The Believers has a fantastic premise that gets darker as it goes along, and Season 2, which is confirmed could be darker still. The Thai Netflix series began as a relatively knockabout story of three friends who use religion to profitably market a failing Buddhist temple to pay off investment debts from their failed crypto business. But across nine episodes it morphs into something else entirely, folding in drugs, local political corruption, and a missing-person plot — most of which are left unresolved in the finale.
Season 2 Could Explore The Disappearance of Win’s Father
One of the subplots running through Season 1 of The Believers involves Win’s father, who had mysteriously gone missing eighteen years ago. Win is one of the three protagonists who have lost everything with their business but the reasons behind the disappearance of his father have never fully been explored.
In fact, this subplot provides one of the most substantial second-season teases, since Yod implies information about Win’s father’s whereabouts could be exchanged for ratting out the local politician who wants Win and his friends to continue operating the temples. A further tease comes in the form of a clue Win discovers imploring him to look into the disappearance, suggesting foul play.
This would likely be a lynchpin plot thread in Season 2 since it’s so personal to Win and so obviously connected to multiple different aspects of the narrative. As the scale of The Believers revealed itself throughout Season 1, the darkness of corrupt institutions, no-win scenarios, and incredibly bad actors made itself more and more known. Win’s father may be connected to the darkest of these ideas.
Yod Wants To Expose The Connections to the Temples
Yod, the police officer who is suspicious of the Phummaram Temple’s operation and convinced of irregularities within the facility, was very close to hanging Win, Dear, and Game out to dry. However, orders came down from on high to drop the case and let the friends go free since a prominent local politician had pulled some strings. Seeing what they did with Phummaram, there were many other provincial temples that could use a similar make-over, especially to consolidate power around a particular person or idea.
Yod offered Win information about his father to persuade him to rat out the politician back to the police. Yod’s dissatisfaction from the case’s outcome would likely result in a more personal crusade in Season 2, and this is another compelling angle that a sophomore season would likely pursue. When the institutions are failing, how far will someone who believed in them go to find justice?
The Believers has been renewed for Season 2. The cliffhanger ending alone suggests that the showrunners have a plan for further stories. If you’re a fan of the show, it might be in its best interests to let as many people know as possible.
From a narrative point of view, there is certainly room for a second season, and The Believers itself seems to be banking on more to come.
