'PEN15' Season 2 Will Be Split Into Two Parts; Watch The New Teaser Trailer

One of Hulu's best original shows is coming back this fall – and then again next year.

PEN15, the hilarious series which features 30-something actresses Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine playing 13-year-old versions of themselves in junior high school opposite actual 13-year-olds, is returning for its second season later this year. But PEN15 season 2 will be split in half, with the first half of its 14-episode season premiering in September and the back half debuting sometime in 2021.

We've known about PEN15 season 2 since last May, when Hulu first ordered the renewal. But now we know exactly when we'll see the show return: the second season of PEN15 is set to premiere on Hulu on September 18, 2020, but the latter half of the season is being held until a to-be-determined date in 2021. I'm a little bummed about having to wait until 2021 to see the entire season, but despite the split release dates, season 2 will end up containing four more total episodes than season 1's 10-episode run. So ultimately, I'm happy to be getting more overall of a show that I love.

PEN15 was one of my favorite shows of 2019. Its casting gimmick – having Konkle and Erskine playing younger versions of themselves – resulted in tons of laugh out loud moments, and the show does an excellent job capturing the year 2000 era in which it is set, from the clothing to the music and everything in between.

But while comedy is at the forefront, I found myself surprisingly invested in the show's dramatic aspects as well, as the relationship between the two best friends was tested and the show tapped into the all-too-real feelings of what it was like to navigate the bizarre societal hierarchies of junior high school. The season 1 episode "Anna Ishii-Peters," in which the seams of Anna and Maya's friendship begin to show as Anna stays over at Maya's house and is given special treatment by Maya's parents, was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series.

The show hooked me with laughs, but long before the finale, I was genuinely feeling for its characters. I can't wait to jump back in and see what the creators have in store for season 2. According to TVLine, "in Season 2, Anna and Maya face school plays, pool parties and (yikes) sleepovers as they struggle to fit in and just be cool, man."

PEN15 was co-created by Konkle, Erskine, and Sam Zvibleman. It's produced by The Lonely Island: Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer.