Fans of the NBC series Debris have been on one amazing rollercoaster ride during its first season. Well, all of that is leading up to the exciting Season One finale which airs Monday, May 24th at 10/9c.
We have two Debris related interviews to share with you leading up to the season finale. First up will be Jonathan Tucker followed by our interview with series creator J.H. Wyman.
Jonathan Tucker talked with us about the Season One finale, what the debris means to his character and what he would like to say to the fans of Debris.
Pop Culture Principle – We’ve watched the working relationship and trust between Bryan and Finola grow. Hope have you enjoyed the evolution of that relationship, specifically over the past several episodes?
Jonathan Tucker – I feel like everything is starting to coming together with the show. Not only the narrative, but in terms of the characters, their backstories and how they are relating to each other. To your point, it’s very gratifying that we are finally there because the point of this whole first season was to allow these characters to reveal themselves over the course of thirteen episodes not just the pilot episode. We are now getting there, and it feels great. We knew we were going there, but as actors, it’s been a slow burn. It’s very gratifying to have a slow burn, but you also want to just get there.
Pop Culture Principle – We really get to see and learn a lot about Bryan in the episode Asala. Can you talk a little bit about the importance of that episode?
Jonathan Tucker – It was something that we knew was coming for a while and we are grateful that we had the opportunity to let a lot of questions hang in the air without answering them with the first ten episodes and then we really got to show the audience some answers when it comes to Bryan in this episode.
Here’s a guy who has been emotionally hurt and has gone through a traumatic experience. He tried to deal with these sort of things in the way that he knew how, but this is the time where we get to understand how the choices he’s been making have been informed. Empathy and vulnerability are new tools for him that he’s learned from Finola and we see where that comes from with the Asala episode. It’s my favorite episode from this season.
Pop Culture Principle – Do you feel this episode also allowed Finola to get a better understanding of who Bryan is and why he chose not to tell the story of Asalah and why he was saved by Maddox?
Jonathan Tucker – That is absolutely right. The Maddox character is starting to be significantly explored and played out in the last couple of episodes. I think it’s really nice for the audience to see that character peeled back as well.
Pop Culture Principle – We see that Maddox basically admitted to Finola that they want the debris to basically weaponize it and its better if we have it first before any other enemy or ally gets it. Can you talk a little bit about that development?
Jonathan Tucker – I’m sure you have been following the UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena) news that has been going on lately and the story they did about that on 60 Minutes. Maddox is interested in using the debris technology for weaponization. This is not far off from conversations that we are having right now.
Pop Culture Principle – Finola suggested that earlier in the season when Bryan was cloned, the debris copied his memories. Do we know why the debris sought out Bryan specifically?
Jonathan Tucker – We know that Garcia, Bryan and another person were a part of a debris event that hasn’t been fully explained yet, but clearly something has happened that involves debris. So, I think that is part of the reason why the debris has sort of sought him out.
Pop Culture Principle – Fans really loved the two-parter Do You Know Icarus and I Am Icarus. Can you talk a little bit out working on those episodes?
Jonathan Tucker – I’ve mentioned the name of the director of these episodes a few time before, but I can’t mention him enough. Padraic McKinley was the director of these episodes. They were challenging episodes to shoot for so many reasons, but it primarily demanded his guidance and prep work because we would have been up a creek without it.
There’s a practical thing when you want to make sure you are in the right place and in the right shot. Is the camera at the right angle with the right lens and then there’s the wardrobe stuff, but at the same time, you are also trying to put together the spiritual side of the performance and making sure that everything tracks correctly there. It was really a lot of fun doing those episodes and we shot them together. It really demanded everybody’s attention on our outstanding crew to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.
Pop Culture Principle – We have learned a little bit more about Bryan and the injections he is taking, but there is still a lot we don’t know about them. Will we learn more in the Season 1 finale?
Jonathan Tucker – You do not know exactly why Bryan is taking the injections. I don’t think you will find out in the final episode, but you will get a lot of answers that will help you get closer to having an idea of why he takes those injections.
Pop Culture Principle – Maybe we are way off base, but something seems off about George. Is he someone that Finola and Bryan can truly trust?
Jonathan Tucker – I think you are right and on the right path. 😊 Bryan doesn’t really trust him either.
Pop Culture Principle – We see now that Bryan believes that the debris has a higher purpose. Was this change in his thinking about the debris inevitable?
Jonathan Tucker – I think the only reason his outlook changes when it comes to the debris is because of his relationship with Finola, but if Bryan was still partners with Garcia, then I don’t think this change would have happened.
Pop Culture Principle – What can fans look forward to with the Season one finale of Debris?
Jonathan Tucker – I think you are going to literally look back at the entire first season and ask what is real and what isn’t real. What was happening? Why was it happening and where the hell are we going from here? I really can’t wait to see what the fans think about the finale.
Pop Culture Principle – If the show isn’t picked up for a second season, what are you most proud of when it comes to working on Debris?
Jonathan Tucker – I think it would be very disappointing for people who invested in the story. I don’t know how you can put a show like this on the air knowing where it’s going to go story wise and asking people to invest in it and not provide some sort of satisfying conclusion to it.
I hope they pick up the series for a second season. I think they will pick it up for another season, but if they don’t, we have been on one hell of a ride together as an audience and as actors and characters. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to step into people’s lives for an hour a week and to have some of the conversations that we have been having about what our time on earth really means and what’s the value of the minutes and the hours that we are spending on this planet as humans. It has been a privilege.
A huge thank you to Jonathan Tucker for taking the time to talk with us. You can watch the Season One finale of Debris on Monday, May 24th at 10/9c on NBC!
**All photos courtesy of James Dittiger/NBC**