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The Chances Of Florida Man Returning For Season 2 Are Slim
The crime dramedy’s first outing was cut short.
It appears the sun has already set on Netflix’s Florida Man. Inspired by the popular memes that highlight perpetrators of absurd-sounding events in the Sunshine State (one recent example: “Florida man arrested after wife hit with flying chicken wings”), the crime dramedy centers on struggling ex-cop and recovering gambling addict Mike Valentine (Edgar Ramírez), whom the streamer teased gets caught up in situations that “would put some of the best ‘Florida man’ memes to shame.” Though the real-life headlines seem to be endless, Netflix has billed Florida Man as a limited series, making a Season 2 return unlikely, though not unprecedented.
Another indication that Florida Man won’t be back for more antics is that Season 1 was cut slightly short. In April 2021, Netflix gave the show an eight-episode series order but only dropped seven total, two years later. Production reportedly began in North Carolina in August and, including unspecified filming delays, lasted about five months. Despite the shortened season, the series still didn’t premiere until more than a year later.
As the Miami New Times pointed out, some Florida residents took issue with Netflix filming the series in North Carolina, too. In August 2021, The State You’re In: Florida Men, Florida Women, and Other Wildlife author Craig Pittman tweeted, “Seldom have I been so OUTRAGED as when I spotted this headline today — Netflix is filming a show called “[Florida] Man” someplace other than [Florida]! I say we retaliate by filming a show about North Carolinians in Panama City!” In an interview with the Miami newspaper, Pittman added, “They missed an incredible opportunity to film and observe Florida Man in his natural habitat.”
Still, series creator and showrunner Donald Todd was actually born and raised in Florida and drew upon some of his own first-hand experiences. “As I grew up, I never stopped thinking about why Florida is Florida,” he explained to Netflix’s Tudum in March. “A ‘Florida man’ is someone who’s proudly independent and doesn’t live by your code, which means he doesn’t live by any code.”
Despite not filming in the Sunshine State, he also deemed it the perfect setting for his character-driven thriller. “[People] laugh at the mug shots and the headlines, but what’s the story behind the meme?” he added. “The brightest sun casts the darkest shadows . . . people can hide in shadows. All of that creates an ethos that’s perfect for a bright and noirish crime story.”
