Summary
The Apple TV+ seriesShrinkinghas wrapped its second season with a Thanksgiving episode that brought everyone together.
Where are you at, in the writing process for Season 3?
People have been like, But you said its got a beginning, middle, and end.
Image via Apple TV+
And Im like, Yeah, it will.
So, we have to come up with a new driving narrative.
Do you have episodes complete for Season 3, as far as the scripts go?
Image via Apple TV+
Were supposed to start shooting in late January/early February.
Weve got the first five drafts in and are working on those scripts now.
With this show, we rewrite and rewrite.
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Were doing it now, rewriting episode three.
We added something to it that were going to go back and set up in episode one and two.
Its just fun, that way.
The writers are so good that youre talking about tweaking, more than any real significant changes.
Apple TV+’s most heartfelt dramedy returns to form in Season 2.
Did you always know that getting Jimmy and Gaby together was going to be a temporary thing?
Image via Apple TV+
And I remember saying, All right, lets all have an honest moment here.
Everyone was like, Yeah, I guess so.
Theyre gonna decide if its a disaster or not.
The audience will let us know what were supposed to do.
Im a huge believer in seeing what the audience vibes on.
LAWRENCE: That character existed.
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That sets up what the third season will be about.
Then we said, Who should it be?Shrinkingis really fun.
They had immediate chemistry, and it was just cool to watch.
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Im a TV fan.
I love when you see familiar faces, especially when theres been a gap with them doing something new.
So, it operates on two levels for me.
And they nailed it.
I thought that was really cool.
Will we ever see her again?
This isnt old connection TV.
Im not in the business of quick one-offs.
LAWRENCE: I like people not knowing what they want to happen.
Its such a talented gang here.
Derrick #2 is not only a good guy, but hes good for Gaby.
Is it challenging to verify that never feels forced, or is it all about the actor you cast?
LAWRENCE: Jessica Williams has talked about how where stories go depends upon chemistry.
But they had the throw in of chemistry that, as writers, we leaned into it.
Jessica has said she loves the challenge of creating chemistry, romantic and friend wise, with characters.
She was talking about Damon and was like, His love language is bits, as is mine.
The very first scene they shot, they were super funny and charismatic.
Thats part of the fun.
How much of that is in the script?
How much of that is Jessica Williams, just throwing that out?
Paul getting vulnerable in front of everyone at Thanksgiving was a lot, emotionally.
How much harder things are going to get for him in Season 3?
Should we be bracing ourselves for tears, moving forward?
Hes gonna be 82 years old.
and he cherishes being able to do that.
He works so hard and knows his material and is so skilled.
Is he talking about himself?
Thats why its so poignant.
I can tell you two things.
Thats why we ended that way.
What made you want to take this episode on and what were the challenges specific to this particular episode?
Its my fault, not Apples.
But its still a holiday thing and its gonna air on Christmas Eve.
The cool thing is that when you get to the finale, all the writing is done.
Its the one time that I wouldnt have been bringing everything else to a screeching halt.
So, what was fun for me was being on set with these people and coming up with that.
I was like, Do it!
Not to be a corny artist, but that part of it was a career highlight for me.
It was super fun.
That seems like torturing yourself.
LAWRENCE: Thats a great question because you know how the business works and how production works.
Wed get two lines in and Id be like, Okay, jump ahead to the end.
And Harrison would go, What?!
And he was like, I love you!
With this, if I wanted to cut corners and anything was missing, it was my fault.
I was trying to make it a little bit more painless.
Did you have any idea that Summer would become such an endearing character?
And then, when someone like you says something nice, we just go, Thank you.
Did you want to leave that on a more positive note than where it all started?
It was Jasons idea.
I told Brett, I trust you as an artist.
If you wanna do it, go do it.
But if you blow it, the whole year doesnt work.
We needed people to immediately go, Oh, shit, I empathize with this guy a little bit.
And when we do a flashback episode, he and Jimmy seem like the same person.
We are an optimistic show.
And I thought Brett was so good.
Whats it like to officially be in development on aScrubsreboot?
Zach [Braff] hosted the Paley Center panel.
I hang out with John C McGinley.
Sarah Chalke is coming into town.
Of course, Ill see Judy [Reyes].
[Neil] Flynn is onShrinking.
Were all friends, but were also all friends with the crew.
There are two things about that reboot that are interesting to me.
One is, were all workers for hire.
Were in a period right now where Hollywood isnt necessarily making tons of stuff.
Im like, Shut the fuck up.
Im not that old.
So, thats the business side.
With the creative side, the shows not going to pick up a day later.
Im interested in where these characters are, that many years later.
I always remember the finale ofScrubs, in Season 8, with J.D.
I never said thats what happened.
I think itll make us super happy, on a human level, to spend time with each other.
Im a huge TV fan.
If a reboot of a show I love is coming on, Im gonna watch it.
If its good, Im going to be so happy.
Im just gonna watch it and enjoy it.
Either way, it will be fine.
But I think were gonna nail it.
My fingers are crossed.
It turns out I didnt move.
That would be funny.
By the way, my son knows someone that lives there and says its nice.
LAWRENCE: I would be bummed if we didnt get a chance to see everybody.
Im even talking about my wife (Christa Miller).
How are things going with the Steve Carell comedy series for HBO?
How far along are things with that show?
LAWRENCE: That show starts shooting in spring of next year.
I created that with Matt Tarses and we have an amazing writing staff.
But its going great.
The staff has been working for over a month now.
Were starting to cast up off the pilot script with people Im really excited about.
I think its gonna be a blast.
What made you want to cast Phil Dunster on that show?
LAWRENCE: I think it will show a different side to him.
The first year ofScrubswas so different from the second.
To tailor a part especially for him is gonna be a blast.
How serious are the conversations about a fourth season ofTed Lasso?
you’re free to always tell a new story with characters in this new streaming world.
Hes driving it creatively.
But man, Im excited to even still peripherally be a part of it.
Check out the Season 2 trailer:
Watch on Apple TV+
