‘You’re The Worst’: Season 3 Is Darker, Weirder, And Everything We Want

As the new season of You’re the Worst opens, it picks up where we left off at the end of season two as Jimmy stayed with Gretchen when she was in a deep depression spiral. There are numerous big changes afoot for the show. Instead of shooting on location in east L.A., the show now has a dedicated set where they’ve reproduced Jimmy’s house but at almost twice the size, which makes shooting a lot easier. There’s also a new production crew to go along with the new digs.Decider visited the new You’re The Worst set to talk to the cast and creator/executive producer Stephen Falk about the new season, which premieres August 31^st at 10pm on FXX.

Aya Cash commented on her new co-workers, “The crew has a huge impact on morale and how you feel about the day. We’re dating – it’s all going very well. I still have feeling for my ex-husband. I have my first sex scene next week and it’s a whole new group of people who haven’t seen me in pasties.”

The writing staff remains intact, along with producer-director Wendey Stanzler, who directed nine of this season’s thirteen episode order. Stanzler was effusive in her praise of the cast, who often shoot scenes from various episodes in the course of the same day. She said, “They’re big episodes. These are people who spend time together during the weekend so they’re prepared. There’s no other cast like this. I don’t know any actors that could have five episodes in their head – Chris Geere, over a three-day period, had 17 pages of dialogue in his head. Each day, there were 9-12 pages. They are so committed and hard-working.”

The main theme for season three is family and has Orange Is The New Black’s Samira Wiley joining the show as therapist Justina Jordan, who Gretchen constantly challenges. Chris Geere shared, “It’s more ridicule aimed at the therapist from the two of them. There’s a scene where Jimmy goes in the therapist’s office as well and starts talking about his own problems which is great fun. Having Samira is a huge boost for the show. Gretchen is slowly realizing – as is Jimmy – that in order to progress, they have to change, and they don’t want to change. They’re gonna have to grow up a little bit – in the relationship as well – and they don’t wanna do that. It’s the same thing as the pilot: we’re kicking and screaming into the next stage of our lives, which I think people really relate to.

Jimmy also suffers a personal loss as he works on his second book. Lindsay is pregnant from the turkey baster of estranged husband Paul’s sperm and as the season opens, they’re back together in their house, but Lindsay has trouble adjusting to being a housewife and potential mom. Jimmy’s roommate Edgar and girlfriend Dorothy are still together, and Edgar becomes an activist for veterans rights.

The show also deals with Gretchen’s clinical depression this season, but don’t worry, it’s doesn’t turn into In Treatment. Falk joked, “We’re going for In Treatment season 4 – Gabriel Byrne is back! As a student of TV, someone who’s watched a lot over the years, I’m very aware of the therapist trope that shows fall into. I don’t love therapy in TV shows, it’s an easy way to show character development. We thought we could do it in an interesting way and Gretchen decided, for the first time and for Jimmy’s sake, to attempt some introspection, get to know herself for the first time. I don’t think dramatizing the effect of pharmaceuticals on the brain in real time would be very dramatic so another part of it, a more interesting part, is watching this character who is completely against this kind of stuff, attempt to get over her own origin story for the first time and look deeper than she has, which we learn, is not as all. She’s glossed over it. Hers is a completely unexamined life. We get to see her make very rudimentary connections. I think we found a way to do it that’s not in the In Treatment world, that feels very Gretchen. She’s forced to look at these things for the first time. We wanted to continue the work we did season two without remaining stuck in the “depression storyline” quote unquote.”

Aya Cash’s performance has made a strong impact on viewers and critics. About her portrayal of Gretchen’s depression, she said, “Stephen and the writer’s room have that challenge of bringing pathos and pain together with comedy and silliness. I don’t think of them as so different. Gretchen’s definitely on an upswing. She’s going to try to help herself so she doesn’t swing so low again. We’ll see if it works with Dr. Poussey.”

