Brotherhood Breakdown: Episode 6 (with J.R. Ward)

⚠️ Spoiler Alert!

This PassionPod episode dives deep into the season finale (Episode 6) of The Black Dagger Brotherhood (Season 1) with Tosca Musk and very special guest,  J.R. Ward. 

If you haven’t watched the episode yet, we highly recommend doing so before listening! We’ll be discussing major plot points, character moments, and behind-the-scenes insights that could spoil the experience. Go watch first, then come back for all the juicy details!

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Leave us a voicemail today at (770) 648-3677 or email at info@passionflix.com.

Chapters

• 0:00 Spoiler Alert!
• 0:30 Season Finale of BDB
• 4:07 Character Highlights and Performances
• 5:11 Memorable Scenes and Moments
• 7:03 Thematic Elements and Character Development
• 15:59 Robotic Arm and Visual Effects in Final Battle
• 16:52 Explosive Filming Techniques and Challenges
• 17:40 Havers and Wrath
• 18:46 Post-Credits Scene with Darius
• 21:12 High-Stress Productions and Fan Expectations
• 23:50 Cast & Crew Dynamics
• 28:04 Looking Forward to Season Two
• 28:38 Final Reflections and Gratitude

Transcript

Tosca: Hi everyone. This is our Companion PassionPod that goes along with Black Dagger Brotherhood. So if you have not watched, do not listen to this podcast. There are a lot of spoilers. Go watch the episode, then come back and hear me and JR Ward talk about it.

Hello. I am Tosca Musk and I'm the CEO and Founder of Passionflix and also the director of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And I'm here with JR Ward and we are discussing the season finale of Season one, the Black Dagger Brotherhood. So what do you think? 

JR: I fucking love it. I, I think that the end had to, so it reminds me a little bit about Star Wars. Okay. So the, like the very first one that came out 850 million years ago. Right. And there's that moment at the end when you see all of the characters together and you know they're safe and they're triumphant. I thought the dining room scene, when she's sitting on his lap and we see all of the brothers together, it's like a parallel universe for all of the commitment that Passionflix the actors, the crew, the set designers, you know, you, me.

It, it, it, it just, it, this was such, so many people were involved 

Tosca: Yeah. 

JR: In this, at so many different levels. Um, and then I, I, so I looked at, looked at all of those. I looked at the brotherhood and Beth and Wrath sitting around that table, and then Fritz comes in and says, peaches, anyone, 

Tosca: you know, I've gotta circle back Yeah.

JR: In that scene, because I had been through script development with you. Yeah. Casting. Costuming actually, when you were shooting post-production, the whole thing, I was like, holy shit. Like, it just, it represented to me like not just, you know, that particular 50 minutes or whatever and not the six episodes.

This is two years of work for you and I, yeah. Yeah. But when you told me you were shooting for, how many days did you shoot? 

Tosca: 45. 

JR: Yeah. I mean that's, that's incredible. And I actually came to set like halfway through. Mm-hmm. Um. Which, which reminds me of one of the funniest things like this to me, like similar to that PassionCon moment when I got confused and flipped myself backwards onto the table. And, and your first was don't spill the drinks, and you're like, you know, taking care. Um, like I, I, there was this moment when I had never been on set before. Mm-hmm. Right? And, and I got to. Sit next to you, which was like, such an honor. I had a chair with my name on it. Yeah. I was like, whoa, I feel very important.

Um, so I gotta to sit next to you and stuff. And I don't know what scene it was, but it was happening and it was great. And it was in the other room. And so we were in the little village thing. Mm-hmm. And you, you and, uh, I was like, oh my God. You were like, shh. You know, like, stop, like, you know, and, and I, I, I just, I, I remembered so many moments as I was watching that last scene of working with you, working with Passionflix, working with everyone. So it was a great moment for me to just know that it had come to the finish line as such a great product made by great people. We had a lot of fun making it, and I just, it couldn't have been a better experience for me. Um, and I think that the readers that I've heard from, um, who've been watching, you know, the first five episodes, you know, the support that we received, the. Excitement. People are just thrilled with everyone, uh, and, and, and everything. It's, it couldn't have been any better. 

