Apple TV+ Renews Fan-Favorite Series for Season 3

Apple TV+ has renewed a fan-favorite series for Season 3: Physical. The series stars Rose Byrne (Neighbors, Insidious) as aspiring aerobics workout saleswoman Sheila Rubin (Byrne) in 1980s San Diego. Sheila realizes early on the value of aerobic workouts on home video, and tries to build herself an empire that will lift her out of the drab middle-class suburban life she lives with her husband Danny (Rory Scovel), an aspiring local politician, and daughter Maya. 

“I am thrilled for the opportunity to continue telling Sheila’s story in creative collaboration with Rose Byrne and the rest of our incredible cast, writers, and crew,” creator and showrunner Annie Weisman said in a statement. “The feedback we’ve received from audiences who continue to discover and feel seen by Physical is the most deeply gratifying experience of my career and I’m so grateful to our team at Apple and Tomorrow Studios for making this dream a reality.”

Season 1 of Physical was something of a hard sell to viewers: the dark comedy sensibilities of creator Annie Weisman (Desperate Housewives, Suburgatory) and directors like Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya, Cruella) and Stephanie Laing (Veep), were a bit to much for a lot of mainstream viewers. Season 2 of Physical pulled in a different direction, with less cynical bite about the deranged drive for success and power in American life (particularly in the 1980s), and settled into a deeper character-focused story that actually brought some redeeming qualities out of its generally unlikable lineup of characters. 

(SPOILERS FOLLOW) 

Season 2 of Physical ended with Sheila working out some of her deep-seeded body issues, and finally confronting her marital issues, resulting in her and Danny splitting up amicably – at least at first. Just as Sheila and her best friend-turned-business partner Greta (Dierdre Friel) work set to truly launch Shiela’s workout brand to the next level, Greta’s husband got it into Danny’s head that he could take a piece of the business with him in the divorce. 

Just as Shiela was getting backstabbed in her personal life, she learned that a much younger woman than her was already well ahead of getting her workout tapes and products on TV to a mass audience. But instead of falling back into old, destructive habits, Shiela but her malevolent energy to different use: she formed an alliance with the man she wrecked her marriage for, local businessman John Breem (Paul Sparks) to take down everyone in her way. 

(END SPOILERS)

Physical streams on Apple TV+