‘Sharp Objects’: There Will Be No Second Season Of Amy Adams Limited Series

Sharp Objects is three episodes into its run as an HBO limited series, and it will stay that way, with no plans for a followup.

“Unlike Big Little Lies where all of the stars wanted to come back, Sharp Objects, it’s a very dark character, very dark material. Amy doesn’t want to live in this character again and I can’t blame her, it’s a lot to take on for an actress,” HBO president of programming Casey Bloys told Deadline during TCA. “So no plans for a second season. We are very happy with this living as a limited series.”

HBO’s star-studded Big Little Lies started off as a limited series before the network ordered a second season to continue the story.

Sharp Objects debuted to 1.5 million viewers in Live+same day. That was up 36% from the debut of HBO’s Emmy-winning Big Little Lies — a series Sharp Objects has been often compared to — and was the most watched HBO new series premiere since Westworld in 2016 (2.0 million). (With one linear replay and preliminary viewing on HBO GO/NOW, the Sharp Objectspremiere night viewership went up to 2.1 million.)

While L+SD linear numbers have dipped a bit in the second and third week, Bloys said he is “thrilled with the ratings” for the series.

The eight-episode Sharp Objects, an adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s novel by Marti Noxon, centers on Camille Preaker (Adams), a reporter who returns to her small hometown to cover the murder of a preteen girl and the disappearance of another. Trying to put together a psychological puzzle from her past, she finds herself identifying with the young victims a bit too closely. Based on the first episode, it’s clear she isn’t the typical heroine. She’s flawed, and as the story unfolds, the audience attempts to piece together a tragic past that is affecting her present.

Sharp Object, along with the third season of True Detective, will be HBO’s two big limited series for Emmy consideration next year. Previous big Emmy winner in the longform categories, Big Little Lies, is switching to drama series for its second season.