COMING SOON: Untamed Season 2 Premieres October 3, 2026 – Lucy’s Unpublished Memoir Unveils a Missing Chapter and a New Mystery

Netflix’s Untamed took the streaming world by storm with its debut season in July 2025, blending wilderness drama, psychological depth, and a gripping murder mystery set in Yosemite National Park. The six-episode series, centered on National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB) agent Kyle Turner (Eric Bana), captivated audiences with its exploration of grief, redemption, and hidden secrets. After topping Netflix’s global charts with 24.6 million viewers in its first week and earning an 80% Rotten Tomatoes score, Untamed is back for Season 2, premiering October 3, 2026. This time, the entire season unfolds through the lens of Lucy Cook’s unpublished memoir, with a bombshell twist: one chapter was missing… until now. Here’s everything we know about the thrilling new season.

A Bold Narrative Shift: Lucy’s Memoir Takes Center Stage

Season 1 of Untamed followed Kyle Turner as he investigated the death of Lucy Cook, a young woman whose murder exposed Yosemite’s dark underbelly—drug rings, squatters, and betrayals. The season’s emotional core lay in Kyle’s personal struggles, including hallucinations of his deceased son, Caleb, and his complex relationship with his ex-wife, Jill Bodwin (Rosemarie DeWitt). While Lucy’s death was resolved, her story left lingering questions, particularly about her connections to park ranger Paul Souter (Sam Neill) and wildlife officer Shane Maguire (Wilson Bethel).

Season 2 introduces a daring narrative device: the entire season is framed through Lucy’s unpublished memoir, discovered posthumously. This memoir, written in Lucy’s voice, offers an intimate look at her life, her struggles, and the events leading to her death. According to a Netflix press release, each episode will adapt a chapter of the memoir, blending Lucy’s past with Kyle’s present-day investigation in a new national park. The twist? One chapter was missing from the manuscript, its absence hinting at a secret so explosive it could rewrite everything Kyle thought he knew about Lucy’s case. The discovery of this lost chapter—revealed in the season’s opening moments—promises to drive the narrative, intertwining Lucy’s voice with a fresh mystery.

Fans on X are already buzzing with speculation, with hashtags like #UntamedS2 and #LucysMemoir trending. Posts suggest the missing chapter could reveal new details about Lucy’s relationship with Souter, her biological father, or her involvement in the park’s illicit activities. Others theorize it might implicate a new character or even tie back to Kyle’s personal life, given the Season 1 revelation that Jill orchestrated the murder of Caleb’s killer, Sean Sanderson. Whatever the chapter contains, its discovery sets the stage for a season that blends past and present in a haunting, innovative way.

A New Park, A New Mystery

While Yosemite’s rugged vistas defined Season 1, co-showrunner Mark L. Smith told Deadline that Season 2 will likely move to a new national park, such as the Smoky Mountains or Glacier National Park, to explore a fresh case. This aligns with the ISB’s real-world operations, where agents tackle cases across different parks. The new setting will provide stunning visuals—think misty peaks or dense forests—while introducing new challenges for Kyle, who is described as being “out of his element” in an unfamiliar environment. The shift also allows Untamed to maintain its signature mix of natural beauty and human darkness, with potential storylines involving environmental crimes, wildlife trafficking, or local conspiracies, as speculated by ScreenRant.

Lucy’s memoir will serve as a narrative bridge between the seasons, offering flashbacks to her life in Yosemite while illuminating Kyle’s current investigation. The missing chapter, found early in the premiere, could reveal a previously unknown connection to the new park or its residents. For example, was Lucy involved with someone outside Yosemite, or did her memoir document a broader network of criminal activity? The memoir’s first-person perspective promises to deepen the audience’s connection to Lucy, portrayed in Season 1 by a yet-unnamed actress, whose performance was praised for its quiet intensity.

