#Prodigal Son: First Look and What to Expect in Season 2!

Our boy is almost back!

After a first season that’s so good it’s killer, Prodigal Son Season 2 Episode 1 premieres in January, and we cannot wait to see what delicious drama the series has next.

Prodigal Son Season 1 Episode 20 left Malcolm, his family, and the team in some concerning positions.

Malcolm is facing the repercussions of a man’s death, and he’s protecting the real killer, The Girl in the Box.

Thanks to Endicott, powers that be relocated Martin to the general population.

An attempt on his life led to a prison riot, but naturally, he didn’t seem too concerned.

Dani, JT, and Edrisa’s opinions split on whether or not their colleague was guilty of murder, but they also had to do their jobs.

Gil’s life hung in the balance, and Ainsley, well, she’s responsible for the shocking cliffhanger that had fans abuzz.

It’s safe to say Prodigal Fanatics are highly anticipating the return of the darkly funny crime procedural, and we’re eager to spend some time with the Whitly family and all of their murderous tendencies.

Malcolm’s biggest fear during season one was that he’s like his father.

In addition to the near-constant fear, he battles complex PTSD, and some of the effects don’t ease his qualms.

The more information he found out, the more likely it was that Martin was trying to either groom him or kill him, and Martin’s obsession with Malcolm certainly indicates that he sees something familiar in his son.

But Malcolm didn’t anticipate Ainsley.

In what appeared to be a blackout state, Ainsley murdered Endicott, the man ruining the Whitly family’s lives and behind the Girl in the Box mystery.

The finale left off with the Whitly children in the family mansion, with a dead Endicott, Ainsley splattered in his blood, and a thrilled Martin pleased as punch that one of his progenies took a life.

According to the Season 2 synopsis:

Season Two picks up with Bright’s personal life in disarray after the shocking actions of his sister, Ainsley.

Now, he must “take care” of her and protect his mother, Jessica, from a secret that could tear the family apart all over again.

Further complicating matters, Martin seeks to deepen his relationship with Bright, his “prodigal son,” but forging this bond leads to shocking twists and revelations.

It sounds as though Malcolm will do whatever it takes to protect his mother and his sister in the aftermath of what happened in the family.

And that may include getting closer to his father again. But does getting close to Martin stir up things that Malcolm would like to avoid?

The season’s tagline is: Killer instincts run in the family, and while it’s obviously a reference to Ainsley dropping her first body, it applies to Malcolm too.

He always appears to fight against some baser instinct, but we’re often unsure if it’s a murderous one or not. He certainly likes to dance on the line and has his moments.

It’s also what Martin projects onto Malcolm.

In the key art, Malcolm is looking impeccable in all white — his feet are resting in a pool of blood, and a reflection of his father is either looking over him or right at him, depending on which key art you see.

But the situation with Ainsley and the fact that he’s accused of murder will take a toll on Malcolm.

For one, Ainsley is in a dissociative state after she kills Endicott, and Malcolm’s solution is to protect her as best as he can by telling her that he was the one who killed Endicott instead.

Not only will he take the wrap for Ainsley’s actions, but both Whitly children will attempt to keep the truth from Jessica, too.

It begs the question of what happens in the immediate aftermath of the homicide.

Does that mean Malcolm will cover up the crime scene? How do they hide what’s going on from Jessica?

In the promotion for the new season, Jessica mentions to Malcolm that she’s been talking to Gil about him, so it’s a relief that our resident Cop Dad survived his ordeal, and he’s doing OK.

Gil jumps right back into investigating homicides, and we even see him asking Malcolm if he’s up for their latest case.

So that also means whatever happened with the murder investigation gets resolved or hasn’t interfered with him working with the team on cases.

And the cases are just as outlandish and fascinating as they were before.

Edrisa remains a delight at crime scenes that include dismembered heads from bodies and hanging corpses from chapels.

The season premiere teases a case about a beheading that Malcolm jumps into to distract himself from everything else. But presumably, the case won’t succeed in that since it has him seeking help from Martin.

It also seems as though Dani may remain a bit of a confidant for Malcolm, and we can expect a shift in their relationship, but in what way? We’ll have to see.

Nevertheless, as the team delves deeper into Endicott’s shady dealings, they find themselves immersed in a darker, more sinister part of the city they didn’t know existed.

It takes them in some interesting directions, and the cast promises that things will get even darker than before.

Perhaps, that’s why in one shot, it appears as though a wonderfully bearded JT (mmmm, quarantine beards) is almost arrested and has to prove that he’s a cop.

The clip stands out just enough to think there’s something deeper behind that, um, misunderstanding.

And the synopsis alludes to the fact that JT will face discrimination while on the job. Something tells me those two things are connected, but we’ll have to see.

We’re promised darker storylines, a whole new world revealed to us, and many more twists and turns that will keep us on the edge of our seats.

And we haven’t even gotten to the part where Martin is plotting to escape!

Sure, it sounds as though he wants to do it for his children, but has Martin done anything that isn’t about Martin?

Since he’ll end up back at the psychiatric facility, does that mean he successfully escaped gen-pop? Who knows?!

And as Malcolm struggles to keep a huge secret from all the people he cares about to protect Ainsley, and also ponders how much of his father’s killer instincts he possesses, how long before he drives himself mad?

Check out the preview for Prodigal Son Season 2 below.

It not only gives us a sneak peek of what to expect in the upcoming season, but it also features Tom Payne, Michael Sheen, Halston Sage, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Frank Harts, teasing things to come.

Are you looking forward to Prodigal Son’s sophomore season? What do you hope to see next? Do you have any theories or predictions?

Hit the comments below.

If you’ve missed any installments, want a refresher, or you’re eager to do some Bright-Mare Before X-Mas binge-watching, then you can watch Prodigal Son online right here via TV Fanatic.

And if you need a refresher, you can catch up on our Prodigal Son Reviews.

Prodigal Son returns on an all-new night, Tuesday, January 12, at 9/8c on FOX. 

Check out the preview below!

Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.