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'The Voice': Coaches Joined by Former Winners for Knockout Round

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It's starting to get really serious.

The Knockouts began on The Voice tonight, with artists going head-to-head with solo performances that will determine which 24 artists advance to the Live Playoffs. This season, current coaches Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine and Alicia Keys teamed up with past The Voice winners Chloe Kohanski, Cassadee Pope, Jordan Smith and Chris Blue respectively. Coaches are able to steal in this round but also can save one contestant on their own team.

The first Knockout of the night came from Team Blake. Shelton had Jaclyn Lovey go head-to-head with Kyla Jade. Lovey sang “Put Your Records On,” and Jade, who has experience as a background singer for former The Voice coach Jennifer Hudson, sang “You Don’t Own Me” by Lesley Gore. Shelton stole Lovey last round, so she said she wanted to prove herself. Shelton said the winner would be whoever ended up showing the most confidence.

Lovey went first, delivering a sweet and lovely performance. The song choice was great, but she seemed a bit nervous and it didn’t end up being her best work on the show.

Jade followed with the much stronger performance, finally coming out of her shell and showing she has what it takes to be in the spotlight instead of just singing backup. All four coaches gave her a standing ovation. The results were unsurprising: Shelton chose Jade as the winner, and Lovey went home.

Team Kelly was up next for a country showdown between Justin Kilgore and Kaleb Lee. Clarkson said she didn’t want to split the country votes by having too country singers on her team, so she had to put them up against each other.

Lee went first, singing “Free” and accompanying himself on the guitar. He delivered a strong lyrical interpretation and gave an emotional performance, showcasing good storytelling abilities, which is definitely important in country music. But he was a bit lacking in the performance department, looking slightly uncomfortable on stage.

Kilgore, who was a four-chair turn during the Blind Auditions, followed with his performance of Garth Brooks’ version of “Shameless.” His performance had a lot of momentum, and he showed a little more personality and charisma than Lee. Kilgore is more of a modern country singer than the more classic Lee. Levine wasn’t a fan of Kilgore’s intensity and favored Lee. Clarkson indeed ended up picking Lee, noting that he is the stronger country singer. Kilgore went home.

Team Adam was up for a Knockout between Jackie Foster, who Levine stole last round, and Mia Boostrom.

Foster, who wants to be an alternative rock artist, sang “Bring Me To Life” by Evanescence, which was a bold song choice, but she did it justice. She took Jordan Smith’s advice to open very quietly and then build to the bigger parts. She put on a very fun show.

Boostrom, singing “Wade In The Water,” gave a much more subtle performance, but it was good, bringing out the jazzier side of her voice. Boostrom is the kind of artist who can sing just about anything, and her performance brought Levine and Clarkson to their feet. Shelton said Foster proved a female rocker can win the show, but Clarkson called Boostrom the dark horse. Levine ended up choosing Boostrom as the winner, but before Foster could be eliminated, Clarkson hit her steal button and Levine hit his save. Keys and Shelton eventually hit their steal buttons, too, so Foster had her pick of coaches. She ended up joining Team Alicia, which will be a good fit for her.

Team Blake was up again, with Austin Giorgio and Spensha Baker going head-to-head. Shelton praised Giorgio’s confidence, and Kohanski said both artists were so different from each other and unique for Team Blake, so Shelton would have his work cut out for him in picking a winner.

Giorgio, singing “Almost Like Being In Love” by Nat King Cole, went first. He gave a solid jazz performance, showcasing his artistry with all of his vocal and performance choices. He certainly stands out on Team Blake.

Singing “Broken Halos” by Chris Stapleton, Baker followed with an emotional and delicate performance that had strong dynamics throughout. It was a raw performance, and it led to her being chosen as the Knockout winner. But Shelton also opted to save Giorgio, which was probably his plan all along. Both artists will compete on Team Blake in the live playoffs.

Team Alicia was finally up for a Knockout between Jonny Bliss and Miya Bass.

