Solar Opposites Executive Producers Interview: Discussion on Upcoming Season 5
It's a wild ride with the return of Solar Opposites on Hulu for an insane season five, and gear up for an out-of-this-world Halloween special later this year. Plus, we can't wait for the sixth season to drop! Executive producers Mike McMahan (the demented mind behind Star Trek: Lower Decks), Josh Bycel, and Sydney Ryan gave io9 a sneak peek of what's in store for the quirky animated series.
Cheryl Eddy, io9: Season five kicks off with the pesky threads from season four being sewed up as the characters find themselves back on Earth. Did you ever entertain the idea of sending them galavanting across the galaxy instead, or is the show's comedic essence more intertwined with their Earth lives?
Mike McMahan: Hell, yeah, I'd love for them to venture space more. Earth is just chock-full of amusing anecdotes, and it's a total hoot to see that alien planet becoming an Earth 2.0 anyway. We've considered having Earth become their permanent home and see where that takes us - a lot of laughs, that's for damn sure!
io9: Terry and Korvo's matrimonial bliss is a big theme in season five. It's clear their relationship isn't just "we're the only tolerable aliens, so let's shack up" - there's more heartfelt bonding there than that. What's the glue that keeps these lovebirds together?
McMahan: It's all about love, baby. Love's a tricky sucker - it drives you up a wall, and then all of a sudden, you can't imagine living without that wall. Their annoyances eventually become their charms, and they end up being seriously endearing and hot to each other. Their chaotic cahoots are what makes their relationship so romantic!
Josh Bycel: Chaos and nonsense are exactly what these two lovebirds thrive on, and it strengthens their bond, not weakening it.
io9: The sixth episode, "The Sci-Fi Rollerblades," turns into a full-blown homage to classic cartoons like Looney Tunes. What went down behind the scenes during the creative process for this nutty episode?
McMahan: We're big fans of pushing boundaries and exploring new avenues with animation. Our show is all about embracing the love for TV in its various forms. This season, we decided to set some episodes in entirely different genres, like a serial drama or a holiday special. For "The Sci-Fi Rollerblades," we thought, "Might as well go all out and pay tribute to Looney Tunes!" We focused on the form, pushing the boundaries of our animated antics. A number of easter eggs, orchestral sound effects, and classic character archetypes can be found hidden within.
io9: The Wall gets a makeover in season five and becomes the Yard, styled as a Wild West town. What parts of the characters' dynamics were most fun to explore with this shift?
McMahan: Oh, buddy, it was a blast! We've always adored playing with genres on our Wall. As our miniature pals run around, it feels ridiculously chaotic but amazing. The Wall dynamics have changed due to the addition of two fantastic new characters, voiced by Clancy Brown and Charlotte Nicdao. We're freakin' stoked about that! As we write season six, we're setting up an epic Wall resolution that ties everything together beautifully and preps us for some of our wildest antics yet!
Bycel: Picture a mix of Silverado, The Last of Us, and Chinatown - that's the Yard in a nutshell! It gave us a refreshing chance to expand the world, and our artists and designers did an incredible job coming up with new landscapes and characters. Can't wait for you guys to see it!
io9: Spilling any beans about the upcoming Halloween special?
Sydney Ryan: Well, it's a direct sequel to our earlier Halloween episode, but it also borrows heavily from the Tim Allen movie, The Santa Clause. Trust me, there's a classic line in the episode that's my favorite - it's a total hoot!
McMahan: Hell, yeah! We've taken the base model of The Santa Clause and adapted it to a Halloween scenario. The results are equally as hilarious and heartwarming!
There you have it, folks! Season five is streaming now on Hulu, and get ready for the upcoming Halloween special when it hits the streaming service! Stay tuned for more updates on the future of Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who!
- Cheryl Eddy, from io9, inquired about sending the characters of Solar Opposites galavanting across the galaxy instead of keeping them on Earth, to which Mike McMahan expressed his enthusiasm for more space exploration but found the show's comedic essence more intertwined with their Earth lives.
- In season five, Terry and Korvo's matrimonial bliss is a significant theme, and Mike McMahan mentioned that the love between these characters is what keeps them together, driving them up a wall and eventually making them seriously endearing to each other.
- The sixth episode, "The Sci-Fi Rollerblades," pays homage to classic cartoons like Looney Tunes, and during the creative process, the creators focused on pushing the boundaries of animated antics, incorporating easter eggs, orchestral sound effects, and classic character archetypes.
- The Wall in season five gets a makeover and becomes the Yard, styled as a Wild West town, and this shift in the Wall dynamics was a blast for the creators to explore, especially with the addition of two new characters voiced by Clancy Brown and Charlotte Nicdao.
