Even though “The Girlfriend Experience” might not get the awards discussion and watercooler talk that some of the other drama series do, that doesn’t mean the STARZ original isn’t incredible. Produced by Steven Soderbergh, inspired by his film of the same name, “The Girlfriend Experience” has run for two seasons and been one of the most underrated dramas on TV during that time. Perhaps now, as the anthology series moves into its third season, with a brand-new lead actress and a new filmmaker behind the camera, the STARZ drama will begin to get the recognition it deserves.
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And yes, a third season is most definitely on the way, as the network announced that production of “The Girlfriend Experience” is now underway after a delay due to COVID-19. However, Season 3 is shaping up to look very different than the previous two, as filmmaker Anja Marquardt takes over for the first two seasons’ writer-director duo of Amy Seimetz and Lodge Kerrigan. The third season also finds actress Julia Goldani Telles in the lead role, as a neuroscience major that gets caught up in the world of sex work.
Marquardt is probably best known for 2014 film, “She’s Lost Control,” which made the festival rounds and was a standout at events such as SXSW and the Berlin International Film Festival. The film was also nominated for two Spirit Awards.
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“First off, as a participant in the creation of The Safe Way Forward document, I’m happy and relieved we’ve been able to go back to work safely and thrilled to be partnering with STARZ for the third installment of the series,” said Soderbergh. “Second, our approach to this series has always been to empower independent filmmakers, and what Anja has achieved in blending cutting-edge technology with ‘The Girlfriend Experience’ world is super exciting and very provocative. She also found the perfect lead in Julia, and she’s surrounded her with deeply talented people in front of and behind the camera. We really have everything we need to make a great show — I just wish I could see it all right now!”
Christina Davis, President, Programming at Starz, added, “Each installment of ‘The Girlfriend Experience’ has powerfully employed the female gaze in capturing the women at the center of the story, a core tenet of the STARZ programming strategy. We are excited to have this new season underway under Anja’s leadership – another exciting new voice and incredibly talented creator – and look forward to bringing her vision to our global audience.”
As mentioned, the production of Season 3 has only just begun. And as has already been seen with the likes of “Jurassic World: Dominion,” even with massive safety documents and protocols, there’s still the chance that COVID-19 can show up on set. So, hopefully, with all the precautions and a much smaller set than ‘Dominion,’ STARZ’s “The Girlfriend Experience” can have a flawless shoot and be released in a timely manner.
You can see first look images and synopsis for Season 3 below:
The third installment of Steven Soderbergh’s critically lauded anthology series is set amidst the London tech scene where Iris (Telles), a neuroscience major, begins to explore the transactional world of “The Girlfriend Experience,” only to find herself deep inside the uncanny valley with the relationships she creates. Iris quickly learns that her client sessions provide her with an edge in the tech world — and vice versa — until, that is, she begins to question whether her actions are driven by free will or something else altogether.
