On this episode of Bingeworthy, host Mike DeAngelo heads back into Peacock’s wildest ride, “Twisted Metal.” Season one surprised audiences with its mix of brutal action, absurdist comedy, and unexpected heart. Season two takes things even further, upping the stakes with bigger stunts, more elaborate effects, a larger cast, and cosmic weirdness creeping in around the edges. This season finds John Doe (Anthony Mackie) and Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz) thrown into a high-stakes tournament run by the unpredictable Calypso (Anthony Carrigan), with returning chaos from Sweet Tooth (Samoa Joe/Will Arnett) and a roster of new eccentric competitors.
Joining the podcast for two separate interviews are Michael Jonathan Smith, the series’s showrunner, and actor Anthony Carrigan, who makes his debut as the chaotic wish-granting figure at the center of the tournament.
Smith admitted that season one was especially personal for him, as it was his first time serving as showrunner and in how he modeled the John and Quiet dynamic on his marriage. “I wouldn’t say it was based on me and my wife, because my wife and I didn’t drive in a car and shoot up a bunch of people. But a lot of it’s based on my relationship with my wife, because clearly I talk a lot and my wife taught me how to shut the fuck up,” he explained. “The fact that people connected with that sense of humor and perspective was validating. So going into season two, I didn’t want to change how stories work or the characters work. What we wanted to do was make it funnier. Comedy had to come more from character and situation and less from just adding the word ‘fuck’ to things.
That approach pays off in some of the season’s biggest swings, including the already infamous episode four featuring orgies, violence, and a heist. “We literally called it the ‘Horny Heist’ in the writers’ room,” Smith said, laughing. “We leaned into the chaos, letting the tournament structure open things up into a true ensemble. What characters are going to bounce off John and Quiet the best? How do we make everyone the funniest? It was like building a lost ‘Twisted Metal’ game — what does that character selection screen look like, and what does it feel like?”
The deeper the show leans into the madness, the more it toys with the supernatural. Smith teased that the creeping strangeness surrounding characters like Grimm and Calypso was a deliberate tonal shift. “We’re a post-apocalyptic show, and the supernatural elements are creeping in from the edges. There’s something cosmic, almost. I don’t want to say Lovecraftian, but there’s something old starting to come in, especially with Calypso. I like that Jon and Quiet are starting to delve into that, and I think as the show continues, we’ll delve into it even more.”
Enter Anthony Carrigan, who brings Calypso to life with menace, charm, and theatricality. “He’s each of those things,” Carrigan said of the character. “He’s colorful and chaotic, and you never know what’s behind door number three with that guy. But that’s what makes him so fun.”
Carrigan stressed that while he embraced the chaos, he also wanted to root the character in motivation. “This is a season about what you want, and as an actor, that’s incredibly important,” he explained. “That’s what makes him human, no matter how godlike he is. That’s what makes someone watchable – they actually have a really distinct motivation. So, yeah, there was a big collaborative process with the creatives, but I always had that going for me.”
Of course, the physical transformation played its part. “The wardrobe department crushed it with their designs,” Carrigan said. “And then putting on that wig…sometimes the wind would hit it in the right way and it was like, wow, do I even need to act? This wig is carrying a lot.”
Much of season two finds Calypso corralling the tournament’s contestants inside a derelict school, creating strange dynamics that feel part battle royale, part high school drama. “There was this element of us all kind of being kids getting together in this really messed up way,” Carrigan said. “You discover these dynamics of competition and loyalty and cliques. And as Calypso, I had to drive home the rules. I had to keep things clipping along. I’m the weird fucked-up principal.”
Carrigan also reflected on the surreal summer he’s been having — balancing “Twisted Metal,” A24’s “The Death of a Unicorn,” and James Gunn’s “Superman,” where he plays Rex Mason, better known to fans as Metamorpho. “Pretty great moment. Great summer,” Carrigan said.
As for the future of Rex Mason in the DCU, Carrigan admitted he’s as curious as fans are. “There’s so much cooking in that world, which hasn’t been addressed yet. I’m a big fan of not knowing what’s coming next. For instance, in another season of ‘Twisted Metal,’ I want to find out when and what’s happening, but I could speculate until the cows come home. Same with Superman. All sorts of exciting stuff could come in the coming months. I’m a fan of each franchise, so I’m also excited to watch.”
Whether playing Rex in “Superman” or Calypso in “Twisted Metal,” Carrigan said finding material that feels alive is the most important thing. “Right now, I’m drawn toward great scripts and story arcs. It doesn’t really matter the genre. I’m most interested in things that are fun to watch and that clip along. Case in point – ‘Twisted Metal.’ It’s just a fun ride, and I think people will get a kick out of it.”
New “Twisted Metal” Season 2 episodes drop each Thursday only on Peacock. Listen to the complete conversations with Michael Jonathan Smith and Anthony Carrigan below:
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Entertainment journalist, podcaster, and host of The Discourse and Bingeworthy podcasts, with bylines at Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and IndieWire.
