Photo credit: USA
The first season of USA's hit series Graceland delivered action and drama last summer and it looks like fans are in for another wild ride this season.
SheKnows spoke exclusively with Vanessa Ferlito (who plays Charlie on the show) about what to expect in Season 2, and she had one word to say: dark.
"Very dark. [There is] a divide in the house, a huge divide and a newcomer. And I'm not talking about in the first or second episode. [The newcomer is a] very, very big deal. A very big deal," Ferlito revealed.
If you watched the first season, you're probably wondering how much darker the show could get, considering it dealt with murder, torture and one agent (Charlie) going so far as to actually shoot up heroin to protect her cover.
"I think the difference is last season was Charlie shooting up with heroin, [but] it was about the case," Ferlito said. "Then it was about Briggs and Odin, but that was never settled. We come back for the second season and Charlie is traumatized from the first season. She shot heroin, she accused her love and best friend of murder. Which he didn't do, but he really did do!"
Another thing that happened in the first season was Charlie and Briggs (Daniel Sunjata) nearly rekindling their former romantic past. Were you upset when the two decided to stop before becoming a couple again? Then you're going to be very happy to see what happens in Season 2.
"So then we come back in the second season and Charlie and Briggs give it another go because, I mean, they really do love each other," Ferlito said. "They have a connection. They are connected in so many ways. They're [kindred] spirits, they love each other [and] they're attracted to each other."
Expect the budding relationship to change the tone of the show for a little while, which also gives the rest of the cast a chance to shine. "Briggs and I are really lovey-dovey the first couple of episodes," Ferlito said, "They have a case, [but] then we work that out and then [the rest] of the episodes are the rest of the cast and it's really lovely, because you get to really see into their lives and them solving their cases."
"Season 2 is really heavy for Johnny. Oh, my god, and Jakes is heartbreaking. Remember he has a kid and they go into that and it is... I can't tell you," Ferlito teased, adding, "And Johnny, oh, my god, wait until you see what happens with him."
The relationship between Briggs and Charlie even earned the actors a new nickname. "There was a joke about [Sunjata] and I on set every day. They would call us 'John and Yoko' because we're always in the bed. So we were like the John and Yoko of the set," Ferlito revealed.
It was a joke that Ferlito didn't mind at all. "I was in my glory," Ferlito said. "I live vicariously through Charlie every day because I'm obsessed with Daniel. I love him."
But don't expect it to be nothing but love and harmony in the house. There will be some tension as well, especially between Charlie and Mike. "Mike comes into the house [and] he's now the head of the house. He comes from D.C. and they put him in charge, which doesn't sit well with Charlie at all. And he's trying to get her to do all these things, and Charlie's one of the best agents in the house and she's kind of shutting him down."
The tension won't be missed by Briggs, who still hasn't told Charlie the truth about the unintentional murder he committed last season. "She kind of gets into it with [Mike] and Briggs says, 'What's going on?' And she says, 'How can I trust myself? I was so wrong with you.' And that kills Briggs because she's torturing herself. It's really complex. The relationship between Briggs and I is so intense."
When asked what she would say to fans as they were getting ready to sit down and watch the new season, Ferlito said, "They should hold on tight because they're going to fall off the bed. They're in for a ride and [though] it starts off kind of slow, there's a lot to cover [because] there's six main actors on the show. They need to really pay attention, seriously, because you can get lost. You gotta really pay attention to what's going on and then, I want to say around Episode 9, it's like s*** hits the fan. Bad."
How excited are you for Graceland Season 2?