WARNING! This article contains spoilers for American Rust season 1 (2021)!
Now that American Rust season 2 is on the horizon, there are many questions the series needs to answer in the wake of season 1. The mystery and story at the heart of season 1 drew inspiration from the novel of the same name by Philipp Meyer, but season 2 will push the character’s lives even further with the introduction of new plots. The majority of season 1 revolved around the death of Steve Novick, a corrupt police officer, and the search for his killer.
Jeff Daniels’ character, Del Harris, is the police chief of Buell, the town where the series is set. He’s among the cast and characters of American Rust, but newcomers are sure to be on the horizon when the additional murders and mysterious circumstances start up again. The conclusion of season 1 saw the trajectory of Del’s life change forever, as well as many other citizens of Buell. Season 2 will begin with new murders for Del to investigate and the cover-up of an unbelievable crime.
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10 Who Are The New Killers?
Are the murders truly unrelated to Steve Novick’s death?
American Rust had negative reviews in season 1, but the upcoming season has a chance to change that. A new storyline that diverts from the novel can be tailored to suit the fast pace of TV and keep the audience’s interest. The larger conspiracy and trail of bodies that have been teased for season 2 will be intriguing to fans and first-time viewers. These new killings may have something to do with characters who haven’t been introduced yet. Though there’s plenty of bad blood between neighbors in Buell, it seems unlikely that these crimes aren’t connected to Novick.
9 What Is The Conspiracy?
Does it have to do with Bobby Jesus and Jackson?
Del discovers that Billy (Alex Neustaedter) was not responsible for Novick’s death but was covering for his friend Isaac (David Alvarez). After this, Del takes matters into his own hands to clear Billy’s name and keep Isaac away from the investigation. Bobby Jesus (William Apps) and Jackson Berg (Dallas Roberts) were involved in Novick’s corruption, so Del kills them both to make it seem like they were the killers. With the bodies piling up and Del at the center, there’s at least one conspiracy in town, and it could be connected to the new string of killings.
8 Is Henry Alive?
Will he reconnect with Lee and keep fighting for his place in the world?
Henry English (Bill Camp) is the father to Isaac and Lee (Julia Mayorga), whose health is steadily declining throughout the season. Lee moved away from Buell many years ago but returned to help her father and discover what was going on with Isaac. Henry doesn’t want her to stay stuck in Buell like he did. At the end of season 1, Henry takes a lot of pills to ease his pain and as a way to lift what he believes to be a burden on Lee. Although Lee finds him not long after, it’s uncertain if she is too late.
7 Will Lee Stay In Buell?
Or, will she leave like her father wants her to?
From the moment she arrives in Buell, Lee is tormented by her past. She reinvented herself and has built a new life, but her connection to her family and her romantic history with Billy keeps pulling her back in. Henry’s extreme actions will likely prompt her to stay with him until he recovers, and now that Billy is in a coma, there is too much at stake for her to go. However, all this brutality might spur her into action and push her to decide how she wants to live her life and if she wants to leave again.
6 Will Deputy Park Discover What Del Did?
What role will he play in how the events of season 2 unfold?
Deputy Park (Rob Yang) is a foil to Del and his erratic behavior. Now that Del has officially stepped outside the law in a way he can’t take back, this places him on opposite sides from Park. The season 1 finale saw detectives from Pittsburgh arrive and question Del about the recent murders, and he had no qualms about lying to them. However, it’s unlikely that these detectives will let the trail run cold, and Park could be the one to help them navigate the small-town dynamics. Park is too smart not to see that Del has something to hide.
5 Will Isaac Confess?
Or, will he listen to Del and never speak of it again?
Isaac is the one who killed Novick, and though he tries to run away and let Billy take the fall, he can’t live with the guilt. He comes back to town, ready to confess, with the murder weapon in hand. However, Del has already completed his cover-up with Bobby Jesus and Jackson’s murders and can’t afford to have Isaac disrupt his plans. He tells him to hide the weapon and forget everything that happened. This could be an easy way out for Isaac, but that doesn’t mean he won’t end up confessing anyway.
4 How Will Del Live With What He Did?
What kind of person will he become?
Crime drama TV shows are known for their moral dilemmas and the trope of a detective crossing the line to catch the killer. However, Del’s actions weren’t just immoral but illegal and could easily be traced back to him. Additionally, they would ruin the lives of many people around him. If what he did is discovered, it won’t just hurt him but everyone he loves. For this reason, he can never confess or succumb to any guilt he may feel, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy to move on and act like everything is normal.
3 Do Grace And Del Make It Work?
She told him his actions were those of a good man, but would that still be the case later?
Grace (Marua Tierney) and Del have a romantic history, and part of why Del is so committed to proving Billy’s innocence is because he’s Grace’s son. Throughout season 1, they grow closer, and their relationship drives him to commit the murders. When he comes to her and admits what he did, she accepts him and asserts that he did the right thing. Now, they are bonded by their feelings for each other and a shared secret. In one way, this ties them together forever, but the weight of the secret could be too much for their relationship to bear.
2 Does Del Have Anything To Do With The New Murders?
Now that he has a taste for blood, what will stop him from killing again?
Del is a complicated man, and though the murders of Bobby Jesus, Jackson, and the woman who was with them were technically in self-defense, it was still a violent crime. A large part of American Rust season 2 will revolve around Del trying to cover his tracks. That could mean dispatching people who are investigating him and the murders. Additionally, Del has left behind his dedication to the law and believes that his personal beliefs should guide how justice is served. This is a dangerous point of view, especially for someone in a position of power like the police chief.
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1 Is Billy Alive?
Will he wake up from his coma?
Billy spent time in prison after being wrongfully accused of killing Novick, and the reception he got was a brutal one. Although Del had nearly succeeded in clearly his name by making it look like Bobby Jesus and Jackson were responsible and killed each other in a fit of rage, it wasn’t in time. When Billy was released from solitary confinement, he was nearly beaten to death by the other inmates and was in a coma in the season’s final moments. The actor, Alex Neustaedter, will be returning for next season, but that doesn’t make Billy’s fate any more certain.
American Rust
Set in a small Rust Belt town in Pennsylvania, “American Rust” is a gritty drama series that delves into the lives of the town’s inhabitants as they grapple with poverty, drug addiction, and the remnants of the American dream. Jeff Daniels stars as the town’s compromised chief of police, who finds himself torn between his duty and his loyalty to those he loves when a murder case emerges, threatening to unveil the community’s dark secrets.
- Platform(s)
- Showtime , Amazon Freevee
- Cast
- Jeff Daniels , Maura Tierney , Bill Camp , David Alvarez , Alex Neustaedter , Mark Pellegrino
- Release Date
- September 12, 2021
- Seasons
- 2
- Directors
- John Dahl , Darnell Martin , Craig Zisk
- Showrunner
- Dan Futterman
- Creator(s)
- Dan Futterman
