Royal Crackers is returning to Adult Swim with Season 2 of the series this week, and we got to talk with members of the cast about coming back for new episodes, the response to season one and more! Royal Crackers is a rare Adult Swim animated original project that was confirmed to be getting a second season before the first episode of the series ever premiered, so it was likely a wild endeavor for all those involved. Working on two seasons of a series before you even get to see some of the finished project means there’s quite a lot that’s built on faith of the material.ย
Royal Crackers Season 2 will be premiering this week, and that means we’re about to see another wave of episodes following the Hornsbys and the employees of the Royal Crackers company as they get into even more shenanigans. With the new episodes coming up so soon, ComicBook.com got the chance to talk with some members of the cast about their work on the new episodes and more.ย
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Speaking to Maile Flanagan (Matt) and David Gborie (Darby) about Royal Crackers Season 2, working on two seasons before seeing the new episodes, what’s coming for their characters and more, you can check out our full interview below (which has been edited for clarity)!ย
Response to Season One
NICK VALDEZ, COMICBOOK.COM: Now that season two is here and you’ve had a chance to let that first season sink in, how do you two feel about the response to Royal Crackers so far? How do you feel about your places within it?
DAVID GBORIE: It seems to be pretty positive overall. I am really glad people like it as much as I do and see how weird and funny that it is.
MAILE FLANAGAN: Yeah, same. I think it’s just gained momentum and I feel like season two is going to spur a lot of people to go back and watch season one.
This was one of those rare cases where season two was announced before even season one premiered. So what was the recording process like for that? Did it immediately start after you guys finished with season one? Did you just jump right back in for season two?
FLANAGAN: God, I can’t really remember. It’s so weird. Now that we do stuff remotely, it’s not like, it’s not like, it’s like, “Oh. Remember the good times we had at that studio recording this.” We’ve never met in person. Right?
GBORIE: Yeah.
FLANAGAN: I guess during the press stuff, I feel like that’s the most I’ve talked to anybody from the show.
GBORIE: Definitely.
FLANAGAN: Right? Except for the engineer, and of course, [Royal Crackers series creator Jason Ruiz] and stuff, but yeah.
GBORIE: I mean, as far as the process goes, I feel like maybe season two happened faster. Does that make sense? I think the entire length of recording the season was a lot quicker. But yeah, other than that, it didn’t feel that much different.
Season 2 Approach
That’s good because the next question I was going to ask was whether or not it felt different in terms of your characters now that you’ve had so much time with it. Going into season two, you got to see where Darby and Matt went at the end of season one and where they are as people, their own little adventures. Was that part of the process easier now that you knew what made them tick?
GBORIE: I guess there was not that level of having to find it or figure out where we’re at or how to do the voice and stuff. So I guess that did help a lot. And then in the process of being like, “Oh. I do think this is something he would say,” or, “Maybe this doesn’t seem like something he would say in that situation.”
FLANAGAN: Yeah. We watch season one while you watch season one, which is a crazy concept, but it’s true. So at the end of season one, I was excited for season two, even though I think by the time season one ended, we had already finished recording season two, right?
GBORIE: Yeah. I think so. I’m pretty sure we were done by the time it ended.
FLANAGAN: So it’s weird to be in a show like that, to me.
That it’s so far in advance that you’re doing the work and then seeing the results of it, right?
FLANAGAN: Yeah. And also because the creators… I mean, the writing is so great, and it goes crazy that you’re like, “Oh, yeah. This happened. I forgot this happened.”
Matt and Darby’s Big Moments
Well, that makes the next question a bit tough though, because Maile, Matt was like a punching bag that entire first season. The family treated him very badly. Everyone treated him badly, and then he got a little victory at the end of the first season. But in season two’s premiere, he gets to explode and he gets to actually show new sides of himself. So what was it like experiencing that growth with Matt, being able to explore these other emotions?
FLANAGAN: It was sweet justice. And I do think at the heart of it all, he’s such a powerful part, the heart of the show. And the heart of the show is all of them. It comes in a really hilarious way, but it’s ultimately a message about family ties and friendships and relationships. And that is not at all what I would bill as a selling point of the show to anyone because it’s hilarious. But we know that at the heart of it is that relationship.
That’s what’s been drawing me towards it because you have characters like Matt who are going through these very real things. And then on the other side of it, you have David with Darby. Darby’s having these very wacky adventures. I think in season one, he had that Home Alone episode. So I wanted to know, as the guy bringing him to life, how did it feel getting to do a Home Alone stint, just having one of those adventures?
GBORIE: I mean, it’s so exciting. It’s insane. It’s the most fun ever to get to do this thing and then get these notes and they’re like, “Okay. Now he’s rollerblading, but he’s got George Sr. on his back.” and you’re just like, this is the wildest thing ever. It’s so much fun. So much fun.
Does Darby get more solo time in season two? Darby’s my standout.ย
GBORIE: He’s definitely got a really good backstory episode this year that you can check out. Yeah. There’s a lot of Darby.
I loved him since the premiere. I think there’s a scene where he almost poops himself. And I know it’s such a wild sentence to say out loud to the person who brings it to life, but there’s that scene and the way you bring it to life like, yeah, I’ve had that poop anxiety before.ย
GBORIE: That was actually the first full scene I saw of the show, too, so I was like, “Maybe we’ll be all right.”
Royal Crackers Season 3 and Beyond
So obvious question next, with season two now starting would the two of you be down to return for a third season?
FLANAGAN: And a fifth and a sixth and a seventh and an eighth and a ninth.
GBORIE: As long as they let me. It is so much fun. Definitely.
FLANAGAN: It’s a ball. When we’re recording, we’re having fun. So I mean, not all voiceover jobs are that fun. Some are just… I think we’ve all had a job or two where people think it might be fun and you’re like, “Is it fun? I don’t think so.” But this is a super fun, super fun job.
Now, is there something you want to see Matt or Darby get into in a future season, just something you haven’t seen yet? Because Royal Crackers clearly can do whatever it wants.
GBORIE: I mean, I truly trust the writers, man.They go places that I don’t think I could even imagine going. So it’s like I want to do whatever they want to do.
FLANAGAN: It really comes from some weird places. You’re just like, “I don’t know where that came from, but I love it.” So I don’t think we could imagine. Do you think we could imagine? I don’t think we could imagine what would happen in the show.
GBORIE: I really can’t. That’s what I mean. It’s like, yeah, whatever they want to do, I want to see. I was surprised last season. I was surprised this season. I can’t wait to be surprised next season.
Royal Crackers Season 2 premieres with Adult Swim on Thursday, February 29th at midnight PT/ET/ย
