“Where’s Wanda” Season 2 Trailer Drops: Dive into Apple TV’s Dark German Comedy

EXCLUSIVE: Check out the Season 2 trailer for Apple TV’s German dark comedy Where’s Wanda?.

The second season features Heike Makatsch (Love Actually), Axel Stein (The Vault), Lea Drinda (The Gryphon), Leo Simon, and Nikeata Thompson (Späti) and will premiere worldwide on October 21. This is the first look at the exclusive trailer before its release. New episodes will be available weekly until December 9, as previously announced.

The UFA Fiction German-language comedy-drama continues from where the first season left off, following Carlotta and Dedo Klatt (played by Makatsch and Stein) as they try to locate their missing daughter, Wanda (played by Drinda). As the season begins, Wanda is found standing over a dead body and is quickly taken into custody.

Carlotta and Dedo must work tirelessly to clear her name and ensure they don’t lose her once more, with their quest leading them deep into the core of their quaint hometown, Sundersheim.

The trailer shows a distressed Wanda in jail, then cuts back to the murder scene at a funfair where she discovers a body. As the curtains open, she is seen holding a bloody trophy over the body as the crowd watches in shock. Following this, her parents devise a wild scheme to free her and expose the real murderer.

“Season 1 ended with Wanda reuniting with her family, which was a huge relief,” stated Where’s Wanda? executive producer Nataly Kudiabor in an exclusive interview. “We had already revealed that Wanda would be imprisoned in Season 2, which greatly affects the family dynamics,” she explained. “Having just gotten their daughter back, they now face a new set of challenges.

“This also impacts how the family is perceived in Sundersheim. The neighbors and locals are questioning whether it’s right for Wanda to be in jail. There’s a lot of speculation and gossip.”

Season 2 also introduces new cast members including Sam Riley, Alexandra Maria Lara, Harriet Herbig-Matten, Gisa Flake, David Schütter, Palina Rojinski, Suzanne von Borsody, Kostja Ullmann, Devid Striesow, Frederic Balonier, Sascha Geršak, Torben Liebrecht, Aaron Maldonado-Morales, and Anton Dreger.

Oliver Lansley returns to create, write, and executive produce the second season, alongside UFA Fiction co-Managing Director and executive producer Nataly Kudiabor and Oliver Ossege. The series was co-created and based on a story by Zoltan Spirandelli, who did not participate in Season 2, according to sources. Directors Tobi Baumann and Christian Ditter also contributed.

In an exclusive conversation with Kudiabor, she mentioned that Drinda’s character, Wanda, will have a more significant presence this season. “Wanda has always been central to the narrative, so we wanted to ensure she was more visible this season,” she stated. “Lea Drinda is an exceptional actress, and this season, she’s front and center right from the start.”

Kudiabor also teased some surprises for the audience. “We enjoy our surprises. For instance, we introduce new neighbors, the Kimballs, played by real-life couple Sam Riley and Alexandra Maria Lara. Casting them as a couple on the show adds a fresh dynamic to the series. This season will feature more unexpected twists and introduce several intriguing new characters from Sundersheim,” she added.

Kudiabor explained that if Season 1 focused on “the search, the neighbors, and the secrets of Sundersheim,” Season 2 explores “how the crisis impacts the family and their recovery process.”

Collaboration with Apple TV

Where’s Wanda? marked Apple TV’s first venture into German-language originals, followed by other titles like Constellation and Berlin ER. Before the show’s debut, there was a prevailing sentiment within the German TV production scene that Apple’s future operations in Germany would heavily depend on its success, as several insiders confided to Deadline at the time.

The renewal for a second season confirmed the dark comedy’s success, and Kudiabor praised the cooperative spirit of Apple’s executives, noting regular communication with Jay Hunt’s London office throughout the production process. She found having an English writer like Lansley very beneficial for the development flow.

“We were thrilled to launch Apple TV+’s first German original,” she said. “Working with a streamer that produces such high-quality shows is fantastic. I’m a big fan of Apple’s productions; they place a high emphasis on quality.

“They continuously push us to excel in storytelling and production values, which is a rewarding challenge. Sometimes you think you have all the answers, but ultimately, it’s about effective teamwork,” she added.

She likened the pioneering experience to that of Wiedemann & Berg when they produced Dark, Netflix’s first German original.

“Being the first for a streamer in a market means learning how to collaborate effectively,” Kudiabor remarked. “I imagine Netflix had a similar learning curve with Dark. By the second season, the process was much smoother because we had already established a mutual understanding and trust.”

The German Market in Transition

UFA Fiction, known for series like the Deutschland and Ku’damm franchises, has been particularly successful lately, with Wanda? and the Prime Video hit Maxton Hall – The World Between Us leading its streaming portfolio. Other notable projects include the Disney+ miniseries Sam – A Saxon and the Netflix film Rising High.

However, as a Fremantle-owned entity, UFA Fiction might be seen as an exception in the German production landscape. Recent discussions at Seriesly Berlin highlighted a general scarcity of funding outside the major streaming platforms and pondered whether international co-productions could bridge these gaps. With entities like Sky Deutschland stepping back from original productions in the past few years, the industry faces challenges.

“Streamers and commissioners are inundated with good ideas,” Kudiabor noted. “What does it take to stand out? We’re constantly working on that. I’m not saying we always succeed, but we’re committed to trying, and perhaps our approach is showing results.”

She credited UFA’s recent success to “a mix of luck, timing, having the right talent, and finding the right stories,” and hinted at several upcoming projects.

“Currently, we’re developing shows for Amazon, with two series set to launch there. We’re also collaborating with Disney and have some projects in development with them. We’ve just completed a project with Apple and are working with HBO, so there are plenty of opportunities.”

“But it’s also about striving for excellence. We challenge ourselves to ensure that before we pitch a project: Is this truly the best story we can tell? Do we have the best talent? Is there anything more we can do before we present it?” she explained.

Kudiabor also acknowledged the unexpected success of Maxton Hall, which became Prime Video’s top-watched international original series.

“The first season was remarkable, but the success was beyond our expectations,” she admitted. “The second season was great, but the third season will be even more exciting. The fan engagement through social media is overwhelming. Our lead actors have become major stars, and it’s been quite the journey.”

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Attending the premieres feels like a real spectacle: The fans are incredibly enthusiastic and eager to be part of the experience.”

Looking ahead, Kudiabor mentioned that UFA Fiction plans to collaborate more extensively with other production companies within the Fremantle group, as TV giants consolidate and explore co-production opportunities.

“I’ve been in talks with colleagues in the Netherlands, for instance, because our markets share similarities and they produce excellent shows,” she said. “We recently had a meeting here to find a project we could develop together. We’re also in discussions with some UK companies.”

Meanwhile, UFA Fiction remains hopeful that Apple will see a long-term future for Where’s Wanda?. “Creatively, we have plenty of ideas, but of course, I can’t speak for Apple,” Kudiabor stated. “For now, we’re just thrilled to be back for a second season. We aim to captivate our audience, and then we’ll see what happens next.”