Could Wedding Bells Be Ringing on Drop Dead Diva?
"The season is definitely heading towards a wedding with Jane and somebody."
That's right, Drop Dead Diva's former model-turned-lawyer — in another body, natch — may soon be walking down the aisle, according to creator Josh Berman, who says Jane (Brooke Elliott) will find herself in the middle of a love triangle between Grayson (Jackson Hurst) and Owen (Lex Medlin). However, the tables have turned this season, with Jane trying to move on from her former love while Grayson is coming closer to uncovering her secret: That she's his ex-girlfriend Deb. But is it too late for Grayson and Jane, especially after he shared that smooch with Stacy (April Bowlby)?
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Berman dishes on what's in store for the fourth season, which he says will be the "most satisfying" for fans of the couple who cannot be. Also, with a new guardian angel coming on this season, what does this mean for Fred (Ben Feldman, who's currently recurring on Mad Men)? And, how did Kim Kardashian handle all the jokes about her past? Get the scoop:
Stacy told Grayson that Jane is Deb! Will he start investigating this possible connection?
Josh Berman: Yes, absolutely. Grayson doesn't take lightly Stacy's ominous premonition or warning that Jane is Deb. He really looks into it despite Stacy's protesting. He wants to know the truth and he thinks there might be something to it. I actually think the cliff-hanger for our season opener on June 3 is even bigger than the season-ending cliff-hanger from Season 3. For the first time in the show's history, we end an episode on Grayson and not Jane. That was very deliberate.
We now see tables turning too. As Jane tries to move on with her new life, Grayson really doesn't want her to. So, Season 4 is a real game changer for the series, yet it's also a great entry point for new viewers because we kind of reset the clocks in a lot of ways. The tables have turned, but you never get over your first love. So, even as Jane is falling more and more deeply in love with Owen, you can't erase her feelings for Grayson, which allows for some really complex and emotional storytelling in Season 4.
Is Grayson too late?
Berman: That's the great question. Is it too late for Grayson? I would say we answer that question over the course of 13 episodes.
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Jane finds herself in the middle of a love triangle between Grayson and Owen. How will she deal with that?
Berman: Within the first six episodes there is a proposal made to Jane, but I can't tell you if it's Grayson or Owen. The season is definitely heading towards a wedding with Jane and somebody. Jane wants to get married, she wants to have a family. All her dreams that she had as Deb still persist as Jane. The question is: Who will she live her happily ever after with? I think she's working hard to figure that out this season.
Turning to Jane and Stacy, how will they deal with the fallout of Stacy and Grayson kissing in the finale?
Berman: They definitely come to a head in the first couple of episodes. It's really hard for Jane to forgive Stacy for such a betrayal. But of course, Stacy is a character who sometimes doesn't watch her words. She actually has a funny line that she says in the season opener where she tells Grayson, "Be careful what you say because you can't take back words once you say them." That's a very subtle reference to what she had done in last year's season finale.
Speaking of Stacy, will she and Fred ever get their happy ending? Ben is over on Mad Men and there's a new guardian angel this season, so it feels like hope is lost.
Berman: The fans love the Stacy-Fred relationship. Obviously, in the season opener, the cat's out of the bag, and we bring their relationship to a whole new level. I can promise you that Ben is back this season, I just don't want to say where or how. When we see Ben again, it will not be how you expect it. It's just going to happen and it's going to be a reward for the viewers who love the character.
Drop Dead Diva's Ben Feldman joins Mad Men
What can you tell us about the new guardian angel, Luke (Carter MacIntyre)?
Berman: Ben Feldman always seemed to play Jane's little brother. Fred was always looking for advice and seeking approval, whereas Carter MacIntyre is a real man. He comes in with an attitude and strength. He is an adult and he goes head-to-head with Jane. He's not interested in getting advice from her. He's interested in telling her exactly what she needs to do. Of course, Jane never likes being told what to do, so there is instant conflict between these two characters. Watching Jane and Luke, the new angel, is almost like watching a cat and a mouse as they toy with each other. It's a different type of character to write. He's a guardian angel with balls. He's also devious. He does not play by the rules. I think viewers will have a love-hate relationship with the character.
You brought on Kim Kardashian for the first three episodes this season. Was she OK with poking fun of herself?
Berman: We found out that the Kardashians are huge fans of Drop Dead Diva, so we reached out to Kim, and she loved the material. When I pitched her the character of Nikki LePree, a love guru that works at a juice bar, she thought it was hilarious and worked with us. She had absolutely no pretension about making fun of herself. She knows who she is, she's confident in who she is. She was professional, she was on time. She was very gracious and respectful to all the other actors in the cast. Any of the naysayers out there, I hope they're going to give the show a chance with her on it and to see that she brings a little something to the show that no one else but her could bring. We didn't want her to play Kim Kardashian. She's done that before. We wanted to actually give her a character, a character with real surprises, which you will see in the third episode. It's very unexpected. That's what we were hoping for. It's also fun to see Kim Kardashian and Jane Bingum go at each other.
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Speaking of Kims, will Kim Caswell (Kate Levering) and Parker (Josh Stamberg) have a smoother relationship this year?
Berman: We bring in John Ratzenberger from Cheers to play Kim's father. In a way, by introducing that character, it actually deepens Kim's relationship with Parker because both of them are dealing with family issues and fatherhood; Kim reuniting with her father and Parker trying to search for his son. So, they actually get to a new level of understanding. That being said, their relationship is bumpy this season. The season finale will bring them to a whole new level, but there's lots of twists and turns to get us there.
Fans have been waiting a long time for Grayson and Jane to finally be reunited. Will there be any moments this season that finally make those fans happy?
Berman: There will be several moments this season that will reward the loyal viewers for caring about the Jane-Grayson relationship. By connecting the dots, I think it's going to be the most satisfying. I believe this will be the most satisfying season so far.
The fourth season of Drop Dead Diva premieres Sunday at 9/8c on Lifetime. Missed any episodes of Diva? Catch up on with a mini-marathon beginning Saturday at 12/11c.
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