Nathan Fielder just landed a 737, which is perhaps his most daring season finale still. But what about The Rehearsal Season 3? That plane has not taken off. As of Tuesday, May 27th, HBO has not formally extended the docu-comedy show for a third season.
Still, as Fielder’s admirers know by now, silence is part of the act. Even as Fielder’s aviation-themed Season 2 came to a mythical finale, Esquire reported on May 20 that HBO has stayed quiet regarding Season 3.
Faux legislative hearing. A fight for improved pilot communication. And finally, his two-year secret attempt to lawfully co-pilot a 737 jet: this was not a comedy as usual. It was performance art with a budget only HBO would dare approve.
So, what’s next? Let’s break down the chances of The Rehearsal returning. And what stands in the way?
HBO Silent on Season 3, But That’s Typical for The Rehearsal
No, Season 3 renewal doesn’t mean cancellation. In fact, when HBO renewed The Rehearsal for its second season in 2022, it waited two full months after the premiere.
This isn’t your average HBO comedy either. The show’s unscripted vibe, paired with Fielder’s obsessive recreations (from building fake airports to real congressional backdrops), demands time, resources, and secrecy. And it’s expensive!
Every episode of The Rehearsal feels like a mini-blockbuster. As Esquire rightly notes, the cost-versus-viewership equation is likely causing HBO and Warner Bros. execs to sweat it out. Especially when Fielder takes multi-year detours to pull off climactic stunts like flying a jet with a cabin full of actors.
Still, the show is a critical darling. And Fielder’s brand of meta-surrealism continues to entice culture writers and Reddit sleuths alike, many of whom noticed clues weeks before the finale aired that hinted Fielder had undergone real pilot training.
HBO’s Most Valuable Cult Commodity
Season 2 of The Rehearsal reversed the concept of simulation. What begins as a joke or an experiment frequently ends in heartbreak, sadness, or existential dread.
Though it’s humor, it’s not “ha-ha.” It’s scarily true. And Fielder always makes himself the joke, hiding his neurodivergent tendencies via an act of performative assimilation so layered it might just be therapy.
That’s what gives The Rehearsal its staying power. It’s satire with stakes. And in a television landscape crowded with formulaic docu-series and reality TV, Fielder’s work feels like a mirror to our day-to-day performances.
While fans wait for HBO to break the silence, there’s no denying that Fielder has left the runway clear for a Season 3 if HBO has the courage (and budget) to follow him into the clouds once more!
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