It is definitely safe to say, that Brent Spiner is a living legend in Hollywood. Simply because he is well-known for his ability to morph into the characters he plays and he’s made a major impact on several iconic franchises, such as Star Trek, and Night Court on NBC. In fact, the latter is of note today, because Brent continues to keep audiences in stitches, courtesy of the revival of his character, Bob Wheeler, and we had the incredible honor of sitting down with Brent to discuss his now, multi-season return to the show.
John Betancourt: I would love to start by getting to know what it was that kind of brought forth this whole reunion of the Wheelers and Night Court.
 
Brent Spiner: Well, you know what? I think. I'm not sure whose idea was, but I'm happy they thought of it. Whoever it was. It may have been Melissa (Rauch), I don't know, but it was fortuitous for me and for Annie (O’Donnell) and for Kate (Micucci), that we're all happy to be doing it. Yeah.
 
John Betancourt: Well, the fans are glad too, since everyone was wondering where the Wheelers were in season one. Now, I'm curious too, was it difficult at all to slip back into the kind of mind and world of Bob Wheeler?
 
Brent Spiner: No. You know, really, I'm putting on now. I'm actually exactly like Bob Wheeler, and I'm pretending to be a… normal sort of guy right now talking to you. (Laughter from John.) I actually, I've been doing Bob Wheeler since I was a kid. And the first time I auditioned for the original series, I thought, “I wonder if I could do my character that I've been doing for this part,” and so I gave it a shot, and they cast me, and I've been happy ever since.
 
John Betancourt: Well, that’s just incredible, that you get to play something from your childhood. Now, it’s a huge deal that the Wheelers are back, that this series is back, and I have to know what it was like or been like, to walk back into that courtroom over the past couple of seasons.
 
Brent Spiner: Well, it was kind of wonderful. You know, it's identical to the original sets. I mean, the sets are just perfect. And I keep having this experience, you know, because I had sort of a similar experience on the Picard series of walking back onto the Enterprise-D set, and it was identical. And then I go over to do Night Court again, and I'm walking on that set again, and it's identical. So, it's really amazing that these guys can pull it off so perfectly. I love it, and it's a great set.
 
John Betancourt: I’m with you there, I was blown away by how they perfectly replicated it. Now, this really is a great opportunity for me, to talk to a living legend in the industry and pick your brain about the craft. Because you have this innate ability to be… just be a chameleon and instantly transform into your characters. And I'm curious how you're able to do that with such ease and with such incredible believability.
 
Brent Spiner: You know what? I don't know. Honestly, I… think, really, it's just a matter of, you know, I'm always up for a challenge, and if I can just let go and relax and go for it, generally, I can find my way in, and I've been lucky. I’ve had some really wonderful roles to play, including Bob, yeah, who knows. It's, you know, acting is, is a really bizarre, ephemeral thing, and sometimes you hit lightning, and sometimes you completely strike out. But I've been lucky. I've had pretty good batting average.
 
John Betancourt: Now, obviously, you've done it all. You'v done film, you've done television, you've done single cam, you've done multi cam. How do you prepare for a show like Night Court as an actor?
 
Brent Spiner: Well, I learn my lines (Laughs) which I think is really important. Some people don't do that. I do. I want to make sure I know what I'm doing, I make choices just like any actor. I mean, it's a role, like any role, and then you show up, and then if you know your stuff already, and you've thought about what you want to do with it, then you're available for anything they throw at you that can change because you're already in the character. And one of the wonderful things about Night Court is the fact that they do continually change things while you're shooting, you know, you'll do one take, and they come up and give you a completely different line, or an added different set of lines, and, and it's a really fun process. It's almost like, you know, improv, except for they give you the dialogue.
 
John Betancourt: Well, thank you for those insights. It's so cool to get to know your process. Now, obviously, you've been a part of just one iconic franchise after another, and you’re just beloved actor through and through. What does it mean to you to be part of so many important franchises and stories.
 
Brent Spiner: Well, you know, I love it, and I love the fact that I've had these, you know, just lucked into these wonderful projects that have had legs and have had, I mean, you know, with Night Court, I've been with -- the first episode of Night Court we did was 40 years ago, and just bizarre. And, you know, the same with Next Generation, when we did Picard, it was, I don't know, 35 years later, and trying to find these same characters only, who they would be now. And I don't think the Wheelers have actually changed much since the old days. I think that's the beauty of the Wheelers, is they never change. But you know, so it's been good. It's been just great.
 
John Betancourt: The last question I have for you, today, Brent, since you've been so much a part of Night Court’s fabric and you're so close to it. Why do you think it resonates so with audiences and has maintained such longevity?
 
Brent Spiner: Well, I think it's unique. I think Night Court is surreal, and I think that's the best thing about it. I mean, it does have an occasional moment of reality, of real reality, and real feelings and that kind of thing. But I think it's at its best when it's off the wall, zany, surreal, which is, what it's always been. And I don't think anything else quite on television in the comedy area, does that sort of thing.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

We are in the midst of the third season of the highly celebrated newboot of Night Court on NBC. And to properly pay tribute to the work the cast puts forth on this series, we sat down once more with Lacretta, to talk about her performance as Gurgs, and more.
John Betancourt: I would love to start by getting to know what it means to you, to be back for a third season.
 
Lacretta: Oh, God, I'm honored. I'm honored to be back. Um, it's a dream come true. And, yeah, every episode is a blessing.
 
John Betancourt: You get to do some really amazing stuff this year, the comedy has always been good in this show, but this year, it is just next level, top tier, and you are absolutely killing it with the comedy this year. And I'm curious, as an actor, what it means to you to be able to let loose in the way that you have from a comedy standpoint.
 
Lacretta: I always take the approach that I'm a vessel, and I'm allowing these words on a page to get to have a life in the flesh. And so, it makes it a very reverent moment for me, more like a religious experience, as opposed to, you know, “This is what I'm doing.” And da-da-da-da-da. Like, no, I want Gurgs to have her life and respond and to listen and to interact with her co-stars, and so it's not about what I would do. It's just giving her the chance to do her thang.
 
John Betancourt: Let's break that down a little more if we could, because I always love getting a chance to talk to actors and uncover the incredible things you do with your craft. So how then have you, as an actor, found the essence of Gurgs.
 