Tosca: It has been an incredible response. Yeah. So I'm so happy about that, and I'm so glad. It was super fun having you on set, and obviously I look forward to being with us on season two. I am, 

JR: I am. I am. So there, but, but now I realize, I was like, he, so my best friend was like, okay. When the, when the director yells. Cut. 

Tosca: Then you can be like, make all the noise you want. Yeah. Um, but I Before then you don't say anything. 

JR: Yeah, yeah. No, no, no, no. I was like, oh God, I fucked it up. She's gonna fire me. Um, no, but I'm super excited to like, to like see what we do with, with, with season, um, two.

I, I thought that, can we talk about more than just. Episode, can I reference a couple of other episodes? 

Tosca: Yeah. Yes. 

JR: One of the things that I thought came out so well was Alex's portrayal of Rhage. 

Tosca: He was great and 

JR: he was so spectacular. He was cracking people up. 

Tosca: Yeah. 

JR: And he has that like jokey jokey, yeah. Kind of like sassy kind of thing. And I think he's gonna, he's gonna do so well. Yeah. In, in, in, in the next season. 

Tosca: And, um, well we're gonna, um, you and I are gonna have to chat about some of the, um. The lines that Rhage has because, you know, we have Rhage now as with his Australian accent. Yeah, yeah. Right. And um, Australians don't say some of the same things that rage so, so Alex, sometimes he's like, so, um, do I say howdy? Haha. Yeah. How do I say Yha? Yha motherfucker. It was just so funny. He was like practicing all the Yeehaw. He's like, because Australians wouldn't say Yeehaw. Yeah. And I was like, yep, it's gonna be Yeehaw. You're gonna make it work. It's gonna be great. But yeah, it'll be really fun. 

JR: So one of my favorite, so episode six has one of my favorite scenes in it.

Tosca: Yeah. 

JR: And it is. The moment when Wrath is arriving. So Billy Riddle, yes. And Mr. X have her, and, and all of a sudden, and you, you, you show, you pan and there's all these things vibrating on this table. Mm-hmm. And Mr. X says something, I'm paraphrasing. Get ready, get ready. Mr. R. Mr. R, and, and, and, and then all of a sudden you. Blew up a door. Yeah. Which was awesome. Yeah. And then there he is. Yeah. There's our Wrath. There's our hero. Yeah. And the other thing, the other thing that I loved was when Viscious arrives. So it was important to me when I wrote the book that we not do this damsel and distress bullshit. 

Tosca: Mm-hmm. 

JR: Okay. Like, I didn't want Beth to come across as powerless. Completely powerless. Mm-hmm. Like, like you're not just gonna be rescued and carried off like the perils of Pauline. And one of my favorite. Scenes in the book and also in the series is when she's protecting Wrath. Mm-hmm. She's standing over ready to protect him and then they're like, okay, hold on, hold on. Like, and I just thought that was such a great moment. 'cause I won. That was among the scenes that I was excited to see. 

Tosca: Yeah. 

JR: Was what you did with it was that one. 

Tosca: Yeah. It was so important for her. So we had to get like two things. Done. Firstly, you're protecting him. 

JR: Yeah. 

Tosca: But also you also need them to come 

JR: Yes.

Tosca: And save him. Yes. And so it was like, I'm protecting. Yeah. And then, oh, okay. I see who you are. Because you can only imagine in that state of panic when you've been attacked by so many people and a dog and just killed a dog, which was pretty 

JR: Yeah. 

