Survival of the Thickest star Michelle Buteau is promising a “bigger and blacker and better” season two as filming commences amid a mixture of emotions for the co-creator and co-executive producer for the show, whose work on season one alongside her cast and crew was locked out of this year’s Emmys nominations due to a “glitch” in the submission process.
Co-created and co-executive produced by Danielle Sanchez-Witzel (The Carmichael Show, New Girl) and based on Buteau’s 2020 book of the same name, the A24-produced scripted comedy debuted on the eve of last year’s historic SAG-AFTRA strike and in February was revealed by its star to be returning for season two.
Now, the comedian, TV host, and author is back on set as the next chapter of Survival of the Thickest begins. It’s an arc where everyone is “taking chances” and “putting themselves out there,” Buteau promises, in “a very sexy season” featuring guest stars like Anderson .Paak and Tika Sumpter, and helmed by an all-female slate of directors. That includes series star Tasha Smith, a “force” and “vision” as Buteau describes, who’s been promoted from recurring to regular in addition to helming two episodes for her directorial debut.
“I always dreamed of working on a show that was a Black show, that was a queer show, where all the directors were female,” says Buteau of her series. “Women are amazing — period, point blank, end of discussion — and it’s so important to give people opportunities that they deserve and are very hard for them to get.”
“We pride ourselves on doing best-in-class comedy with best-in-class talent,” Tracey Pakosta, Netflix vp of comedy series, told THR about the decision to continue working with Buteau on the comedy. “One of the many things that we love about this show is that it is truly Michelle’s authentic voice, front and center. Clearly Netflix members loved it, so we were super excited to pick it up for season two.”
The return to filming is a celebratory moment for the actress, her creative collaborators, the show’s cast and production crew, who Buteau says put “their heart and soul” into making the series. But it’s also an emotionally difficult one ahead of this year’s Emmys nominations announcement, as the Survival of the Thickest EP tells THR that the chance for their season one work to be recognized will not happen after an issue in Netflix’s submission process led to the show not being put forward for consideration.
“I’m so proud of myself, the cast, the crew, and I’m gutted that nobody will receive the proper shine they should,” Buteau tells THR, pointing to the many “dope” women leading her series, including DP, directors, props department, and more who would have been put in front of Emmys voters. “It’s not even about winning the Emmy. It’s about everybody recognizing how hard we’ve worked and how special this community is that we managed to put together in this crazy industry in a very inopportune time.”
Netflix confirmed the error to THR, which it described as a clerical mistake that once evident prompted the streamer to go back to the TV Academy in an attempt to rectify the situation. In a statement, a spokesperson for the TV Academy told THR “the entry deadline is approved by the Television Academy Board and posted by January of the competition year. Unfortunately, no late submissions are accepted after the posted entry deadline.”
Generally an intensive process, there is no single way that submissions are collected across the industry, but the responsibility typically lies with the platform or studio. At Netflix, the majority of the lift is handled by an in-house awards team who work with creators on the submissions.
For Buteau personally, it follows on the heels of a painstaking submission process ahead of two strikes for last fall’s awards season, as well as complications around her book release, which — similarly to the show’s launch amid 2023’s historic work stoppages — had its promotion disrupted by COVID.
For those reasons and more, the actress says she’s still working through her feelings around what happened knowing that even nominations can be life changing, especially for women of color. “I’m not in this business to feel relaxed. I know it’s crazy, but it’s about being recognized and respected,” she says. “People on the show, we are all minorities, and we all have felt forgotten. Don’t forget us. We matter.”
Pakosta says Netflix remains “absolutely” invested in stories, talent and communities — women, people of color, LGBTQ — like those Buteau’s show centers. “We believe in this series, we absolutely believe in Michelle,” she says. “Reflecting the world and relationships that we all have makes the shows more exciting, more interesting, funnier, and real.”
While there will be no Emmys recognition for season one, Buteau remains appreciative of her journey and evolution with the very personal project. “It’s the fact that [the book] was optioned to series, and that people are a fan of it, and that I did what I wanted to do, and I made it as Black and brown and fat and queer as I possibly could,” she says. “I learned how to advocate for myself with this series and other people in this crazy business. Because you always have to advocate for yourself, no matter what.”
Pakosta adds that beyond awards, what’s important for Netflix is the success of the series with their audience and the dialogue it fuels. “That conversation around [what’s] being told on the show — somebody like Michelle, exploring these relationships, and these really relatable stories — I think that’s so important and impactful as a series. That conversation matters.”
Those conversations will continue on as the cast and crew continue filming the upcoming second season. That includes returning stars Tone Bell (Trigger Warning, Coyote vs. Acme), Liza Treyger, Peppermint (Harlem), and Marouane Zotti (I May Destroy You, Bodkin), along with season two directors Kim Nguyen (Prom Dates, Never Have I Ever), Thembi Banks (Young. Wild. Free. and Insecure.), and Amy Aniobi (Insecure, 2 Dope Queens). Aniobi will also serve as co-showrunner and EP alongside Sanchez-Witzel.
Additional guest stars this season include Jonathan Chad Higginbotham, Deon Cole, Alecsys Proctor-Turner, Jerrie Johnson, Celisse, Rolonda Watts, Michael Rishawn, Monét x Change and RonReaco Lee.
“We’re doing it for the culture. We’re doing it for each other. We’re saving lives, and we’re living our dreams and paying taxes on this shit,” says Buteau of the “hilarious, deep and thoughtful” work of the show’s season two team. “There’s no better feeling than that. We’re still doing what we want to do at the end of the day. Period.”
