‘Our lead actor doesn’t know he’s in a television show!’ The return of an unbelievable TV hoax
Why it matters: This show redefines reality TV, proving genuine human kindness can emerge from elaborate deception.
- Jury Duty became a word-of-mouth hit in 2023 for its unprecedented hoax, successfully convincing Ronald Gladden he was in a real documentary, earning a Peabody award for its warmth and humor.
- Director Jake Szymanski and executive producer David Bernad initially doubted a second season was possible due to the immense risk and difficulty of restaging the hoax, but ultimately succeeded.
- Company Retreat, the second season, features 25-year-old Anthony Norman as a temp worker believing he's in a documentary about a hot sauce company, facing higher stakes and a more elaborate deception than the first season.
- David Bernad emphasizes that the goal for season two wasn't to 'beat or match' Jury Duty, but to create a unique, self-contained story, describing it as a 'David v Goliath story' with more ambitious storytelling and a larger scale.
The hit Amazon series Jury Duty, which famously tricked Ronald Gladden into believing he was part of a real documentary while surrounded by actors, is returning for a second season titled Company Retreat. Despite initial trepidation from fans and even the creators about replicating the original's success and finding another unwitting star, director Jake Szymanski and executive producer David Bernad confirm they've pulled off an even more ambitious hoax with new lead Anthony Norman.
