Where does Dory go from here?
That’s the question viewers are left with after the season 4 finale ofSearch Party.
“I saw everything!”
Jon Pack/HBO Max
Did they let you keep the episode at that length?
SARAH-VIOLET BLISS:I recall we had to cut the three seconds out.
That’s what I recall.
Jon Pack/HBO Max
Actually, it’s perfect."
But then [we realized] there were three seconds we needed to cut out.
I remember there was like a mini-drama about it.
WithSearch Party, were you given runtime limits?
So they were figuring it out as they went.
No, it’s actually not.
We’re keeping it at a certain time," which I don’t even remember now.
ROGERS:It’s like 30 minutes.
Are you feeling grateful you don’t have to do that anymore and there’s just one version?
BLISS:It’s so much better.
BLISS:We need those three seconds!
You shot season 4 before everything shut down due to COVID-19 but were editing virtually during the pandemic.
What was it was like having to edit remotely?
BLISS:It was not as bad as you’d think it might be.
The weirdest part was sound, because sound does not translate very well over Zoom, especially like intricacies.
But for the edit, it wasn’t so bad.
There were some technical difficulties, but there always are.
But now that there aren’t breaks, it’s a different structure.
In a way, I kind of miss that commercial break energy.
It was always fun to leave a scene off a spooky or a thrilling moment.
But now the cliffhangers really come at the end of the episode.
That’s really the one big cliffhanger you get when you don’t have commercial breaks.
Can you shed some light on what viewers should take away from that moment?
BLISS:But yes, that is what she actually did.
I’m glad I was right.
ROGERS:Yeah, very much so.
We wanted there be some idea of white light or epiphany in season 4.
We had talked about a lot of different ways that she could experience self-actualization.
Did you seriously consider killing Dory off, or was that never on the table?
ROGERS:You would be amazed how many things were on the table for season 4.
We did consider killing Dory off.
Dory isn’t the only character who experienced a profound self-realization this season.
BLISS:I mean, I think that’s just where the story started and unfolded at this moment.
It just came to its head naturally within this literal fever pitch within the fire.
The Chantal-centric episode definitely surprised me.
ROGERS:We had a lot of different ideas.
So it all just ended up working out that way.
BLISS:You know, we’ll see.
But also every season has a cliffhanger that sets up something that would be interesting to unpack.
How did you pitch the roles to them?
BLISS:We had a conversation with Griffin Dunne over the phone about the character.
I think you’d be great," and talking about the whole idea.
But he seemed really excited and into it.
Okay, okay."
It’s just funny things that we make our actors approach.
