Entertainment

'Being Serena' Might Be Over, But There's Plenty More To Watch Of The Tennis Star

HBO

Serena Williams is a legend. Regardless of if you're a tennis fan, or even a fan of sports in general, her prowess is undeniable, and people are endlessly curious about her life. So will HBO's Being Serena return for Season 2?

Right now, it looks like the documentary series focused on Williams, her career and her family, is a one-and-done kind of deal. Deadline reported in March that Being Serena was meant to be a five-part show, and made no mention of any possible second season. The documentary series follows a very specific part in Williams' life, during which she grapples with her relationship to tennis, her baby, her marriage, and what her future plans might be. Allowing fans and viewers to get in on that experience is a whole different ball game than indefinitely allowing a crew to film your every move, so it's not that surprising if a second season isn't in the works.

Regardless of how long the show goes on, it's obvious that people behind the doc were stoked about telling Williams' story. "Serena Williams is a force unlike any other," said Mark Shapiro, Co-President of WME and IMG said ahead of the first season's premiere, according to the same Deadline piece. "Her entire life is one of the hero’s journey, and it has been a privilege to work with her as she enters this next phase. HBO was an incredible partner in developing a unique look into Serena’s world, and we look forward to sharing this all-access story with the world in May."

It's also clear how important the doc was to Williams herself. In fact, the whole thing appears to have been her idea to begin with — she wanted a way to ensure that she was creating lasting, solid memories for her family that they could easily look back on. "It was super-organic," the athlete told The New York Times. "When I found out I was pregnant, I was saying, ‘I really want to get some footage of me,’ because I remember my dad had all this film when we were younger, all this cool footage, and I wanted to start this journey for [new daughter] Olympia, even though she was the size of a raspberry at the time."

HBO

Williams' voice is scattered throughout the series in the form of voice-overs, directing what she wants audiences to see and what she wants viewers to know about her. Reviews for the doc have been largely favorable, too, so a second season would likely be welcome if Williams ever decided she was game to let people back in. "There’s something still striking about seeing an important figure in the sports world subvert any existing perception that having a child is somehow a point of weakness," IndieWire's Steve Greene wrote, while noting that the documentary does lack a sense of "uncertainty" that's necessary for a more dramatic viewing experience.

Even in the absence of more Being Serena, Williams is still giving people plenty more to watch. On May 29, she won her first Grand Slam tennis competition since giving birth to her daughter, according to the BBC. It was Williams' first competition overall on the tennis court since 2016, but she was ready. "Two years is a long time but I've trained hard on this surface," Williams told the outlet." Aside from tennis, fans can also follow Williams' social media, which frequently features adorable photos of her daughter as well as her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian (they attended Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding, no big deal). So if you loved Being Serena, give those a gander, and keep looking out for whatever it is Williams is about to do next.