Hulu and A+E Studios officially said the fourth season of UnREAL, which is appearing on Hulu instead of Lifetime as previously reported, will be the show’s finale.
Hulu has also picked up the complete library of UnREAL, which means that subscribers can watch the series, set backstage with the unscrupulous producers of a reality dating series, from the beginning.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
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“UnREAL has captivated audiences on Hulu since season one, so when this opportunity came to us, we knew we couldn’t miss out,” said Craig Erwich, senior VP of content at Hulu. “This is a unique way to both satisfy fans of the show, while also continuing to introduce it to new audiences.”
On average, viewers of the series on Hulu are bingeing 3-4 episodes in one session, and complete full seasons in a matter days, the steaming service said.
In Season 4 the main characters Rachel, played by Shiri Appleby, and Quinn (Constance Zimmer) return to the set of their dating competition series Everlasting for an All Stars-themed season, featuring contestants from previous seasons.
“We love season four of UnREAL and its visionary creativity in bringing back many favorite characters for an all-star competition. When the opportunity to partner with Hulu arose, we immediately saw the huge benefit to UnREAL’s loyal fans, as well as a unique way of recruiting first-time viewers to this ground-breaking series,” said A+E Studios’ Barry Jossen. “UnREAL has been an incredible ride filled with awards, critical recognition, committed fans and, best of all, insightful cultural dialogue throughout its run. We expect season four to deliver another great round of cultural influence with its timely themes.”
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When it launched in 2015, UnREAL was seen as an upgrade to the women-in-distress movies that defined programming on Lifetime. On the whole though, Lifetime’s ratings declined.
The series got positive reviews and won a Peabody Award. Zimmer won a Critics Choice award for best supporting actress in a drama series.
Co-creator Sarah Gertrude Shapiro and showrunner Stacy Rukeyser both return for season four.
Zimmer returns as director for one episode, and Appleby directs two episodes, including the series finale.
Produced by A+E Studios, UnREAL’s fourth season is executive produced Rukeyser and Shapiro. Sally DeSipio, Peter O’Fallon, Jessika Borsiczky, Jordan Hawley and S. Lily Hui also executive produce, with co-creator Marti Noxon and Robert M. Sertner serving as consulting producers. Jessika Borsiczky also serves as a director for season four.
