Mental Samurai returns April 2nd on FOX

Update: Story updated as Season 2 will NOT premiere on April 22nd like originally advertised. The show was unable to complete taping and will likely air sometime over the summer or later in 2020 depending on how quickly taping can be finished. 

There has been some bit of confusion surrounding FOX's Mental Samurai game show. The show was picked for a Season 2 back in February and was advertised as returning Wednesday April 22nd for a special preview. The show would then settle in to it's normal time slot of Thursdays at 9/8c.

However, since last week, FOX has been promoting the show, and advertising that it returns Thursday April 2nd at the same 9/8c. It appears that this is a rerun of the Season 1 premiere. According to FutonCritic, the show will now rerun every Thursday. It appears that Season 2 is on hold.

Mental Samurai has fallen victim to the coronavirus outbreak. Sources indicate the show was original set to tape in Spain. A set was built and this was going to serve as the hub for many international versions of the show. However, that was canned due to the virus and the show was instead taped back in Burbank, where Season 1 was taped.

Sources indicate that production was halted midway through the tapings, but that the show is ready to go for its Season 2 premiere. What remains to be seen is how many episodes were actually taped. Good news for FOX and the show is that since the taped episodes don't air til later in the month, they have time to get the show back in production in May or June before potentially running out of new episodes.

For now, if you missed any of Season 1, you will be able to watch it beginning Thursday.  It's a solid show and it's good to see FOX give it a chance to stick .