‘Chasing Life’ Exec Producer Teases Season 2: April’s Love Triangle ‘Ramps Up’
“Chasing Life” returns with its second season, anchoring a drama-heavy Monday night on ABC Family’s summer slate.
The new season will head into “uncharted waters,” says exec producer Patrick Sean Smith, who teases April’s (Italia Ricci) wedding, career, health and love triangle with Leo (Scott Michael Foster) and Dominic (Richard Brancatisano).
The Season 1 series finale left off with Leo proposing to April in her hospital room, where she was recently re-admitted, due to her cancer coming back, which caused her to choose to leave her job as a newspaper journalist. Smith says, “The biggest change this season comes in April’s shift in ambitions.”
Smith, who also created the cabler’s former college hit “Greek,” tells Variety what to expect in “Chasing Life’s sophomore season.
Season 2 will see a lot of new movement in April’s life. What inspired all of the changes?
We felt like her chasing the byline at The Boston Post had been played out and we wanted to explore a bigger change in her life brought about by her relapse, thereby raising the relatable and existential question: If I’m to live like I’m dying, am I using my time wisely with the hope of leaving something important behind?
How will April handle all of these changes in her professional life, personal life and love life?
It’s something new for her to juggle for sure, and for type-A April, it’s a profound struggle as she explores these uncharted waters.
Will this new season see a difference in tone, compared to Season 1, which had a lot of emotional highs and lows?
The show will continue to have its signature blend of emotional depth and authenticity, while always finding the funny and fun when we can.
Leo proposed in the March finale, but in the new promo, we already see a wedding — and April has a scare, appearing to collapse down the aisle. Can we expect April and Leo to get married or is this a fake-out?
Stay tuned.
Dominic, April’s ex-boyfriend and co-worker, proclaims his love for her in the Season 2 promo. How will Leo respond to that?
Two words: bar fight.
Given that we don’t know what happens with that wedding, is April stuck in between Leo and Dominic again?
The love triangle really ramps up this season as Leo and April explore the realities of impetuously entering into the institution of marriage only after knowing each other for a short time, while Dominic comes to realize his window of opportunity for having a shot at April is beginning to close forever.
Leo’s very much in Season 2. As fate would have it, we’re wrapping up production on this season just as Scott’s series is starting production. We don’t have an order for Season 3, so the future is anybody’s guess.
Real-life cancer patient Krysta Rodriguez from “Smash” is recurring this season, along with “Greek” alum Amber West. What other guest stars are stopping by?
Krysta Rodriguez and Amber West pop up a few times. Of course, Dylan Gelula from “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” returns as Brenna’s (Haley Ramm) best friend Ford who always brings the funny. Aurora Perrineau is introduced in our premiere as a potential love interest for Brenna, and Greg Germann is joining the show as an old friend of Sara’s (Mary Page Keller). Any “RuPaul’s Drag Race” or “American Idol” fan should recognize Adore Delano a.k.a. Danny Noriega in a top-secret performance cameo. There are a few other secret cameos this season that I won’t spoil.
“Chasing Life” is paired with “The Fosters” and “Becoming Us” this summer, all of which deal with mature themes. Do you feel “Chasing Life” is changing the direction of ABC Family with slightly older characters and heavier storylines?
Anchoring a drama-heavy night certainly wasn’t what we expected. But all we can do is make the best show possible and hope that people find us on Monday nights at 10/9c. Or that they DVR us. Or stream us from ABC Family’s Watch App. Or download us from Apple. Or come to my house for personal readings.
(Pictured: Scott Michael Foster and Italia Ricci)
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