‘The Gathering’ Season 2 Team Discussions

The mystery has been solved, but ‘The Gathering’ is far from finished.

“We would like a second season. I’m just going to put it out there,” says executive producer Laura Cotton Variety.

“We have great plans and the premise of the show already offers great potential in terms of format. These characters still have a long way to go. They are so beautifully drawn and we want to see where they go next.

Creator Helen Walsh is also keen to return to her Merseyside community.

“Something we haven’t been able to explore in such detail is their backstories. As we go into Season 2, that’s definitely something I’d like to do. The need for control is often a response to loss, low self-esteem, or trauma. So where does it actually come from?”

In the six-part “The Gathering” – in competition at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival and named one of Variety‘s MipTV Hot Picks in April – promising gymnast Kelly (Eva Morgan) is attacked at an illegal rave. There are many suspects: among children her age and among their parents.

Produced by World Productions, commissioned by Channel 4.

“It started life as a novel. I have a child who wasn’t sleeping at the time. I thought, ‘This is going to take five, six years to finish.’ I also thought this was such a visually stunning world, especially the parkour and tumbling gymnastics elements. It’s very difficult to express that in writing,” Walsh says of her “extensive” show.

“I was lucky because I was given a lot of freedom when we developed it. It always felt like we privileged the characters. These stories are based on truth.”

Morgan also enjoyed her quirky protagonist.

“It’s hard not to root for Kelly. There are so many things I really like about her. She was so detailed, already on the page – such a layered character. She is a very courageous person and very caring, and she always leads with her heart. It was truly a blessing to play her.”

Her take on Kelly surprised Walsh.

“I initially wrote her as much more flawed. But because Eva brought so much honesty, I had to reintroduce her. It became difficult because it begged the question, “Why would anyone want to do something horrible to her?!” She became the moral core of ‘The Gathering.’”

As Walsh said, control – something many adult characters on the show struggle with – was always one of the main themes.

“A friend of mine is a psychologist. There is a huge increase in OCD symptoms and anxiety, and many children who suffer from it have parents who are super controlling.”

“Human behavior is sometimes ridiculous. Apparently people laugh a lot at Natalie, at her sass. I think this kind of dark humor should always underlie drama. What else can we do?” asks Vinette Robinson, who plays a particularly domineering parent, furious that Kelly is jeopardizing her daughter’s future.

“Natalie was incredibly fun to play because she doesn’t have the sense of social shame that a lot of people have. She will do what she has to do to get ahead. This obviously has consequences and the series explores how parents’ behavior affects children. One of the things I like about Helen’s writing is that she explores all these complications. It is incredibly relatable and leads to many discussions about what children are dealing with today.”

“They all come from a place of love, don’t they,” Cotton adds.

“People say Natalie is a monster, but I completely understand her. She wants the best for her daughter. Helen has written these characters in such a nuanced way.”

Walsh also made sure to take advantage of the show’s setting.

“Liverpool is one of the most romanticized cities in the world. To me, Kelly and Adam are the physical embodiment of the city. They are big-hearted, resilient and do things their own way.”

Although her protagonists come from diverse backgrounds – “Kelly lives in Wirral, which in the 1980s and early 1990s was one of the most socio-economically deprived parts of Europe” – many of the crew were locally based. The show’s lead director, Gareth Bryn (who co-directed Blue with Amanda) also knew the place.

“He spent time there as a student and was very committed to representing the city in an authentic way. We were keen to resist any bleak and gritty realization of the city. We really wanted to make it look vibrant and dynamic.”

“Liverpool was definitely a character in this ensemble piece.”