Hulu Casts Bobbitt Leads for Anthology

Isabela Merced and Patrick Schwarzenegger will play Lorena and John Bobbitt in the second season of the Hulu true-crime anthology Good American Family.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Television

Hulu has cast Isabela Merced as Lorena Bobbitt and Patrick Schwarzenegger as John Bobbitt for the second installment of its true-crime anthology Good American Family. The limited series, which is not yet titled, is produced by 20th Television.

Why it matters

The casting places a 1993 case that drew national attention into the anthology format that has already drawn large streaming audiences. The first season has amassed more than 140 million hours streamed globally on Hulu and Disney+.

Good American Family's first season has amassed more than 140 million hours streamed globally on Hulu and Disney+. Its finale was the biggest of 2025 across both platforms, while the premiere date for the Bobbitt season has not been set.

The players

Hulu

Hulu is a streaming service owned by Disney that carries Good American Family and its anthology expansion.

20th Television

20th Television is the television production arm of 20th Century Studios, the studio behind the series.

Ellen Pompeo

Ellen Pompeo is an actress best known for Grey's Anatomy who is an executive producer of Good American Family and star of the Chicks pilot.

The details

Katie Robbins, who created and writes the series, is also an executive producer alongside Ellen Pompeo. The second season adapts the 1993 incident in which Lorena Bobbitt cut off her husband's penis with a kitchen knife after an argument at home, a case she later attributed to abuse during their marriage.

1993: Lorena Bobbitt cut off her husband's penis with a kitchen knife.
March 2025: The first season of Good American Family debuted.
June 2026: 20th Television ordered the Chicks dramedy pilot starring Ellen Pompeo.
August 2026: The anthology expansion was announced.
November 2, 2026: Casting of the Bobbitt series was announced.

Industry Dynamics

The Bobbitt season extends the Good American Family model, whose first season debuted on Hulu in March 2025 and drew more than 140 million streamed hours. Hulu is building the anthology into a recurring true-crime franchise rather than a one-season event.

The Bobbitt season will stream on Hulu, which carries the first season alongside Disney+. No premiere date has been announced, so viewers should watch for a release window before planning to watch.

The takeaway

Streaming anthologies built around well-known true-crime cases can sustain audience interest across multiple seasons. Watch for the premiere date and final title of the Bobbitt season as the project moves forward.