Tosca: Traumatic. Um, but um, and then suddenly somebody else comes and so you just have to stand there and protect. And I thought she did a really good job and was very animalistic as well. Yeah. Which I think was really in, um, character again for this world of vampires Yeah. That occasionally have these sort of animalistic, 

JR: but I also thought that like, if you think about like the devotion that the brothers give to Wrath when they see her protecting him, I think it's, it's a, it's a way of. That's another example. It's all, this whole series is about her entering the world. Yeah. And it's just another entryway and another way for them to fall in love with her. 

Tosca: Yeah. Yeah. I, you know, and there's again, this, there's so much, just when you think about that, I was like, yeah, there is. And especially when Zsadist says, we protect our own. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Um, I love that. Um, a nice little moment also with, um, Beth and Z. Yeah. Um, yeah. In the, in the hospital. Yeah. Where it. You know, it was, it actually every time they did it, like just thinking about it a little shiver and it just almost like brings a tear to my eye. Yeah. They do such a beautiful job. Just having that, that little moment where, 

JR: 'cause it was important to me at the end of that, that the reader knew that. That Beth was okay with Zsadist Yeah. And Zsadist was okay with her. Yeah. Because I knew he was gonna be a hero. 

Tosca: Yeah. 

JR: And he's actually my favorite one of any. 

Tosca: He's so great 

JR: and I think that Andrew's portrayal of him Yeah. Is really great. 

Tosca: Yeah. Another person, just, uh, actors so dedicated to this role. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I mean, dedicated and so excited and thrilled that. We love him, which is great because we do Yeah, we do, we do love him. We totally love him. Yeah. I'm excited about working with him on season three. Yeah, that'd be good. Or even next season when Yeah, next season we gonna meet Bella and, um, that whole, 

JR: okay. I wanna be on the Passion Podcast when that thing happens. That has been haunting me for now, 20 years anyway. Um, I, I thought that, 

Tosca: I just know the thing. 

JR: I mean, there's so many things in season two. You can also Yeah. Bleep this out when 

Tosca: God, yeah, yeah, 

JR: yeah, yeah. No, no. Jesus talking about Dragon. That's what you're talking about. No, no. 

Tosca: I thought you were talking about Rhage's Beast and Mary, and I was like, how the hell am I gonna do that? 

JR: Yeah, yeah. No, no, no, no. Oh God. I wanna be on PassionPod for that one. Yeah. 'Cause I, I wanna. Apologize, even though it's not my fault to the readers. Um, yeah. But anyway, you know, the wrap up of the series, the pacing was so interesting for me and that when she is at his bedside in the hospital and, and as you show time passing and stuff, like you don't want it to be soap operay. Yeah. You don't want it to be like mm-hmm. No offense to general hospital fans or whatever, and it didn't come across that way. To me at all. Yeah. Um, and your choice of music 

Tosca: Thank you. I thought was really, it was a little different thought it was different. 

JR: Yeah. And I wasn't sure I liked it at first question, and then I was like, yeah, no. And I was like, and 

Tosca: I was like, no. All question. A lot of people questioned it. Yeah. And then, um, but you know, Margie Goodspeed who, um, had, is Head of Creative Post-Production, worked with Mike Carpenter, who's our Director of Music, and he, Mike found that song and he thought it would work really well in that scene. Yeah. And then Margie, who just knows so much about music, she's very, um, she just has this skilled. To know what music will Yeah. Move you in the emo the right emotional direction. Right. And um, so she put it in there. I was like, yeah, it works. It's unusual for this type of show, but it worked really well. But let's, let's go back to the very beginning. So this episode starts off with our, um, you know, wedding night.

JR: It's true wedding night. 

Tosca: Love making. It's true. It's true now. It's really love making. Yeah, yeah. As opposed to sex. Yeah. Now we're like, you're right. You're absolutely right. You're absolutely right. Make love all the making and then Tohrment knocks on the door. Yeah. And uh, we learn of this a threat from Zsadist we think that Zsadist is that guy.

