Season 2 - 8 episodes (2026)
Watch Jury Duty on Amazon Video (paid link)
Creaed by: Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky
Starring: Anthony Norman, Alex Bonifer, Jerry Hauck
Rated: TV-14
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Plot
Anthony, a temp at a hot sauce company, attends a corporate retreat. As the founder prepares to step down, the getaway transforms into a clash between corporate ambitions and small business values. Unbeknownst to Anthony, it's all staged.
Verdict
I wasn't sure this could capture the magic twice, but this season does it again. It's so wholesome, as the protagonist has no idea everything is fake. While Anthony is incredulous at some of the events, he never imagines it could be a ruse. While this is frequently silly, Anthony is so earnest and supportive of everyone. That's a through line for the season, and the final episode is such a nice cap as Anthony and the cast talk about what's happened. The show couldn't have hoped for a better 'cast' member than Anthony. It's so touching that he tries to help everyone or gently caution them when they're being irrational.
Watch It.
Review
The follow up to Jury Duty (2023) takes place at a corporate retreat. Anthony thinks he's working at a hot sauce company. Everyone else is an actor and it's staged. It's a simple premise that yields great results. I wasn't sure if the formula would work again, but the second season is just as good as the first.
Anthony is a temp on a corporate retreat, working for a hot sauce company, Grandma's Rocking Hot Sauce. The CEO is planning to step down where his son will take over. I wonder how they screen people. Anthony is such a good sport about everything. On one hand you wonder how he doesn't suspect something, but on the other it's so ridiculous and the actors never break. It's too strange to be fake. Who would create such an elaborate ruse?
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| E2: The 'employees' of Rockin' Grandma's Hot Sauce |
Anthony cautions Kevin against a marriage proposal in the first episode. It's a spectacular failure. The second episode reveals how the humor can be crude. "Other Anthony" finds a water bottle that's anything but. Anthony's reaction realizing the object's use is easy to identify with. All of these events we experience from his perspective. The show revels in the awkward moments where Anthony tries to be nice or understanding in uncomfortable situations. I don't know how the actors keep a straight face. Dougie launches a new jerk sauce, and his presentation inadvertently concentrates on the jerk part of that. In episode four a motivational speaker speaks candidly about having his testicles frozen off.
Anthony sums it up in episode five. "You couldn't make this up for a tv show." Little does he know that's exactly what it is, but you understand why he would think that.
A larger company, Triukas, proposes a buyout of the hot sauce company, and Anthony soon suspects they will say anything to make the deal. It's endearing how quickly Anthony has become defensive of the company and their family values. That same company brings in Sia as a ringer for the talent contest.
In episode seven Anthony overhears that Triukas doesn't want the hot sauce, they want the real estate. Triukas plans to fire everyone, and of course Anthony is in the middle of it. Anthony stops the deal, asking Doug to consider if he wants this company to fire everyone. Doug praises Anthony before revealing he isn't the CEO and the company isn't real.
The final episode is the big reveal, much like the first season. It's so sweet as Anthony tries to comprehend what's transpired. I didn't think this could capture the magic of the first season, but it does exactly that. Anthony is amazing. In so many situations, you couldn't hope for a better outcome. While the cast were playing a part, they were genuinely touched at how supportive Anthony was of everyone. He also led each scene right where they wanted him to.
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