Let’s get into some of your projects. With FBoy Island season 2, I can imagine there’s an element of surprise that’s removed with people having already seen the show. How are you reconciling that for the second season?The underlying reality of what FBoy Island is remains the same. We’re trying to see if people can actually go after the things they say they want and whether they’re able to tell the difference. It’s also trying to realistically recreate what most people go through in the real world when they’re dating. You meet people, and they all say they’re good, and it’s your job to figure out if they’re good for you, as opposed to assuming that everyone actually is good and being surprised when they’re not.One of the super fun things about working with HBO Max, our executives there, and our really wild producers, is that we want to be nimble. We loved season one. And we got tremendous feedback from both the fans and the haters. And we really applied all of that to season two. We like to listen and see what is working. Obviously, we’re going to surprise you as often as possible in ways that are hopefully game changers. A couple of twists this season completely detonate the show as we know it. That happened in Episode 10 of season one.Also, people are familiar with the format. There’s less of a shock and awe campaign. And so we are going to have to rely much more on being actively invested in the people that are on the show. And I think because there’s less format to explain in season two, we get to spend more time with everybody. And we get to know them better and understand them a little bit better. I think that just makes it feel like a very different show. Hopefully, people love it. And then hopefully, they tell us what they hate; I’m sure they will. (Laughs.) And then season three, we’ll try to fix that. Hopefully, this series just ends up being an ongoing conversation between all of us making the show and the audience watching the show so we can continue to deliver what they want with some surprises.You mentioned The One That Got Away, which recently dropped. What has been the reaction to that?In terms of format, it was a very different show than any had worked on before. The episodes didn’t have clearly defined beginnings and ends. As a result, we had this kind of interesting opportunity to make a 10-hour melodrama as a movie, as opposed to a traditional television show with act breaks and all of that. And that was some of the freedom of getting to work with streamers like Prime Video. Now you occasionally have these chances to break out of the format we’re all used to. The thing that I’ve appreciated the most from audience feedback–which is surprising but also thrilling–is how much people universally love to see the camaraderie between the arrivals. The people not in the driver’s seat all live together, and they root for each other in this really optimistic, wholesome, and loving way. And it’s been heartwarming to see how much people are finding themselves and wanting to spend more time delving into the platonic friendships that take place between all of the contestants. I think that’s something that we’ve been trying to explore more and more over the last couple of years and something that I’m really happy about seems to be resonating. On social media, when you see people from reality shows hanging out and going to parties, you kind of miss the genesis of some of those relationships because they’re not necessarily a story. They’re not necessarily related to the narrative thrust. Maybe it’s because people are clinging to any shred of optimism at the moment, as am I. (Laughs.) But I think there’s a real desire to seek these platonic friendships and relationships form because it feels warm and fuzzy. And I think that delivering warm and fuzzy, weirdly, is something I’m aiming to do much more and more of in the near future.With all the projects you’ve been able to do, is there one that’s your absolute dream to make happen one day?If I had a really good idea, I wouldn’t tell you. But I don’t. (Laughs.) There was a show called The Joe Schmo Show. It was a reality show where everything was fake except for one person, who thought it was real. I don’t think you would ever do something like that today. Plus, there’s a certain magic to that show that’s not repeatable, because it was a brand new form. I am interested in the “kayfabe” wrestling future of unscripted television. Trying to find ways to incorporate scripted people into a more scripted scenario and letting them play out. I’m not exactly sure what it is. But I think there are new hybrids that a lot of us haven’t thought of yet. Netflix did a show with Will Arnett, Murderville, with many celebrities on. And I’d be really curious as to how that would go without trained professionals.Next, here’s everything to know about the upcoming season of Survivor 43.
