If you think Separationhe thinks of Adam Scott. You think of Ben Stiller. You might think of John Turturro, Christopher Walken, or Patricia Arquette. Well, you probably don’t think about Dan Erickson. Although it should.
Erickson is the creator of the hit Apple TV+ show and is one of the people responsible for all the twists, turns, mysteries, and left-field oddities that happen at Lumon Industries. If you have a question about what’s going on with the show, he’s the person to ask. And, as one might expect, Erickson relished that relative anonymity. It’s one of the many things he talked about in a recent interview with io9.
In a video interview, we spoke with Erickson about the goals for the long-awaited and highly anticipated second season. He talked about how many mysteries he created (things like what Lumon is up to? Why is Mark’s wife alive? What do goats say, etc?) he knows the answers to. Also, he revealed that he knows how and when the show will end—and if Apple decides to greenlight a third season, the hope is that it will come sooner than the three years it took between the first and second seasons.
Read our spoiler-free interview with Erickson below, and check back for season two Separation it starts on January 17 with a specific speech.
This interview is edited for length and clarity.
Germain Lussier, io9: I love that the season holds nothing back. It just jumps in and answers a lot of big questions right away. Was that going to stay the same or was it a reaction to the fans who have been waiting so long for a second season?
Dan Erickson: It was to be. A lot of it happened at the end of the first season, and it really escalates the situation for everyone, there’s a risk of it getting confusing and confusing and then, “Okay, who knows?” So we wanted to plan to put everything on the table. That’s why, on the outside, the characters quickly get into conversations like, “Okay, what’s going on? What was that? What did that mean?” And then inside, it’s the same. In the trailer, you have Dylan (Zach Cherry) directly asking the question “What did you see up there?” That felt like the right thing to do and it felt true to the characters. All of these people are going to be interested in finding out what’s going on in the world and what that means to them, so we just let them have those conversations together.
io9: Obviously with a show like this, you set up mysteries that you have answers to and others that you don’t. I’m wondering, as we go into season two and beyond, what percentage of those do you have answers to, how much should you have, and are there any that you’re still unsure about?
Erickson: I have a strong idea of the end of the show. I have kind of a final scene that’s been in my head and answers to some of the big questions. I think you have to know those to know the laws of the country you are writing. But again, I think it’s balanced because I like to be surprised by the show as well. Sometimes we’ll meet a new character or find a new location or part of the show that I’m surprised to find myself liking and suddenly it’s like, “Well, that has to be part of it. We can’t just leave it there. We have to make that part of the bigger story.” And that’s where a lot of the fun comes in. You have to think on your feet a little and let the show surprise you.
io9: I talked to some of your cast members and asked them what life has been like with three years off between seasons and if the fans talk to them about it, which they have. But this time, he is a creator but also has a little anonymity. You are not Ben Stiller. You are not Adam Scott. Thus, there was an incident where people were discussing the program but did not know that it was so i boy?
Erickson: Yes, it’s funny. I was in a restaurant a while ago and I was sitting on my laptop working on a program and there were people sitting next to meand their dog, a really sweet dog, came up and put his head on me. pumpkin. I said, “Oh, can I pet your dog?” “Yes Yes.” So I’m sitting there just petting their dog and all of a sudden this guy is like, “Wow, did you see that? Separation?” And they’re like, “Yeah,” and you’re like, “Everybody likes it. I can’t get into it. It’s not my thing.” And I’m sitting there like, “I’m going to steal this dog. This dog deserves a proper owner. And this gentleman doesn’t.” [Laughs]
io9: You said you have an idea of where the show will end, but do you have a rough idea of how many seasons it could go?
Erickson: Yes, I have an idea. It’s not like 100 percent for sure but we talked about it internally and we’re all pretty sure we have a number we’re happy with.
io9: Okay, and if we get a third season—and we’d better Apple!—can you say for sure that it will take less time than this?
Erickson: I would really like to, yes. And the discussions we had about it, which were in the discussion. Because the second season actually took about the same amount of time as the first. The difference, of course, is one season no one knows what the show is so they weren’t expecting it. But at the same time, you always look to plan the process well and take what works and leave what doesn’t and simplify things. So, my hope is that if there is a third season, it will be soon.
Check back after the second season premiere Separation with some spoiler talk with Erickson. It will premiere on January 17.
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