Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Entertainment
  2. TV
  3. Comedy Shows

Russian Doll season 2 timeline explained

Features
By Emily Garbutt last updated 11 August 2022

We break down the key events in chronological order

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Natasha Lyonne in Russian Doll season 2
(Image credit: Netflix)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Russian Doll season 2 is now on Netflix, and it's a time-hopping extravaganza. The new installment of the Netflix show picks up four years after season 1 – Nadia is about to turn 40, and she and Alan (Charlie Barnett) find themselves traveling through time rather than re-living it. 

However, this makes things a little confusing – between them, Nadia and Alan visit the '40s, the '60s, the '80s, and two points in the 21st Century, and not necessarily in that order. We've identified their main time travel destinations and put them in chronological order, breaking down the key events that happen each year, which should hopefully make things a little clearer if the new season left you with some questions.

Of course, that means there are major spoilers ahead, so this is your warning to click away now if you haven't finished all seven episodes. Scroll on to find our guide to the Russian Doll season 2 timeline, and make sure you check out our guide to the Russian Doll season 2 ending explained too. 

Russian Doll season 2 timeline: 1944 

Natasha Lyonne in Russian Doll season 2

(Image credit: Netflix)

At the end of episode 4, Nadia arrives in Budapest, Hungary, towards the end of World War 2. She inhabits the body of her grandmother, Vera (Ilona McCrea), who was a young woman at the time. She attempts to take back her Jewish family's valuables that were stolen by the Nazis. 

1962 

Carolyn Michelle Smith in Russian Doll season 2

(Image credit: Netflix)

In episode 4, we find out that Alan has been traveling back to East Berlin in 1962, during the Cold War when the city was still divided by the Berlin Wall. Like Nadia in 1944, he is also inhabiting the body of his grandmother, Agnes (Carolyn Michelle Smith) a Ghanian student in East Germany who is involved in a plot to tunnel under the Berlin Wall.

You may like
  • Nikki and Will in Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Where does Stranger Things: Tales From '85 take place on the Stranger Things timeline?
  • Loki Marvel timeline: The MCU movies and TV shows in chronological order
  • Charlie Cox as Daredevil in Daredevil: Born Again season 2 When does Daredevil: Born Again season 2 take place in the MCU – and is it a prequel to Spider-Man: Brand New Day?

1982 

Chloe Sevigny in Russian Doll season 2

(Image credit: Netflix)

This is the first year Nadia travels to, and the one she returns to the most frequently. Finding herself in the East Village in New York City, she inhabits the body of her mother, Nora (Chloë Sevigny), who is heavily pregnant with Nadia. In episode 5, Nora's water breaks while she's on the subway, and Nadia ends up giving birth to herself. Kind of. 

2018 

Greta Lee in Russian Doll season 2

(Image credit: Netflix)

In episode 7, Nadia and Alan find themselves back at Nadia's 36th birthday party in 2018. Back in Maxine's (Greta Lee) apartment, Harry Nilsson's 'Gotta Get Up' (the song that signaled Nadia's time loop resetting in season 1) plays – but things aren't quite as they were four years ago. At this point, Nadia has brought her newborn self back to the 21st Century, and it's messing up the timeline, to put things lightly. Chickens are uncooking themselves, 20th Century Jewish schoolboys are running around the birthday party, and multiple Ruths start to arrive. 

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

2022 

Greta Lee and Natasha Lyonne in Russian Doll season 2

(Image credit: Netflix)

Four years have passed since season 1 ended, so the present day for Nadia and Alan is New York City in 2022. It's nearly Nadia's birthday again, but this time around she's about to turn 40.


Finished Russian Doll season 2 and need more viewing inspiration? Check out our list of the other best Netflix shows that you can stream right now. Plus, here's our guide to everything we know so far about a potential Russian Doll season 3. 

