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The groundbreaking Netflix comedy series Special which focused on the life of a gay man with cerebral palsy is coming back for its second and final season. Ryan O'Connell, the star and creator of the show, says "After two seasons, Special is sadly coming to an end."
"Thank you to the fans and Netflix for allowing me to make exactly the show I wanted to make and for giving me 30-minute episodes to finish the story." Ryan continues, "Creating this show has been the highlight of my g-damn life."
The final season of Special is expanding to a full half-hour comedy, a departure from its original short-form. According to Netflix, this will allow the show to dive deeper into all the fan-favorite characters.
Ryan's story is relatable to all LGBTQ persons and beyond, as he shares his own struggles with being a disabled gay man. Netflix supplied a synopsis of Season 2, but if you haven't watched the first season, I highly recommend you do (or else this synopsis might spoil a thing or two!):
It's been two months and Ryan still hasn't spoken to Karen since their fight and he has a gnarly case of writer's block that's getting him in hot water with Olivia. Enter Tanner, a fun, flirty dance instructor who charms Ryan despite not being totally available. When his writer's block eventually lifts, he's inspired to write a longform piece about disability. From there, he begins a journey of self-discovery that creates unexpected complications in his relationship with Tanner. Meanwhile, Kim lets her guard down when she meets Harrison, a sensitive tech mogul with a humble background - but her insecurities and jealous tendencies continue to hamper her personal life and threaten to push Harrison away. With her spiraling credit card debt driving Kim even further towards rock bottom, she makes a hard choice to regain control of her finances and personal life. Since taking care of Ryan was her life's purpose until their fight, Karen realizes that she needs to take an active approach to create a fulfilling life for herself - beyond just taking care of her ailing mother. Will she be content with continuing to clean up everyone else's messes, or will Karen be able to lean into her newfound independence and create a life that centers around her own desires for once? This season is about our primary characters—Ryan, Karen and Kim—coming into their power and realizing they all deserve big gorgeous lives—whether society agrees or not, bitch!
The final season episodes drop on Netflix May 20, 2021.