Many of the best and most binge-worthy shows on television have those very special episodes that make the audience stand up and take notice. For a series like Alias, it was the game-changing “Phase One.” For the TV classic Dallas, it was J.R. Ewing getting shot. For Once Upon A Time, it might be the seventh episode with the death of Sheriff Graham, showing the audience that all bets are off and anything can happen.
For Freeform’s Dead of Summer, it would certainly be tonight’s episode “Home Sweet Home” where many mysteries come together in a way that will change the way you look at the previous eight installments. The episode is absolutely crazy, though, Executive Producer Adam Horowitz tells us that they were actually going for “bonkers” with it.
We spoke with Horowitz and his fellow Executive Producers Edward Kitsis and Ian Goldberg about tonight’s penultimate episode for Season One, getting some hints for what we will see. Enjoy. See some photos from “Home Sweet Home” here
If you’re not caught up on Dead of Summer yet, don’t fret! The entire series so far is currently available on the Freeform app as well as the Freeform website! If you’d already been following the show, after tonight’s show you will certainly want to revisit.
KSITETV’s CRAIG BYRNE: Going in to tonight’s episode, how can you tease it?
EDWARD KITSIS: As it was said by Tony Todd’s character, The Tall Man, everything you thought you knew, you don’t.
What does everyone make of Holyoke when he’s there with them?
ADAM HOROWITZ: I think that for a lot of our characters, something that they never believed was real has now become manifest. The supernatural is real. This otherworldly presence and events are actually happening to them, so I think Holyoke becomes the symbol of the belief and acceptance of the insanity that they’re about to face down. It’s also scary, because now they have to face things they never thought they would.
EDWARD KITSIS: I also think with Holyoke, they thought that’s who they should be frightened of, and for us, that’s what we wanted to do for the show: You think because you’ve seen so many of these movies, you know all the tropes and that it’s going to play out the way you think, and for us, we did it by design, so that if you go back and watch the whole series again — which you can [on the Freeform app and website] — you’ll see that everything including Joel’s camera — he says in Episode 1 or 2, “everything looks better through the camera,” and then in Episode 5 he realized he needs it for his own sanity. We realize in Episode 2, before Blotter has been decapitated, that the Tall Man was trying to warn him. I think you’ll see that everything was designed to turn on its head.
What are the characters going to try to do to save Amy’s soul from Malphus?
EDWARD KITSIS: It’ll look like an exorcism, but it’s actually a purification. Amy is possessed by a demon from Hell from Malphus, and we have to save good, pure, innocent new girl Amy.
Will we see more Amy flashbacks tonight?
IAN GOLDBERG: We will see a lot of Amy flashbacks tonight. I would say if you want to get to know Amy more, this episode is for you. We have a feeling she’s going to present herself in a way you’ve never seen her before.
Do you have any final words for those who might be thinking about watching tonight?
EDWARD KITSIS: I would say watch it. Binge it. Everything you know, isn’t. If you watch the show, we guarantee you will be happy and have a fun ride.
Dead of Summer airs a new episode tonight (August 23) on Freeform. You can watch a special video prepared to promote the show below, and please come back later this week for more of our interview, where we discuss the August 30 season finale and the possible second season!
