Although Dare Me only showed up on Netflix beginning on December 29, 2020, for Season 1, the drama series has already been canceled.
However, the show — which originally aired on the USA Network beginning December 29, 2019 — has suddenly made its way to the top ten list on the streaming service. This renewed interest in the cheerleading drama could very well cause the situation to be reversed.
In fact, The Hollywood Reporter’s sources say Universal Content Productions, the producer of Dare Me, will look to other outlets for a Season 2 pick-up.
THR explained why the USA Network dropped Dare Me in the first place.
“For USA Network, the decision to cancel Dare Me arrives as the cabler is concentrating more on live and unscripted programming as its focus on scripted originals is shifting to eventized projects like the Milo Ventimiglia-led Evel miniseries,” states THR.
What is Dare Me about?
Dare Me is based on the 2012 Megan Abbott crime novel of the same name.
The story centers around high school cheerleading and its keenly competitive nature. The story is classified as a teen drama as well as a murder mystery.
Filmed in Toronto, the action takes place in a small Midwestern town.
The plot is centered around a couple of Sutton Grove High School besties — played by Herizen Guardiola as Addy Hanlon and Marlo Kelly as Beth Cassidy — who are guided by a new coach (Willa Fitzgerald), whose agenda is suspect.
So when Coach Colette French comes between Addy and Beth, the two friends start to come at odds with each other. Ultimately, the drama plays out when certain characters behave in unspeakable ways.
Other members of the main cast, according to IMDb, are as follows:
Rob Heaps plays Colette’s husband Matt French who works on Sutton Grove High School’s new stadium.
Zach Roerig was cast Sarge Will Mosley, a Marine Corps recruiter who has an affair with the coach.
Paul Fitzgerald performs the part of Bert Cassidy, Matt’s boss as well as Beth’s estranged father.
Alison Thornton plays Tacy Cassidy, another cheerleader and Beth’s half-sister.
Dare Me’s showrunner, Gina Fattore, previously worked on Dawson’s Creek and Gilmore Girls.
The Dare Me tagline says it all
When Dare Me — whose tagline is “It was beautiful until it went too far” — was originally seen, its presence was particularly strong.
The show received an impressive 83 percent among critics, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
“It’s brilliantly acted and a fascinating, incredibly fraught thing to watch,” stated AmyJones from the UK’s Daily Telegraph.
“It’s so smart about the characterization of its leads, and its central three actors are so specific in their deft performances, that it pays off,” commented Caroline Framke from Variety.
Dare Me is currently streaming on Netflix.