Lacretta: Oh gosh. I mean, there's so much that's in the script, and then I don't have to do so much work, like they, they made it very clear that this is where she lives, and there's some of the things that she's done, like she's written novels, and she's been on game shows. She used to travel extensively when she was eight. So, it's like all those things kind of inform the kind of Renaissance woman that she is. And it's nice to not to have to make up anything. And then the beautiful part on top of that is that we've got these living writers. You know, when you're doing things on stage, you often are doing things where anyone attached to that project is already passed on, so you can't ask them the specifics of your character, but we've got 20 folks, maybe 20 plus, that are in that room that know the character even more than you do, better than you do. So, you can always ask them, “What was her motivation like? Why is she here and what is it that fulfills her from this role and from this job, being a bailiff. Why that? Why couldn't she be the clerk?” You know? So, yeah, it's just nice to have a day one source that you can go to for answers if you have them.
 
John Betancourt: That's pretty incredible. I didn't know they had that much depth ready for you to go when it comes to the characters, that's amazing. And speaking of that too, something that I've always been intrigued by is the relationship actors have with their characters. Some step away from them entirely, some are deeply intertwined, And I'm curious just how much of yourself you’ve injected into Gurgs, if at all.
 
Lacretta: Yeah, oh, she definitely has my joy. That joy is an undercurrent to a lot of the roles that I take on. But she -- what I like about her is that she lives in the moment, and at that moment, that is the truth. And I surprised myself like watching the episode where she has the interview to become chief bailiff. There was something that I did, that I didn't even realize I had done until I watched it back, and it was just like this -- It was so fleeting, but it was so magical at the same time, because there was a give and a pull back that made total sense, but I just didn't have a recollection of, so I'm just, I'm grateful to our editing team, because they capture those honest moments and make sure that everyone gets their feature in a balanced way.
 
John Betancourt: May I ask what part it was? Because now,I gotta know.
 
Lacretta: Okay, so she's sitting at the table with Dan, and he was like, you know, “Yeah Words are important, but you also have to rest in the silence.” And so, he, he was like, ask me a question. She asked him a question. And so, there's that back and forth between the two of them. And then all of a sudden, she was like, “Take my wallet!”
 
John Betancourt: I know exactly where that is, that's so cool. Now it explains why that was such a great natural moment. Now, obviously, you as an actor care about your character, and want to nurture them, see them grow. What does it mean to you to see Gurgs grow in the manner she has? Since she’s now the head bailiff.
 
Lacretta: Yeah. I didn't even know that that was such a thing. And so, it's nice that we see them making their accomplishments. There's going to be more accomplishments that happen through the rest of the season, and that's what you want. You want to see them grow. You want to see what it's like for them at home. You want to see these things. Well, we hope that you do because you love these characters so much. And for people who watch us every week and stream us and binge us. It's nice for them to come on that journey with us, so that it's just not one note. You know, that's what gets boring.
 
John Betancourt: Obviously, few more episodes left in season two. What are you most excited for everybody to experience in those stories.
 
Lacretta: Oh, there's some wackiness coming up, which I wholeheartedly welcome. You know, comedy is just, it's so vast. You've got your door slamming comedy, you've got your pratfalls, you've got, you know, restoration comedy, I mean, there's just so many ways that you can do it. And I love that we are able to do varying kinds of comedy in one show.
 
John Betancourt: Last question that I have for you today, what are you most proud of when it comes to your work in season three so far?
 
Lacretta: Wow, I'm most proud of the moments of vulnerability for her, because we see so much joy in Gurgs, it's nice to see those more tender moments from her.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity

Keto Shimizu is an accomplished producer that has worked on some big franchises in her career, such as DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Arrow. Currently she serves as a writer and executive producer on NBC’s epic new series, The Hunting Party, and we recently sat down with Keto to discuss her work on the show, and this week’s amazing episode!
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John Betancourt: I would love to start by getting to know how you came to involved with this series.
 
Keto Shimizu: Oh, sure. Well, what really brought me to it was my good friend, Jake Coburn. We worked on Arrow together, you know, years ago, and have remained friends and have developed projects together, and in the wake of all of that. And, yeah, he brought me on. And he, you know, I think he just wanted someone who was, you know, good at breaking story, at running a room if necessary, and who, who had some experience with dark material. You know, so much I love horror and dabbling in the you know, the shadows of people's psychoses. So it was, it was a really good match, and it's been a lot of fun.
 
John Betancourt: Speaking of those horror elements, this is a great opportunity, to talk to a writer that's in the writer's room. So, I'm very curious how you, and the room built out all of these amazingly dark and amazingly complex characters.
 
Keto Shimizu: Oh, goodness. Well, I would say a lot of it comes from our own fears. You know, those anxieties that tickle the backs of our minds whenever we're putting ourselves in any sort of vulnerable situation. I think both Jake and JJ (Bailey), our co-showrunners are really interested in how we can sort of play on everyday fears and everyday situations that could very quickly turn violent and deadly, should somebody mismanage that sort of trust that we put into sort of social norms and social contracts of like, you know, “I'm gonna get in this Uber and it's gonna be okay,” you know, stuff like that, where it's like, actually putting yourself in a vulnerable situation, should the wrong person be, you know, behind the wheel there. So situations like that are often where the sort of original kill concept kind of comes in, like, who was this person, way back when, you know, back in the 90s, back in the 80s, you know, or back in the turn of the century, where it was like, you know, maybe even more so these kinds of vulnerabilities would pop up in the general population, and people could ease more easily take advantage of that. We have slightly more wary people now.
 
But then the idea, of course, of like, how did the Pit change them? How has the ante been upped? You know, what was done to them in the Pit warped them even more so, so that they're even more dangerous and more unhinged and more unpredictable, because Bex and Oliver and the team are really working off of the information that is on record from their past. But of course, now they're behaving differently because of what was done to them, you know, in this in this clandestine facility. So, yeah, I think a lot of it comes just from, like, what are what are we afraid of? What are we afraid of as writers, and then you again, you ratchet it up, you know, tenfold, to dramatize it for this show.
 
John Betancourt: I appreciate those amazing insights. Because you and the team put together such wonderfully complex characters and stories. Speaking of that, what a great episode this week as well. It's so complex. There's so many cool twists and turns, and since you helped to write it, what kind of challenges did you run into in putting together such a wonderfully complex tale.
 
Keto Shimizu: Oh, thank you. It was, it was kind of a challenge to kind of get the concept in place initially, because we were in the development room, you know, like a year and a half before the show actually got picked up, there was just a few of us who were batting around ideas for killers and blue skying ideas. And the idea of an artist killer is something that we were all very excited about right away in those early, early stages of development, but we couldn't quite crack it. We just didn't have like that, that methodology or something that that really took the idea of an artist killer and made it feel like something we could really run with in terms of story. And it was later on, when we were in the proper room, after we'd been green lit. And we, you know, everything was growing, and as a huge Greek mythology nerd, I was just sort of like, what about the muses? Again, we're talking about an artist, you know, like, what if we deal with Greek muses? There's nine of them, nine kills like that. Feels like a good number, at least for what this artist had intended to do. But you know, this artist didn't get to complete their work. So, you know now their protege is out there doing it for them. And what a cool concept that was.
 
