"The Tomorrow People," which centres on young people with superpowers with targets on their backs (thanks to an evil government task force), is a month into its run and if you thought it was good now, just wait for the upcoming episodes.
HuffPost TV Canada spoke with series star Robbie Amell and we couldn't have timed it any better. Amell previewed that things are about to get dark for Stephen (the character, not his cousin) in tonight's episode, "All Tomorrow's Parties" -- and it's just the beginning. The actor also spoke about whether he's sick of Amell Wednesdays, working so closely with Nina Myers and Jacob, and a possible "Tomorrow People"/"Arrow" crossover.
HuffPost TV: Every time Stephen gets caught doing something he shouldn't at Ultra, his excuses are so bad! But Jedikiah just keeps letting them slide. He could've had Stephen killed already! Do you think he hasn't because Stephen is family or Jed is just biding his time, waiting for Stephen to make a huge mistake that will lead him to the Tomorrow People?
Robbie Amell: I think it's a little bit of both. He definitely starts to see that Jedikiah is smarter than he's letting on. He's always got the upper hand, and he's really just toying with him, waiting. And also Jedikiah, you find out he doesn't call all the shots. There are people above him, characters who are introduced shortly. And at the same time, he is family. The bond between Stephen and Jedikiah grows over the next few episodes. Stephen definitely makes strides to prove himself to Ultra and I would definitely say his excuses get better [Laughs].
The family dinner [from Episode 4, "Kill or Be Killed"] couldn't have been more awkward.
Yeah, my mom on the show, Marla, played by Sarah Clarke -- she's a smart woman and there are definitely things about her that we don't know that she's hiding from Stephen, she's hiding from the audience and it'll be interesting to see her character unfold. You don't want to mess with Mom.
Stephen wants to try and do everything, and use his powers for the greater good. Will that push/pull with both Ultra and the Tomorrow People continue, him wanting to save everybody? Is that just in his nature?
Yeah, and it's one of my favourite parts about the character. He's torn between these two worlds, and he's also trying to find his dad. He's in a tough position; he can't walk away from Ultra, he can't walk away from the Tomorrow People and he can't walk away from his family, so, really, he's torn between these three lives. You say he can't save everyone, but he can't pick one to give up on. I think it's interesting to see in each episode how I get to these decisions and find ways to protect my family, to protect my other family, the Tomorrow People, and to save face at Ultra while all the while trying to find my dad and have a relationship with him. Everything I've ever known about him turns out to be pretty much a lie, so coming from a guy who has a fantastic relationship with his father, I couldn't imagine what it would be like finding out that everything is a lie and not knowing anything about him. I would be the same way, that would be the priority. I would have to find him.
As far as priorities go, will there ever come a time where Stephen sees John and Cara's side of it, that protecting their species is what he needs to do at all costs?
Things get so dark over Episodes 5 and 6 that Stephen has to step away from Ultra in Episode 7. I can't tell you much more than that, but it gets to the point where the stress and the guilt and everything is weighing on him too much, and he needs to take a break and step away. You really get to see a different side of him, maybe a more human side, and then everything goes to hell [Laughs]. But Episodes 8 and 9, we answer a ton of questions that I think people have asked or have been asking. It's a great two-part episode that leads into the Christmas holiday. Episodes 5 - 9 really start to dive into what I feel like the show is really going to be, hopefully for a long time.
In last week's episode, Astrid witnessed you disappear, but in Episode 4 -- nothing. What can we expect from their friendship now that she knows something is up? And is that all it is? Are they just friends?
You find out a lot of that in Episode 5. Astrid is back in Episode 5. Stephen's trying to reconcile with her. She's his only friend, really, and the problem is, he tried to tell her in the pilot about these powers. She blocked him out and shut him down. And now she's asked him about them and he can't tell her. He's got that superhero syndrome, where the people closest to you ... because then they can be used against you and it puts them in danger. It's just one more ball in the juggling act that Stephen has in Episode 5.
And are they just friends? And will they stay just friends?
As a potential love interest?
Yes.
Um ... well, there's the Cara love triangle with John, and Astrid is definitely put into that. They're best friends and if the history of television and cinema has taught us anything, the best friend is probably the one he ends up with. But for the next couple episodes, anyway, there's not as much concentrating on the love interest there than it is him getting her back as a friend.
Will we meet Stephen's dad soon -- and not just in flashbacks?