We've had that threat sort of threaded through the entire season. And then, but one of the moments that I actually liked the most in that scene with Tohrment, who was with us at the very beginning with Darius, when we found Wrath, tells him that he's going to ascend the throne. Yeah. And how Tohrment, just you could tell the relief and the, the joy and this, he was just. Honored and happy to be told that Wrath was gonna ascend the throne. And I thought he did a really beautiful job, did a he beautiful, lovely moment in that scene. 

JR: And I think that like in that moment, so you're not gonna show obviously all of the civilian vampires Yeah. And all of the aristocracy and what this means.

And so in that moment, Joel carries the weight of the larger world. Mm-hmm. And how they're gonna respond to. What RA's doing and, and that's part of the love story is that Beth and what she brings to his life is what helps him do the thing that he really has to do. 

Tosca: Yeah. 

JR: And, and I thought that in that regard, all the way back to the beginning, he does for her the thing he must do for her. And, and I just think it's a wonderful way. It all circled around. And I remember watching the sixth episode and going. Oh my God, it all worked out. Look at all, oh shit. 

Tosca: It all works out until it all Beth decides to go and eat a sandwich. Yeah, yeah, 

JR: yeah. Right, right, right. Oh geez. 

Tosca: And then not so much. 

JR: So, so then there was that moment and, and I did think there, you know. Way back in the beginning after, well, not in the middle actually, when she transitions and she goes, oh, cool. Yeah. You know? Um, and then when she goes and she touches the sun, you know, when she gets the daylight on her Yeah. And she doesn't burn up. Like you get a sense of the, the, the distance she's traveled, you know?

Um, and then. Mr. X shows up, Mr. X. And by the way, he was supposed to be in one of those creepy municipal mm-hmm. Kind of like whatever. And, and he was, and he was. Yeah. And he's so creepy. 

Tosca: With his little clipboard. He's a little creep. Yeah. I, I just, yeah. And we had to, and that's one of those scenes where we actually, once again, we had to add in the line, we added in He's not alive.

JR: Yeah. 

Tosca: From Beth, so that we could understand, you know, basically that our vampires have a. Have a sense when it comes to these lessers that they can sense them and she would not have had that as a human. Mm-hmm. And much, I mean, like Butch had an icky feeling about him, but didn't have that sense. Um, and so, but as soon as she's vampire, she knows exactly who he is. Yeah. And then, uh, he's so excited. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's like, yeah, I got the queen. And then takes off and, and it's very interesting how we come full circle again. For Billy Riddle. Yeah. To be there. Yeah. And so the same person that attacked her at the very first episode, the very beginning is now here 

JR: I Can I talk a little bit about Yeah. How weird it was to write about that. Yeah. So I have this rule. I do what my Rice Krispies telling me, and Billy Riddle shows up in the first episode and attacks her and I had to write the scene because I thought, okay, well this is to show how dangerous Caldwell is, or like this is supposed to set the tone that she needs to.

I'm like, alright, this is what happens. But I'm like, I did not know that he was gonna be the one, and it wasn't until all a sudden I'm like, wait a minute. So now he's showing up at this. Dojo with, and I was like, oh. And so my Rice Krispies do this to me every once in a while. Mm-hmm. They'll feed something and I'll be like, oh shit. That's what happened. And then he and then Billy Riddle at the end. 

Tosca: So you didn't know 

JR: No. 

Tosca: When you were writing that scene that this was, that he was the thread when I, yeah, 

JR: no. So, so like these books have to be outlined really specifically. And so when I started it, I didn't know where it was gonna end up.

Tosca: Wow. 

JR: And, and, and, but my Rice Krispies don't let us down, you know? 

Tosca: Well, in the, and what's great because he gets such a. Good. Yeah. You know, you're, you're dead. Yeah, 

JR: yeah, yeah. You're real dead. You're real dead. You're dead. But now you, there's real dead. 

