HBO’s ‘How To with John Wilson’ will end with Season 3
John Wilson is hanging up his camcorder. The creator and star of HBO’s acclaimed docu-comedy series “How To with John Wilson” is wrapping up the show with its upcoming third season, which is scheduled to premiere July 28.
The 25-minute series, which originally premiered in October 2020, is shot and narrated by Wilson and compiled from candid footage shot in New York City and interviews. Each episode is framed as an instructional guide to a different activity — for example, Season 3 episodes include installments focused on finding a public restroom, exercising, and cleaning your ears — and uses seemingly mundane subject matter to address broader philosophical questions. The show’s first two seasons received critical acclaim, and the season two finale earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Non-Fiction Program.
In a statement accompanying the season announcement, Wilson said the choice to end the show in its third season came from him, and he filmed the season with the expectation that it would be the show’s last.
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“When we started working on season three, I found it exciting to think of it as the last. It ended up opening up a lot of storytelling possibilities that weren’t available before and gave us the freedom to try some really ambitious things,” Wilson said in his statement. “While part of me would be happy to continue doing ‘How To’ all ‘infinite, I take great pride in trying to make the style and visuals look amazing, and I’d rather finish the show while it’s still like that. Thematically, we also reach a vanishing point in the finale, and it felt like a natural time to sign.
“I plan to keep experimenting in the non-fiction world and any ideas I have left will just feed into the next thing. The project of documenting the present moment is never really done and even as the work changes its title and shape, there will always be something worth capturing,” Wilson continued. “Firstly, it is a miracle that a program like this is never made it to HBO, and after 18 episodes, it looks like we’ve pulled off some kind of incredible heist.I feel melancholy to wrap up a project with such an amazing team, but I couldn’t be more grateful to HBO for their support and for the fact that allowed us to experience for three amazing seasons.So, if you are a fan of the show, thank you for watching and buckle up, because you are about to embark on a crazy journey.
Wilson is the executive producer of “How To with John Wilson” alongside “Nathan For You” creators Nathan Fielder and Michael Koman, as well as Clark Reinking, who produced that Comedy Central series. The series came to HBO as part of Fielder’s 2019 blanket deal with the network, and the comedian also has his series, last year’s viral sensation “The Rehearsal,” on the channel. “The Rehearsal” has been renewed for a second season, with a premiere date yet to be announced.
“How To With John Wilson” season 3 will consist of six episodes, premiering Friday at 11 p.m. ET. The series finale will premiere on September 1. HBO also released a teaser for the final season; see it below.