'Mare of Easttown' Creator Weighs in on a Potential Season 2

HBO's latest limited series, Mare of Easttown, wrapped up its first season on Sunday night, and the finale had many fans wondering whether there might eventually be a Season 2. Show creator Brad Ingelsby was asked that very question by Entertainment Tonight, and he explained that while he had initially conceived the show as one season only, there is a possibility of a return to Easttown.

"I had planned it as one [season]. I don't know if I was able to crack a version that I could make great," Ingelsby said. "I would only want to go back to Mare of Easttown if I had a story I felt would be great and that we could give audiences what they want. So, I don't have anything. Now, if I did get struck by lightning or something and I get this great idea, then I would definitely give it a shot. Because listen, I love Mare. I love her, and I love the people in this town so much that if I felt I could give them a great season or a great second story, then I would absolutely go for it. Who knows if that will happen though."

Mare of Easttown premiered in April and instantly became a success thanks to its central mystery and Kate Winslet's eastern Pennsylvania accent. Winslet starred as the titular character, a detective who was investigating the death of Erin McMenamin. During the finale — spoilers ahead — Erin's killer was revealed to be Ryan (Cameron Mann), John Ross (Joe Tippet) and Lori's (Julianne Nicholson) son, who killed Erin after discovering her affair with his father. Ryan was arrested, and Ingelsby shared that Mare's commitment to seeking justice for Erin meant that she was always going to arrest her killer.

"There's a characteristic of Mare that I love, which is that, I feel like the people in the community always know they can lean on her," he said. "And that's what I wanted to achieve at the end of the show with Lori was her being like, 'I'm here, like I'm going to be here. And that's who I am as a friend.' I felt like if she just let it go, it was a betrayal to her job and also to Erin as a character, and so that's why we had to arrest Ryan."

Along with solving the season's mystery, the finale also sees Mare continue her own personal journey of healing, which Ingelsby called "absolutely critical." "I wanted the audience to feel hopeful that when the credits are rolling, they can leave going, 'You know what? I think Mare and Easttown, I think they're going to be OK. It's not going to be easy, it's hard earned, but I think they're going to be OK,'" he said. "I really wanted the audience to walk away with that sensation and not be like, 'What a downer.' I want them to feel like everyone's going to be OK now."