Starstruck Season 2 First Look: The Underrated BBC Rom-Com Returns Next Month
The "Starstruck"-shaped hole in your heart will soon be filled because BBC's hit rom-com series is almost back! In lieu of an official premiere date, we got word from series creator and star Rose Matafeo that the romantic absurdity will continue next month when Jessie (Matafeo) and Tom (Nikesh Patel) return to our screens. Matafeo shared the news via Twitter and even threw in an extra special treat, giving us our first look at the show's second season. The sneak peek image is featured below, showing the series leads in all their romantic glory: brushing their teeth and sharing a glance.
"Starstruck" lives somewhere between screwball comedy and emotional dramedy, tracing the story of 20-something Jessie, a New Zealander living in London and juggling two jobs she doesn't particularly like. It's the typical millennial experience, but with a dash of "Notting Hill" — because after a New Years' Eve one-night stand, she discovers that she slept with a famous movie star. The superstar in question is Nikesh Patel's Tom Kapoor, who's struggling with the realities of fame and the expectations of his stardom.
When they first meet, Tom finds Jessie's disdain for his acting career pretty refreshing — though it's mostly because she doesn't recognize him as a movie star. But most importantly, the pair just click, in the way that rom-com leads so naturally do: their chemistry is off the charts, their banter is quick and their interactions are never devoid of awkwardness but oddly, that makes them all the more charming. And so the drunken meet-cute transforms into the beginnings of something more and they seem to be on the course for a successful romance ... until some classic misunderstandings knock them wildly off course and they part ways. From there, the season took us through a solid year, chronicling separate aspects of their personal lives and occasional intersections when they cross paths and maybe even consider pursuing a relationship. If you haven't binged this very watchable six-episode series already, then turn your attention to HBO Max and get it done!
The Rom-Com Lives On!
Spoilers for season 1 of "Starstruck."
Now that's what I'm talking about! Where else will you find this level of passionate fantasy? So far, we don't know too much about the oncoming second season beyond the first look image and some hints front the season 1 finale. Jessie made a grand gesture to close the season, choosing to stay in London and (finally) pursue a relationship with Tom. Her split-second decision (while very sweet) will probably come with a few lasting consequences. That would be true of any situation where someone abandoned a big move for the sake of a budding relationship, but given these two are painfully bad at communicating and manage to stretch their will-they-won't-they drama through an entire season, I'm guessing this will be 10 times more complicated than we can imagine.
Rose Matafeo and Nikesh Patel will of course return to reprise their roles in season 2, hopefully, joined by the hilarious ensemble that made up Jessie's friend group and Tom's superstar life. So far, Minnie Driver is confirmed to reprise her role as Tom's agent, Cath, and the returning stars will be joined by Russell Tovey ("Being Human") in an undisclosed role.