Camping season 2 renewal odds: Could it happen over on HBO?
Let’s kick things off here with something that is rather important to remember: This was never meant to be anything other than a limited series. It was conceived as such, which makes sense given that this show was based on a British series that only did one season. By and large, British comedies are far more restrained than anything in America — they come, deliver a batch of episodes, and then depart. Having only one season is never exactly seen as a failure.
As for whether or not the ratings for Camping necessarily dictate a season 2 in their own right, that’s an issue that is a little bit more up for debate. The first season generated on average a little over 340,000 live viewers weekly, which is on the lower end for a new premium-cable comedy series, especially one that is airing on a network like HBO that has such an enormous audience all over America. The big thing to remember here is that a show like Camping is more than likely getting the bulk of its viewership from other venues beyond just those who are watching live. Think more in terms of viewers who are watching via DVR, via the internet, or via some of HBO’s multiple apps. If the viewership is there through some other mediums, there is certainly a chance the show could come back.
Beyond all of this, we do think that there’s another appeal in doing a season 2 in that you could bring some new famous people on board. The limited-series may have been, after all, one of the reasons why Camping was able to get Jennifer Garner on board in the first place.
In speaking a little bit more about the future of the series to Collider, here is some of what executive producer Jenni Konner had to say on the subject:
“We’ve talked about it. I’m not gonna say no to that … We had a pretty good time making it, but it was intended to be limited. Part of the reason you do a limited series is that the original was limited. Also, after doing a series for so long (with Girls), it feels like you can’t do that again. But also, it’s a great way to attract movie stars.”
One thing that is good about the limited-series format of Camping is that you can basically have all of the time in the world in order to figure out whether or not you want to come back and do more down the line. There is absolutely no reason to rush anything along on the series’ future and we think that, when the dust settles, that is absolutely a good thing. Give HBO and the creative team time to think through their options.
Do you want to see a Camping season 2 happen on HBO down the line? Be sure to share right now in the attached comments. (Photo: HBO.)