CATEGORIES
Netflix Streaming Services
Emily Garbutt
Emily Garbutt
Social Links Navigation
Contributor

Emily Garbutt is a former Entertainment Writer at GamesRadar+ who covered everything film and TV-related. Emily helped bring you all the latest news, features, and reviews, and helmed a Big Screen Spotlight column. She has previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting a NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism, and is now a freelance writer.

Read more
Nikki and Will in Stranger Things: Tales From '85
Animated Shows Where does Stranger Things: Tales From '85 take place on the Stranger Things timeline?
 
 
Loki
Superhero Movies Marvel timeline: The MCU movies and TV shows in chronological order
 
 
Charlie Cox as Daredevil in Daredevil: Born Again season 2
Marvel TV Shows When does Daredevil: Born Again season 2 take place in the MCU – and is it a prequel to Spider-Man: Brand New Day?
 
 
Andrew Lincoln as Rick in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live
Horror Shows How to watch The Walking Dead franchise in order (release and chronological)
 
 
Stranger Things: Tales from '85 cast
Netflix Stranger Things: Tales from '85 release schedule – what time is the Stranger Things spin-off on Netflix?
 
 
Cyberpunk Edgerunners
Anime Shows Cyberpunk: Edgerunners season 2: Everything we know about CD Projekt Red's anime
 
 
Latest in Comedy Shows
Imogen Poots in Outer Range
Comedy Shows Chronology of Water and Stranger Things stars set to lead new TV show based on popular comic
 
 
The characters of Ted season 2 sit around a table
Comedy Shows Seth MacFarlane wants Ted season 3 or a live-action movie, but says it's up to Peacock
 
 
Frankie Muniz, Jane Kaczmarek, and Bryan Cranston in Malcom in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair
Comedy Shows New trailer for Hulu's Malcolm in the Middle revival proves life is still unfair
 
 
Rick and Morty season 9
Animated Shows Rick and Morty takes aim at "AI slop" as it confirms season 9 release date: "Grade A organic slop, made by real humans"
 
 
Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan in Beef season 2
Drama Shows Season 2 of hit Netflix show with 98% Rotten Tomatoes score unveils its White Lotus-esque first trailer
 
 
Jay McCarrol and Matt Johnson
Comedy Shows Nirvanna the Band the Show stars reveal the iconic Wii Shop song only took 5 hours to write, perform, and edit
 
 
Latest in Features
Spyro in Spyro: A Realm Beyond trailer
Adventure Games "Going independent meant taking a massive, massive risk": How Toys for Bob split off from Activision and Xbox to help guide Spyro to A Realm Beyond
 
 
GTA 6 image grab showing the vast expanse of Vice City at night
Grand Theft Auto Yes, it's okay to get very excited about a small new look at GTA 6's stunning Vice City
 
 
Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Marvel Movies Spider-Man: Brand New Day has learned from Marvel's past mistakes by hiding its villain
 
 
A series of Nintendo Switch 2 cases on a pink GamesRadar+ background.
Accessories From Hori to Hello Kitty - these are some of my favorite Switch 2 cases available for your Nintendo handheld
 
 
Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer screenshot showing two soliders peeking around a corner
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 hands-on: Call of Duty is back to its best
 
 
Spyro: A Realm Beyond screenshot with gR+ Summer preview branding
Adventure Games "The freedom of true dragon flight" is fueling a new era for Spyro the Dragon
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Tom Holland as Spider-Man and Jon Bernthal as Punisher in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
    1
    Spider-Man: Brand New Day featurette teases Peter Parker and Frank Castle's "big brother, little brother relationship"
  2. 2
    Supergirl first reactions are in, and we weren't expecting so many Mad Max comparisons
  3. 3
    Fallout season 3 adds Star Wars actor to cast, and fans are celebrating: "The man has flexibility"
  4. 4
    As Ubisoft says bye to Assassin's Creed Shadows, fans spot reference to a fan-favorite protagonist
  5. 5
    New Crimson Desert patch leans further into life sim territory, finally lets you "decorate the area outside your house"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...