But also, the idea of Muses really gives the story momentum, that it had sort of been lacking when we were just sort of like an artist killer, you know, they do cooler things. Suddenly it was like, “Oh,” now we're like, we're sort of paying homage to Greek statues, and we're honoring these different forms of art. This artist is getting inspired by other artists and then murdering them to sort of immortalize them in this way that's, like, really twisted, but also, like loving. It's all a mess of sort of beauty and death, and again, something that you want to look away from because it's so grizzly and horrific, and yet you just can't look away, because it's kind of gorgeous, too. So, yeah, you know, the whole concept really kind of solidified at that point. And then, of course, adding all these wonderful twists and turns, like JJ and Jake are so good at that stuff, you know, like really taking a break and saying, “Well, what if we had this element to it? Oh, we need more twists. We need something to be harder here,” you know, and really pushing us as writers to get the best flow of story that we possibly can.
 
John Betancourt: Something else that I noticed that I thought was kind of neat, is that in the last couple of weeks is there's been a little bit of DNA from Silence of the Lambs kind of snuck into these episodes, and has that been a large influence over the show in general?
 
Keto Shimizu: 100% I mean, again, I think we like to raise a toast to all the greats in terms of this genre of, sort of serial killers, and, again, sort of these heightened scenarios and these heightened types of murderers and again, like, who else to emulate, but the best? Silence of the Lambs, Se7en, you know, like, these are all things that we just we're all huge fans of, and particularly in this episode as, kind of a love letter to Se7en is like, you know, who else? Who else would you emulate?
 
John Betancourt: Now for a writer and producer, this is a chance to work on such a unique show. And I'm just curious what it means to you be taking part in something that's kind of refreshing and revitalizing the genre.
 
Keto Shimizu: Oh, for me, it's been just an honor and a delight, really, to get to work in this in this space. You know, I've worked a lot in comic books and some horror, and I develop a lot of horror in my own work, and this allows me to play in a sandbox that's familiar and also a delightful challenge. You know, it's sort of, this is probably the most grounded show I've ever worked on, and yet it is also really a heightened thriller. And there's the conspiracy element. And there's, you know, these killers are also fascinating, but they stem, you know, largely from a real space. You know, we try to be emotionally true to who these people could be in in the real world, and yet we also want to be a departure from the real world, because we don't want to just tell true crime. That's not what the show is. This is like… what is kind of the strangest, weirdest, creepiest kind of killer we could create, that isn't real, that hasn't happened, or maybe it's inspired by something that happened, but like, again, just elevating it and heightening it to make it as cool and compelling as possible.
 
John Betancourt: Last question I have for you today, without spoilers, what are you most excited for audiences to enjoy in these closing episodes of season one?
 
Keto Shimizu: Oh my gosh, there's so much great stuff coming up. I mean, the killers are getting wackier and more sinister. I feel like, as these episodes go on, the last few killers in our season are so chilling and terrifying. And again, just, just really, really cool puzzle boxes themselves. And again, what's going on with our characters and their interpersonal dynamics is going to get so much richer in these last few and the conspiracy element, there's a huge twist coming up at the end of the season that I'm hoping is going to really like leave people's jaws on the floors. I just think it's, it's a season I'm really proud of, and I can't wait for everyone to see it.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Jocko Sims is an accomplished actor of the silver and small screen that has been a part of a bevy of beloved franchises. Such as New Amsterdam and The Last Ship. Currently, he stars as Tucker in the magnificent new NBC series, Grosse Pointe Garden Society, and we had the honor of sitting down with Jocko to discuss his work on the show, and his wondrous career.
 
John Betancourt: I would love to start getting to know today what it was that attracted you to this project.
 
Jocko Sims: Oh my gosh. It was a few things. One, to be able to return to my network, home of recent years, NBC was great. I love everybody there, and I've had the chance to work with Bill (Krebs) and Jenna (Bans) before, the show runners. And I just like, I can get emotional talking about them, because they're just so loving and fantastic and open to collaboration, and they appreciate good artists and work, and they work hard, and they write very well. So that was enough in itself. But then after we shot the pilot, and I talked to the two of them and asked them, kind of where this was going and where Tucker was going and what would happen, and particularly that scene where Catherine, you know, tells him what happens, and he just reacts in the way that he did. I was like, “Sign me up.”
 
John Betancourt: That brings me right to I want to talk about a lot today, because what I love about the work you're doing on the show, your coworkers as well, is that everybody's finding a very special essence of every character. And I'm curious how you found that essence of Tucker's kind of even keel nature, because he, he does take that moment, with an absolute grain of salt.
 
Jocko Sims: Yeah, you know what was interesting about this particular job. And actually, most TV shows, they kind of have a general idea where they want to go with the characters, with everything. And so, you have a little bit of an idea, but generally, as the weeks progress, sort of more ideas flow. But this show… everything's a secret, you know, so, it’s interesting to approach it in a way that would make the performance interesting in these first few episodes. But also, kind of not tip your hand too much, to lean this way or that way. You know, is Tucker, you know, a potential suspect with the group? Is he a victim? Is he in the garden? Does he have an affair of his own happening? These are all these interesting things that I found as an actor, it would be fun to navigate and figure it out and just walk that fine line. And, yeah, it's just been great.
 
John Betancourt: You bring up another good point too. Something that I really love about this series is that it is such a series of want. Everybody's searching for something, searching for something they need. And I'm curious, since you're so close to Tucker, what do you believe Tucker is searching for in this story?
 
Jocko Sims: I think Tucker is very much in love with his work and the idea of success, and I'll leave the rest to your imagination.
 
John Betancourt: I think that answers a fairly good number of questions there. Now, you’re back working with Bill and Jenna, back to work at NBC, what have you enjoyed the most about playing such a complex character?
 
Jocko Sims: I like not kind of knowing where we're going week to week. I mean, there was a period of time in the first couple of episodes where the core cast didn't even know who they buried in the garden.
 
John Betancourt: Oh, wow.
 
Jocko Sims: Yeah. How fun is that? Talk about walking a fine line, just trying not to lean either way. So, that’s fun. And I will say, also working with this cast. They are so talented. I mean, I actually worked with Aja (Naomi King) before on a show called Emily Owens. We were in Vancouver, and we had such a good time. And she was so great on that. And of course, she was great on How to Get Away with Murder. And I just watched AnnaSophia Robb in Rebel Ridge, and I was just thinking about how great her performance was. And here I am on the set, on the show with her shortly thereafter. And Ben (Rappaport) is great, and all the other guest stars are great, Saamer (Usmani), who plays Gary. Everybody's just so lovely and so talented. And that's really the best part of being on the show.
 
