Spoiler alert: The following story contains details from FXX .’s season finale Dave.
In the finale of the second season of Dave, our titular character faces a watershed moment not only in his rap career, but also in his relationship with one of his best friends.
With the opening of the episode, Dave (Dave Board, aka Lil Dicky), has just released his debut album, “Penith”. Although it charted as the country’s number one comedy album, he is unhappy with its reception, feeling that there is no awareness of it because it has not been supported by proper marketing. Dave’s dreams of making his big debut are shattered during a meeting with marketing executives, who inform him that Ariana Grande has just dropped a surprise album — meaning his next performance at the VMAs is coming to an end, to make way for her.
Related story
‘Impeachment: American Crime Story’ Teaser: Monica Lewinsky Comes Bringing Gifts at First Sight on FX Limited Series
Elsewhere, Dave’s GaTa noise man appears to be in the middle of a frenzy. He tricks Dave fans with VIP bracelets for an album release party he no longer intends to throw, and later spends the $8,000 the rapper loaned him on a BMW, which he’s looking forward to featuring in a new music video. When Dave gets word that GaTa is “stepping up”, he drives to talk to his friend, and confronts him about his financial schemes. GaTa then unleashes all the anger and resentment he’s been holding on for so long, and calls Dave out to use him as a noise man, while doing nothing to help him advance in his career.
While Dave has alienated nearly everyone close to him, at one point or another, before the end, all of his friends either show up or coordinate for his VMA performance, including his ex-girlfriend Ally (Taylor Misiak), who appears to be relaxing with her new boyfriend.
Before taking to the stage, Dave apologizes to Mike (Andrew Santino) and Els (Travis Bennett) for the ingratitude he showed them and their other friends, including GaTa, who have supported him all along. He was submitted for his performance in the VMA by Lil Nas X. Then, in a surprising turn, he ran to the stage to perform alongside GaTa, who finally got his moment in the spotlight. Then we interrupted GaTa and Dave’s performance on tour, in a small venue filled with loyal fans.
Alma Harel directed tonight’s epilogue, “Dave,” from a screenplay by Board, who created the sitcom based on his life with Jeff Shaffer.
Burd spoke with Deadline while wrapping up post-production on the episode to break down his GaTa “hero story,” simultaneously touching on the state of season three, a musician he’d like to introduce to the show in the future, his next album and more.
Deadline: Tell us which arc you reached for season two. Did you know where you wanted to relive the story when you were working on season one?
David Bird: Oh, I have all season, seasons 1 through 10, all set. No, I’m just kidding. I’m really into the “one season at a time” type. I feel like it kind of happened in the book room. I knew for sure that I wanted the season to take a little more reflection – deeper things, more interconnected things.
I knew that, and in fact, I knew I was making an album too, and it was taken forever, so my reality felt enlightened. [the season, as well]. I pretty much come into the room and talk about my place in life with writers, who are my friends and really smart and fun people, and we start talking about where things could go.
Deadline: Have you considered any alternate season endings? Were there story events that you thought took in a different direction?
a burden: not really. I always knew we had a lot of internal character struggles and relationship issues this season, but you’ve never seen GaTa and I before. It’s like me and GaTa are always an unbreakable duo, so to speak, and I knew I wanted to save that tension and drama to the end.
to me, [Episode] 10 is like a GaTa hero story… and I think that’s a great way to take that ending. Instead of making it dev [moment of] “Will he be the artist he always thought he would be?” It’s the coming-of-age story for GaTa.
It’s like literally, GaTa is “Dave”. GaTa’s actual name is Davionte, his family calls him Dave; He’s Dave too. My character and GaTa character, all season long, [have felt like] There is all this chaos for both of us to achieve our goals independently. I think the epilogue is about cutting the clutter and going back to the roots of why we love each other in the first place, and that’s our relationships and friendships.
In showcasing everything about the main character focusing on herself, especially this season, on becoming exactly what we thought he was, you can forget that your relationships, the other humans involved, and their lives are just as important as yours. Even if you think you’re destined to be a great artist, that doesn’t excuse you from belittling someone else’s dreams. So, I think this episode has a lot of disagreement between me and GaTa. But at the end of the day, it’s like we’re on the same team, and GaTa is Dave too.
The show is generally about my life story — loosely, obviously. [What it depicts is] It’s not always quite right, and I didn’t create GaTa. [While] Lots of other characters are just characters, GaTa is a real guy. He’s actually one of my best friends, and as much as my life is, it’s also become GaTa’s life story in a way. He was generous enough to let me tell his story, so in the end, I really wanted to make him proud. Because I love GaTa and everyone loves GaTa. He is the most beautiful man in the world.
