[This story contains DEAR EDWARD , “The Sanctuary .”]
Apple adapted from Dear Edward with optimism Ending its first season, the finale jumps forward week and from Friday Night Lights and Parenthood showrunner
Below, Katims opens up about Dear Edward finale and why Friday Night Lights Alumna Connie Britton may not be in a potential second season of the series, what happened and his very personal Amazon series
This show feels more in line with your previous work FNL and Parenting . What attracted you to start this?
I love writing for large ensembles. This is something I’ve been thinking about and focusing on while doing the show. I read this novel and it is such a beautiful story. What I saw was the idea of this group of people—people who met in groups of grief, people who had never met before—and they became so ingrained, so strangely rescuing each other. They all have something they need to turn on the mirror and look at themselves. That’s what gets me excited. Feels like it might have the same chemistry as FNL or Parenthood but still different from those shown.
I want to go back to Amazon for As We See It . The show was canceled after one season despite a writer’s studio already working on a show Season two in a few months. How did Amazon explain the decision to cancel the show to you?
I’ll ask them to explain. It’s about ratings. Creatively, my fellow Amazon execs are engrossed in this show. My understanding is that within Amazon, it’s a popular show. I think it comes down to the numbers; they need more people watching than people watching. They won’t disclose details of this to anyone. Unfortunately, I don’t know the details. I know this decision was not based on anything creative. They just need more eyeballs.
Do you think shows made for underrepresented audiences meet unfair standards? Is As We See It, for example, with Jack Ryan ?
There is an understanding that a character driven show is unlikely to get the same mass ratings as
Jack Ryan will get. There is some understanding that the expectations will not be the same. Should they make those expectations fairer… I hope they are because then we’d still be doing As We See It. But it’s hard to know what economics means to them. I wish it was different. As We See It is a show that is very personal to me and I really think it will be renewed. I’m shocked it wasn’t because of the positive reaction from critics and viewers. As far as Amazon’s expectations go, not enough people are paying attention. Perhaps this is a conversation that will develop over time.
August, when you signed When you’re dealing with Imagine, there are three projects in progress as part of this agreement. What information can you share about them now?
My deal is three items; no three in the works. I’m developing a show with them. I’m waiting to see if we’re moving forward with it. I don’t know how that’s going on, because right now we’re in a situation where we might have a writers’ strike, which makes it even more complicated because we don’t know when to move on. I’m working on a show with Imagine, which is active, and I’m talking to them about some other stuff as well.
Still in high demand as streaming War Soldiers, reboots and serials – for example, Peacock just ordered oneMonk movie. Given the interest in Friday Night Lights and Parenthood, are there any conversations about an update?
I’ve thought about it. But nothing officially happened. Whenever I see any of the actors from Friday Night Lights or Parenthood I think of it , but especially parenting . We always talk about the possibility of it. The success of our actors is great, but it also brings challenges, because everyone is very busy. We talked earlier about FNL and Parenthood being large ensemble actors, which makes getting – The actors are looking for a schedule. But I’d love to do it with Parenthood. I think it’s interesting now that enough time has passed that we can see [the Bravermans] at different stages in their lives. It’s something we’ve talked about here and there, but don’t have any plans to do it yet. It’s not at that stage until we know what it’s going to be and when we’re going to do it.
Do you still want to do radio and television again?
Absolutely. I love doing broadcast TV. In the world we’re in with so many shows, you want to do everything that has the best chance of breaking through. What is the right platform for a particular idea? There are some shows that, as you develop them, feel like a better fit for Netflix, Amazon, or Apple, etc., and some that feel like they might make sense for broadcast. You want to find the right home for something. I would love to work in broadcasting again. I love broadcasting, it’s just a matter of what is the right idea.
What are you going to do next?
I would love to be Dear Edward Second season. I’m also working on a project with Imagine. The next thing was someone said to me let’s do this first! I don’t have full control over it. Hopefully one or the other – or both – starts soon.
The 1235352708WGA Negotiations with AMPTP began this week. What do you want to get out of this negotiation?
I hope it gets resolved without a strike. To me, it’s not about any of the performers. It’s about writers who are taking the stage right now and – after many years. There are many ways that television has grown and changed, and the reality is that it has influenced television writing. As your business changes, it’s important to reassess and make sure your writers are protected.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Dear Edward Season 1 is now here Play on Apple.
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