Tosca: Yeah. So in the book, you've written that Wrath has this sort of kinetic energy mm-hmm.

That he has this ice and kinetic energy. And I was like, oh God, how am I going to, well phrase. 

JR: Well, because that was a big discussion that we had when we were doing the script, uh, for the, it's like, how were you gonna portray that? Yeah. If he can't, you know, can't get up there at all. 

Tosca: Yeah. So well, we, well, he could smell, right, right. Yeah. He could hear. And, um, but he, and he can run really fast, but he can't go anywhere near the sun. So the only thing that could prevent him from going there, 'cause the, is the, the, uh, drawn curtain that Beth opened. Yeah. So I wanted to create this world where I was like, okay. So he puts his hand on the wall and then the icicles start forming and there's Yeah. You know, room turns into ice. Um, but then when he goes to the barn. In the book, you write it and you're like, there's, there's like this loud wall and things. You actually, I think it even says the, the bullets on the table start shaking dust comes from the ceiling and then the doors exploded. And I was like, I will get every single one of those things. Yeah. Um, and uh, fortunately it was cold enough as well for, there's little tufts of it. You can almost see the air, 'cause it was so cold when we filmed it, so it actually came from the actors. But I really wanted to make sure that we got every single one of those and we used. Um, for that scene, we actually used a robot arm, a robotic arm, very similar to what we used in the first episode. So if you remember the first episode, we had, um, the Lesser Come Behind Wrath for the first time and shoot that bullet. Yes. And then the bullet comes here. Yes. 

JR: By the way, oh, we should have talked about how fabulous that was. 

Tosca: It was a really good call. Oh my God, that was awesome. So, so the, the bullet comes, yeah, comes here. Yeah. Yeah. All of that is visual effects, right? Yeah. And none of it actually happened. 'cause we didn't, we couldn't, we can't shoot. Back of the actor's head. It's weird. Um, and so he's doing it and then he turns and he throws that throwing star. Yes, yes. So that whole thing, that camera moves so fast. It literally, it, it stays in front of Wrath.

So it's in mm-hmm. So does this, and then it goes. And that's it. And that's how fast it is. 'cause you have to, it has to move basically as Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it goes super slow motion, but it's so fast. And the same thing that we use the same thing for the exploding doors because we wanna get this, this movement going back and forward like this. With the doors exploding all in slow motion because when things explode, it's very fast. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's not slow motion. And so that was so cool to be able to use that. Of course, because it's a very fast moving camera. You can't have anyone around it, so everyone actually leaves the room. The camera does this, and then we insert everybody in.

Oh, that's so interesting. I know. It was a very cool filming experience. But anyway, I love that scene. It was one of the first things that we shot, and I just loved it. I got so excited, so excited to blow up a door and blow up cars. So thank you so much. All the things that I know normally get to do. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Making romance novels into movies and series. I don't really get to blow up many things, but No, I do. No, I do. Um. So that was great. And then, um, and of course we go to, we have that whole moment with Havers. Yeah. Why would fucking Havers. Yeah. 

JR: Well the other thing was, is that I forgot to mention to you that he wore tortoise shell glasses. Do you remember that? You were about to start shooting and I was carpet bombing you with off of Amazon glasses. That will work. And someone had a pair of glasses. Yeah. 

Tosca: Someone did. Probably the actor. 

JR: Yeah. Yeah. It might have been the actor himself 

Tosca: Kellan. Yeah. 

JR: But yeah, no, that was, yeah, that was Poor Havers.

Poor Havers. I can't stand him. Yeah. I, I, I, I, I'm sure I will love the actor, the actor's lovely. But I, I really don't like that Charact. 

Tosca: He is a bit of a nasty 

JR: Yeah. 

Tosca: Blob. 