John Betancourt: I love that there's so much to take away from the show. I mean, we’ve got so many themes on relationships and just on… kind of life in general, all those things, what are you kind of ultimately hoping audiences take away from season one of the series?
 
Jocko Sims: You know, with a question like that. I always love for people to just have a good time. I love a good murder mystery. I'm a big fan of, like, horror movie franchises like Scream, like the who done it. But I guess in this case, it's not so much who done it. It's like, “Who is it?” So, it's like, this sort of reverse thing. So, just have a good time. And I think we really, really need that right now. And this show does a good job of having you escape to this amazing town of Grosse Pointe. And Grosse Pointe is a real place that Bill Krebs grew up in, and he talks about how you have these people, these elite who are kind of mixed in with the common folk in this community, and I think they're doing a damn good job of portraying some version of that, and every time I tune into the show myself, I feel like it is an escape. I feel like I get to step into this world, you know, and it's a lot of fun. So, what I want audiences to take is that this is a show that you tune in to when you want to have a good time, escape and have a guessing game, drinking guessing game, whatever you want to do. (Laughter from Jocko and John)
 
John Betancourt: Now, I'd be remiss to not ask without spoiling of course, there's so much going on, so much happening. What are you most excited for audiences to experience in the coming weeks?
 
Jocko Sims: I'm excited for audiences to get some big payoffs. I'm excited for them to find out a lot more what's going on. Much more about all of the characters will be revealed. I think of the metaphor of, you know, everybody in this town kind of wants to have this image of looking beautiful, like flowers. But flowers that come out of the ground, you look at them on the surface, they're great, but at the roots, there's always dirt, right? And so, I'm looking forward to a lot of things being revealed.
 
John Betancourt: Now you have been part of some amazing stories over the years, and I’d love to know… what you’re most proud of when it comes to what you’ve accomplished in your career.
 
Jocko Sims: Oh, I love that. I got to go recently, last month, actually, to the Middle East, spent time in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. And it's my first time in that region. The amount of fans that particularly they, love New Amsterdam, you know, the NBC show, that came up to me, just warmed my heart, stuff like that. And then I have people who contact me since I was on New Amsterdam, and after that, telling me that their kids want to be doctors now, because of Dr. Reynolds, that's not something I expected. And the first time I experienced something like that was actually on The Last Ship. We worked directly with the Navy on The Last Ship on the time that I was on that show, our poster was up at the Pentagon. I got to go to the Pentagon. I'm still friends with the Secretary of the Navy. So, we got all of these sort of analytics and this information, and when they saw my character, Lieutenant Burke, they saw an uptick in the number of African Americans who wanted to become officers in the Navy. And I'm just like, “I just wanted to be an actor.” So, these are the residual effects that I didn't think of. And when you ask a question like that, that's what comes to mind. Just it's amazing to be able to touch people in that way.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. Also, Also, enjoy a sample of Jocko’s work as Tucker on ‘Grosse Pointe Garden Society’, courtesy of this clip from NBC from this week’s episode of the show, ‘Pollination’.

Matthew Davis is an accomplished actors that has graced both the silver and small screen, and some iconic stories along the way. Such as The Vampire Diaries, and Legally Blonde. Currently he stars as Joel in the amazing new NBC series, Grosse Pointe Garden Society, and we sat down with Matthew to discuss his work on the show.

John Betancourt: Let’s start today by talking about what attracted you to this particular project as an actor.
 
Matthew Davis: What attracted me right away was just the quality of the writing. You could tell by the sides that they'd sent for the audition that it was something special. There was just something about him that resonated with me right away. I just connected with him right away on a very visceral level, like, unlike anything I've experienced, and I could see immediately this interesting sort of, like, dynamic between Joel and Birdie and there was just something kind of ephemeral about it that was really engaging. And I knew it was special. I sent my auditions off, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. And then about two weeks later, I got, I got the offer. And I really wasn't surprised. I really wasn't surprised. I felt so connected to Joel right away. You know, I've been going through a lot. Personally, I was on the other side of, like, some big, transformative stuff, and I think it had really shaped my view about the world and about, you know, men and women and relationships, and I thought a lot of it seemed super relevant to Joel's perspective.
 
So, he's got a very interesting perspective that seemed to really align with at least where I was and so when I booked it, I was obviously thrilled, but I was not surprised, because I felt like it was mine. The minute I read it, I was like, I just fell in love with Joel and Birdie. I fell in love with Grosse Pointe Garden Society. I just fell in love with the whole vibe and the tone of it. Right away, it was super clear. And then, you know, we shot the pilot. I didn't know much about what was going to happen between Joel and Birdie and the Grosse Pointe Garden Society, generally speaking. And we shot the pilot. I'm in one scene. I've got two lines at the end, but then they gave us Episode Two and Three towards the end of shooting, or right after we shot. And then that's when you start to get really key in on, at least the Joel and Birdie aspect of it. You know that last scene is so shocking in episode two, you're like, “What is she doing? She's running to this cop. She's gonna rat out her friends. What's happening?” And then when he turns to her, you know, he closes the blinds and turns to her, and she's like, “Are you still mad at me?” And then he kisses her, and you're like, “Oh shit,” there. Like, yeah, when I read that, I was like, “Oh my god, this is –" I did not see it coming. I did not see it coming. And that, to me, that sums up their relationship, like the fact that she runs to him into the police station where he works, confesses his murder to him in his office, and then he helps her cover it up, because you realize they have a relationship.
 
What’s cool about the show is like we now go back in time and catch the audience up to how their relationship began, how it grows, and how it gets to where it is now. So, you have this relationship, you have this dynamic between two people, this man and this woman, and she comes to him to help her cover up a murder, and he does. And I love that about them. I love that about them, and I love that about the show. I don't know that I've seen something like that told from this kind of perspective before, and so to play the guy who helps you cover up the murder because of his love and loyalty to you. It's just like, so cool to me. I love that guy.
 
John Betancourt: It’s also amazing that there's so much want in this show, like everyone's searching for something, everyone's desperate to find something. Since you're so close to Joel and you've got such amazing ties to him, what would you say he's searching for in this series?
 
Matthew Davis: Life, authenticity, passion? I mean, I think he's been… his marriage is stagnant. You know, he's not connecting with his wife. They're not connecting at all apart from their son. And I think it's… it's kind of hit that sort of rut. And I think life for him has become kind of predictable. And I think he's somewhat, he's become unimpressed by wealth. He's become unimpressed by the system. I think he sees, I just think he sees the world through the eyes of this, you know, like he says to her in episode two, he's like, you know, “I've seen all kinds of things. People get shot, stabbed, whatever. I saw a guy hit by a truck and exploded on the freeways. Ribs are like a…” you know.
 
