Schmigadoon! Creator Cinco Paul Talks Season 2’s Darker Tone (Exclusive)

The first season of Apple TV+’s hit series Schmigadoon! was a light and fun affair, thanks in no small part due to the era or musicals it took its inspiration from — those of the 1940s and 1950s. But in Season 2, things take a darker turn as the series takes on musicals from the 1960s and 1970s. It’s a dramatic shift, and it’s one that series co-creator Cinco Paul recently told ComicBook.com is a perfect contrast and very fitting for the story.

“It’s the perfect contrast to season one,” Paul said. “And it just naturally occurred, as in society, we hit the ’60s, and the turmoil of that led to darker shows and shows that pushed the envelope, in terms of violence and sex and more tragic endings or ambiguous endings. I’d always conceived of the show of being multiple seasons, but it’s sort of such a nice companion piece to the first season because it’s such a different world, and it’s a different journey that Josh and Melissa get to go on.”

Paul also said that while he was excited to work on Season 2, he was also a bit nervous as well considering how well-received Season 1 was.

“I was really excited to dive into it, and then I started to get nervous because the first season was well received and I started to think, ‘Can I do that again? It’s not going to be as good.’ I started writing songs and I was like, ‘I hate these songs.’ I went to a negative place and it’s interesting because that’s kind of the theme of the show,” Paul said. “And so, I went to this negative dark place. What I learned is do not think about the show late at night. No good comes of that. But I was able to with the help of friends and sort of come through that, and I do feel season two is even better than season one, and for a lot of the reasons you said, it’s richer and there’s a lot more things to explore. So, my journey in a way was kind of like Josh and Melissa’s. Writing the show, I had to figure out how to make a happy ending out of this.”

What is Season 2 of Schmigadoon! about?

According to Apple TV+, “Having found true love in the town of Schmigadoon, season two of “Schmigadoon!” will find Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) and Melissa (Cecily Strong) in Schmicago, the reimagined world of ’60s and ’70s musicals. The second season of Apple’s broadly acclaimed comedy will include new original musical numbers from co-creator and executive producer Cinco Paul, as well as returning stars Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Ariana DeBose, Martin Short, Dove Cameron, Jaime Camil, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ann Harada, Jane Krakowski, and Aaron Tveit are set to return, with Tituss Burgess and Patrick Page joining the cast for season two.”

“Schmigadoon!” is co-created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, and produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group and Broadway Video. Paul serves as showrunner and wrote all of the original songs for the series. Lorne Michaels is executive producer. Andrew Singer executive produces on behalf of Broadway Video with Micah Frank as co-executive producer.

Schmigadoon! Season 2 debuts April 5th on Apple TV+.