Jeffrey Pierce, who plays Roger, will be back shortly. You start to see more and more of him as the first season progresses and you will see in a flashback. As long as we get a full 22-episode season, you will see him not in a flashback before the midseason mark.
So Stephen is telepathic, can teleport and can use telekinesis. Not that that's not enough, but does he have any other powers?
No, he's got the three Ts and he can stop time. The way he uses these powers, one of them has an interesting story point to it, which I can't share with you, but it's very important in the survival of the Tomorrow People and their species as a whole.
We find out your mom has some secrets. Is there any chance she might have powers? And what about Stephen's brother, Luca?
I've been asking the same questions. Up until this point that we've been shooting, she hasn't shown any powers yet. But, you know, it's a definite possibility. My dad had powers, I have powers, we can definitely end up breaking out. My mom could be hiding them this whole time. These are the same questions I've been asking when I read the scripts. But I can't say no, and I can't say yes, but it's a definite possibility.
Are you sick of talking about Amell Wednesdays?
[Laughs] You know, I'm not. How can I be sick of it? It might be a once-in-a-lifetime thing.
Ever! How often does this happen? Never.
I've never heard of it happening before. And how can I be sick of talking about it? It's impossible that it happened and it just did. It's incredible. We're both leads of television shows on the same network on the same night, back to back. It's completely insane but it's amazing. It's completely surreal and Stephen and I, we both feel very lucky that we're able to share this with each other. The upfronts in New York were incredible, going on stage, introducing Wednesday night, it was a feeling I'll never forget. Shooting a commercial for The CW for Amell Wedensdays ... it's incredible. I'm very, very grateful to the CW and Warner Bros. and everybody that made it happen because it's a dream come true. It's completely insane.
The network has to do some sort of crossover, just to capitalize on it that much more.
[Laughs] Stephen and I have been pitching it. Stephen wants me to come in and I don't even have to say a line. He just wants to have me on the phone getting into a nice car and Stephen as Oliver Queen at Queen Consolidated, looks over and goes, "Hey Bruce," and I just give him a nod and get in the car as if I'm Bruce Wayne [Laughs].
Perfect.
"The Tomorrow People" airs Wednesdays at 7 p.m. EST on CTV in Canada and 9 p.m. EST on The CW in the U.S.
HuffPost TV Canada spoke with series star Robbie Amell and we couldn't have timed it any better. Amell previewed that things are about to get dark for Stephen (the character, not his cousin) in tonight's episode, "All Tomorrow's Parties" -- and it's just the beginning. The actor also spoke about whether he's sick of Amell Wednesdays, working so closely with Nina Myers and Jacob, and a possible "Tomorrow People"/"Arrow" crossover.
HuffPost TV: Every time Stephen gets caught doing something he shouldn't at Ultra, his excuses are so bad! But Jedikiah just keeps letting them slide. He could've had Stephen killed already! Do you think he hasn't because Stephen is family or Jed is just biding his time, waiting for Stephen to make a huge mistake that will lead him to the Tomorrow People?
Robbie Amell: I think it's a little bit of both. He definitely starts to see that Jedikiah is smarter than he's letting on. He's always got the upper hand, and he's really just toying with him, waiting. And also Jedikiah, you find out he doesn't call all the shots. There are people above him, characters who are introduced shortly. And at the same time, he is family. The bond between Stephen and Jedikiah grows over the next few episodes. Stephen definitely makes strides to prove himself to Ultra and I would definitely say his excuses get better [Laughs].
The family dinner [from Episode 4, "Kill or Be Killed"] couldn't have been more awkward.
Yeah, my mom on the show, Marla, played by Sarah Clarke -- she's a smart woman and there are definitely things about her that we don't know that she's hiding from Stephen, she's hiding from the audience and it'll be interesting to see her character unfold. You don't want to mess with Mom.
Stephen wants to try and do everything, and use his powers for the greater good. Will that push/pull with both Ultra and the Tomorrow People continue, him wanting to save everybody? Is that just in his nature?
Yeah, and it's one of my favourite parts about the character. He's torn between these two worlds, and he's also trying to find his dad. He's in a tough position; he can't walk away from Ultra, he can't walk away from the Tomorrow People and he can't walk away from his family, so, really, he's torn between these three lives. You say he can't save everyone, but he can't pick one to give up on. I think it's interesting to see in each episode how I get to these decisions and find ways to protect my family, to protect my other family, the Tomorrow People, and to save face at Ultra while all the while trying to find my dad and have a relationship with him. Everything I've ever known about him turns out to be pretty much a lie, so coming from a guy who has a fantastic relationship with his father, I couldn't imagine what it would be like finding out that everything is a lie and not knowing anything about him. I would be the same way, that would be the priority. I would have to find him.
As far as priorities go, will there ever come a time where Stephen sees John and Cara's side of it, that protecting their species is what he needs to do at all costs?
Things get so dark over Episodes 5 and 6 that Stephen has to step away from Ultra in Episode 7. I can't tell you much more than that, but it gets to the point where the stress and the guilt and everything is weighing on him too much, and he needs to take a break and step away. You really get to see a different side of him, maybe a more human side, and then everything goes to hell [Laughs]. But Episodes 8 and 9, we answer a ton of questions that I think people have asked or have been asking. It's a great two-part episode that leads into the Christmas holiday. Episodes 5 - 9 really start to dive into what I feel like the show is really going to be, hopefully for a long time.
In last week's episode, Astrid witnessed you disappear, but in Episode 4 -- nothing. What can we expect from their friendship now that she knows something is up? And is that all it is? Are they just friends?
You find out a lot of that in Episode 5. Astrid is back in Episode 5. Stephen's trying to reconcile with her. She's his only friend, really, and the problem is, he tried to tell her in the pilot about these powers. She blocked him out and shut him down. And now she's asked him about them and he can't tell her. He's got that superhero syndrome, where the people closest to you ... because then they can be used against you and it puts them in danger. It's just one more ball in the juggling act that Stephen has in Episode 5.
And are they just friends? And will they stay just friends?
As a potential love interest?
Yes.
Um ... well, there's the Cara love triangle with John, and Astrid is definitely put into that. They're best friends and if the history of television and cinema has taught us anything, the best friend is probably the one he ends up with. But for the next couple episodes, anyway, there's not as much concentrating on the love interest there than it is him getting her back as a friend.
Will we meet Stephen's dad soon -- and not just in flashbacks?
Jeffrey Pierce, who plays Roger, will be back shortly. You start to see more and more of him as the first season progresses and you will see in a flashback. As long as we get a full 22-episode season, you will see him not in a flashback before the midseason mark.
So Stephen is telepathic, can teleport and can use telekinesis. Not that that's not enough, but does he have any other powers?
No, he's got the three Ts and he can stop time. The way he uses these powers, one of them has an interesting story point to it, which I can't share with you, but it's very important in the survival of the Tomorrow People and their species as a whole.
We find out your mom has some secrets. Is there any chance she might have powers? And what about Stephen's brother, Luca?
I've been asking the same questions. Up until this point that we've been shooting, she hasn't shown any powers yet. But, you know, it's a definite possibility. My dad had powers, I have powers, we can definitely end up breaking out. My mom could be hiding them this whole time. These are the same questions I've been asking when I read the scripts. But I can't say no, and I can't say yes, but it's a definite possibility.
Are you sick of talking about Amell Wednesdays?
[Laughs] You know, I'm not. How can I be sick of it? It might be a once-in-a-lifetime thing.
Ever! How often does this happen? Never.
I've never heard of it happening before. And how can I be sick of talking about it? It's impossible that it happened and it just did. It's incredible. We're both leads of television shows on the same network on the same night, back to back. It's completely insane but it's amazing. It's completely surreal and Stephen and I, we both feel very lucky that we're able to share this with each other. The upfronts in New York were incredible, going on stage, introducing Wednesday night, it was a feeling I'll never forget. Shooting a commercial for The CW for Amell Wedensdays ... it's incredible. I'm very, very grateful to the CW and Warner Bros. and everybody that made it happen because it's a dream come true. It's completely insane.
The network has to do some sort of crossover, just to capitalize on it that much more.
[Laughs] Stephen and I have been pitching it. Stephen wants me to come in and I don't even have to say a line. He just wants to have me on the phone getting into a nice car and Stephen as Oliver Queen at Queen Consolidated, looks over and goes, "Hey Bruce," and I just give him a nod and get in the car as if I'm Bruce Wayne [Laughs].
Perfect.
"The Tomorrow People" airs Wednesdays at 7 p.m. EST on CTV in Canada and 9 p.m. EST on The CW in the U.S.
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