The Rehearsal Season 1 Ending Explained (In Detail)
The Rehearsal season 1 is one of the most unique TV shows HBO has ever released, blurring the lines between reality and fiction, with an ending that leaves more questions than answers. Nathan Fielder’s show combines reality TV, comedy, and drama, all to create an experience that is so far out there, that viewers can’t even tell if it’s real or not. With The Rehearsal season 2 premiering on April 20, 2025, it’s worth taking a closer look at the end of season 1.
The Rehearsal follows Nathan as he orchestrates events for real-life people in order to prepare them for actual events. In season 1’s later episodes, The Rehearsal focuses on a singular story regarding a rehearsal Nathan puts on for a future mother named Angela. While this plot line starts out humorous, it soon becomes apparent that Nathan’s relationship with this rehearsal is the true heart of the show. The Rehearsal season 1 ending provides answers as to what this storyline means, and how real the events that took place actually were, setting the stage for season 2.
What Happened In The Rehearsal Season 1’s Ending?
Nathan Fielder Takes It Too Far With One Child Actor
Angela left The Rehearsal in the penultimate episode of the series, leaving Nathan to finish raising Adam for her. Nathan and Angela had chosen to go back to when Adam was younger, right before Angela’s departure, leaving Nathan to raise a six-year-old Adam on his own. In doing so, Nathan forms a close bond with Remy, one of the child actors who play Adam, with Remy referring to Nathan as his “daddy” even after he finishes acting. In an attempt to understand what led to Remy’s emotional connection, Nathan does another rehearsal, this time with nine-year-old Liam playing Remy as Adam.
Related
Nathan Fielder’s curious HBO docu-comedy is even more daring, profound, and subversively hilarious in its aviation-focused second season.
Nathan then tries some more rehearsals, each more bizarre than the last, ending with Nathan playing Remy’s mother while Liam plays Remy. This emotional final rehearsal leads Nathan to the realization that he may have manipulated Liam in the show, causing him to regret how he handled the series in what seems like a real break from character for Nathan Fielder. He has one last emotional exchange with Liam before The Rehearsal season 1 ending cuts to black.
Were The Rehearsal’s Actors Real?
The Rehearsal Blurs The Line Between Reality And Fiction
One of the biggest debates on social media regarding The Rehearsal was whether the people Nathan did rehearsals for were real. Some characters, like Angela, Robbin, Miriam, and more, were so outlandish that it seemed impossible for them not to be staged or acting on some level. Some viewers even expected The Rehearsal season 1 ending to reveal that the entire show was staged, but that didn’t happen.
The question about how much of Nathan Fielder’s character is real or not in the show isn’t as important as seeing his antics play out on screen.
Subsequent interviews and investigatory pieces have revealed that these characters are 100% real, with some of The Rehearsal‘s cast even starting accounts on Cameo due to their newfound fame. While it seems impossible, The Rehearsal‘s characters and actors are all reportedly genuine. The question about how much of Nathan Fielder’s character is real or not in the show isn’t as important as seeing his antics play out on screen.
The True Significance Of “Pretend Daddy”
Nathan Fielder Realizes How Much He Could Hurt People
The Rehearsal being at least partially real makes the relationship between Liam and Nathan even more tragic, highlighting the significance of the show’s “pretend daddy.” In The Rehearsal season 1 ending, Liam calls Nathan his daddy, with Nathan telling Liam that he was just his “pretend daddy.” However, throughout the course of the episode, Nathan begins to realize that kids like Liam can’t tell the difference between a real and fake emotional connection, leading Nathan to realize the error of his manipulative ways.
“Pretend daddy” could be substituted for any of the other roles in the show, as Nathan pulled real emotions from real people by using fake brothers, fake friends, fake kids, and even a fake grandfather who fake died. The experience of making The Rehearsal makes Nathan realize how dangerous blurring the line between fiction and reality is, as he can end up hurting people if he isn’t careful, like he did with Liam.
How The Rehearsal Season 1 Ending Sets Up Season 2
Nathan Fielder Learned From The Mistakes Of Season 1
While the end of season 1 has Nathan realizing that The Rehearsal was a mistake, the series was brought back for a second season, taking the show in a much different direction while still keeping the core identity of what makes it so unique. Nathan Fielder seemed to learn a lot about what went wrong with The Rehearsal season 1, as his attempt at blurring the lines between reality and fiction got a little blurred, resulting in hurting some people. With that newfound perspective, Fielder set his sights on season 2, with the main plot around it taking on aviation safety.
The Real Meaning Of The Rehearsal Explained
Meant To Criticize Reality TV Shows
The Rehearsal is a truly profound show, as the real meaning of Nathan Fielder’s magnum opus is about truth, reality, manipulation, and more. While The Rehearsal was airing, some viewers criticized the series, bemoaning Nathan Fielder’s manipulative tactics in the early episodes and pointing out the harm his methods could cause. However, that is something Nathan Fielder himself realized, with the realization of these unintended consequences of reality TV being the crux of the series. The Rehearsal is a reality show that criticizes other reality shows, with Nathan Fielder calling into question the ethics of manipulating real people, both the cast and the audience.
Related
The Rehearsal season 1 went off in its own direction. Now that season 2 is confirmed, it can finally realize the show’s juicy original premise.
The Rehearsal is an incredibly deep show, and viewers will be unpacking Nathan Fielder’s true message in the HBO series for years to come. The Rehearsal season 2 continues Nathan’s comedy, creativity, and subversive messaging once again. The season 1 ending has had a seemingly notable impact on those who watched it, with viewers still talking about it three years later.
How The Rehearsal Season 1 Ending Was Received
Viewers Were Divided About How It Played Out
While it was great to see Nathan Fielder realize the harm that The Rehearsal played, especially when it came to child actor Liam, viewers were divided about how the rest of the finale played out. The biggest issue was how Nathan Fielder continued to do rehearsals even after the “pretend daddy” incident happened, turning his focus on Liam and Fielder’s new relationship with him. Still, that didn’t deter viewers from disliking the show altogether, as it is one of the best things Nathan Fielder has ever done.
The Rehearsal season 1 currently sits at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes regarding the critics score and 88% for audiences, indicating that the series overall was beloved. Of course, issues arose throughout the first season, especially towards the end, but it seems like Nathan Fielder understood the gravity of it at least to some extent, setting the stage for an even more audacious second season of The Rehearsal.
