Season 3 of School Spirits debuted with a three-episode premiere. If you’ve watched it or read the reports, you know that the icon herself, Jennifer Tilly, made her debut during the season premiere. I was lucky enough to speak with her and actor Josh Zuckerman (who plays Mr. Martin) about their roles in this season.
Tilly joins the cast as the newest character, Dr. Deborah Hunter-Price, who quickly throws off everything you knew about School Spirits.
“When I read the character, I thought, ‘There’s something very sinister about Dr. Deborah Hunter-Price.’ She's not just your run-of-the-mill b***h. There’s something really off about her. As the show progresses, you’ll start to see that she’s very greedy and narcissistic, and she’s a terrible mother. She (Dr. Deborah Hunter-Price) also has dark energy, which attracts dark energy. So there are creepy, terrifying things that happen with her character further down the road.”
Then there is Josh Zuckerman’s character, Mr. Martin, who is quite complex. Yes, he has intentionally hurt people, but you can tell there’s more to him than his violent ending. While Zuckerman was unable to reveal whether a redemption arc is in his character's future, he gave an answer to keep fans invested in the character.
“I think that could be in the cards. He’s in such a vulnerable space at the end of season 2. And he started season 3 just as desperate, and feeling kind of naked. He confessed to the kids to having essentially killed Janet. And season 3 starts with a banger of a confession, which has more implications for more of the students in a big way.”
“I think it’s about time for redemption," he continued. "Whether everyone will take him into the fold and believe him, trust him again, or have any compassion for him, that’s really up to the kids. They’re pretty good kids, so I think it’s a good shot."
"He's given a chance to start anew with all of them, now that he's hit rock bottom."Josh Zuckerman about Mr. Martin
As for what the fans can look forward to in season 3 of School Spirits? There is a lot to look forward to as the season progresses.
“Well, there really are supernatural horror film elements to this season. There are some amazing apocalyptic scenes. I’m looking forward to people seeing what happens to Dr. Hunter-Price and what she does further down the road, but I can’t do any spoilers. But I have to say, she’s a delightfully nasty person to play. This season is so unexpected and so strange and so surreal that I think they (the fans) will lose their minds when they see it," Tilly teased.
Added Zuckerman, “We’re really excited for people to have answers to questions, to have more questions, to see some of these sets. The mystery and the mythology get more and more fascinating, and not in a haphazard way. In an intentional way. It’s tied into everyone’s emotional journey, including Dr. Hunter-Price's whole experience. The antagonistic force that she brings to the show makes everything so much more razor’s edge of your seat of an experience for the viewer.”
The first three episodes of School Spirits, season 3, are now available on Paramount+. New episodes are released on Wednesday at 12 a.m. EST.