Barely a year ago when Australian comedians Kate McLennan and Kate McCartney premiered their original series Deadloch, the social media response from fans – otherwise known as the “katerati” – was overwhelming.

“Just finished Deadloch … Bloody hilarious. Loved it. Laughed my ass off BUT I can’t find another series from you guys and am now trawling through very old episodes of the [parody cooking show] The Katering Show on YouTube,” one UK viewer posted on McCartney’s Instagram.

“When is season 2 coming?!!!!,” screamed another on McLennan’s account.

“When will season two be announced …  Needing a Deadloch: Darwin death drama plz!!!”

The entertainment gods were listening and their prayers have been answered.

Amazon have renewed the quirky series for a second season after launching in June last year, reaching the Top 10 TV shows in more than 165 countries and territories on Prime Video including the US, the UK and Canada.

“The success of the first season [set in Tasmania, about two detectives thrown together to solve the murder of a man] … has become a critical darling and cultivated a passionate fanbase,” Sarah Christie from Amazon MGM Studios said.

“[It] is a testament to the brilliant creative force of Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan.”

The two Kates, who emerged in 2015 with their cooking show followed by parodying breakfast TV with Get Krack!n on the ABC, are pivoting to the Northern Territory as writers and producers for their second murder mystery series.

“We are so excited to head to the Top End for a sticky, sweaty and filthy season two,” they said.

“And we can’t wait to work with a new bunch of cast members and some massive f–king crocodiles.”

‘Charming’

Lauded by critics and legions of fans in Australia and around the world, Deadloch became an unlikely bona fide breakout hit.

The story goes that locals in the fictitious town of Deadloch were left reeling after a local man turns up dead on the beach.

Set against the backdrop of a local arts and food event, the Winter Festival, the crime noir is full of comedic twists and turns and by the end of six episodes, we were left hanging.

“A delightful series that starts out seeming like a satire of sombre, melancholy crime dramas like Broadchurch, The Bridge, and Top of the Lake – complete with moody aerial shots of the landscape, a haunting choral score and a hard-bitten female policewoman, Dulcie – but ends up succeeding as an addictive thriller, a charming portrait of an oddball community and a crash course in Aussie slang,” wrote Vanity Fair in a July review last year.

“By the end, you’ll be throwing around references to utes, nangs, and norks.

“While it’s Eddie and Dulcie that command the storyline, a menagerie of brilliantly written and acted townsfolk and lower-ranking police round out the picture beautifully.”

It retained a 100 per cent score from critic reviews and an 89 per cent audience score.

The series went on to win five AACTA Awards earlier this year including best acting in a comedy for Box and best screenplay in television for McCartney and McLennan.

Add to that three Logie nominations including best scripted comedy, and best actress silver Logies for Box and Sami for this year’s awards in August.

Same title, different location for Deadloch season two. Photo: Prime Video

‘Smart, slyly satirical and flat out funny’

Deadloch’s next chapter see the return of Box and Sami as the two detectives who head to the Northern Territory to investigate the death of Eddie’s former policing partner, Bushy.

When the bodies of two Top End icons are discovered in a remote town, they are flung into a new sweatier, stickier investigation.

Also reprising their roles are Nina Oyama as Abby Matsuda and Alicia Gardiner as Cath York, Dulcie’s wife.

“Smart, slyly satirical and flat-out funny, season two picks up where season one left off,” said Guesswork Television’s producers Kevin Whyte and Tanya Phegan, happy to take the “Kates’ story to every corner of the planet”.

They will be utilising Screen Queensland’s production facilities and waterways in Brisbane – another series supported through the Production Attraction Strategy, and employ local cast and crew with the assistance of Screen Territory.

Production on the six-part second season starts later this year. It will be released globally on Prime Video