After more than a year on hiatus, the acclaimed modern-day western Joe Pickett is back with a vengeance. The second season of the drama series is set to premiere its first two episodes on Sunday, June 4 on Paramount+, and, folks, we've got a Longmire-esque murder mystery on our hands.
Based on C.J. Box's bestselling book series, the show follows Joe Pickett (Michael Dorman), a Wyoming game warden who turns lawman to mete out justice in the mountain wilderness (Wind River, much?). Invariably, things take a turn for the worse when the outdoorsman inserts himself in the high-stakes world of homicide. In the newly-released trailer for Season 2, one character can be heard issuing the ominous warning, "No one trusts a lawman in the wild." Who's returning for Season 2, and what exactly is Joe in for this time? We've got all your burning questions covered.
What's the Plot of Season 2?
One-part outlaw drama and one-part murder mystery, Joe Pickett Season 2 will see the titular warden investigate a string of grisly killings — and it sounds like the intrigue will reach dangerously close to home. In the trailer, his wife Marybeth (Julianna Guill) can be heard saying, "[Joe] went looking for a missing hunter and now he's missing, too. Something is happening on that mountain."
According to the show's official synopsis, the Picketts get in over their heads while playing detective: "To solve the case and catch the killer, Joe must navigate a radical anti-hunting activist, a ghoulish set of twins living off the grid and his own tortured past. Joe and Marybeth discover that the murdered men weren't as innocent as they seemed. But when they dig too deep, they are forced to go on the run and fight for their very lives."
Who's in the Cast?
Joe Pickett has lined up a stellar cast of new and returning characters for its second go-round, with notable faves from the western TV world. Native New Zealander Michael Dorman (For All Mankind) stars as the titular warden, with Julianna Guill (The Resident) returning as his steadfast wife Marybeth. Other members of the cast include Grammy-winning Broadway veteran David Alan Grier (The Patient) as the incarcerated big-bad Vern Dunnegan and Virgin River's Chad Rook in the role of Deputy McLanahan, as well as series newcomer Keean Johnson (Waco: The Aftermath) as Luke Brueggeman. See the full cast list below:
- Emmy nominee Sharon Lawrence (Dynasty) as Missy Vankeuren
- Emmy nominee Paul Sparks (Waco, House of Cards) as Wacey Hedeman
- Mustafa Speaks (S.W.A.T.) as Nate Romanowski
- Aadila Dosani (The Good Doctor) as Deputy Cricket Ludlow
- Skywalker Hughes as Sheridan Pickett
- Vivienne Guynn as April Keeley
- Kamryn Pliva as Lucy
When does Joe Pickett Season 2 premiere?
Joe Pickett returns Sunday, June 4 with a supersized two-part premiere. The first two episodes will drop simultaneously on Paramount+, with subsequent installments hitting the streamer every Sunday. If you're playing catch-up, you can binge the entirety of Joe Pickett's record-breaking first season now on Paramount+.
Check out the official trailer for Joe Pickett Season 2:
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