ABC hasn’t announced whether it is renewing or canceling The Company You Keep following the season 1 finale, but the chances of season 2 happening are very slim. The show, which centers around the love story between Milo Ventimiglia’s criminal character and Catherine Haena Kim’s CIA agent character, contained only ten episodes in the first season. They were engaging and thrilling, but that might not be enough to warrant a renewal.
Charlie, played by Ventimiglia, is a criminal who comes from a family of cons. Emma, played by Kim, is a CIA agent who comes from a prominent family in the world of politics. Charlie and Emma’s love is akin to Romeo and Juliet’s, and viewers were intrigued from the get-go. The only problem is that The Company You Keep pulls in below-average ratings for ABC, and with the Writers Guild of America strike ongoing, it’s unlikely that the network will greenlight a second season.
The Writers’ Strike Lowers The Company You Keep Season 2’s Chances
The Company You Keep averages a 0.3 rating and a little over two million live viewers per episode. Of course, the show gains more eyeballs via playback and streaming services, but it’s difficult to imagine that ABC views these numbers in a positive light. A good story doesn’t always justify a renewal, and when it comes to network executives, it’s all about how many people are watching and talking about a show. Based on season 1’s numbers and the writers strike, a miracle would have to happen for ABC to renew The Company You Keep for season 2.
The writers strike began on May 2, and no one knows for certain how long it will last. The 2007 strike was 100 days long and affected numerous television productions. So if the 2023 strike is anything like the one from 16 years ago, The Company You Keep has an even lower chance of getting renewed. ABC might want to shift focus to unscripted shows while the scripted series are at a halt, and, as a result, the Milo Ventimiglia-led drama will get pushed to the side.
The Company You Keep Season 1 Finale Set Up Storylines For Possible Season 2
Although The Company You Keep season 1 didn’t end with any shocking cliffhangers, the finale still contained multiple developments that would set up a potential season 2. The FBI shot and killed Patrick Maguire, so he’s no longer a problem for Charlie and Emma. However, Emma discovered that there was corruption in the CIA, so she quit and decided to launch a secret investigation. As for Emma’s brother David, his new girlfriend turned out to be a Russian spy, unbeknownst to him.
If by some miracle ABC renews The Company You Keep for a second season, the writers would explore these new storylines. Plus, now that Emma isn’t tied to the CIA and is using Maguire’s money to fund her covert operation, it’s plausible that she and Charlie would find their way back to one another in a romantic sense. Unfortunately, given the circumstances, it’s unlikely that The Company You Keep writers will get to continue these stories.