Bliss went first, singing “Alive” by Sia. It was an ambitious song choice, and he sang it well, showing off his huge range and making the song his own, especially when he sang some of the lyrics in Spanish. He proved he has a strong sense of who he is and what kind of artist he wants to be, which is something Keys usually values.

Bass followed with her performance of “Castle On The Hill” by Ed Sheeran. It wasn’t the best song choice for her, and she sang it too close to the original most of the time. Some of her runs stood out, and her technical skills are solid. It just wasn’t very memorable. Keys chose Bliss as the winner.

Team Adam had the last Knockout of the night. Levine paired Drew Cole and Jackie Verna.

Cole sang “Slow Hands” by Niall Horan, which was an excellent song choice. He seemed confident on stage and brought his own style to the song. It was his best performance of the season so far, and he really came to life on stage.

Verna followed with her performance of “American Honey” and proved she was evenly matched with Cole. Even though they have completely different styles, they both sang with confidence and effortless style. Both delivered on the vocal and performance fronts, leaving Levine with a difficult decision to make. A steal or save situation seemed inevitable since all of the coaches thought both artists did such a great job.

Levine chose Verna as the winner, and sure enough, he hit his save button to keep Cole. But never one to turn down a chance to fight Levine, Shelton also hit his steal button. Both made passionate pleas, but Cole decided to stay on Team Adam.

The Knockouts continue tomorrow night on The Voice. What did you think of tonight’s performances?

The Voice Kelly Clarkson
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'American Idol': The Top 24 Revealed

The top 50 gave showcase performances as part of Hollywood Week.

The top 50 contestants were announced on ABC's American Idol on Sunday night, and on Monday that group was whittled down into the top 24 based on their collective performances throughout Hollywood Week. The top 50 sang showcase performances at a club in Los Angeles, and some of those were shown Monday night as judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie made their deliberations with artists one-on-one.

First up was young country singer Layla Spring. She sang “Proud Mary” for her showcase and put on an entertaining show. “I said you have to speed up the vibrate, and you did it!,” Perry said, highlighting her ability to take directions. “We’re really scared to send 16-year-olds through, but you’re a 16-year-old, and you’re going through,” Bryan added.

Michael Woodard followed, and for his showcase, he sang “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette, and he seemed a little awkward onstage and was affecting his voice too much, but the judges seemed to be into it. And Woodard undeniably has something special. They didn’t really waste any time with him in the hot seat, telling him he advanced right away.

Trevor Holmes sang “Slow Hands” by Niall Horan for his showcase, and it just wasn’t exciting enough. As badly as Perry wanted him to stay in the competition, he didn’t make the cut.

Despite the fact that she was told not to sing Carrie Underwood in her initial audition, Gabby Barrett ended up singing “Church Bells” in her showcase. Perry said it wasn’t good at first but that it finished strong. “I think you are what the competition needs,” Bryan said before telling her she was in the top 24.

Thaddeus Johnson, who was cut at this stage of the competition during season nine, sang “Hate on Me” for his showcase, and it was a standout, fun performance, but the judges didn’t think it was the right time for him. He didn’t make the top 24 again.

Singer and dancer Michelle Susset advanced to the top 24. Dominique, Trevor McBane, Maddie Poppe, Ron Bultongez and Alyssa Raghu also advanced, although their showcase performances did not air.

Singer-songwriter Catie Turner sang a very original cover of “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga. “Yesterday was shaky,” Perry said, adding that she has learned a lot. They ended up advancing her.

Les Greene, Milo Sposato, Britney Holmes and William Casanova were eliminated.

Jurnee sang “Never Enough” from the Greatest Showman soundtrack, and it was an emotional and theatrical performance, though she never over-sang, giving one of the best showcase performances of the night. She made the top 24.

Shannon O’Hara sang Perry’s own “Unconditionally” in a very stripped-down and gorgeous showcase performance. She made it through. Kay Kay, Amelia Hammer Harris and Brandon Diaz also advanced.

Noah Davis played piano and sang “You And I” by Lady Gaga, and he sounded strong when he was at the piano, but once he stepped out, he had some pitch issues. Still, he has been one of the judges’ favorites since the beginning. He went home.

Other early favorites Harper Grace, Carly Moffa, Samothias, Lee Vasi and Victoria McQueen also went home.

Ada Vox did an over-the-top cover of “Creep,” taking big risks, but she nailed it and highlighted her huge range. It was definitely one of the most memorable showcase performances, and it secured her spot in the top 24. “You have one of the biggest voices on the planet,” Bryan said after Richie gave him the good news.

Jonny Brenns sang “Lay Me Down” by Sam Smith, and he had some breath control issues, but when he slipped into his falsetto, he sounded strong. It was a major improvement from his other Hollywood Week performances. He advanced to the next round.

Mara Justine, the youngest artist left in the competition, sang an over-the-top cover of “Something’s Got a Hold On Me,” delivering a solid vocal and an entertaining performance. She exuded confidence throughout. She made it to the top 24.

Caleb Lee Hutchinson also advanced, and fellow country boys Garrett Jacobs and Laine Hardy went in to see the judges together. Jacobs advanced, but Hardy did not.

Rocker Cade Foehner sang “No Good” in his showcase, and it was a solid rock performance with lots of personality. He made the top 24.

That left four more contestants waiting to receive their fates. The last two women fighting for one spot in the top 24 were Maddie Zahm and Effie Passero, and they went before the judges together. Zahm sang “What About Us” by Pink for her showcase, and Passero sang “The Dance” by Garth Brooks. Passero made it, but Zahm did not.

The last two contestants to face the judges were Marcio Donaldson and Dennis Lorenzo. Donaldson sang “If You Really Love Me” by Stevie Wonder and hit some killer high notes in his showcase. Lorenzo sang “A Song for You,” and it was another emotional and moving performance. As it turned out, there were two spots left, so the judges gave good news to both singers.

The top 24 will perform solos and celebrity duets next week. What did you think of Monday night's results?

American Idol
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Golden Globes Up for Grabs as NBC's Exclusive Negotiating Window Ends

The HFPA and Dick Clark Productions are now fielding offers from other parties.

The Golden Globes are officially up for grabs, with NBC's exclusive renegotiation window closing without a new deal.
Dick Clark Productions provided The Hollywood Reporter with the following statement earlier Monday afternoon: "The Hollywood Foreign Press Association and Dick Clark Productions value our 25-year relationship with NBC and will continue to have discussions with them about extending our television deal. However, as the exclusive negotiation period with NBC has ended, we are evaluating offers from other interested parties."

NBC has had one of the longest-running awards show contracts with the Globes, airing the ceremony since 1993. Losing the event would leave it without a major awards effort, though the network will remain on the likely continuing rotation for the Emmy Awards and recently acquired the Billboard Music Awards.

For the the Globes' part, sources say that DCP and the HFPA are pursuing all three broadcast networks and some streamers for potentially acquiring the show. The latter option would be a huge blow to linear TV, which has at least maintained a stranglehold on event programming as so much other content heads to alternative platforms.

The 2018 Golden Globes lost the least amount of viewers this year, keeping things relatively steady by falling a little over 1 million viewers to an average 19 million for the night. THR and Globes producer Dick Clark Productions are both owned by parent company Valence Media.

NBC
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'American Idol': Hollywood Week Brings Another Round of Brutal Cuts

The top 50 artists were revealed Sunday night, but more cuts are to come.

American Idol season 16 returned for another night of brutal Hollywood Week cuts. Around 75 contestants survived the lines of 10 and group performances last week, and Sunday night’s episode whittled the competition down to the top 50. After solo performances, Idol hopefuls were sorted into three rooms, and judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie gave each room its collective fate.

For these performances, judges did not give feedback, so these were quick hits. Things got started with Gabby Barrett singing “Ain’t No Way” by Aretha Franklin. She brought a lot of soul to the cover and showed emotional depth in her performance.

Marcio Donaldson kept the Aretha going with a performance of “Natural Woman,” dedicating it to his young son. The performance really showcased the power behind his voice.

Effie Passaro sang “Alone” by Heart, and the song didn’t quite fit her range, but her rocker edge came through. “For the longest time, I never fit in,” Passaro said. But she found her confidence and delivered a solid solo. The judges seemed blown away.

Amelia Hammer Harris followed with a performance of “Feel It Still” by Portugal the Man, bringing a lot of emotion and soul to the song.

She was followed by Cade Foehner, singing the same song. He brought a little more of a rock sound to the song, and it was more memorable.

Harper Grace mixed things up by singing an original song she sang called “Rest in Peace.” It was an organic and entertaining performance, and Grace really carved out a specific space for herself in the competition.

Catie Turner also sang an original song called “Pity” that was about female empowerment, and she showcased her usual indie singer-songwriter vibes. Turner’s pal Noah Davis gave a performance of former Idol winner Kelly Clarkson’s “Piece by Piece,” and he made it his own, showcasing his delicate tone.

Dennis Lorenzo sang former Idol hit “Home” by Daughtry, saying that he finds strength in the song. Frandon Elder had the same song choice, and while both sounded like strong rocker vocalists, Lorenzo stood out a little more.

Singer-songwriter Maddie Poppe opted for an original song, too, singing her own “Don’t Let Your Children Grow Up,” accompanying herself on the guitar. It was an understated but impressive performance, and Perry really connected with it.

Next up, Michelle Sussette sang “I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross. But because she lost her voice during the process of Hollywood Week, she couldn’t quite hit all her notes.

Ron Bultongez sang “Home” by Phillip Phillips, and it wasn’t the best song choice, but he still proved that he belongs in the competition, singing with a lot of emotion and delivering a solid lyrical interpretation.

Jonny Brenns sang “I Lived” by OneRepublic, and his voice was also suffering from the strains of Hollywood Week. He bombed on the high notes.

Crystal Alicia next sang “Set Fire to the Rain” by Adele, and her lack of experience and confidence once again became clear like it was during her group performance last week. She showed potential but didn’t stand out.

Deonte Baker sang “Too Good at Goodbyes” by Sam Smith and had a lot of confidence, but his vocals really didn’t back it up. The performance was mediocre.

Jurnee was up next, singing “One Last Time” by Ariana Grande. Though Perry didn’t seem to think it was the right song, Jurnee delivered a great vocal.

Trevor Holmes also sang “Home” by Phillip Phillips, and it was a solid but unmemorable performance.

Maddie Zahm, singing Patty Griffin, showed huge improvement in her singing. She brought a lot of soul and power to the performance. Shannon O’Hara also sang Griffin and delivered the inferior performance.

Jenevieve went big by singing “Praying” by Kesha. It was an ambitious song choice, and she didn't quite do it justice.

Singing “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak, Garrett Jacobs was similarly lackluster in his performance. Hollywood Week is a big test for the singers in this competition, and he seemed to be cracking under the pressure.

Brittany Holmes tackled Ed Sheeran and made it her own, infusing the song with her raspy and original tone.

Gabbi Jones next took on a Lady Gaga song, and it was just OK. She had some pitch issues and failed to stand out.

Bravely singing “Rise” by Perry, Thaddeus Johnson gave an over-the-top but sincere performance that showed how badly he wanted to stay in the competition. It seemed to leave an impression on the judges.

Kay Kay Alexis also took on “Set Fire to the Rain” by Adele, and she sounded strong, making it her own without changing the song too much.

Laine Hardy next sang “Fire Away” by Chris Stapleton, and some of the lack of motivation that came through in his group performance last week was also at play Sunday night. He just didn’t seem to want it as bad as a lot of the other contestants.

Caleb Lee Hutchinson sang “Your Man” by Josh Turner and slipped into his delicate falsetto.

Michael J. Woodard closed out the night with one of the best performances, singing “Maybe This Time” from Cabaret. It was dramatic, but he didn’t oversing it, and the judges were shocked by how much he brought to it.˜

With the performances over, the contestants were then sorted into three rooms. The first and third rooms were eliminated, and room two went home. Included in the artists who advanced were Harris, Trevor and Brittany Holmes, Turner, Passero, Barrett, Grace, Jurnee, Kay Kay, Poppe, Sussett, Zahm, Foehner, Hutchinson, Lorenzo, Jacobs, Brenns, Hardy, Johnson and Bultongez.

American Idol
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'Counterpart' Star J.K. Simmons on the Deadly Finale and What's Next

The actor talks with THR about how Sunday's season-one ender set the stage for what's to come next.

[This story contains spoilers from the season one finale of Starz's Counterpart.]

Starz wrapped the first season of its critically praised spy-fi drama Counterpart on Sunday with two shocking deaths and the cold war between the parallel worlds suddenly getting a whole lot hotter. At the center of it all were the two Howard Silks — the super spy and his meek doppelganger, both played by series star J.K. Simmons.

During the hour, Howard Alpha — desperate to go back to his world — meets with Alexander Pope (Stephen Rea) to beg for his help. Pope offers to assist in getting him back to our Earth, but only if Howard becomes his assassin on the other side. Howard then tells Pope he is nothing like Howard Prime, and never will be. Pope pulls out a gun and forces Howard Alpha to kill him in self-defense, marking the first time Howard Alpha has ever killed a man.

Meanwhile on our side, head of housekeeping Aldrich (Ulrich Thomsen) forces Howard Prime out of hiding by leaving his comatose wife, Emily (Olivia Williams), unguarded at the hospital. Howard Prime rushes to her bedside, thwarting another assassination attempt by Baldwin (Sara Serraiocco). Instead of killing Baldwin, Howard Prime pays her off to walk away. Aldrich and his team descend on the hospital with the intention of killing both Howard Prime and Baldwin. Just as Aldrich is set to kill Howard Prime, Baldwin emerges from the shadows and kills Aldrich, as payback for the murder of her doppelganger. With their ledgers now balanced, Howard and Baldwin part ways.

The season ends with a deadly terrorist attack on the Office of Interchange headquarters, creating a diplomatic emergency that closes the bridge between the two universes, stranding the Howards in each other’s strange new world.

Below, Simmons talks with The Hollywood Reporter about the deadly season one finale and what's next for the Starz drama.

What initially attracted you to Counterpart? Was it the opportunity to tackle a dual role?

I read the script. I had no idea that there was a dual identity thing until page 20 when it's first revealed in the story. I was very drawn to Howard and his place in this sad Fritz Lang-like dystopian world. When the black hood comes off of the other Howard, I was completely surprised. Once I finished the script, I immediately read it again from the other Howard’s point of view. I thought he was just a simple, kind, gentle, sad sack protagonist I was playing and then when the other character came along, it's twice as interesting and twice as much work and twice the intrigue for the audience, especially as more characters end up dealing with their counterparts.

The scene in the interface room where the two Howards face off gets pretty heated. It also seemed like Howard Prime, for the first time, shows a little vulnerability because he's feeling threatened.

That was the time when you not only see significant vulnerability from Howard Prime but we also see our original Howard growing more of a spine. We really see both of them beginning to take on aspects of each other.

The scene in the finale that was so shocking is when Howard Alpha kills Alexander Pope. That's the first person he's ever killed, so that would have to have a major impact on him.

Absolutely. One of the nice things about this show is this sense of collaboration, with [creator/showrunner] Justin Marks. He had written a version that made Howard just a murderer. I thought it was important — because Howard's overall thematic arc in the first season is that he becomes Howard Prime and I was somewhat resistant to going all the way with that. Howard Prime is an ethical character in most ways. So, it was important to me that that would be a moment of a gut reaction and self-defense. Was there anger in it? Yes. But he really was kill or be killed in that moment. And maybe the Howard that we met in the first episode might not have had the cajones to come out on top in that confrontation. That was the interesting evolution of that character. I'm glad it’s that shocking moment. The bad part is I seem to be done having scenes with Stephen Rea and those were fun especially since I was a spectator half the time because Stephen was carrying most of the dialogue.

We haven't seen Stephen Rea as Alexander Pope on the Alpha side, so he may still be around.

This is always a possibility until they kill you twice.

Have you been given a backstory about what got Howard Prime to this point? Will there be flashbacks in season two that show as much?

We are seeing some flashbacks and we're also investigating the past in dialogue as well in season two. But that was another thing that Justin and I spoke about the first time we met: where was this point of divergence? Is there a single thing that we can really point to as to why these guys started going in different directions? We definitely fill in some of those blanks in season two. I've only seen the first five scripts of our second season so far. The hope is we're doing this show for five, six, seven years. That said, we're not going to tie everything up in a neat little bow at the end of season two, either. There will still be things to investigate.

Betty Gabriel is joining the cast for season two, playing Naya, a former FBI agent brought into OI to clean house. Have you had the chance work with her yet?

I had lunch with her. I was very excited to have her join us. Like a lot of people, I just became aware of her as a result of Get Out and she was just absolutely brilliant. She is going to be with us for a while. I As one of the Howards, I get to work with her a fair amount and we'll see what happens in the second half of the season.

She's being brought in as a cleaner, but it it's unclear if she's from the Alpha side or the Prime side.

I can't say anything; I don't want to get my hand slapped.

What did you think of the Counterpart season finale? Sound off in the comments section, below. Click here to read our deep dive into the finale and what's next with creator Justin Marks.

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'Counterpart': A Deep Dive Into the Season Finale With Creator Justin Marks

"The second season is the Cold War after the Berlin Wall has been formed and how people start to draw battle lines and how they escalate the spy game in light of the fact that diplomatically we are more hostile toward each other," Marks tells THR.

[This story contains spoilers from the season one finale of Starz's Counterpart.]

Starz wrapped the critically acclaimed first season of spy-fi drama Counterparton Sunday, ending with a tense diplomatic standoff, a game-changing death and the two Howard Silks (J.K. Simmons) trapped in one another's foreign world.

Howard Alpha (from our world) is desperate to get back to his comatose wife Emily (Olivia Williams), but his only option is to beg for help from the mysterious leader of Project Indigo, Alexander Pope (Stephen Rea). Pope agrees to assist him, but only if Howard agrees to become his assassin on the other side. Howard angrily refuses and kills Pope in self-defense after the latter draws a gun on him, becoming the first person Howard has ever killed.

Project Indigo’s mission is to raise children to be sleeper agents, have them take over the lives of their doppelgangers on our Earth, and mount a terrorist attack. The assault on the Office of Interchange results in multiple deaths, with the last infiltrator dying at the crossing between the two worlds.

Here, showrunner Justin Marks talks with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss the season finale, the Howard's complex interpersonal relationships and where the series goes next.

Howard Alpha kills Pope. How does that change him?

It's a very big moment for Howard. In a lot of ways, the whole season has been about the areas of overlap between Howard Alpha and Howard Prime. Pope taught Howard Prime everything he knows about the spy trade. And he was blind to the truth about Pope early on in the season. There's something fitting to the fact that Howard Alpha, in killing Pope — albeit in self-defense — was able to do what Howard Prime couldn't ever bring himself to do, which is acknowledge that Pope has been manipulating him and that he's the enemy.

Emily Prime warned Howard Prime about Pope — even giving him the news about his rendition order coming from Pope, and it still didn't sway Howard Prime.

Yes. And you have to consider the source when it comes to Emily Prime because Howard Prime seems to have such a difficulty forgiving her for past transgressions. When it comes to the relationship between Emily Prime and Pope, there's no love lost there. So, for her to be the siren warning him, it's hard for Howard to believe someone like that.

The two Howards are slowly moving closer to the core characteristics of the other. Howard Alpha is becoming more hard-boiled and Howard Prime is showing more vulnerability than he ever has. Is that the whole character arc for them at this point?

Yes. It's the question that we have always wanted to do: explore this question of which Howard is the true Howard. The answer is it's a combination of the two and where the center is, is a question that the series wants to figure out by the end of its run. We don't ever want to place a pin on that map firmly as we go through. At the beginning of the series, the two Howards are very different. One has more empathy, while the other has a little more of a brutal honesty with himself and with the world around him. As the season goes on and they begin to inhabit each other's lives, they begin to cave in the direction of their other, whether it's conscious or unconscious. And as they do that, the question is, where do they meet? Do they meet closer to Howard? Or do they meet closer to Howard Prime? So far, it's unknown. We always saw this show as this Darwinian battle, and Pope even calls it that; it’s between two versions of the same self when it comes to the survival of the fittest. In some ways it's two sides of the same soul that are fighting to occupy the same real estate and where they land is an anyone's guests at the end of the first season, except to say that they're closer together.

Will that be a point of emphasis for season two? Because of the diplomatic crisis, the Howards are cut off from their normal dimension and will have to find a way to adjust to the world they're trapped in. Will the new environments continue to have an effect on them?

For a variety of reasons, because it's not just the environments that they're in, but the circumstances of the story, Howard Alpha and Howard Prime are both, in a lot of ways, finding their identities challenged, or at least their perceived identities, the way they saw themselves, who they thought they were on both sides of the equation. We want to, in the second season, really present it in both ways. One of my favorite moments of the season is where Howard Prime is reading the poem to Emily Alpha as he sits there by the hospital bed. There's a surrender in his eyes where he doesn't want to read her poetry or indulge this Yes, it's an appropriation of his counterpart’s life. But there's also something in him that actually is enjoying that. The process of Howard Prime dealing with his own softening is interesting, and in the second season, it’s a big priority for the character.

He's come full circle, having let his guard down around Emily from the very beginning.

Yes, she is his Kryptonite. In every broken relationship, there's the hope of what it could have been. He holds these feelings for her, whether he realizes he has them or not. They shared a child together and have always had to deal with each other. There's always this part of Howard Prime that holds out hope for that relationship. In Emily, he sees a woman who he can project onto all of his hopes for what that relationship could have been. Because this is a woman who he hopes doesn't hate him in the way that Emily Prime a clearly does.

Would the old Howard Prime have made the deal with the assassin Baldwin (Sara Serraiocco) when he first crossed over?

No, not at all. And would Baldwin have made the deal with him?

Being in our world has profoundly changed her as well, especially since she witnessed her doppelganger being killed. She now wants this storybook life. But can she truly find that? Just who is the real Baldwin?

When it comes to Baldwin and her counterpart Nadia, she saw in Nadia someone who clearly at the beginning of that second episode, had a somewhat of a contempt for her other and we play with it a lot in these characters. There's an extent to which they covet what the other has, or what the other has done or has endured or not endured. The reveal is that both of them suffered that same trauma and Baldwin questions why her other was able to overcome that trauma of watching their father die and essentially being complicit in the act by not trying to save him. How is it that Nadia was able to do what she did and then the reveal that Baldwin had turned her pain outward to the world as a killer. She wears her scar on the outside of her clothes, so to speak. Nadia had turned her pain inward toward herself and Baldwin realizes at that moment that you are born back against your own trauma; that there is no escape from it. And if there is no escape from it, then isn't it likely that she can possibly fight against that and erase it and create a new identity for herself. That's what she's doing: She's going to try to build a new identity and that's what she tries to do, to mixed success, in the first season.

Howard Prime makes a deal with Baldwin, someone he tried to kill a few episodes ago. Giving her the money is a lifeline of sorts for her, giving her hope that she just might be able to have that other life after all.

Yes, and there's also something else at play, which is important for Baldwin in season two: this deal she makes with Howard Prime. She's such a lone wolf and here she is collaborating with someone. In making this deal he's almost looking after her and there's a sense of a character who is so lonely, constantly reaching out for connection to the world and seeing the very person who shot her through the mouth in the first episode. In a show about characters meeting in the middle, what a strange two characters to find a convergence.

Howard pressures Peter Quayle (Harry Lloyd) into a deal as well, so it’s not a stretch to think that Howard and Baldwin will band together to make sure Peter toes the line.

Howard Prime and Quayle have such an interesting set of compromises between each other. Both of them in some way are protecting their wives. And neither of those characters are in a certain sense their actual wives, which is such an important distinction for Quayle because Clare (Nazanin Boniadi) is the woman who murdered his wife and took over her life, even though he doesn't know that yet. And with Howard, it's this woman who he's projecting all of his hopes for a failed relationship onto and neither of them want to be in any form of compromise with each other, but under the circumstances, they have to be. Given the fact that there are problems when it comes to this Indigo school, they're forced to band together in spite of the fact that they were trying to kill each other. Both of them have compromised their own values to work with each other. We look at Quayle as a young man flailing around without a father figure, and in Howard Prime he has a perverse inversion of a father figure.

When Clare meets Peter in the hospital after the intentional car accident, she realizes he has cast his lot with her, that the accident was his way of setting up an alibi for them, so in a way she owns him now. As a result, putting Peter in charge of the Indigo investigation is like the fox guarding the henhouse.

Yes. Clare becomes what she needs to be in order to survive. If she needs to be Baldwin’s lover. she’ll be Baldwin’s lover; if she needs to be Quayle’s wife, then that's what she’ll be. She is at a bit of a crossroads when it comes to the birth of this child. A child born of two worlds is a very complicated thing that she probably did not see coming when it came to stretching her loyalties. Quayle is the father of her child and he is the reason she is still alive because it's her mission to handle him, to run him, to siphon intelligence from him. So she is just as much a victim in this marriage as he is. They're both victims of this pretentious idea of a marriage where they were both using each other for their own separate needs. For Quayle it was ambition, and for Clare, it was this man who is well-connected, who she was going to steal intelligence from. Moving forward, both of them have a lot to learn when it comes to finding a truth. But they are moving toward each other in a strange way. And the power dynamic continually shifts as it does in every marriage.

Let’s talk about what is probably the most unusual conference call in the history of TV between the two worlds.The very unusual tech involved is virtually identical. Are the members of management on both worlds the same people?

That is something that is potentially being suggested. The answer is a lot more complex and it's an answer that our second season really wraps its arms around: Who is management? What is their history? What is the history of the crossing and the history of the Office of Interchange? How did it really form in the first place and why? And how it developed over the decades. We understand why Indigo is driven toward some sense of revenge against our world. What we haven't yet seen a lot of is how Indigo also came about and what its connection with management is. At the end of the first season, we wanted to introduce the idea of management in a way that wasn't what we would otherwise expect because in the second season management is a kind of character of their own.

The show is a metaphor for the Cold War, and the crossing is very similar to Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin in the early 1960s, especially when the infiltrator dies in the no man’s land in between. Is the crossing your modern version of the Checkpoint Charlie scenario?

Yes. The whole season, allegorically speaking, I would call Berlin 1961, right as the wall was about to go up. That's the story of the first season, where there's clearly a Cold War brewing in every respect, but the wall hasn't quite officially been drawn. The second season is the Cold War after the Berlin Wall has been formed and how people start to draw battle lines and how they escalate the spy game in light of the fact that diplomatically we are more hostile toward each other.

The underpinnings of the show have sci-fi elements, Counterpart is more about personal identity, the sense of self, and relationships between people. Is that fair to say?

Yes. This sounds like a downer of a theme, but it's a show about regret and about what if, and who we might be under a different set of circumstances and what our life would have turned out to be. If we were confronted with the reality of that life, would we covet it? Would we want to take it for ourselves? Would it change us fundamentally? Would we compete with our other selves or with this version of our other life? And, Cold War allegory aside, it’s an important story to tell on a human level. We always want to place our characters in that trajectory and next season will start to expand it even more because we get into matters of theology in a two-world universe.I like a good puzzle box, especially one where I care about the characters.

What did you think of the Counterpart finale? Sound off in the comments below and click here to read our interview with J.K. Simmons about the finale and season two.

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