JR: And I thought that, I, I thought that it was great, like at the end when, um, Wrath forgives him. Yeah. And is basically like, look, I can understand you. You feel it, your sister was, you know mm-hmm. Disrespected. So I can, I can, I think that that shows Wraths Mercy, but he's no slump. He 

Tosca: Yeah. Chose that he is, uh. You know. Exactly. Merciful. So, uh, and, but, you know, strict, so one of the things that we do have to talk about mm-hmm. And you know, is those, some of you folks, you, I really hope that you made it, you know, past the, the 30 seconds of, okay, so here's the thing. Credits. 

JR: So here's the thing I had forgotten. Yeah. No, I, I had forgotten. And so like, so the last scene. Wraps up and they start to run the credits. And I looked over at my best friend, like when we first screened it, and I was like, oh my God, that was amazing. We started talking about, and and then you called me. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we called you and we're like, ah, you know, fangirling. And then Leo's like, wait, no, wait. There's one more scene. And I was like, wait, what, what, what? And then I all of a sudden went in and you saw the Fade. Mm-hmm. And you saw it happen. That was such an incredibly beautiful scene. It's beautiful. And the way it looked visually. 

Tosca: Yeah. 

JR: With her and him together. 

Tosca: Yeah. And, and Petre again, once again starting. 

JR: He was amazing. 

Tosca: Starting in episode one and then ending here in episode six. Um. So amazing. We actually, uh, during that scene, you know, we don't actually cut to the Scribe Virgin very much.

No, don't we actually, you cut to her very few times and we just stay on his face for a good portion of the scene and you can just see all these emotions running through him and everything. Like he doesn't ask a question. He remains silent. He, he's bursting. Yeah. And, um, I mean, he just. Did such a phenomenal job. Yeah. And it was just so heartbreaking. 

JR: It was really, and it was. And, and, and again, I think that, that like just shows his range Yeah. That you can like, feed into it and, and then your decision to do it after the credits. Yeah. Which is great. I thought was awesome. Give 

Tosca: it's the epilogue. 

JR: Yeah. 

Tosca: You know? 

JR: Yeah. You get to And I hope people stayed for that. 

Tosca: Yeah. Well, if not, you're gonna go back now and you're gonna watch that. 

JR: Yeah. Oh. 'cause it's, it's one of, it's one of my favorite scenes. It's really beautiful. Oh, it was so beautiful. And I can remember you asking me like, what does the Fade look like? And what does the bird look like? Yeah. What does the bird look like? The bird that lands on her 

Tosca: finger? Yeah. Yeah. That's birds, man. 

JR: But fucking birds. 

Tosca: Yeah. Birds and dragons. Thank you so much. Um, more birds and dragons coming your way. Yeah. Coming your way. 

JR: But yeah, no, I thought that was such a beautiful way because then you're, you're actually left in those last moments in the story.

Tosca: Yeah. 

JR: Yeah. 

Tosca: It was beautiful. 

JR: So when you look back on the shooting, um. How does this compare with some of your other projects that you've done? 

Tosca: This one was particularly high stress. Gabriel Inferno was probably the highest stress that I've had on any show prior to mm-hmm. Black Dagger Brotherhood because of the rabid fan base. Yeah. Right. So the fans really wanna see this work come to life and you've. Written it so clearly, so that if I miss something on that page, um, they'll hate it. Yeah. Like that's my constant fear. They're gonna hate it because I, you know, the bullets didn't rattle on the table or whatever it is. Yeah. Right, right, right, right.

And so, um, for me it's the stress of not quite getting it perfect, I think because. Uh, you and I worked so much on the scripts and so much preparing for it. Mm-hmm. And every time I'd be like, okay, we're ready to go. And I'm be like, oh, actually we're going to push a little bit more so that we can spend more time preparing because movies and series are made in prep. Yeah. The more time you have a. The prep, like maybe it's something to do like similar to an outline of a book. Yeah. But like they're made in prep, they're made or broken in prep. So if you rush prep or you rush the script or you rush casting or whatever it is, um, it'll, the movie will suffer because once you start rolling, there is no stopping. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And so, um, mm-hmm. So that's what happened on this one. And it was, it. I think, uh, the difference with this one is that there were so many main characters. 

