The half-hour series, based on the popular young adult novels by Holly Smale, had made a strong case for renewal by spending four weeks in Netflix’s global top 10 English-language series chart, peaking at #2. Geek Girl also cracked the top 10 in 89 countries and amassed 28.1 million views in its first seven months of release. Its solid performance, combined with a relatively modest budget and positive reviews from critics, should have translated into a quick renewal.
So why the unusually long delay? A change in the show’s production credits may offer a clue. The first season was produced and distributed by Canada’s struggling Corus Entertainment through subsidiaries. It will be followed up for season two by another Canadian company, Boat Rocker, which has acquired the rights to Geek Girl from Corus, including the first season.
The decision comes after Corus has been in dire straits over the past year, cutting staff and other costs, closing businesses, considering bankruptcy and exploring a sale, while its debt topped $1 billion last fall.
Created by Smale and Jessica Ruston based on Smale's bestselling books, Geek Girl tells the story of awkward teenager Harriet Manners (Emily Carey), whose life is turned upside down when she is spotted as a model and embarks on a life-affirming journey of self-discovery as she balances high school and high school.
Despite the suspension of disbelief typical of young adult shows — Harriet is a 5’4” girl who grows up to be a supermodel — the show has been praised for its humor, heart, and depiction of teenage angst. In addition to Carey, the cast also includes Emmanuel Imani, Liam Woodrum, Tim Downie, and Jemima Rooper.
“I am beyond excited that Geek Girl has been recommissioned for a second season by Netflix,” said Zoë Rocha, series showrunner and creative director of RubyRock, which produces Geek Girl with Boat Rocker. “The amazing audience reaction to Season 1 was truly incredible and we can’t wait to bring this next chapter to life. I’m thrilled to be working with Holly and Emily again, and that Boat Rocker has come onboard, to continue to build and expand the fabulous Geek Girl universe. Let’s see what magic Harriet Manners can sprinkle on to the fashion world this time round.”
