Netflix hands out unexpected renewal to struggling new series

Since the new year kicked off a few months ago, Netflix has been steadily announcing renewals for its original series. Emily in Paris, The Lincoln Lawyer, The Night Agent, and many other Netflix shows have already been confirmed to return with new seasons. Some of these renewals have been more expected than others, especially when it comes to viewership.

Similarly to Netflix renewing A Man on the Inside for season 3 after a decline in ratings, Netflix has handed out another surprise renewal that most people probably didn't have on their bingo card. Following its January premiere on Netflix, comedian Bert Kreischer's scripted comedy series Free Bert has scored a renewal for season 2.

Netflix renews Free Bert for season 2

The streamer announced the comedy series' renewal on Monday, March 16, about two months after the show first made its premiere on Jan. 22, 2026. In the renewal announcement, Netflix notes that Free Bert made its debut in the Global Top 10 after premiering, but compared to other Netflix original series, the new show wasn't really keeping up with the rest.

According to What's on Netflix, Free Bert gained 6.9 million views in its first two weeks of release on Netflix. For those who might not understand the context behind Netflix's viewership data, that's not a particularly impressive stat. It's far behind the two-week debuts of The Four Seasons and Running Point, which each climbed into the 20 million views range.

While Kreischer's comedy has become increasingly popular, thanks in part to his collection of Netflix comedy specials, Free Bert admittedly doesn't have the same star power as the aforementioned comedies. There's a certain level of leeway to be made for the show in that regard. Additionally, as a 30-minute comedy with only six episodes, it's relatively inexpensive to produce.

Netflix hasn't shared many details about Free Bert season 2, including when to expect the new season to arrive or if the episode count will increase. But the streamer notes that the second season will once again film in Atlanta, Georgia like a number of its original series. Production taking place outside of Los Angeles also helps to cut costs and make the show affordable.

In the series, Kreischer stars as a fictionalized version of himself. Much like his real-life persona, Free Bert's version of Bert keeps him shirtless and unpredictable, two things that aren't helpful when his daughters begin attending an elite private school in Beverly Hills. When his personality becomes a distraction, he makes his best attempt at fitting in. Arden Myrin, Ava Ryan, and Lilou Lang also star.

Stay tuned for more news and updates about the forthcoming second season!