Deadline: How did it feel to work with Alma Harel at the end? What did you offer?
a burden: This ending would not have been what it is without pain. I watched Season 1 during Covid and tweeted about it, and I was a huge fan of it honey boy, so I responded to her immediately. We started talking and I fell in love with her as a creator. She is visionary and powerful, and I knew what I was trying to achieve at this end, and what it would take.
I didn’t need a typical comedic director. I needed a real theater director/performance artist. It’s really practical and genius, and… I feel like the ending is the full potential of the show. Everything clicks that high, and I think she came in and really challenged everyone to make it happen.
Deadline: Do you have a status update regarding a possible third season of Dave?
a burden: Look, I have to be honest with you. I haven’t even finished this ending we’re talking about. I delivered every episode of the season by the deadline, like four days before it premiered on TV. I completely lost my sense of self here. Here I am, working at a rate I didn’t even think was possible. So, season 3 is the last thing on my mind right now.
Deadline: What would you like to explore from now on if the series were renewed?
a burden: Well, season one, I was obviously very proud, and in season two, I was like, “I want to get more emotional and tonal, I want to transform a little bit.” Next season, I couldn’t tell you for sure… I feel like Season 3, I’m making the funniest season anyone on TV has ever made. But this is subject to change. This is where I am now, mentally.
Deadline: You’ve brought in so many amazing guests Dave In the first two seasons. Is there a dream guest of yours, looking forward?
a burden: a lot of people. There really is an endless list, but the man that popped into my mind was Kanye [West]. I mean, I have a lot of ideas. But it’s hard because it doesn’t sound like rap [where] Sometimes you’re going to go to work with someone, and all of a sudden it’s like, ‘later’. They can’t do that that night, and you’re like, “Okay, we’ll reschedule that.” If I had something that had a scene with someone and they didn’t come, the whole season was annoying. Therefore, it is difficult to rely too much on these noble celebrities [cameos]. But I love Kanye. He’s a friend of mine, and I’d like to share the show with him.
Deadline: Do you have an idea of how many more seasons Dave Want to make? How much story do you have to tell with the series?
a burden: I do not have this answer. I really do not know. I definitely have a lot of things to explore, and I love this show. It’s like, how many times will I have a chance to tell my life [story]? I can make other movies, but I can’t make movies about my life unless it’s like a sequel to the show. There are a lot of other things I’d like to do outside of the show, sure, in my career, but I’m not ready to stop working on the show about my life story. I just think that’s something you don’t want to give up; You want to say it the right way.
I love all the participants, I love doing the show, and I think I will do 25 seasons like The Simpsons or whatever? Mostly not. But two seasons seem to be scratching the surface.
Deadline: Was it weird to make a presentation about your own life story, where it keeps coming up?
a burden: Well, it’s starting to get weird. As I sit there watching the ending and working on it, I’m like, “Man, I didn’t even get invited to VMAs in real life.” I’m like, “My character actually dresses up my actual artist.” But I say I used up too much [the show’s] Create. I’ve really done season 1 and 2 back-to-back with very little break, and can’t be more involved in each stage. So, I’m excited to finish it and then go out and live life a little bit, so I can remember the plot of the show I’m setting up.
Deadline: You mentioned that you were working on a new album. Any other updates regarding the musical aspect of your career?
a burden: You look like my mom… Yes, I’m still working on an album. It’s been a long time, and my fans are probably very upset with me. I don’t blame them, but when I work seven days a week, like 16 hours a day, I can’t open Pro Tools at night and mess around. So, I’m excited to have the time when I can explore and finish my album. I’d be so shocked and frustrated myself, if I didn’t finish my album before I started Season 3.
So, this is my new goal, to finish my album, because I take so much pride in myself as a rapper, and honestly, I’m hungrier than ever as a rapper. Because I feel like a lot of people might be like, “Oh, he just rapped so he could get that TV show, and now that he’s got that, he doesn’t need to compose anymore, and he just doesn’t care.”
I feel like [the truth] It’s the opposite, in the sense that I now feel a greater urgency in wanting to establish myself as a legitimate music artist, rapper, and independent TV show. So, I look forward to this challenge.
Deadline: Are there any movies or TV projects out Dave Which you were either thinking about or walking around writing?
a burden: Yes. I have few others [irons] in hell. I don’t really want to talk about them, but I’m definitely thinking about writing a movie as well. So, I am working on it.
0 Comments