As season 2 of Apple TV+’s smash half-hour dramedy Physical concluded just a week ago, the streaming service has now announced that the show will return for a third season. The series follows Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne), a housewife and fitness expert in 1980s San Diego, as she strives against the odds to achieve success in both her professional and personal lives. The second season concluded on the streaming service on August 5 with a cliffhanger, as Sheila was left with a new problem after debuting her first fitness video. The renewal means viewers will get to watch how Sheila handles these new challenges as she strives for professional advancement.
Season 2 debuted to rave reviews, scoring a perfect score of 100 on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes. The show’s original premise has been commended for its willingness to tackle difficult topics like anorexia and the representation of the body in media. The cast as a whole, led by Byrne, has also been praised. Annie Weisman, the show’s creator and showrunner, expressed her excitement at the renewal, saying, “I am happy for the opportunity to continue telling Sheila’s narrative in creative partnership with Rose Byrne and the rest of our wonderful actors, writers, and crew.”
Weisman said of Byrne’s performance, “Rose’s magnificent, humorous, and fearless performance is the north star on our show’s voyage of personal empowerment and development in all its synth-pop, sun-baked, spandex-clad beauty in Southern California in the 1980s.” Weisman noted the show’s popularity and thanked AppleTV+ for giving him the chance to continue presenting a narrative that has touched so many people.
I’m so thankful to our team at Apple and Tomorrow Studios for making this goal a reality, and the reaction we’ve heard from audiences who continue to find and feel seen by Physical is the most truly satisfying experience of my career,” Weisman said. Veteran stand-up comic Rory Scovel plays Byrne’s husband, Danny Rubin, in the episode. Della Saba, Lou Taylor Pucci, Dierdre Friel, and Geoffrey Arend round out the ensemble cast, which also includes Paul Sparks (Boardwalk Empire) (Madam Secretary).
In Season 2, several new characters were introduced, including the phenomenal Murray Bartlett as an aerobics teacher named Vinnie Green. Bartlett’s part in the HBO satirical series The White Lotus earned him nominations for both the Emmy and the Critics’ Choice Awards. A few more are Anna Gunn, Tawny Newsome, and Donny Divanian. Along with Tomorrow Studios’ Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements and Craig Gillespie, Byrne serves as an executive producer on Physical. The play has primarily been directed by Stephanie Laing, with guest appearances by Craig Gillespie, Liza Johnson, and Dan Lazarovits.
At this time, Physical seasons 1 and 2 may be seen in their entirety on Apple TV Plus.