Search Party Bosses Preview Dory's Dirty Deeds, Elliot's Hidden Origin Story and 'How Deep His Lies Run'

Nick Caruso
·3 min read

The self-absorbed hipsters of Search Party are back, only this occasion won’t be one they celebrate over cocktails.

Having semi-accidentally killed PI Keith Powell and deliberately offed her blackmailing neighbor, Dory (played by Alia Shawkat) finds herself in scalding-hot water when the black comedy returns Thursday, June 25 via HBO Max (with all 10 episodes). Having been charged with Powell’s murder, both Dory and Drew (John Reynolds) begin to buckle under the pressure, questioning who they can trust as they prepare to face a judge and jury to fight for their freedom.

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“All of the bad things that Dory has done haunt her,” says EP/co-creator Charles Rogers. “This season is all about whether or not she’s going to acknowledge them.”

Despite the option to enter a plea of self-defense, Dory stands resolute that they had “nothing to do” with Keith’s death, and her lies begin to gnaw at everyone around her… especially her (literal) partner in crime, Drew.

“Drew is hanging on by a thread, as he’s tethered to Dory now,” says EP/co-creator Sarah-Violet Bliss. “He’s trying to organize a legitimate legal strategy, but everything that Dory does is thwarting that. She just keeps lying, and he just keeps having to deal with it.”

As Dory’s mental health begins to fracture (she sees dead people!), a pair of incompetent lawyers joins their cause, putting their fate in jeopardy to hilarious effect. Shalita Grant (NCIS: New Orleans) plays Cassidy Diamond, a fashionista/Valley girl-type who bails Dory out of jail and rises to her defense. “Cassidy’s an extremely ambitious, ungrounded and stumbling narcissist,” reveals Rogers. “She looks so fabulous and can’t contain her energy in a way that makes you just instantly embarrassed that that’s your lawyer.”

Also defending the very-guilty couple is Louie Anderson’s Bob, a bumbling lawyer once touted as “the best defense attorney on the east side of Chicago”… in 1988. It doesn’t take long to see how out of touch — and out of practice — he really is.

“Little by little, you put together that he might be dying, and ultimately, this trial just doesn’t have the highest stakes for him professionally,” adds Rogers. “[The lawyers] are a total odd couple, and Dory and Drew quickly realize that they’re not going to be their saving grace.”

And let’s not forget this Party‘s most egotistical of the bunch: Elliott (John Early). Though Dory’s lies have become borderline sociopathic, Elliot proves to be a master of deception, hiding his real origin story from everybody he knows.

“This season really unpacks just how much of a liar Elliot really is and how deep his lies run,” teases Rogers.

As for Portia (Meredith Hagner), her quest for self-worth and discovery continues, only this time she finds the answers she’s seeking by embracing Christianity and building up a ridiculous new persona. Her new crew of pals will be “a disappointing foil” to the foursome.

Are you pumped for the return of Search Party? Will Dory and Drew finally answer for their sins? Drop your thoughts and theories in the Comments!

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