Unveiling the Exciting New Genres in Afterparty Season 2: A Delectable Collaboration by Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Anthony King

Detective Danner is drawn back into Zoë and Aniq's lives in The Afterparty season 2, following a fresh murder that introduces a whole new group of suspects. While Zoë and Aniq are cleared of any suspicion in this particular case, it hits close to home as the finger of blame points towards her family when her sister's new spouse is discovered dead. The trio must unite their efforts to interrogate the various guests, which include Zoë's relatives, the groom's family, his business partner, and a bitter ex-lover, all in the hopes of uncovering the true culprit and exonerating their loved ones.

The Afterparty, created by Chris Miller, boasts an executive production team consisting of Miller, his long-term collaborator Phil Lord, and the new addition for the second season, Anthony King. Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, and Zoë Chao reprise their roles from the previous season. Season 2 of The Afterparty showcases an impressive lineup of talent, featuring Elizabeth Perkins, Zach Woods, Paul Walter Hauser, Poppy Liu, Anna Konkle, Jack Whitehall, Vivian Wu, Ken Jeong, and John Cho.

Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Anthony Star discussed their approach to making the murder mystery in The Afterparty more personal and establishing a strong connection between the characters and the genre of their episode. In addition, they excitedly revealed some of their favorite genres featured in the new season, such as film noir, Oscar bait, and soap opera.

Phil Lord, Chris Miller & Anthony King on The Afterparty Season 2

Screen Rant: I love The Afterparty! I think I watched both seasons in 24 hours. It's so good!

Chris Miller: Oh, thanks a person have excellent tastes.

What inspired you to make this season more focused on Zoe's family and how do you decide which genre to utilize in each episode?

Chris Miller: That's a great question. Our goal was to create a scenario where the audience would be invested in solving the murder mystery. The challenge with murder mysteries is that often they can be more intellectually stimulating, leaving the viewers curious about the culprit but not emotionally connected to the characters. So, the idea of having Aniq solve the murder in order to gain acceptance from Zoe's family added an emotional depth to the season.

As we were piecing the story together and developing the characters, we not only considered their secrets and relationships but also contemplated how they would narrate their own story. We asked ourselves, "What genre would best suit their perspective?" By aligning each character with a specific genre, we were able to further enhance their individual traits and personalities in that particular direction.

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Chris Miller: Our idea pool is lacking, so essentially we end up reusing the same concepts.

Phil Lord: We continue to repeat the same pattern. Personally, I believe we are fascinated by the various methods of storytelling. It's fascinating how the perspective of the storyteller and their approach can evoke different emotions. What makes Afterparty and this season intriguing is the fact that depending on who is narrating the story, your understanding of the events can vary. It's a way for you to immerse yourself subjectively in the minds of the characters and form a closer connection with them and their relationships.

Chris Miller believes that subjectivity is essential for creating engagement in film and television. He emphasizes that experiencing a story through someone else's perspective enables viewers to develop a genuine emotional connection and empathy towards the characters. This ideology is ingrained in The Afterparty's work. On the other hand, Phil Lord acknowledges that while the use of special effects can be captivating, it can also create a sense of detachment. Nevertheless, their primary goal is to bring audiences closer to the characters and allow them to truly understand them.

I love that! Anthony, what about The Afterparty's unique storytelling excited you, and what were you hoping to bring into the second season?

Anthony King describes the show as an intricate Jenga tower consisting of a murder mystery, a comedy, and a Rashomon-style narrative where the same scene is shown from multiple perspectives. He adds that the show also incorporates elements from different genres, creating a constant juggling act. According to him, this unique combination of genres makes it enjoyable to watch, write, and produce, as it requires them to maintain the tower's stability while staying ahead of the audience's expectations. Finally, he asks which genre the person being interviewed enjoyed playing with the most during the season.

Chris Miller: It's difficult to pick a favorite child; they're all enjoyable. Working on the film noir episode was a blast, especially with Mike Rosolio's expertise in writing that kind of dialogue. Paul Walter Hauser's delivery was a real delight, and emulating the style of the movies that inspired us was incredibly fun. But overall, they're all just a great time.

Anthony Star: Choosing only one is truly a challenge. We had this grand romantic episode, almost like an Oscars contender, that presented a unique set of obstacles. Figuring out how to execute it was exciting. Peter Atencio did a phenomenal job directing that episode, and the cast—John, Vivian, and Ken—were exceptional at infusing it with comedy, pathos, and tension. I personally found attempting that episode to be quite enjoyable.

Phil Lord: I enjoyed the snap zooms in the soap opera episode.

Chris Miller: We went pretty snap zoom crazy.

Phil Lord: There was no amount of steps zooms that were ever enough for me.

Chris Miller: The cast was having a good time that night. I will tell you.

Anthony Star: And she hasn't seen the soap opera yet.

Chris Miller: Oh, that's right! Oh, that's in the finale!

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me. Like I said, I love The Afterparty. I can't wait for more people to see it and I really want a season three.

Chris Miller: Yeah, so do we.

Phil Lord: Make it so!

Chris Miller: Hopefully the writer's strike will...

Anthony Star: If you can call the AMPTP and tell them to come to the table that would help us make it happen.

Phil Lord: The one way to make sure it happens is to watch season two on the Apple TV+!

About The Afterparty Season 2

Aniq and Zoë seek assistance from Detective Danner as they find themselves embroiled in yet another murder case. The victim this time is the groom of the wedding they were attending. Together, the trio delves into the investigation, searching for evidence and interrogating potential suspects in order to exonerate Zoë's family. The suspects consist of Zoë's relatives, star-crossed lovers, and the groom's business partner, each sharing their own perspective on the events leading up to the tragic incident. For more interviews from The Afterparty season 2, feel free to explore our collection here.

Sam Richardson & Zoe Chao

Tiffany Haddish & Zach Woods

John Cho & Ken Jeong​​​​​​​

Jack Whitehall & Paul Walter Hauser

Anna Konkle & Elizabeth Perkins

Poppy Liu & Vivian Wu

Anna Konkle

The first two episodes of The Afterparty debut on Apple TV+ on July 12.

Source: Screen Rant Plus