It’s not often a pilot episode manages to leave fans stunned in the best way possible, but CBS’s newest original comedy, Eternally Yours, did just that!
The concept of the show was billed as a married vampire couple together for 500 years struggling to accept their daughter’s human boyfriend, Max. Going into the series, we expected that the show would revolve heavily around the vampire coven struggling to accept Max into their world and how his outside perspective as a vampire would lead to fun dynamics and storylines to explore.
What we never expected was for Max to be accidentally murdered by the episode’s end, forcing Emma’s parents to turn him into a vampire in order to save his life. It was a brilliant plot twist that now opens the door for an entirely new set of stories to be told as Max navigates life as a vampire and what it will mean for his relationship with Emma, which was still in the early stages of their relationship.
During New York Comic Con, FanSided had the chance to catch up with stars Jaren Lewison and Helen J. Shen to discuss the unexpected ending to the first episode and what that will mean for Max and Emma moving forward!
The pilot episode ends with such a brilliant twist, what was your reaction to that and what are you excited for fans to see as we continue into the season now following that moment?
Jaren Lewison: I couldn't believe it and I was so excited because the whole pilot I was like, "Oh my gosh, this is the last time I'll play him as a human,” and then he has so much to learn in the subsequent episodes.
There is so much vampire lore that he has to figure out, and like, how is he going to learn that? I have some answers that I can't talk about too much, but there is this sort of vampire society that we will come to learn more about as well as other mythical creatures. The world expands so much. Like we know that werewolves are real, we know that witches are real and sorcerers are real, and that certain things that maybe seem real actually aren't real.
Helen J. Shen: [Max] couldn't be more of a perfect student for learning the lore with the audience, I think, because [Max is] so like optimistic and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed about this new world. I think it's already in the pilot we saw like [Max is like my] girlfriend's a vampire and got over it pretty quickly, but it's the fact that her dad wants to kill him.
Lewison: Yeah, that's worse. That's definitely a lot worse. Like the vampire thing, it's like, "OK, well I guess I'll figure that out.” I think Max is definitely like a nerd at heart. I think that partially he was probably like, “Well, that's kind of cool. Like, I wonder what powers they have.” He's in denial too at first. You're gonna see him struggle a little bit to come to terms with his new reality, and I'm very excited for viewers to get to watch that and see him experience that journey.
The show's built around three couples, and you guys are the newest formed couple. What advice would you give yourselves for surviving as a couple?
Shen: I think that all three couples have a lot of advice to give each other. Of course there's wisdom in experience and age, and I think already Emma has learned a lot from her parents and her parents' example of being in a couple, which is why she's so cynical with her new relationship. However, I have always loved when a younger generation can teach something to an older generation.
I think that that is not always received immediately. There's a lot to learn, maybe like a new perspective. Max is like holding up a mirror to the kinds of practices and habits that they've always done. Maybe we don't have to do them the same way that we've always done, which is just like a wonderful opportunity for learning. He's also a therapist.
Lewison: Yeah, he's learning how to be the healthiest communicator that he can be, and I think that it extends, of course, to his relationship with Emma, but his relationship with everyone, and he's really working hard on trying to get them to change things that maybe aren't working or things that are making them unhappy, whether they like it or not.
In the premiere episode, there were a lot of little fun references to vampire lore, from garlic being a stereotype to Jesse’s spray tan. Are there any upcoming references you remember reading that really made you laugh?
Lewison: I think there's one that Emma has that makes me giggle every time. It's perhaps a dark affliction.
Shen: It's a dark affliction. It may seem charming and funny to other people, but actually it's quite inconvenient.
Lewison: That's one of my favorites. And then there are so many different vampire powers. Certain vampires have certain powers; certain vampires have other powers. There's a lot of variety, and it's really, really cool. So I think you guys are going to love it.
Watch our full interview with Jaren Lewison and Helen J. Shen above and don't miss new episodes of Eternally Yours every Thursday at 8:30/7:30c on CBS!
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