As the poster for Unstable season 2 reads, this is "a different kind of succession story." Seemingly playing off the popularity of HBO's hit and award-winning series Succession, Netflix's Unstable's next chapter sees Rob Lowe's character looking to pass on his tech empire to his son, played by his real-life son John Owen Lowe.
A little bit of catch up: the series — co-created by both Lowes and Victor Fresco — focuses on Ellis Dragon, a biotech genius who, struggling in the aftermath of his wife's death, attempts to reconnect with his estranged son while also pushing for a scientific breakthrough at his company. After the surprise ending to Unstable season 1, which we'll get into more detail about below, what lies ahead for Ellis, his son and their coworkers?
Read on to get everything you need to know about Unstable season 2.
Unstable season 2 release date
All eight episodes of Unstable season 2 are now streaming exclusively on Netflix.
In order to watch Unstable season 2 (and season 1 if you need to catch up), you must have a Netflix subscription, as the show is a Netflix original TV show and plays exclusively on the streamer.
Unstable season 2 cast
Rob and John Owen Lowe are the main stars of the series, playing Ellis Dragon and Jackson Dragon, respectively. Rob Lowe is a long-time TV veteran, having starred in shows like The West Wing, Brothers & Sisters, Parks & Recreation, The Grindr and currently 9-1-1: Lone Star. Unstable is a breakout role for John Owen Lowe, though he also starred in a few episodes of The Grindr.
Other returning members of the Unstable cast include Sian Clifford (Fleabag, Young Woman and the Sea) as Anna, Rachel Marsh (Before We Go, NCIS: Hawai'i) as Luna, Emma Ferreira (Neon, Transplant) as Ruby and Aaron Branch (Millennials, Kenan) as Malcolm. Season 2 will also see familiar faces return as recurring characters, including Fred Armisen (Saturday Night Live, Portlandia) as Leslie, Frank Gallegos (Blue Miracle, Veronica Mars) as Juan, JT Parr (Chad & JT Go Deep) as Chaz and Tom Allen (Chad & JT Go Deep) as TJ.
New this season are Fargo season 5 and New Girl star Lamorne Morris as the founder of a new biotech startup, Euphoria star Iris Apatow as Georgia, Anna’s ex-stepdaughter now working as an unwilling Dragon intern, and Seam Clements (Workaholics, Kevin Cna F**k Himself) in an unspecified role.
Unstable season 2 plot
Unstable season 1 saw Ellis and Jackson effectively nix a power move by board member Jean (Christina Chang) to remove Ellis from the company by making the breakthrough they needed on the carbon to concrete idea. However, just firing Jean wasn't enough for Ellis, as he also blows up her car.
That incident leads to some legal worries for Ellis, who looks to get himself ready for potential imprisonment and train Jackson to potentially succeed him in running the company. Here is the official synopsis for Unstable season 2:
"Ellis lays out a series of challenges and mind games for Jackson to see if he has what it takes to succeed him as the heir to the Dragon empire, but a newcomer might have other ideas."
Unstable season 2 episodes
Here are the synopses for all Unstable season 2 episodes:
Unstable season 2 episode 1, "Shanked"
"Ellis prepares to pay for his fiery behavior while Anna pushes for fresh leadership at the company. Jackson makes a new friend — and a bold move."
Unstable season 2 episode 2, "Winning Time"
"Ellis experiences an odd side effect after undergoing a reverse-aging treatment. Georgia stirs up drama in the lab by spreading rumors about the merger."
Unstable season 2 episode 3, "Retreat"
"As Ellis and Jackson bicker over their management styles, Dragon celebrates its growth with a company retreat that includes a couple of party crashers."
Unstable season 2 episode 4, "Mindhunter"
"Ellis grows concerned after Jackson shares his unique scientific vision. A secret meeting puts pressure on Peter. Ruby gives career advice to Luna."
Unstable season 2 episode 5, "MOCAP Man"
"With BioTexpo approaching, Ellis tries to get Jackson into a motion capture suit. Georgia dabbles in manipulation, and Ruby receives a tempting offer."
Unstable season 2 episode 6, "Dragon Slayer"
"Ellis and Peter sit down for a joint interview. Threatening messages arrive at Dragon, leading to an in-house investigation — and plenty of suspects."
Unstable season 2 episode 7, "Ron Tabasco"
"A real estate convention turns out to be the perfect escape for Ellis and Jackson. Anna enlists Peter's help ahead of an important meeting."
Unstable season 2 episode 8, "Ellis U"
"Driven by the developments at Dragon, Ellis launches a new scheme that causes issues for the lab team as they rush to meet the bio-battery deadline."
Unstable season 2 trailer
Check out the trailer for Unstable season 2 right here: