OHSOGRAY recently visited the set of the NBC comedy Undateable and talked with stars David Fynn (“Brett”) and Ron Funches (“Shelly”) about what’s ahead in season two.
Undateable returns March 17th at 9-9:30pm ET on NBC.
What should people look forward to in season 2? Bigger? Better?
David: Bigger, better, stronger, faster. Ron’s lost weight. Ron’s getting hot and sexy. Hotter and sexier.
Ron: It’s all due to a disease.
David: Ron’s very sick.
That takes out the funny.
[Laughter]
David: We’re hoping season 3 he’ll be fine, but we’ll see.
Ron: Mostly, I just say “more.” It’s just more fun. New cast member, Bridgit. She’s wonderful. She’s a comedy assassin with a face of an angel. It’s like, “What? I did not think you’re going to be that funny.” You’re going to see tighter stories and just us having more fun. We all know each other a lot better now, so I think everyone is open and we’re all just trying to make the best show possible.
Did Bridgit coming in change the dynamic at all?
David: No, I don’t think it did. I think, like Ron’s mentioned, she just kind of…she was the missing piece that we didn’t know we were missing. She just slotted in and she just absolutely…I mean, it’s amazing to see someone, and I don’t mean this in a condescending way at all, but someone so young—she’s only 22—keeping up with four stand up comedians who’ve been doing that kind of thing for years, when it comes to improv and stuff. It took me three or four weeks to even say anything and not be nervous. And she just comes right in and she is really comfortable with it and really funny and improv-ing songs and everything.
The show is called Undateable, but what is your characters’ dating status this season? I heard there might be some relationships coming up?
Ron: I don’t think they ever last too long around here.
David: Because we’re so undateable. And I think if we all kind of get into settled relationships…the show is kind of dead in the water then. I think we kind of take turns, don’t we, with love interests?
Ron: Yeah.
David: It kind of just seems like whack-a-mole. One goes down, one comes up. We’re all trying all the time, but we’re still hopeless.
Ron: That’s kind of the whole point of the show. One of us has a problem and we all rally around and support that person, no matter what it is. I go through a few things. Shelly goes through some things. But also, you have to worry about what’s going on with Brett. It’s a little bit more for everybody. That’s one of the biggest changes. It’s not just Justin and Danny fighting and us chiming in. It’s like actual events…what’s going on.
David: What can we do as a group to help them.
Ron: Just more of an ensemble feel.
Have you had any dating experiences that you took to the writers to use?
David: I didn’t. I’ve been with the same lady since I was twenty-two.
Ron: Not really. They use a little bit of my stand up, some things outside of dating. But the person they mostly did that for was Bianca. Her character…they both got divorced. Mine, I guess was a little less defined. It’s just that I’ve been dating. I was married for a long time and am now divorced. That’s not something Shelly’s really gone through. But you do definitely get to see a lot more of the background and where Shelly works and a little bit more of what he loves, besides Detroit.
David: I think a lot of the writers have brought some personal experiences to the table.
Ron: Yeah. For sure.
David: I think you always know when that’s the case because they’re so specifically weird. It’s like you couldn’t imagine that. You couldn’t think that up. That just has to be real because it’s so bizarre.
What was the weirdest thing that you thought couldn’t actually have happened?
David: I don’t know, because I don’t know if any of the writers would want us to divulge real stories…There’s one that’s something about me kissing a guy when he’s asleep that smacks of some kind of reality.
So things don’t go well for that?
Ron & David: No.
How is it adapting to the structure of a television show, coming from stand up?
Ron: It is weird, because I spent most of my life trying to avoid going to work at 9 in the morning. So to have to come and do it is definitely a change for me. But it was also…come here and I’m like “Oh my god. My job is to act and have fun and hang out with my friends and try to come up with jokes.” I come to work early and stay late and it’s just a thing I truly love doing and being around. So, it was a little bit of a change, but I love it. It just really taught me more skills and it’s helped my performances stand up-wise, by becoming a better actor.
David: I don’t come from a stand up background. No, I’ve never done stand up.
Have they tried to get you to do it?
David: Yeah, people say, “When are you going to do stand up?” But I don’t really think it’s for me. I just kind of enjoy the acting side of things and writing. I’m used to the early mornings and stuff. Since I’m coming in even at 6am…
Ron: What? 6am?
David: I did a thing in the summer where I had to get up at 2:30am in the morning and be on set for 4. Horrible.
What did you guys do in between seasons 1 and 2?
David: Ron did some very exciting stuff. I went back to the UK and shot a couple of things there for TV. Then a movie brought me back here. While I was shooting the movie, season 2 got announced. So my wife and I decided to stay and apply for green cards. And they’re on their way. And now my feet are firmly under the table.
Ron: I did guest stuff on shows that got cancelled. Like Selfie and Mulaney. I also did a movie called Get Hard that will be out March 27th. It was really fun. I did a couple of movies and a lot of stand up.