And there's another line that comes down the road in this coming episode. I don't want to spoil it, but it's a good line that really kind of keys into, like, his perspective on justice and so I think when Birdie comes around, he's just immediately, like, keys in on this woman who's unlike any person he's ever met before, unlike any woman he's met before, she's so dynamic and chaotic and full of life and just like this fresh air in his life, and he's just immediately captivated by her. And he just sees something about her super special and unique and he kind of begins to pursue her.
 
John Betancourt: Now, you said something a minute ago that actually kind of resonated with with me, in regard to how the show connected with you on a very fundamental level. I've been noticing this show has a lot of interesting themes that reflect just a lot of our world right now, that connect to us. And I'm curious with so many layers and messages to this show, what you kind of hope audiences take away from season one, from a deeper standpoint,
 
Matthew Davis: Well, I want them to be entertained. I want them to be drawn in. I want them to be invested in these characters. I want them to… I want them to relate. I think on one level, the show is very much kind of like a dark exploration of marriage. And marriages in various different states of decline, or passion, or divorce, whatever the case may be, but all the characters share a marriage. It's in some shape or form, or in a different state right now. And that's why I love this show, and how it explores it and teases it out, and, like, I love the Catherine and Tucker storyline, where it sets up for, like, it's also an exploration of infidelities, right? And so, and how people in marriage, respond to those infidelities. And that's what I love about the Catherine and Tucker storyline. Because you're like, you see him respond to her in ways you don't think that -- you think it's going to go one way; it goes a different way.
 
Same thing with Joel and Birdie. You think it's going to go one way. It goes a different way. You know, same thing with Brett and Alice. Like, it's a lot of mis-directions within the realm of, like, where are we in our marriage? Like, what happens when you have desires outside of your marriage? Like, where does this? How does this all weave together? And Bill (Krebs) and Jenna (Bans) have just done such a superb job at fleshing out these really interesting characters that are relatable in their toil, relatable in their frustrations, you know, relatable in like their desires for something beyond what they can grasp right now. And there's that beautiful tension in all of these relationships, and it's explored through these really fresh twists and dynamics that I don't think I've seen on television. And again, that's why I'm -- I mean, obviously I'm partial to Joel and Birdie, but I love their dynamic, because I just don't think you've seen anything necessarily like it.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. Also, a bonus, enjoy a sample of Matthew’s work as Joel on ‘Grosse Pointe Garden Society’, courtesy of this clip from NBC from this week’s episode of the show, ‘Pollination’.

Meghan McCarthy is a highly accomplished writer and producer, who has worked on some beloved franchises, such as My Little Pony. Currently, she serves as the showrunner, a writer and executive producer on the new Apple TV+ series, BE@RBRICK, and we had the honor of sitting down with Meghan to discuss her work in bringing this magnificent new show to life.
 
John Betancourt: Love to start by getting to know what went into the decision to create such a layered and inspiring show.
 
Meghan McCarthy: DreamWorks came to me. They said, “Hey, we have BE@RBRICK. What would you do with this? How? What kind of stories would you tell? And I was just really drawn to it right from the start. And I thought that the BE@RBRICK themselves had a story there that was kind of dying to get out, because there's this interesting thing of, they're all the same look, but then they're painted, and that's how they take on their value. That's how you know what they represent. They've done all these amazing collaborations with musicians and artists, and I said, there's a story there. You know, if you were in a world where you were painted to be something and it wasn't what you wanted for your life, that would be pretty rough, and that leads to a very cool conflict and one that I felt like was really relevant to today, of people trying to figure out what they want to do, pursue their passions, sometimes being having those shut down. And so it was really important to me to bring in that layered message while also making something that was really fun.
 
John Betancourt: I'm curious too, because there's so much you take away from every single episode. What kinds of challenges went into crafting a show that has so many layers to it?
 
Meghan McCarthy: For me, it's starting with the characters. If you build them and they and you really treat them with respect and try to create some characters that feel incredibly authentic, then that makes the rest of it a little bit easier, because it, for me, it becomes the characters telling me what they want to do, and then I just write it down. So, I think that was, that was really a big part of it, is finding this group of kids and how they relate to one another and how they relate to the world, and how the audience can fall in love with them.
 
John Betancourt: Obviously, there's a huge movement right now to make family entertainment something more than what it has been. Not that it was bad in the beginning, but obviously now there's a lot of depth to it, a lot of meaning. It's almost a standard now, especially with Apple TV Plus, and I'm curious what it means to you now be part of this movement, the revolution, almost, in children's entertainment.
 
Meghan McCarthy: Yeah. I mean, I think it's so important that we take kids seriously. They're complex, multi layered human beings, and they deserve stories that reflect that. So, that's been a key part I feel of my career all along is that I've always felt that this is an important audience, and the family is an important audience, and the family, being able to watch something together has always been really important to me. I have kids of my own and have sat through shows with them that I wish I didn't have to, and sat through shows where I was like, “Oh yeah, let's all watch this together.” So, I've always wanted to create that, that version of the show, but yeah, I really love that, that the kid audience is really being treated with the respect and love that that they deserve. Because we're so influenced by the things that we watch as kids, whether we know it or not, to help in that process, it's really important to me.
 
John Betancourt: Now, there are just so many beautiful messages to this story overall. If there's one in particular, you hope audiences take away when they settle in to watch. What would that message be?
 
Meghan McCarthy: Oh, yeah, it's kind of hard to pick one, but I think really believing in yourself and pursuing your passion and finding the people who support you, in that Jasmine has found this group of friends in the show that they're all very different, but they share a dream, and they really support each other. So, I think that's a big part of it. I think there's kind of a message for parents to open up that dialogue with their kids, that that is something that's going on with young people, that they feel a lot of pressure to kind of be in in a certain box, or that they're supposed to do something because everybody else is doing it. So, I hope parents take that away, that like that's actually a topic of conversation they should really be having with their kids, and that… I'm giving you all the all the things! (Laughter from Meghan and John) But also that your own personal, small actions actually are what help change the world, and that there are things, that sometimes you feel like, “Oh, I'm in a hopeless situation?” Or “What can I do?” And there are always actions that you can take in the ripple effect of that really does make the world a better place.
 
John Betancourt: You know, all the things are better than the “one” I asked for. The last question that I have for you today, what are you most proud of when it comes to what you've assembled here in season one?
 
