The Last Thing He Told Me is the latest book-turned-limited series to extend the story beyond its original source material. On March 25, 2024, Apple TV+ announced that the thriller was renewed for Season 2, and there’s more good news—author Laura Dave is writing a sequel to the novel, too!
The first season of The Last Thing He Told Me premiered on Apple TV+ on April 14, 2023. It is based on Dave’s 2021 novel of the same name, a best-seller about Hannah Hall (Jennifer Garner), who is forced to step up to parent her 16-year-old stepdaughter Bailey (Angourie Rice of Mean Girls, The Musical) after her husband Owen (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) disappears without a trace. Hannah must unravel the mystery of his disappearance while following his last directive, a note that simply reads, “PROTECT HER.”
How did Season 1 end?
**Spoilers below**
In the seventh and final episode of Season 1, “Sanctuary,” Hannah agrees to allow Bailey to reconnect with her grandfather Nicholas (David Morse) in exchange for their protection from the mafia. Bailey realizes she may never see her father, who is on the run, ever again, so she finally opens up to Hannah.
In the end, they go back to their normal lives and five years later, Bailey is even calling Hannah “mom.” Hannah has one last brief encounter with Owen in a coffee shop, and he whispers that he still loves her. That’s literally “the last thing [he] told [her].”
What will Season 2 be about?
Laura Dave has announced that a follow-up novel to The Last Thing He Told Me will be published in 2025. This novel will provide the source material for Season 2, but we have no clue how Dave plans to continue Hannah and Owen’s story just yet.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Apple TV+ head of programming Matt Cherniss said simply, “Season 2 will take viewers on an even more exhilarating ride with more mysteries, twists and turns around every corner, and we can’t wait to explore the next chapter for these captivating characters.”
Who’s running the show?
Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine teamed with 20th Television to produce the Apple TV+ series. Academy Award-winning producer Josh Singer (Spotlight, The Post), who also happens to be married to author Laura Dave, is the showrunner who created the series alongside his wife.
All of the original cast members will return for the next season. As an aside, the role of Hannah originally went to Julia Roberts. After Roberts had a scheduling conflict, Garner petitioned the producers to get the lead role. She eventually joined as both the star and executive producer.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Garner explained, “I really connected to the book. I just loved this woman. […] I didn’t see myself as someone who would be considered for the role, and so sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands. There are lots of people raising their hands on our behalf. Our agents are saying, ‘Think of this person.’ But I needed to say, ‘I’m inextricably connected to this character and I need to do this.'”
As for returning for a second season, Garner seems overjoyed. Variety shared a statement in which she praised everyone involved in the production and enthused, “I’m thrilled to get to tell more of Hannah’s story—I couldn’t have said yes more quickly to Season 2!”
When and where can we watch?
There is no official release date for the second season of The Last Thing He Told Me, but we’re hoping for a late 2025 premiere. This series will be available on Apple TV+, where you can also catch up on all seven episodes in the first season. We can’t wait to see where this story goes from here!
(featured image: Apple TV+)
