Let's Discuss: 'Tidelands' Season 1 Ending And Why Season 2 Is A Must

If you saw the ending of “Tidelands” Season 1, then you know that Season 2 is a must. The first season of Netflix’s marathon-worthy mermaid drama leaves viewers on a significant scene that only Season 2 can resolve. Before we wade into those spoiler-laden waters, a warning.

Caution: Spoilers for the ending of “Tidelands” Season 1 are discussed beyond this point.

Yes. “Tidelands” ends on a huge cliffhanger. That would not be such a big issue if it affected characters that were not all that likable. In the case of “Tidelands,” it does. Season 1 ends with the life of the little girl Cal is trying to save, as well as Cal’s brother, Augie, hanging in the balance. The little girl, Bijou, seems destined to make it, Augie not so much.


One of the few humans still alive when the season ends, Augie is barely holding on as he makes a heroic sacrifice. He tells Cal to use her powers to save the little girl caught in the crossfire, instead of himself. The way the season goes down, the fear that Augie may not survive is palatable, to put it mildly.

Throughout “Tidelands’” exceptional debut season, viewers are constantly left with the sense that Cal's fiercely endearing brother may not make it. His death potentially serving as the impetus for Cal to leave her first life behind. Let’s face it. That is one of the recurring themes of supernatural series, so given that backdrop, Augie suffering a grim fate fits in with that genre tradition.


With months having passed, since initially marathon-watching the first season within a week, this cliffhanger has been one of the few to really sit with me. Having watched many subsequent series, the cliffhanger ending of “Tidelands" still looms largely overhead.

As of March 2019, Netflix has yet to make an announcement regarding the show’s future. In other words, a Season 2 renewal has yet to take place. This is a foreboding lesson for fans of streaming series. In the quickly consumed world of entertainment, it feels safe to entirely imbibe in the latest series that becomes available to stream.

That is because many TV shows have approached their runs with a limited/miniseries sensibility. The idea? To give fans a beginning, middle, and end with a slight glimmer at the potential for a follow-up season. The formula has worked beautifully as it gives fans the chance to fully engage in a series without the fear they will be left with unanswered questions. All the while teasing their imaginations with hints of a potential future.

Image by Jasin Boland / Netflix

As someone who enjoyed “Tidelands,” the only issue is its ending, which deviated from that well-oiled formula. At the end of Season 1, a lot remains open-ended. Leaving its characters in such a perilous place begs for a Season 2 renewal. Hopefully, fans will get it. Or at least some sort of closure by way of a movie. Anything to help bring things to a proper close.

“Tidelands” has the makings of a mega-hit. It is the mermaid answer to “True Blood” with likable characters and a terrific acting ensemble. Season 1 moved quickly and not since “Smallville” has a superpowered mythos been this charming. “Tidelands” deals with superpowers in an adult fashion that avoids being bashful.

It would be a shame for Netflix not to pick it up for a second season, as its quality alone warrants it. As a viewer, the sad truth is the future of “Tidelands” does not hinge on this one alone. It relies on others to carry it through.


As someone who does not want everything they invested in to go without any closure, it is a tough pill to swallow. One thing, Netflix may want to consider moving forward is a viewer warning before a show starts. It would just explain that the series, viewers are about to watch, ends with a cliffhanger. That way, they can decide whether they want to continue.

Another option is to supply viewers with two endings. One that is open and the other closed.

In the end, yours truly has no regrets about watching “Tidelands,” despite its cliffhanger ending. It is such an enthralling ride. Hopefully, it gets a chance to continue with a living Bijou and Augie.

Bijou's supposed death was telegraphed to the audience to have them believe she may not make it, which typically indicates the opposite. When Season 1 finishes, Cal is giving her life-saving care, and she appears to be almost fully recovered by episode's end.


As mentioned above, Augie's fate seems far less certain. He is not getting any care as the season ends and there appears to be no help on the horizon. Will the sirens take him out to the ocean? It is a scary prospect.

If he or Bijou were going to die, "Tidelands" could have said for sure, which makes the chances that they will survive more assuring. Making viewers wait until Season 2 to learn that neither made it would be a huge letdown. All told, I'm 99.99% certain Bijou will make it and about 55% sure that Augie will. So, let me make my plea.

Bijou came too far to be lost in the way that the season had prophesized. Her dying would be dark a twist for a show that already brushed with the bleaker side of plot developments. Kids tend to be safe and "Tidelands" made a point to prove that was not so during its first season. Point heard. Now, please keep Bijou alive.

As for Augie, Cal's brother is essential to the series. He brings a lot more to it alive than dead. While his death would create story, it would be shorter-lived than those he would drive among the living. Auggie is an asset a prospective Season 2 will need. Here's to "Tidelands" getting the chance to use him.

"Tidelands" Season 1 is currently streaming on Netflix.

[Featured Image by Jasin Boland/Netflix]