JR: Yeah. Yeah. 

Tosca: There were so many storylines. 

JR: Yeah. Yeah. 

Tosca: That we have to feed into and things that we, little nuggets that we have to have in this season that show up in the, not necessarily even the next season.

Yeah. But in the season three or four or five, this is what's gonna happen in season. 10. Yeah. And so, which we're doing all of them. So, you know, so, so that was very important to me. And also just making sure that I was true to everything that you ha had in mind, like making sure. So that's why I would text you at three o'clock in the morning or four o'clock in the morning and go, oh, you what is, this is a tortoise shell glasses.

Yeah. Whatever it would've been. But it was like, it was very, very important to me that I was honoring your work, um, exactly as you saw it. 

JR: I became sequentially less nervous. 

Tosca: Oh, good. 

JR: A as the, because like the, the, the attention to detail, because I was a little bit, like, my instinct tends to be pretty good for people, and I knew that you were, you were all in. But I just began to feel more and more comfortable, like within like the first 48 hours of shooting. I'm like, this is gonna be fine because this woman is like throwing everything but the kitchen sink at it. And you were just so precise about everything. But then when I went and I did the set visit, I was so overwhelmed by, oh my God, what your job really is like, and just the, the thousands of decisions and the repetitive nature, there is a physical nature to it. To withstanding that shooting schedule to, to being there. I mean, like I, I was good for about five or six hours, then I had to go take a nap. And you were going, everyone was going right through. 

Tosca: Yeah. Our days are, um. Generally about 14 hours long. Unbelievable. Yeah. Which was pretty crazy. And then, you know, I, I, once you finish shooting, I, the, the boys would all go and work out. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So they would like, go to the gym at Yeah. Five o'clock in the morning or some four o'clock in the morning. And I have a ritual where I have to have a glass of wine and work on a puzzle. Okay. Just for 15 minutes just to shut your brain down. Yeah. Because I have to, it's almost meditative, so I have to like. Stop. Otherwise, I, I would just keep going and won't. 

JR: Well, because that was one of the things that like, like being with you and it's like bing, bing, bing, bing, bing. Question, question, question, question, question, question, question. Yeah. And I was like, I was, so, because like my work environment is very quiet. Mm-hmm. Very calm, you know, 11 hour days with my dogs, I, I have a high degree like, I mean, in my household, unless it's an arterial bleed, if I'm working, like you gotta solve your own problems. Yeah. Like, you know, that's life and your working environment is the absolute opposite of that meeting your. Crew. Okay. And the staff at Passionflix, like I can tell you have handpicked these people and they are, I mean, just the Carlos was amazing to me. He's wonderful as a leader, like as I watched him quietly. Direct people. He was always calm no matter what time of night it was. Yeah. When things were, and he was okay. Friends. Yeah. Okay. Friends. And there were lots of different ways to be a leader. 

Tosca: Yeah. 

JR: And I thought that that, and you're the same way, like the number of questions that would come up and you were. Always calm, you were always welcoming. You, you, you were under a, there was a time ticking element to it. Mm-hmm. So it wasn't like a, oh, let's just hang out and chat, kind of thing. But I just loved how everyone was so collaborative and so open. Yeah. And just, it was lovely. 

