Taken has been renewed for Season 2 at NBC. Executive producer Alexander Cary is departing the show, and a new showrunner is expected to be named shortly.
The second season will consist of 16 hour-long episodes. The series serves as a prequel to the hit action film franchise of the same name that starred Liam Neeson, with “Vikings” star Clive Standen taking over the role of former Green Beret Bryan Mills. After a personal tragedy leaves him badly shaken, Mills is recruited by the CIA, with each mission helping him build up the “very particular set of skills” that enthralled fans of the film series.
In addition to Standen, the series stars Jennifer Beals, Gaius Charles, Brooklyn Sudano, Monique Gabriela Curnen, Michael Irby, James Landry Hébert, and Jose Pablo Cantillo. Luc Besson, who masterminded the film franchise, serves as executive producer along with Matthew Gross, Edouard de Vesinne, and Thomas Anargyros. EuropaCorp TV and Universal Television produce.
Ratings-wise, the show has not been a standout per se. The 10-episode first season averaged a 1.0 rating and 5.1 million viewers in its Monday, 10 p.m. time slot. However, as Variety previously reported, the show has been popular internationally and is relatively inexpensive to produce, making the second season renewal likely.
It is the latest NBC show to be renewed for the 2017-2018 season, along with comedies “The Good Place” and “Superstore,” and dramas “Shades of Blue” and “This Is Us,” with the final show being renewed for Seasons 2 and 3.
