Everyone Else Burns

Series 2 cast and writers interview

Everyone Else Burns stars Simon Bird and Kate O'Flynn talk about returning for Series 2 of the sitcom. Plus we hear from new cast member Sian Clifford, and writers Oli Taylor & Dillon Mapletoft.

Simon Bird

What did you make of the success of the first series and why do you think audiences enjoyed it so much?

I was thrilled by the success of Series 1. It's always hard to launch a sitcom, especially one as high concept as this and set in a world that most people don't really have firsthand experience of. It was a real boost to learn that people were watching and enjoying it. I think people really respond to the show's unique tone because it has the warmth and poignancy of a family sitcom, something like Modern Family, but at the same time, it's subversive and surprising. It's a warped family sitcom.

It felt great coming back for Series 2, like coming home.

Where do we find your character at the start of this series?

At the beginning of this series, David has been all but disowned by the church where he's very much out of favour with Samson and the elders. And at home, he's either ignored or just outright mocked by his wife and children. So, he's in a bit of a funk.

What challenges does your character face in this series?

A temptress named Maude! She's played by Sian Clifford and is, for some reason, intent on seducing David and destroying his marriage. Will he hold out? Is he strong enough? Only time will tell!

What has it been like getting the congregation (cast and crew) back together?

We already had a pretty stacked cast from Series 1, but we've topped that for Series 2 with the introduction of Sian Clifford, Olivia Marcus and Paddy Young. Everywhere you turn, there's a hot new comedy wonderkid. It's like the Manchester City of sitcoms.

Does your character evolve in this series?

David is a bit like Homer Simpson. He never really changes. He never really learns...

What are you most looking forward to audiences seeing in this series?

I'm really looking forward to audiences seeing Sian Clifford as Maude and hers and David's 'will they, won't they?' flirtation.

Kate O'Flynn

How did it feel returning to set for Series 2?

It felt like a big warm hug as I had such a good time on the first series. It's comforting coming back to a world that already has been set up and a fun puzzle figuring out where the characters are now.

How did you feel reading the scripts for the new series?

It was really exciting to read all the drafts of the new scripts and the twists and the turns that they took. I was really amazed by the speed at which Oli and Dillon can write really classy, high standard stuff and come up with alternative storylines all over the show and they are all really juicy. They are smart writers and all the characters have just evolved. They know our voices so what they came up with was a joy to play.

What did you make of the success of Series 1?

I was delighted it was so well received as we were all so proud of it. I think it's a really good quality, different comedy with a lot of heart. I'm glad that viewers end up rooting for them after going on that journey with them.

Why do you think audiences loved the show so much?

I think it resonates with people. That combination of having a specific world that seems a bit alien but, within it, there are characters who you root for and they have traits that you recognise. They have problems that we all have and sprinkled in are lots of jokes. It's all done with a lightness of touch so it's quite a delicious recipe.

Where do we find Fiona at the start of the series?

At the start of the series, Fiona has seemingly got what she wanted, Rachel back in the fold and her family together in the order. But there's a good dose of guilt and doubt simmering below the surface.

I feel this series is all about relationships and it's her relationship with David that is really under the microscope.

The fact that Rachel is going through this process of arranged marriage kind of forces Fiona to confront her own ideas, and if marriage makes sense. What are her feelings for David? And at the same time, she's having doubts over her relationship, she's also got a love rival in Maude and feels surprisingly threatened by her. There's a lot going on.

How did you feel about Sian Clifford coming in to play Maude?

I thought it was absolutely inspired casting. I knew she was going to be sensational, and she did not disappoint. We have known each other since drama school so it was just like two kids playing in the sandpit really. The look of Maude is from every horror film ever. It's just perfect. Also, to have a Fiona and Maude face off was pretty great!

How do you think Fiona has evolved since Series 1?

She's having to confront things that she has really kept a lid on and at times I think it's painful for her. It's scary to have to question rigid ideas you've had your entire life.

What are you most looking forward to audiences seeing in this series?

You see more of the world of the order of the Divine Rod. The world just feels bigger this time and I'm excited for the audiences to delve in.

Sian Clifford

What has it been like coming onto the show?

It's been joyous joining the show. Dillon Mapletoft and Oli Taylor, the writer-creators, are absolute geniuses. Maude was a late character addition to the scripts and I was lucky enough that they just ran wild with her and let me do the same.

I was also delighted to be reunited with Kate O'Flynn who is an old friend from drama school and, of course, Kadiff Kirwan, who I knew from Fleabag.

It was such a surreal treat walking on to the sets for the first time too because I was so familiar with them as a viewer! I had a proper fan girl moment on my first day of filming when I pulled up to the Lewis house.

Tell us about your character Maude.

Maude is a dedicated Order Member - puritanical to a fault. She goes after what she wants with unapologetic fervour. Brazen, superior, manipulative, a great cook, a lover of analogue technology and of course, squash.

Were you a fan of Series 1 when you got offered the part?

Huge fan, yes. I think this show is so authentically original and brilliantly weird. It takes such a big swing tonally and I love that you can do that so boldly with comedy. It appeals to the sweet spot of my sense of humour - dark, absurd, with bags of heart.

Tell us about Maude's first scene with the squash?

Maude, like any good Order Member, is a big fan of squash. Nothing like meeting the potential love of your life over a glass of the sweet stuff. It only heightens David and Maude's immediate connection on first meeting, which is electrically charged.

What has it been like acting opposite Simon Bird?

