The first season of Netflix’s nonfiction hit “Making a Murderer” introduced audiences to Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man convicted of the sexual assault and attempted murder of Teresa Halbach over 30 years ago. After serving 18 years in prison, DNA evidence led to Avery’s exoneration. However, Avery found himself back in prison for Halbach’s murder two years following his release, this time alongside his nephew, Brendan Dassey.
Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos’ 10-part series follows the case and those involved over the course of a decade. Now, Netflix has finally set a release date for its highly-anticipated second season, which is also directed, written, and exec produced by the female duo. Per Variety, Season 2 will debut on Netflix October 19.
In the second installment, Ricciardi and Demos focus on the post-conviction teams working on Avery and Dassey’s behalf. Interviewees include Kathleen Zellner, who represents Avery, and Laura Nirider and Steven Drizin, who are with Northwestern University’s Center on Wrongful Convictions of Youth.
“Building on Part 1, which documented the experience of the accused, in Part 2, we have chronicled the experience of the convicted and imprisoned, two men each serving life sentences for crimes they maintain they did not commit,” said Ricciardi and Demos. “We are thrilled to be able to share this new phase of the journey with viewers.”
“Making a Murderer” first premiered at 2015’s DOC NYC festival. At the time, Ricciardi and Demos shared with us that the biggest challenge in making the series was the commitment to its narrative structure. “When we started making the series in 2005, the distribution world was very different,” they said. “Netflix was not yet doing originals, and there weren’t many potential homes for a narrative documentary series.”
Season 1 received extensive accolades, including four Primetime Emmys and an Outstanding Nonfiction Feature award from the Cinema Eye Honors.
Check out the teaser for Season 2 below: