WATERTOWN, NY (January 27, 2025) – It’s the height of the swinging 60s and Barbara Parker has just been crowned Miss Blackpool – but she’s certain there has to be more to life than being a beauty queen in a seaside town. With the bright lights of London calling, Barbara packs her bags and heads off to the city where she looks to take on the male-dominated world of comedy by storm. FUNNY WOMAN, the must-see comedy/drama series starring Gemma Arterton (The King’s Man, Quantum of Solace), returns for its highly anticipated second season, premiering Sundays at 10:00 pm, beginning February 2, 2025 on WPBS-TV.
SEASON 2 DESCRIPTION
Barbara Parker (played by Gemma Arterton) is a woman from the English seaside town of Blackpool who always dreamt of making it big in London. In Season 1 of FUNNY WOMAN, she makes the big leap to do just that. Determined to take on the male-dominated entertainment industry by storm, Barbara adopts the stage name “Sophie Straw,” and soon enough, she lands herself the star role in a television sitcom.
In Season 2, Sophie Straw is on a high. She’s the nation’s favorite TV comedy star; she’s got a group of good friends; and her romance with Dennis (played by Arsher Ali) is full of promise. However, trouble is just around the corner: Dennis’s divorce will take three years; Sophie’s new sitcom flops and she uncovers a devastating family secret. But with new opportunities come new challenges, will Sophie be able to embrace her real life and challenge outdated cultural conventions?
SEASON 2 EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS
Episode 1 (FEB 2, 2025 at 10 pm) Having established herself as the nation’s favorite TV comedy star and with her budding romance with Dennis on the right path, Sophie Straw’s life is going great! But when her new sitcom flops, things start to go south.
Episode 2 (FEB 9, 2025 at 10 pm) Despite new career possibilities, Sophie’s heart continues to ache for Dennis and for her mother, who fails to provide the comfort Sophie seeks.
Episode 3 (FEB 16, 2025 at 10 pm) A girls’ trip to the pub proves both cathartic and fruitful, inspiring Sophie’s brilliant new sitcom idea while repairing her fractured friendship with Marj. Later, Bill’s arrest provides further opportunity for growth.
Episode 4 (FEB 23, 2025 at 10 pm) Faced with an impending exposé, Sophie takes matters into her own hands and comes out on top. In doing so, she uncovers a superpower: her newfound confidence in herself.
Season 1 of the series is available for streaming now with WPBS Passport. Binge all four episodes of Season 2 starting on the night of its broadcast premiere with the added member benefit (U.S. & Territories only). Learn more about WPBS Passport at watch.wpbstv.org/passport/learn-more.
FUNNY WOMAN is produced by Potboiler Television and Rebel Park Productions, in association with Sky Studios. Nick Hornby, Gemma Arterton, Morwenna Banks, Andrea Calderwood, Gail Egan, Jessica Parker and Jessica Malik serve as executive producers. The series is written by multi-award-winning writer Morwenna Banks and directed by BAFTA nominee Oliver Parker. FUNNY WOMAN is distributed by NBCUniversal Global Distribution on behalf of Sky Studios.
About WPBS
WPBS is a PBS station serving approximately 600,000 households throughout Northern New York and Eastern Ontario via cable, satellite, Internet and over-the-air distribution. WPBS is a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and inspire diverse communities with exceptional and trusted content across multiple platforms. Its vision is to be the premier provider of relevant public service media that instills wonder and curiosity across generations and cultures. More information about WPBS, including a full channel listing, is available at wpbstv.org, or by following WPBS on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. Download the free WPBS Mobile App to follow WPBS on the go.