I absolutely loved working with Simon both on and off screen. Not unlike Maude and David, we discovered we are kindred spirits though happily in real life, with far less sinister consequences! Simon is so effortlessly hilarious and we had great fun pushing the boundaries of how Maude and David's bizarre connection manifests in the show.

What can audiences expect from Maude?

Expect the unexpected. Maude will always pop up when you least want her to.

Oli Taylor & Dillon Mapletoft

How does your creative process work?

Dillon: We did a lot of the outlining together, hammering out the overall plot and where we wanted the characters to go. But then we pretty much divided the scenes up between us. For some of the bigger set pieces though, we'd come back together to write side by side.

Oli: It's really nice when Dillon and I can be in the same room, but I live in Cambridge and he lives in London so that can be rare. We'll Zoom in the morning and hold each other accountable throughout the day. It makes a massive difference to have him there and know he's keeping a careful watch on everything. We tend to outline together, build the episodes out and then divvy up the scenes. Sometimes there's a scene we're particularly excited to write together.

Whenever we have a gag that's made it to the screen, it's usually gone though many, many rounds of revision. Simon [Bird] comes to us all the time and often throws in his own stuff, and it becomes very collaborative. A lot of the performers that we work with have such phenomenal comedic instincts.

How does it feel coming back for Series 2?

Oli: We always wanted to come back to the Lewis family. We left things open at the end of the first series in terms of 'what does Rachel's life look like now she's chosen her family over university? How is she going to feel after going through penance?'. It's amazing to have the chance to tell that story and to see all the performers we love working with so much - as well as being able to say hello to some really exciting new faces, like Sian Clifford and Paddy Young.

Dillon: It's difficult to say without sounding cliché but it's just a privilege to be working on it. There's so much love and care from all departments on this show. It's so special to see characters in a world that you've created be brought to life. I did feel a bit terrified to start with, because we were so desperate to push the scripts as far as we could and develop Series 2 in a new way to Series 1. You'd be amazed at how much material we ultimately didn't use. We really wanted to do something a bit different with the characters and push them a little further in terms of their journeys.

What was it like working with Sian Clifford who plays Maude?

Oli: We were really excited by the character of Maude. At the table read, it became clear that she was going to do so much for what we're saying in this series about relationships and the strain between Fiona and David. It was a very organic process of realising what this series needs. Working with Sian has been incredible, the first scene we shot with her was in David's bedroom, seduction by pie - this weaponised tradwife who's come to steal him away with her perfect squash ratios.

Dillon: It's just a dream to work with Sian. She's so good at what she does and she has this incredible ability to take vast swathes of text in her stride without a second thought.

What did you think about the reaction to Series 1?

Oli: It's always a journey when something you've worked on gets released because you suddenly become aware that, once it's out in the world, it belongs to other people and they have their own perspectives on it. Something that we found very heart-warming is that we would occasionally get messages from people who belonged to niche religious groups like the one portrayed in the show, and they would tell us about their experiences and the ways in which they felt seen and related to the show. That meant more than anything else and that's what special about this show, this world and its unique perspective on religion and community.

Dillon: The honest answer is that the show coming out was one of the most terrifying things I've ever been through. It's so scary, especially having grown up in a world kind of like the one we are depicting, wringing that out from your own life experience... I'm so grateful that it's struck a chord with people and I really hope the cast get all the recognition they deserve for how brilliant they are. It would have been heart-breaking to say goodbye to those characters.

Can you talk about the themes of this show and why it resonates with people?

Dillon: We wanted there to be a thematic coherence to this series and ultimately it felt most natural and most comedy-first to hone in on the relationships. Rachel's journey is jump-started with the arranged marriages, which has the knock-on effect of putting Fiona and David's relationship under the microscope, and also kickstarts Aaron's fight for the kind of relationship he'd be able to have (or not have) in the future.

Oli: I think the coming-of-age story with Rachel resonates the most with people. Even though you may not have had an experience growing up believing that Armageddon is just around the corner, you've probably experienced some of the other barriers in life that she faces, like the pressure from parental figures to follow a certain path, or behave a certain way.

What are you most looking forward to audiences seeing this series?

Oli: I'm very excited for audiences to see Amy James-Kelly as a braver, bolder and more belligerent Rachel pushing back against her parents as she tries to find her own way. Also, for Maude trying to tempt David away from Fiona, and for everyone to meet Jeb, this young heartthrob who might not turn out to be all he appears to be. Mostly I am excited for audiences to come back and inhabit this world and see the journey everyone goes on as Samson tightens his stranglehold.

Dillon: I guess if I had to pick one thing... I'm probably most looking forward to audiences meeting Maude, getting to experience the force that is Sian Clifford and just the sheer weirdness of that character and her interpretation of power.

Finally, what has Jamie Jay Johnson brought to the show as director for this series?

Oli: He's phenomenal and he directs in a very comedic way which we really appreciate. Whenever we write a gag, we trust him, alongside our director of photography, to do everything they can to deliver it. So, if we have a line where David goes on an unhinged monologue you can guarantee there will be a slow push in on him to sell that unfolding madness.

Dillon: He's unflappable. He's funny. He plays the fool sometimes but it's entirely calculated. He shoots in a really unselfish, comedy-first kind of way that's enabled us to get alt lines and loosen things up. Everything just feels brighter, funnier and more energised, and he's a huge part of that.

Everyone Else Burns is on Channel 4 on Thursdays at 10pm.