Meghan McCarthy: Oh gosh, I'm really proud of the fact that we have made a show that is really funny, that is engaging and has just an incredible soundtrack, but that it does have something to say and I'm just really proud of that, and I'm really proud of the team that we assembled to help put it together, because it was just an absolutely wonderful group of human beings that I got to spend time with every day.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Truly, one of the most influential names in music over the past three decades, is Timbaland. For his incredible, ground-breaking work in R&B has given him longevity and success, and the influence in question since has shaped the sound of the genre and helped bring so many important albums to life. Currently, he serves as the Executive Music Producer of the Apple TV+ series, BE@RBRICK, and he even plays BRBX Media DJ on the show, and we had the distinct honor of sitting down with Timbaland to discuss his work on this amazing new series.

John Betancourt: What attracted you to this particular project?
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Timbaland: BE@RBRICK is all about self-expression, creativity, and breaking the mold—that’s my whole approach to music. When I saw how much heart was behind this project, I knew I had to be a part of it. It wasn’t just about making a soundtrack; it was about creating a whole world through sound.
 
John Betancourt: The show features some incredible music. How did you decide upon the tone and design of the show's music?

Timbaland: I wanted it to feel fresh, unexpected. BE@RBRICK is all about individuality, so the music had to reflect that. We mixed elements from hip-hop, electronic, funk, and orchestral sounds to create something that felt like a journey. Every beat, every note had to elevate the story and make you feel like you were inside this world.
 
John Betancourt: Family entertainment is moving in an incredible new direction right now, one full of depth and meaning. What does it mean to you to have your work be part of this important shift in the genre?

Timbaland: Man, this is the kind of storytelling we need. It’s not just about entertaining kids; it’s about inspiring them. If a young kid watches this and feels like they can be themselves, like they can create and express freely, then we did our job.
 
John Betancourt: What are you most excited for audiences to experience from a music standpoint when they settle in to watch it?

Timbaland: I can’t wait for people to hear how the music moves with the story. Every track was crafted to pull you into the emotions of the moment. Some tracks will get you hyped, some will make you reflect. That’s the power of music in storytelling.
 
John Betancourt: What are you most proud of when it comes to what you've accomplished in season one of the show?

Timbaland: I’m proud that we created something real. The music isn’t just background noise; it’s a character in itself. It speaks, it moves, it inspires. That’s what I set out to do.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Jake Coburn is an accomplished executive producer, that has helped to shepherd some epic shows such as Arrow. Currently he serves as Co-Showrunner and Executive Producer of The Hunting Party on NBC, we had the honor of sitting down with Jake to discuss his work on this amazing new show.
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John Betancourt: What was about this show that called to you as a creative?
 
Jake Coburn: It really started with my desire to kind of work with JJ (Bailey). We kind of found the things that excited us, and things we're interested in sort of exploring, you know, sometimes it's an idea that brings two people together, but sometimes you kind of just sort of have to get together, and then, you know, start just playing around, and then you find something and, you know, I think we found an idea together that really spoke to what we wanted to do in creating a procedural that feels, hopefully familiar enough that people can enjoy it and, you know, know what they're going to get, but different enough that it stands out from the crowd.
 
John Betancourt: It definitely does. That's what I've been impressed with, is that every week has something new and special to offer. And speaking of that, like, I think for every writer, there comes a moment when you kind of realize that the story that you're working with, is something special. When did you realize that you guys had something really special on your hands here?
 
Jake Coburn: When you develop a lot of different TV shows over the years, like most TV shows, you go into development, and they have these moments where they, you know, they end up -- most don't make it, you know what I mean, like, so, you have lots of moments where you're kind of, like, really excited and pleased that things came together. I would say for me, one of the biggest moments that I had, that I would think about is Bex, in the pilot, when she's in the in the office, being interrogated by Mallory and Hassani. And she arrives at the military base, and she talks about Richard Harris, and she does sort of this rundown. And we were there on set. It was like the first or second day of filming, and Thor Freudenthal was directing. And we're, you know, close on, on Melissa (Roxburgh), and we're sort of like, you know, moving in slowly but surely.
 
And I was looking at the monitors and looking at JJ and being like, “I think this is going to work,” you know? Like, it was one of those moments where I was like, “Okay, this works.” Like, I you don't, how do you articulate why somebody is super watchable, like, it's hard to explain, like, she, she's one of those people that like just kind of draws you in and, and you like her kind of automatically and, and she's very relatable, and her intelligence is kind of like inviting, not off putting. And they're all these qualities were just sort of coming together. And I was like, “I like this. I think this is going to work.” So that was sort of one, one moment like that.
 
John Betancourt: Now there’s a question I asked. JJ, but since you guys are kind of two halves of a brain, I'm curious to ask you this as well. What's been the most challenging aspect of putting together this show?
 
Jake Coburn: Well, I mean, everybody that we work with, the actors, the crew, have just been like so nice and thoughtful. Like, such high character people. It's one of the nicest environments that I have ever been a part of as a TV writer/producer, so I'm very grateful for that. And, you know, obviously that starts with Melissa on the acting side, but then also our, you know, our line producer, Jeff Rafner and all the department heads and so, like the people are great. I think that where the limitations for me, at least, kind of come in, is that we have a limited number of days to shoot every episode, and the show itself is designed to move like a bullet train. And so, you almost need more scenes than you would normally need because you're moving so quickly through all of them. And like, when we're in post, we're taking the first -- lopping off, the first three seconds and the last three seconds of a lot of scenes, because we're trying to just go, you know, like, keep it going.
 
When we do that, it just means you need more. And, like, there are not a lot of, I've worked on a lot of shows where it's like a couple people in a room talking for like, three pages. And like, you can, you can shoot a lot of television that way. But this. Doesn't work that way. It's like scenes are normally like a page, like, the longest scenes we have might be two or three pages in the command center at the start, but other than that, it's like, it's just run and gun the whole way through. And so, like, it's hard to get it done in our eight plus one schedule, and we're constantly trying to figure out ways to, like, sneak more in. So, you know, but that's also TV. Like TV is not -- it's about learning to find creative ways to succeed within the limitations of time and budget.
 
John Betancourt: I wouldn't have never known there was a challenge, because they, they all cut together so seamlessly. They always work so well. So, you guys do an amazing job of that.
 
Jake Coburn: Out of curiosity, do you have a favorite episode?
 
John Betancourt: So far, I'm loving them all. I really am. I mean, it grabbed me from the get-go, and I've enjoyed every single second of it. But like, 104 keeps coming back to haunt me, because I've never seen a serial killer story before, and I’ve watched probably more than I should, but I've never seen one where they challenge death in any capacity, it's always just their lust for it and to have him think about what comes after… I've never seen that before, and that keeps coming back to me on a regular basis.
 
