack of an order for episodes beyond the first twelve isn’t a sign that Fox has no faith in the series. And fans can hope that Fox makes the decision sooner rather than later! If you’re now in the market for some new shows to watch, be sure to check out our 2022 TV schedule.
