Thank you to Disney and Pixar Studios for hosting me during the #PixarCocoEvent which included a screening and interview with the team behind Kevin (Probably) Saves The World.
ABC’S “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World” stars Chloe East and Reese Cabrera, JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Amy Cabrera, Jason Ritter as Kevin Finn, Kimberly Hébert Gregory as Yvette, Dustin Ybarra as Tyler Medina, J. August Richards as Deputy Nate Purcell and India De Beaufort as Kristin Allen. (ABC/Bob D’Amico)
Kevin (Probably) Saves The World was the subject of my most recent television binge-watching session. I was inspired by the news that we’d be chatting with Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters; the Creators and Executive Producers of the show.
According to Butters, with so much bad news and negativity in the world, we needed something that, “Reminded you that little acts actually do add up and that you can do one thing and that might inspire somebody else to do a good thing.”
That is what Kevin (Probably) Saves The World is all about. Jason Ritter’s Kevin is suddenly tasked with performing good deads to build his spiritual power. All of this will lead him to eventually find the new generation of “righteous souls” that will (probably) save the world.
Butters is the mother to a twelve and ten year old. Fazekas has an eight and nine year old. It was important for them to create a show that they could watch with their kids. “We come downstairs and we watch it before school,” says Butters. Something I’m sure is a nice change of pace from a team with a background working on shows like Law & Order: SVU.
KEVIN (PROBABLY) SAVES THE WORLD – ABC’S “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World” stars Jason Ritter as Kevin Finn and Kimberly Hébert Gregory as Yvette. (ABC/Bob D’Amico)
It’s clear that they are both blown away by working with Jason Ritter. “He’s got all the tools, he will throw himself around and throw his body around at the drop of a hat,” says Fazekas. You can definitely see some of the physical comedy skils in the show that were a trademark of his dad, John Ritter’s acting.
The show films in Atlanta, and Fazekas and Butters are both based in LA. The key to getting things done? Being able to delegate. According to Fazekas, “If everybody is invested and everybody understands and has the same goal and feels like they contribute to it, I think everybody’s happier and everybody does better work.” I got the impression that the whole team behind the show is one big family. In a show that’s about a family, their friends, and a lot of random (but purposeful) good deeds, that absolutely seems to fit.
Make sure you check out tonight’s episode:
“Dave” – Yvette has her reservations when Dave, another celestial being, pops up looking to join her and Kevin on their latest mission: Reconciling Kristin and her mother under the most challenging of circumstances. Elsewhere, Nate tries to work up the nerve to ask Amy out, completely unaware of her budding chemistry with a potential beau, on “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World,” TUESDAY, NOV. 14 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EST), on The ABC Television Network.
“Kevin (Probably) Saves the World” airs on Tuesdays at 10|9c on ABC. Episodes are also available via streaming and on demand.
“Kevin (Probably) Saves the World” stars Jason Ritter as Kevin Finn, JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Amy Cabrera, Kimberly Hébert Gregory as Yvette, Chloe East as Reese Cabrera, J. August Richards as Deputy Nate Purcell, Dustin Ybarra as Tyler Medina and India de Beaufort as Kristin Allen.
Guest starring in this episode are Will Sasso (“Modern Family,” “Family Guy”) as Dave, Anjali Bhimani as Susan Allen, Brandon Quinn as Ignacio “Iggy” DePerro and Alex Quijano as Matthew Torres.
“Dave” was written by Chris Dingess and directed by Ron Underwood.