Amanda Peet (“The Romanoffs”) and Christian Slater (“Mr. Robot) will star on the second season of “Dirty John,” which is titled “Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story,” USA Network revealed Monday.
The first season of the anthology series aired on Bravo and starred Eric Bana and Connie Britton in a story based on the “Dirty John” true-crime podcast. As previously announced, the show is moving to USA for Season 2 and will follow all-new characters and a new true-crime tale.
According to the cable channel, “this second installment will be based on another epic true tale of love gone wrong — a story that spans the 1960s to the ’80s, through the breakdown of a marriage that Oprah deemed one of ‘America’s messiest divorces’ even before it ended in double homicide.”
Peet will play Betty Broderick, the perfect Southern California blonde wife and mother. Married to her handsome college boyfriend Dan, played by Slater, Betty charms everyone she meets. After years of sacrifice and suffering while supporting Dan through both medical and law school until he exploded into the San Diego legal community as a superstar, Betty is finally enjoying the fruits of their labors. That is, until Dan hires Linda, a bright, beautiful young woman without baggage with whom he can happily forget the struggles of his past. Betty’s attempts to fight back and enraged refusals to accept reality only serve to isolate and destabilize her until she loses her very identity. And Dan’s cold confidence blinds him to the bear he has created, and won’t stop poking … until it’s too late.
“Dirty John” Season 1, which was based on the Los Angeles Times articles and breakout true-crime podcast of the same name, premiered on Bravo in 2018. In May of this year, it was announced the UCP-produced show would move to USA Network for its second season.
“The first season of ‘Dirty John’ was a story of twisted love and coercive control – and both these insidious elements are also present in and integral to the story of Betty Broderick, whom I have wanted to write about since I became a writer,” said series creator Alexandra Cunningham. “I can’t wait to see Amanda and Christian bring it to life.”
Season 2 — which is currently in production in Los Angeles — is written by Cunningham, who executive produces along with Jessica Rhoades (“The Affair,” “Sharp Objects”), Britton, Atlas Entertainment and Los Angeles Times Studios.
The directors of season 2 will be led by Maggie Kiley (“Riverdale”) who will serve as co-executive producer/director on the season and direct four episodes, including the premiere and finale episodes. Additional directors for the season include Kat Candler (“Queen Sugar”), Meera Menon (“The Terror”), Shannon Kohli (“The Magicians”) and Cunningham, who will make her directorial debut.
The series is co-produced with Netflix, which has first-run rights to the series outside of the U.S.
Peet is represented by Gersh, Management 360 and HJTH. Slater is represented by UTA.