What will change in Avenue 5 Season 2?
Armando Iannucci: I would say the atmosphere is much more claustrophobic, with some of the characters withdrawing even more into themselves. Making a series is not the same as making a movie. In a movie you have to know where you are going and you have to choose the ending, knowing that there will not necessarily be a sequel. With the series, I like I don’t know where I’m going. We’re not sure if another season will be back. I spend time understanding where each character is going. For example, in the first season you meet Mads, played by Adam Palsson. It was a small role with only a few lines, but I thought it was so fantastic that it prompted me to write a much bigger role for her in the second season.
Hugh, you shot this series during the pandemic, and rightly so, the crew of the spaceship itself goes through some kind of restriction. Did that allow you to get more into the character?
Hugh Laurie: It is certain that between the “outside” and the reality of the shooting, we all felt a little claustrophobic, as if we were in a bubble, ourselves in another bubble, and so on. This probably added even more craziness to the shoot. Everyone wore a mask when we were rehearsing. So it’s hard to read everyone’s expressions and compare their emotion levels. We really had the same level of stress as if we were really in mid-space. We didn’t even know when this pandemic was going to end, it really is coming down like 5th avenue spaceship.
Have you tried directing here, like you did on Dr. House?
Hugh Laurie: I am waiting for the showrunner to come and offer me. Sometimes I feel like I’m not doing my job well enough, so I want to do someone else’s job. Let’s wait if someone offers me another job on this series.
How is this SF series still relevant?
Hugh Laurie: It’s fascinating to see how many series and movies revolve around natural disasters, wars… or meteorites hitting our planet. I think we’ve seen so much that we don’t really care anymore. As for the missiles launched in the direction of Ukraine, it is clear that we must react. But when it comes to other big issues like the environment, I don’t think people care. I think, like in the movie, you think the hero will save you and solve everything. But we clearly see that in the end nothing happens and we go from disaster to disaster without solving anything. Everyone is waiting for Brad Pitt or George Clooney to save the world, but they never show up.
Maybe we should go get Hugh Laurie then?
Hugh Laurie: Yes, this is a possibility. If Brad Pitt and George Clooney aren’t coming to save the world, maybe it’s my turn to come to the rescue. I think it will cost me less and I am always very punctual! Even if this series has a dramatic, even alarming side, it is also full of humor.
Hugh Laurie and Josh Gad are back for Season 2 of Avenue 5
How important is humor to you?
Hugh Laurie: Humor is everything! Life without humor would be unbearable and we would be in constant depression. There are two things I can’t live without: humor and music. I believe that every time we fall into hard times, this music and humor brings us back to the light. They act as cement to build relationships between beings, because there are always jokes and songs that speak to us, that bring us closer, beyond our differences.
Armando Iannucci: The series mainly talks about black humor. This is a little warning from the future. Do not allow such madness and rethink what is the priority of humanity here on earth. If there’s humor in our series, it’s loaded with great angst.
Why should we watch Avenue 5 Season 2… and do you think this show is ten thousand times better than Dr House?
Hugh Laurie: (laughs) No, I can’t say it’s 10,000 times better than the house I’m proud of. It was clearly an important and decisive series for me. It changed a lot and got me to where I am today in my career. Avenue 5 is a different and unique series that cannot be compared to House. It is full of hope against all expectations. We all need hope to continue our journey in this world. We are always hoping to improve our future, to build it. I hope this series will continue to make our viewers smile and give them more confidence and hope for the future.
Source: allocine
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
