La Palma has maintained its spot at the top of the Netflix charts all week, but could a Season 2 even happen? There’s one way it would work.
The binge-worthy TV show dropped last Thursday, December 12, centering on a real-life theory that a volcano on La Palma in the Canary Islands could collapse, creating a tidal wave big enough to decimate swathes of Europe and the East coast of America.
The plot focuses on the scientists desperate to warn the world and a family vacationing on the island when chaos erupts. Although much of the 2001 theory has been debunked since then, this is showbiz, baby – and it makes for an entertaining (albeit divisive) ride.
With so many Netflix viewers tuning in, it’s natural to wonder: could there be a La Palma Season 2? It’s unlikely but not impossible. Warning: spoilers ahead!
The one way La Palma Season 2 could happen
Since the show ended conclusively, a second season might work best as an anthology, focusing on a different but equally troubling natural disaster theory.
Of course, La Palma Season 2 could also center on the aftermath of the incident, but you could argue that this wouldn’t be enough to sustain another batch of episodes.
By the end of the Netflix show, the main family – Jennifer (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal), Fredrik (Anders Baasmo Christiansen), Sara (Alma Günther), and Tobias (Bernard Storm Lager) – have all made it to the “safe spot” on neighboring island Tenerife.
Doctoral student Marie (Thea Sofie Loch Næss) has also made it to safety, but not before losing her brother amid the chaos.
Given the story ends there and it’s pitched as a “limited series,” there’s less chance of La Palma Season 2 getting the greenlight – but stranger things have happened in the world of streaming.
If the stats have Netflix wanting a follow-up, the show could head to a different location to explore the worst case scenario of another disaster theory.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
In the US, for instance, it’s long been theorized that a catastrophic “supervolcano” eruption could unfold at Yellowstone, causing devastation to many parts of the US.
Off the Pacific Northwest coast, the Cascadia subduction zone is a ticking time bomb of a fault line, capable of producing 9.0+ magnitude earthquakes and tsunamis that could reach 98 feet.
Again, the show could focus on scientists racing to predict the next “Big One,” while coastal communities prepare (or fail to prepare) for the devastation.
Alternatively, La Palma Season 2 could head to Antarctica, where the Thwaites Glacier – nicknamed the Doomsday Glacier – is melting at an alarming rate.
The second chapter could dramatize the sudden collapse of the glacier, causing a catastrophic sea-level rise and flooding for countries worldwide.
This is all just speculation, and there’s been no indication that the series will be renewed. And if it did go down the anthology route, Netflix would have to have a rethink of its title.
It’s also worth mentioning that all of these theories, while fascinating for entertainment purposes, are extremely unlikely to occur within our lifetimes – if at all.
Scientific research into these phenomena has advanced significantly over the years, and many of these scenarios are either based on worst-case projections or involve timelines stretching thousands of years into the future.
So, hopefully now you can rest easy at night. In the meantime, La Palma is streaming on Netflix now. For more content, check out our rundown of the best shows of 2024, the top horror series ever made, and the shocking true story behind Netflix’s The Abyss.
