Apple TV might have one of the strongest success rates of any other streamer. While Netflix is known for pulling the plug on series that are still quite popular, Apple TV typically either allows creators to wrap up their planned storylines or delivers narratives that were never meant to go beyond a single season. A series like For All Mankind might run for five seasons, but programs like Mythic Quest, Schmigadoon!, Time Bandits, or The Afterparty have come to a conclusion sooner than creatives wanted them to. Given their commitment to quality over quantity, Apple TV has attracted some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg collaborated on the recent reboot of Cape Fear, and two-time Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón developed the mini-series Disclaimer. Apple TV even managed to secure Vince Gilligan after his staggering work at AMC with Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, resulting in Pluribus. Not all series get limitless resources, however, even if you’re Sir Ridley Scott. Based on the Dennis Tafoya novel, last year’s eight-episode Dope Thief was produced by Scott. More than a year after the series wrapped up, producer David W. Zucker confirmed to ScreenRant that a second season of the series won’t be happening at Apple TV. The filmmaker shared:
“There was a way we potentially could have gone forward with that story, and I think it performed relatively well for Apple. But it wasn’t one that they opted to continue with.”

The series starred Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura as friends who posed as DEA agents to rob drug dealers. Given the inherent potential of such a narrative, Zucker did “wish” for it to continue and was “always loosely constructed” to potentially continue with a Season 2. Even though it sounds like the program has wrapped up, Zucker might not give up all hope, admitting “it’s certainly possible” to be revived at some point. Dope Thief might not have earned the same attention as some of its Apple TV peers, but it did score a positive reception upon release. The series stands at 87% positive reviews on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, and Henry scored himself an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Luckily, neither Henry nor Moura is particularly hurting for work. Henry stars in next year’s Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse and The Batman Part II, while Moura earned dozens of accolades for his work in The Secret Agent, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Whatever form a Season 2 would have taken would likely have pivoted away from these characters regardless.

Dope Thief

2
/5

Release Date

2025 – 2025-00-00

Network

Apple TV+