Lazarus Finale Explained: Sam Claflin Discusses Potential Season 2 (Exclusive)
Harlan Coben’s Lazarus left audiences astonished with its shocking conclusion — but will there be a season 2?
“I’ve never pursued a second season — although we’ve been presented with opportunities before,” Coben, who co-created the series with Danny Brocklehurst, shared exclusively with Us Weekly earlier this month. “We left viewers with a hint of ambiguity at the end. It’s not exactly a cliffhanger, more of a potential opening.”
At 63, Coben emphasized that he will only consider a follow-up season if he believes it surpasses the first. The author, who didn’t adapt this Prime Video series from one of his novels, noted that viewers typically find resolution by the finale.
“All the questions we raise in episode one are addressed by episode six,” he elaborated. “It’s complete. Will there be a season 2? I honestly don’t know.”
Still, Coben remains open to possibilities.
Spoilers for Lazarus follow.
The series, which launched all six episodes on Wednesday, October 22, featured Sam Claflin as Joel, a forensic psychologist returning home after his father’s enigmatic suicide. While clearing out his father Dr. L’s (Bill Nighy) office, he begins encountering the spirits of deceased patients and discovers they are all cold cases, leading him to solve them.
The season finale of Lazarus ultimately unveiled the murderer — or rather, the three murderers. The first was Sam Olsen (Edward Hogg), a former classmate obsessed with Joel’s twin sister Sutton (Eloise Little), who murdered her two decades ago.
Despite his ties to the Lazarus family, Sam wasn’t responsible for the deaths of Dr. L’s patients. That blame falls on Dr. L himself. When his misdeeds came to light, he felt he had no way out, leading to his demise.
The final murderer was, as Claflin remarked to Us, a “total wild card.” Earlier in the season, it’s revealed that Joel has a son, Aidan (Curtis Tennant), with his ex-girlfriend Bella (Karla Crome).
In the final scene, Joel visits the home of his therapist-turned-potential love interest, only to discover it has been ransacked. As he investigates, he turns to find Aidan wielding a bloody sickle, suggesting he was the last killer, just before the screen fades to black.
“The last episode completely blew my mind,” Claflin told Us. “I didn’t see it coming. There were moments when I suspected Joel could be the culprit.”
What happened when the screen went black?
“I think Joel definitely survives. No way he gets killed,” Claflin added. “It certainly leaves room for Joel — almost akin to a Dexter scenario — where I might attempt to assist him.”
He continued, “There’s certainly potential for a season two, but ultimately that’s up to the audience and their desire for more. I think it was beautifully left open-ended.”
All episodes of Harlan Coben’s Lazarus are currently streaming on Prime Video.