Tosca: It really was a wonderful team. And our, our DP, Olivia, she was also Olivia. Fantastic. Fabulous. Yeah. Really, really wonderful. Um, so a really great team. The production design team did, did a fabulous job, really paying attention to all, all the details in the book. I loved the, I loved the design team. Yeah, they were so great. And I mean, they did so much. They built so much and, and, and as we were going along I'd be like, you know, maybe we don't need to find that location. You can just build it. Yeah, yeah. Build it. Build it. So they built, like they built the laser tag? Uh, yeah. Yeah. In one day they built that set and um, and it was a lot of transforming sets. 'cause that LA Laser tag. Was also the dive bar Yeah. That Butch and, and Jose were in. We used that for so many different locations, and so it just kept flipping. Yeah. Uh, but so the, the Art Department did an amazing job and, um, you asked about this, this particular series. This is the biggest thing that I've ever done. Mm-hmm. It was the, it's the longest that we've ever done, six and a half hours. Um, and, uh, it was a spectacular experience. I certainly learned a lot. I know what I need to do for next season to make it maybe a little easier. I, I, I, I've done like maybe an extra five days. Yeah. Yeah. 

JR: So I, I have like, um, uh, best practices now for going through the scripts. 

Tosca: Yeah. 

JR: Like now that we've done through six of them Yeah. And stuff. And like now I know what you're looking for and now I can be more efficient. I also know that like, unless I have a manuscript due, I have to get the script back to you really quickly. 'cause like I can be such a rate limiter and so like I wanna cut down my response time to 48 hours. 

Tosca: Oh wow. 

JR: Oh yeah. No we are, we are moving. 'cause I felt really badly. About, about that because I understand now, like the trickle down effect.

Tosca: Yeah, that's actually me right now working on the script for season two. So, uh, I'll be sending them over to you soon. 

JR: I'm ready. I'm ready for the handoff at the end. When Rhage I better just settle for quantity instead of quality. Mm-hmm. Like in that moment, um, it just sets up. Rhage is the next one.

Uh, and at the end of each of the books it was like, okay, here's gonna be your next one. It's the clue for who's coming next. 

Tosca: I know, I loved that. 

JR: I can't wait. 

Tosca: I, I can't wait. And I'm super excited because, you know, I'm, uh, you know, season two, season two, we meet John Matthew, we meet Bella, we meet Mary.

There are like so many incredible. Uh, characters that we meet in season two. Yeah. I cannot wait. Um, but in order for you to make it to season two, you have to watch season one. Yes. So if you haven't watched season one, go watch rewatch. Watch it again. 

JR: Yep. And I have to say, it has been a rare privilege to work with someone like you who's just, who's just so, because like you wanna like. Match energy. Okay. And like, I'm a dumpster fire. Okay. And so you're not matching that energy. 

Tosca: I'm your, you said I'm your straight man. 

JR: Yeah. You're the, you're my straight man. It's perfect. It's perfect. Um, but, but also just like the commitment that you've shown and you're just, you know, passionate and lovely and smart and fun and. I mean, I've just enjoyed this, this, you know, two years ago when you and I first talked over that Zoom call. Yeah. And then, you know, after all this time, um, this is so much, it's gone so much better than I could have ever. It's been great. And, and, and. Not just because I'm usually a doom, I'm, I'm usually a doomsday person like I always am waiting. I'm always prepared for the worst thing, but I knew because this is such a beloved series and it's ongoing, that I wanted a special partner. I feel like I got that. 

Tosca: Yeah, and I got that with you. And I thank you so much for that. I truly. Love having gotten to know you. Yeah, me too. I two a three years a big, oh my God. Kentucky derby, being at your house, getting to your family and your mom. 

JR: Chicken salad. 

Tosca: Chicken salad there is so good. But I'm thinking you've been so welcoming and your family's been so welcoming and it's just been a, a, a real blessing. It really has beens how I feel. So it's, and it's, and it's so much fun too. Yeah. So every time we get together or get to speak, I just, I'm like, well, I'm gonna see JR Ward, so I guess I'll just be busy for the next few hours coming and be chatting for hours. So, um, absolutely. No, thank you so much for this opportunity. Absolutely. And thank you for trusting us and Absolutely. And trusting me.

And, and let's do it. Really fabulous. Let's do it again. Mm. Yeah. Yay. Thank you. Thanks. Beautiful. 

JR: High five.