Red Oaks is the Amazon comedy taking us back to the 80’s. In short, it explores chasing dreams, finding one’s passion and interestingly enough, the storyline balances between the dramatic and comedic theatrics as well.
Season 3 is said to be the last season for the show, and hence, the anticipation, is high.
We spoke to some of the cast, and they dished on what we should be expecting from their final season and last HOORAH at the Tribeca TV Festival.
When catching up with the cast members, it’s safe to say their chemistry whilst just being around one another was impeccable. Their banter as they posed for pictures was infectious. One could tell that it was the kind of energy that cannot be faked.
This was a cast that effortlessly reflected their comedic camaraderie in reality.
We caught up with Craig Roberts (David), Alexandra Turshen (Misty), Paul Reiser (Getty) and Richard Kind (Sam).
Craig Roberts
Craig Roberts (David)
Q: What do you think the fans should be expecting from Season 3? What can you tell us about it?
A: Well, this season goes out of the country club more. It’s people coming of age and growing up and dealing with issues more. It’s funny and sad, yeah.
Q: Talk to us about your character’s development from Season 1 to Season 2, to now, Season 3. How have things changed?
A: I think what’s kind of happened; in season 1 and season 2, he was kind of the eyes for the audience. The peripheral characters were idiosyncratic. He’s kind of been able to step away from that a little bit. He’s trying to date and do stuff like that. I just think he’s in funnier situations and more awkward situations, which I can relate to more.
Q: What was your favorite episode to shoot thus far?
A: The body swap episode was good, because I get to swap with Richard Kind. That was kind of good, hard on my back. My back was yeah, bad after that.
Alexandra Turshen
Alexandra Turshen (Misty)
Q: What do you think the fans should be expecting from Season 3? What can you tell us about it?
A: Season 3 is our last hoorah. I hope people laugh with us. I hope they cry with us. It’s going to be a good one. Everyone’s characters get developed a little bit more. They get thrown in real life situations. It’s a coming of age story. It’s light, but there’s some depth that they can expect to see.
Q: How would you say your character has grown and developed from Season 1 to now?
A: Like every young woman out of high-school, she went with her biggest issue was her boyfriend treated her like crap, to figuring out who she wants to be in life, what her priorities are. She wants to better herself in the workforce. She wants to get herself out of the working class environment of New Jersey. She wants to be a young professional and she has to figure out if her current boyfriend is going to be her forever boyfriend.
It’s a lot to do in 6 episodes (laughs) but they nailed it; half hour.
Q: What was your favorite episode to shoot?
A: My favorite episode I think it’s probably this season. She has a very difficult professional, social situation she has to navigate and I think it’s this episode that a lot of young men and women who are trying to make their way up in the work-force can relate to. We all deal with people who are in positions of power and she’s learning how to navigate that and where her boundaries are.
Paul Reiser
Paul Reiser (Getty)
Q: What do you think the fans should be expecting from Season 3? What can you tell us about it?
A: Well, what was interesting about this season was the writers knew that we were winding it up. So, this was the third and final season. So they had a big task. They had to wind everybody’s story down, but at the same time, thinking that maybe when they got to the end, the network might say ‘you know what, this is so good come back!’
So they had to wind it up with enough forward motion that we could come back, which they managed to do quite well. They stuck the landing. They wrapped up everybody’s story. They told you which direction everybody was going, in a very satisfying way, and with enough interest that they could pick it up if they wanted to.
It was really fun and it seems like we’ve been doing this a long time. We’ve only done 26 episodes. 10 and 10 and 6. It feels like we’ve been living with these characters for a long time. And they’ve come a long way. These characters progressed and changed and moved.
Last season my character was heading off to prison (laughs) and we start this season with me in prison. So when I started this show, I never thought that was happening. So, a lot of changes and a lot of growth and a lot of surprises. So, there are more surprises in store.
Richard Kind
Q: Where do you see the development of these characters having reached now that we’re in season 3? How do you think things have things changed for them?
A: Well, I don’t think they knew where the show was going to go from the very beginning. Who knew if it would have a second season and I’m glad they gave us a third. I think things evolved and I think they used their imagination — ‘wouldn’t it be funny if this happened to them?’ — I didn’t think of it. I would never have thought of where the plot-line went.
I think in filming the show, they didn’t really know what we would bring to it so that all of a sudden ‘oh look what happened.’
Stay tuned for the third and last season of Red Oaks. And who knows, maybe Amazon will pick it up for a fourth and this season won’t be the final goodbye.