Returning Cast and New Faces

Eric Bana returns as Kyle Turner, the stoic yet tormented ISB agent whose grief over his son’s death and struggles with alcoholism defined his Season 1 arc. Kyle’s discovery of the missing chapter will likely force him to revisit Lucy’s case while tackling a new mystery, blending his personal and professional lives. Lily Santiago is expected to reprise her role as Naya Vasquez, the rookie ranger who proved her mettle by saving Kyle’s life in Season 1. Naya’s own story—balancing her duties with her responsibilities as a mother to her son, Gael—may parallel Lucy’s memoir, which reportedly touches on themes of family and sacrifice.

The status of other Season 1 characters is less clear. Paul Souter’s death and Shane Maguire’s killing by Naya make their returns unlikely, except perhaps in flashbacks drawn from Lucy’s memoir. Jill Bodwin’s arc, however, remains open-ended after her shocking confession, and Rosemarie DeWitt could return in a limited capacity to explore the fallout of her actions. New characters will likely populate the new park, including rangers, locals, or suspects tied to the season’s central mystery. Casting announcements have been scarce, but Variety reports that Netflix is eyeing “high-caliber talent” to match the ensemble feel of Season 1.

Themes of Memory, Truth, and Redemption

Untamed Season 1 was lauded for its emotional resonance, weaving themes of parenthood, loss, and redemption into its mystery framework. Lucy’s memoir promises to amplify these themes, offering a raw, unfiltered look at her life and the choices that led to her demise. The missing chapter suggests a truth she either couldn’t or wouldn’t reveal, raising questions about who suppressed it and why. For Kyle, the memoir may force him to confront his own unresolved grief, particularly as he grapples with the moral ambiguity of Jill’s actions and his own role in seeking justice.

The memoir format also allows Untamed to explore the power of storytelling itself. Lucy’s voice—presumably written before her death—offers a posthumous perspective that could challenge Kyle’s assumptions or even implicate him indirectly. As co-showrunner Elle Smith told TV Insider, “This season is about how the stories we tell ourselves shape our truth, and what happens when those stories are incomplete.” The new park’s isolation and dangers will likely mirror this theme, with Kyle navigating both literal and metaphorical wilderness to uncover the truth.

Production and Expectations

Production for Season 2 likely began in mid-2025, following a similar timeline to Season 1, which filmed from June to September 2024 for a July 2025 release. The six-episode format is expected to continue, offering a tight, bingeable narrative that balances Lucy’s memoir with Kyle’s investigation. The show’s visual style, which earned praise for its sweeping shots of Yosemite, will likely remain a highlight, with the new park providing fresh opportunities for cinematography. Netflix’s investment in Untamed reflects confidence in its staying power, though Business Upturn notes that Season 3 renewal will hinge on viewership metrics.

Critics have praised Untamed for its performances—particularly Bana’s nuanced portrayal of Kyle—and its ability to blend genre thrills with emotional depth. However, some reviews noted Season 1’s reliance on familiar tropes, such as the “tortured detective.” Season 2’s memoir-driven structure offers a chance to innovate, avoiding repetition while deepening the show’s emotional core. Fans on Rotten Tomatoes called Season 1 “visually stunning” and “emotionally gripping,” and the memoir format could elevate these strengths by giving Lucy a voice beyond her tragic end.

Why Untamed Season 2 Matters

Untamed Season 2 arrives at a peak moment for character-driven mysteries, with audiences craving stories that combine suspense with human complexity. Lucy’s unpublished memoir, with its missing chapter, provides a fresh narrative hook that promises to reframe Season 1’s events while introducing a new mystery. The shift to a new national park ensures the series remains visually and thematically dynamic, while Kyle’s continued journey offers a compelling anchor for viewers invested in his redemption.

As October 3, 2026, approaches, fans are speculating wildly about the contents of Lucy’s missing chapter. Does it reveal a hidden accomplice, a personal betrayal, or a connection to Kyle’s own past? Will it challenge the resolution of Season 1’s mystery or point to a larger conspiracy? Whatever the answers, Untamed Season 2 is poised to deliver a haunting, innovative continuation that honors Lucy’s story while pushing Kyle into uncharted territory. In the wilds of America’s national parks, the truth is never simple—and Lucy’s memoir may prove to be the key to unlocking it.