Season Three of You’re The Worst premieres August 31^st at 10pm on FXX. Here is some more from Decider’s interview with the cast and showrunner Stephen Falk.

Decider: If you had to pick a theme song for Season 3, what would it be?

Stephen Falk: Something family-related. Not “We are Family” because it’s too celebratory. Not “Cats in the Cradle” or Pink Floyd’s “Mother.” Maybe all of them all together.

Chris Geere: “Happy Feet” – from the movie. That’s a little teaser as well.

Aya Cash: “Sunday Bloody Sunday” – it’s both darker and lighter than last season. There’s more fun and silliness in this season. Things do get very dark for some people but there’s also a lot more play.

Kether Donohue: Something with the word “family” in it.

Desmin Borges: If it’s for Edgar, “I Turn My Camera On” by Spoon. For the season, just because I loved him so much and he went too soon, “Sexy Motherf–ker” by Prince for the group, for the season. I feel like the darker avenue we went down this year – all four storylines are becoming more visceral and body-influenced. S–t gets real. We try to really move things forward. It brings a natural sexy tiger growlish thing to it. They all fight so damn hard for what they want – I find that to be a very sexy quality in characters.

Decider: There’s an episode titled “The Last Sunday Funday” – is this the end of an era?

Chris Geere: Stephen may bring it back if he wants to. You’ve seen it around Los Angeles – it’s played out! These four don’t do played out. They don’t want to go to a bar and celebrate something everyone else is celebrating as well.

Aya Cash: That doesn’t mean there can’t be Thirsty Thursday. I’m sure we’ll think of something. Look, a show grows up. The writers want to do new interesting stuff. Sunday Funday is everywhere now. What’s the next thing people will be excited about?

Decider: What’s Jimmy Shive-Overly’s new book about?

Chris Geere: Jimmy’s writing – he gets very inspired towards the beginning, then he gets stuck, then comes out trumps in the end. The erotic novel is made and I get to read excerpts from it, which is so funny. Jimmy Shive-Overly reading of excerpts from his erotic novel to himself and to anyone who will listen.

Decider: Is Jimmy inspired to write because of what’s happening with Gretchen?

Chris Geere: Yes, absolutely. There are a few hurdles – something happens in episode three that turns everything upside down. I’ve got a brilliant arc this year – a real interesting exploration of family. Now that Jimmy and Gretchen have admitted they love each other, that commitment of that relationship means they’re responsible for each other’s feelings and emotions, and when they go through stuff externally, how do they deal with that together, even though they don’t want to? And Killian. In season two, Jimmy went through all the emotions of dealing with Gretchen’s situation. It’s a bit of the reverse of that here. They have to step up again. It’s a very different topic to depression – they have to deal with it together.

Decider: Is Lindsay really going to be a mom?

Kether Donohue: I did not think Lindsay could get more twisted but she does. I can’t really say anything else because I don’t want to give anything away. We don’t know if she’s having a baby or not.

Decider: Does the Lindsay/Gretchen friendship suffer because of Lindsay’s twisted turn?

Kether Donohue: I think Lindsay’s selfishness – I think she’s pretty scary this season. I think Gretchen is scared of Lindsay this season. I feel I’ve gone crazy playing this. It’s very fun and exciting what I get to do with Lindsay this season.

Decider: How’s Edgar doing? He’s still living at Jimmy’s house and dating Dorothy.

Desmin Borges: I think this season we see him find the ability to see the pain within himself and his impetus is to rectify that issue. He doesn’t go to actual professional therapy. Self-soothing is one hell of a process, to be able to recognize and put yourself through. Taking responsibility and putting your life in your own hands. What we’ve seen thus far of him has been on a positive, upward trajectory. We’re definitely going to see him fight the man, aka the VA, for painting him and those vets like him dealing with mental health issues, into a corner that no one cares about. We’re gonna see him take a much more active stance in his recovery process and move forward.

[Where to Stream You’re The Worst]

[Photos: FX]