Jake Coburn: That’s great.
 
John Betancourt: Now, there’s still more wild serial killer stories to go, and I’m curious, without offering up any spoilers. What are you most excited for audiences to experience in the next few weeks?
 
Jake Coburn: I'm super excited for people to learn more about Shane's story. There was a big twist that just dropped, and I think that the eveals of what he's doing, why he's doing it, are going to be really surprising. Um, and then on the serialized mystery of what happened at the Pit, you know, I think that's a place where we're gonna get to see a lot of stuff and get some really good, hopefully, answers that will fill in a lot of questions. And, you know, emotionally, like we're building towards a crescendo on a lot of different storylines, like each character is going to have some big, personal moments. So yeah, I'm just excited for people to go on the ride. And like, seven is super fun. Jesse Bradford is amazing and so creepy. So, you know, I'm excited for it. It's a different like -- this is a first season show. So, like, each episode, to a certain extent, is a little bit of a first pancake, because we're trying out all of these different styles and structures and this one is different, but I love it for its difference.
 
John Betancourt: Not to mention, you also snuck in some lovely genre connective tissue in this episode. I loved The Silence of the Lambs connection. That was amazing and fit so well.
 
Jake Coburn: Oh, of course, Brooke (Smith) wonderful to work with.
 
John Betancourt: I'm also curious, what you're most proud of when it comes to what you've assembled here.
 
Jake Coburn: I would go back, honestly, to the culture of the show. I know that's not something people necessarily see. If that makes sense. But when I think about the things I'm most proud of, I'm most proud of the environment, the culture, the way the actors work together, the way the crew works, the way we all kind of like do it together. In terms of things people see, I would say the things I'm most proud of are the twists and the weirdness. Like you said, in four, like somebody who's trying to, like, give people near death experiences to see what they see is like, it's weird and I you know, like you've seen 107, so, like you've seen the wedding therapy stuff. It's just weird. Like, it's a weird thing to do, and it's kind of creepy and dark, but also kind of, like, hopefully, sort of fascinating. And those types of things, I think, are my favorite thing, because it's what differentiates us from a lot of more traditional kind of crime procedurals is, is we're kind of quirky and different.
 
John Betancourt: Last question I have for you today, if you had to describe the last episodes of the season in one word, what would that word be?
 
Jake Coburn: Heart-pounding.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Alexander Hodge is an accomplished actor that has appeared often on both the silver and small screen. Currently, he stars as Doug on the amazing new NBC series, Grosse Pointe Garden Society, and we had the honor of sitting down with Alexander recently to discuss his work on the show.
 
John Betancourt: First and foremost, what was it that attracted you to this project as an actor.
 
Alexander Hodge: I think it is… this project is what I believe network television is at its strongest. It is fun, it is exciting, it is playful. It is something that that feels scandalous in a way, where it's something that you look forward to talking about, and that's what to me, that's what network television is, it thrives in, is something that you look forward to finding out what happens next. Because these characters reflect some people in your life, whether you like them or not. It's really rewarding watching them go through what they're going through. And this is, I mean, I keep calling this a show that hearkens a bygone era of television when we would gather around in the living room after dinner, race to the bathroom in between commercial breaks and race back and see what's going on with our favorite characters and debate about who's right, who's wrong, who's a victim, who's the perpetrator. Because we all pick our favorites, and we all pick our enemies and we see, we weirdly see our ourselves reflected in this heightened world and this sort of hysterical responses that some of these people display, and I think that's what makes this show is so great. That's what I love.
 
John Betancourt: Now as an actor, you get to do so much as Doug. And I'm curious what it was about the role that just immediately called to you.
 
Alexander Hodge: I think it was, it was more so the people involved that called to me, you know, I'll be honest, there is so much progression in this story as we go episode to episode, week to week, that, you know, reading the pilot, I was left with way more questions than I had answers. You know, I was like, “So, what's what's going on? What's happening here? Where are we going? Where is this train taking us?” And so, I think reading the script, it was so intriguing. The world was set up very vividly, but I had so many questions, and so when I spoke to the creators, I spoke to Bill and Jenna, Bill Krebs and Jenna Bans, who created the show and with the casting team, it was more a conversation of real people and real stories in a heightened sense, in a heightened world, which is interesting, you know, it's, it's kind of like, surprisingly, a bit more nuanced than we would then we would be led to believe if we had just, you know, heard about it or watched a teaser. I think there is so much substance in it, which is delivered in a really fun, and a really playful way. And I love that. I love Birdie’s wrestle to try and become a mother that she was never told that she could be. And I love the idea of Doug and Alice really trying to toil through a hard part in their marriage in a way that's very real to a lot of people. You know, I think there are so many real-life stories that real people are going through, and we just get to explore it in a fun way, in a playful way that hits home, but is still a way that is endearing.
 
John Betancourt: I think what's cool too, is that everybody – this is also a series, I think, of want. Everybody's kind of searching for something, searching for some sort of meaning, which is also painfully relatable for all of us. And I'm curious, since you're so close to the character, what would you say ultimately, Doug is searching for in this story?
 
Alexander Hodge: John, great question, I think Doug is... Doug's a bloke who's spent his whole life trying to be what people tell him to be. You know, he's got very strong personalities in his parents, and he, as a result, is kind of interestingly, not flourished in his own identity as such, and I think as an artist, he's really trying to figure out his expression. He's really trying to figure out who he is and so his journey is really trying to understand that maybe, maybe all these people want what's best for him without knowing what he wants, and what really is best for him. So, his journey is really figuring out who the bloody hell Doug actually is. So, you know, I think, I think early on in the season, it creates more problems than answers. But I think hopefully as the show goes on, we start finding some answers.
 
John Betancourt: But I'm also curious too, since this is so relatable, and there is so much that we can just kind of pull from, what do you kind of ultimately hope audiences take away from this very realistic story in season one?
 
Alexander Hodge: I think audiences should take away self-reflection and understanding that our desires and our urges need to be reckoned with, whether or not we act on them, they can't be ignored. And so, I think, I think a bit of self-reflection, a bit of introspection on the things that we desire, the things that we want, and maybe understanding that we do have a little bit of chaos agent in all of us.
 
John Betancourt: That's very fair. We don't think about that stuff enough.
 
Alexander Hodge: We should also give ourselves credit for not burning everything down.
 
John Betancourt: Actually, that more so, yes. Especially since, there are those days.
 
Alexander Hodge: We definitely have them.
 
John Betancourt: Now every episode just keeps delivering something new and exciting for us to enjoy, and without any spoilers, can you give us a sample of what we can expect for Sunday’s (tonight’s) new episode?
 
