It’s been a long while since “Master of None” became a critical darling and award-winning comedy series for Netflix. In fact, it’s been nearly 4 years since Season 2 debuted on Netflix in 2017. But it appears that after an extended break (which we’ll get to in a bit), “Master of None” is reportedly in the middle of shooting Season 3 in the UK.
READ MORE: The Best TV Shows & Mini-Series’ Of The Decade [2010s]
According to UK outlet, Chortle, Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang, co-creators of “Master of None,” have already been working on Season 3 in secret since last year, but the duo had to pause production due to the COVID-19 pandemic last spring. The report claims that Season 3 is set to see the return of Ansari in the lead role, alongside new addition Naomi Ackie (“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker“) as his potential love interest. Also returning is Lena Waithe, who along with Ansari won an Emmy for their writing on Season 2. “Master of None” tells the story of Dev Shah, an actor that seemingly is always in the middle of romantic and personal drama.
But why the gap between seasons? It’s rare that a show takes four years off between installments after winning awards and gaining more viewers than ever before, right? Well, you see, back in 2018, Ansari was accused of sexual misconduct by an ex that shared her experiences of feeling uncomfortable being intimate with the actor. She also shared text messages where he apologized for his actions. The return for Ansari back into the public’s good graces has been a long time coming, as he basically filmed his mea culpa in a comedy special in 2019. And since then, he’s stayed out of the public eye for the most part.
READ MORE: Aziz Ansari Tackles #MeToo Controversy Head-On In New Netflix Comedy Special: “I Just Felt Terrible”
That said, a return with Season 3 of “Master of None” would be a huge boost for his professional life, especially if it comes with the returns of folks like Yang and Waithe. Having them involved gives Ansari a bit of a seal of approval for his return and might lead to more goodwill from the public that still might not be ready for the comedian to have his comeback.
Regardless, even if filming were to continue right now, it’s unlikely we’ll see “Master of None” Season 3 anytime soon. Given how TV productions work and depending on how much was shot pre-pandemic, it’s unlikely we’ll see the show hit Netflix anytime before the fall.