Alexander Hodge: I keep calling Episode Four the husband episode so first three episodes, it's for the wives. It's the drama, it's the storyline, it's the sexy, it's the scandal. Episode Four is where consequences come home to roost, and Episode Four is where people cross a line and find out what happens. And I think Doug is a major component of finding out what happens when somebody crosses a line, and I think that's what's going to draw the husbands in. They might have seen this show on in the living room the past few Sundays. But when they see a certain decision made from a certain character, well, Doug, they'll… I think they'll probably start identifying a little bit more with some storylines at the show. A shorter version of that is, I think we open up a new dimension of the show where we don't offer the easy comedic relief suddenly anymore, it becomes a little more real.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
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Patrick Sabongui is an accomplished actor that has appeared in some epic franchise in the past few years. Since he’s been part of the Godzilla universe and he’s even been part of the rich world of DC Comics during his time on The Flash. Currently, he stars as Jacob Hassani in the amazing new NBC series, The Hunting Party, and we had the honor of sitting down with Patrick to discuss his work on the show.
John Betancourt: I would love to start by getting to know what attracted you to this project as an actorl
 
Patrick Sabongui: A regular job on a network series was very attractive, if I'm going to be honest. So, I mean, yeah, that's always appealing, the notion of gainful employment. But creatively, I don't know, man, right from the beginning, soon as I was exposed to this thing, I felt like everything I had done in my career was pointing me towards a show like this and a role like this. It's, it's dynamic, it's action oriented, it's, it's intelligent. There's some smart, you know, unpacking of psychology, which I really love. And then there's gunplay, and there's fast moving cars, and there's chase scenes, and there's fight stuff. And my character, you know, he is a little bit of the strong arm of the government, but he's got a very human side, and he's a family man, and he mentions his kids, and, you know, he's got this kind of protector, caretaker characteristic. And so, the combination of those things was like, “Yeah. This is what I would love to spend my career doing.”
 
John Betancourt: You bring up something I want to talk about a lot today. That realism the show harbors in all things, including your character, Jacob. Because there’s a real honesty you bring to the role, and I’m curious how you found that.
 
Patrick Sabongui: Oh, thank you. I appreciate that. I think what grounds me is that there's so much narrative for me to sink my teeth into, and for Jacob to be balancing all the time. He always has multiple things to balance in his mind. There's the mission at hand, but then there's also all the secrets that he has to keep. There's also his, you know, he takes on the responsibility not only to accomplish the mission, but to protect the team. And then in the back of his mind, there's his kids at home, and are they okay? And is the family, okay? And how does catching this bad guy actually, you know, make it safer for the nation in terms of national security, but also safer for his own family. And so having enough story for me as an actor to like always be turning over in my mind, actually makes it easier to just be grounded in the scene.
 
John Betancourt: Something I also appreciate is the stark and realistic differences between the characters. There are some that are in the gray, some that lean into the opposite of that, like Jacob. And I'm curious, since you're so close to the character, what would you say drives that moral core for him?
 
Patrick Sabongui: Yeah, I think morality when you're engaged in warfare is a really complicated thing. And I think if you're going to be… I think morality and ethics are different. I think the notion of right and wrong, or the notion of justice is highly individualized, and for a guy in Jacob's position, sometimes you got to do a very wrong thing to try to do the right thing. It’s complicated, you know, like, it's not okay to shoot somebody in the head unless it's okay, unless you have to, you know? And I think that having to constantly weigh right and wrong and having to take action. I know it's just a fascinating area to consider, and I think the notion of right or wrong is highly individualized, and it's not for other people to judge.
 
John Betancourt: Now something I’ve heard from all of your fellow cast members and co-workers is that the vibe on this set is great, and it’s just a joy, and I’m curious what you have enjoyed the most about playing Jacob.
 
Patrick Sabongui: I’ve enjoyed the most, I mean, on the production side of things, I love coming to work. I love hanging out with this cast. We really genuinely enjoy each other, make each other laugh, and, you know, they engage in the work. Like, this is Nerds That Geek and like, we're nerds, that geek, man, like, we love storytelling, and we love, you know, talking about the scene and the characters. And we, we love challenging each other, challenging the show runners. I don't know if you spoke to Jake (Coburn) and JJ (Bailey), but like, yeah, we're always coming to them with, like, with ideas and questions, and iit's not because there's a problem. It's because we really dig this shit. And for, I think, for everybody in the cast, we really care about the material, and we and we enjoy engaging with it. And that's, I think that is one of my favorite things, is that not only do we have fun and make each other laugh, but we actually enjoy engaging in the work.
 
John Betancourt: Now, there’s nothing like this on teleivison now, and I'm curious what it means to you as an actor, as a person, all around, to be part of such a refreshing and unique show.
 
Patrick Sabongui: It's refreshing and unique to be on a refreshing and unique show. (Laughter) Yeah, man, you never know how things are going to land. I understand this industry. Everything is risky about it, every new idea, every new type of show, you never know how it's going to land. And it's really exciting to see a concept that pulls in some of the things that are very prominent in the zeitgeist right now, like true crime is a huge interest, you know, in the culture right now, from the podcasts to the shows and the procedural model is, you know, highly successful people you know, make that a regular part of their routine. To check in on their procedural show. And then this one also has a serialized arc where we're talking about our families and the mystery of what happened in the Pit, and so it's just really satisfying to be part of something that pulls all of those popular cultural elements together into one place every week.
 
John Betancourt: I know also in talking to your cohorts, that’s there some big stuff coming up, and obviously we're not gonna spoil that portion of it. But what are you excited for audiences to get to experience in this back half of season one?
 
Patrick Sabongui: We uncover more about the about what happened at the Pit, what that whole conspiracy is. I mean, this is something, honestly, week to week when the scripts will come out. I couldn't wait. Like, yeah, I would do this scan of the script and be like, “Okay, this is circular. We made this a little action sequence. Okay, then we catch them here.” But like, “What the hell is Silo 12? What the hell is going on? Who is actually behind it? What does Odell actually know?” And you know, so there's that a lot of that gets revealed. Doesn't necessarily offer clarity. I think we're going to get exposed to a lot more questions about what really happened, and what that explosion was, and what the Pit was, and what Silo 12 was. And so, I'm excited about that. And then there's some trippy serial killer stuff too. Man like, we uphold that tradition of -- I love how when this becomes your show, you try to anticipate, and as soon as you meet the killer, you're like, “Oh, I bet it's this, this, this, this,” and then we throw you for a curve ball, and there's another loop, and it's not exactly what you thought it was. And so, there's still a lot of that.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.