[Warning: Major spoilers ahead from Wednesday's episode and beyond.]
"This week is the calm before the storm," The Tomorrow People star Robbie Amell tells The Hollywood Reporter.
After the surprising hook-up between Amell's Stephen and Peyton List's Cara at the tail-end of last week's hour, how is that possible? With the sure-to-be-dramatic confrontation between Stephen and Luke Mitchell's John looming, The Tomorrow People is kicking things up several notches as it dives into an even more dangerous world. (On Tuesday, THR exclusively debuted a scene with Stephen and John having an awkward conversation.)
VIDEO: 'Tomorrow People': Stephen and John Have an 'Intense' Conversation
"Stuff gets really dark really fast," Amell hints. "By the end, we are moving full-steam ahead in the overarching plotline about finding Stephen's dad and the refuge." In a THR chat, the actor previews Wednesday's episode "Limbo," what viewers can expect for the rest of the season and repercussions for Stephen's questionable decisions.
We have a lot to talk about, especially after last week's episode. Since you and your castmates are active on Twitter, what have been your favorite reactions to key developments thus far on the series?
There were two of them. Episode three, when Stephen injects Cara in the neck and people think she lost her powers, I can't even tell you the things people said because you wouldn't be able to write them down. All of them were like "What the f--- just happened?!" "Stephen, what the f--- were you thinking!" Everybody was so aggressively mad, it was awesome. Like a hundred people swore at me at the same time. It was my favorite reaction up until the end of episode six when Cara and Stephen finally hook up -- I say finally as if it took a long time, it was only the sixth episode -- there was such a polarity of differences in opinion. Half the people were so excited about it: "Yay Cara and Stephen! I've been waiting for this! This is the best! Oh my god, oh my god!" Then half of them were like "John's going to beat the shit out of you. What are you doing behind John's back? Nuh uh, you just broke the bro code." (Laughs.)
Give us an idea as to where Stephen's mindset is at the beginning of the episode.
He's still reeling from the loss of Darcy (Meta Golding) -- watching her get gunned down right in front of him, Cara bails on him and Stephen's in a really crappy place. He's losing all these fights. He's losing at Ultra, he's losing with the tomorrow people and he's losing at home. He goes back to Ultra and he's getting a lot of crap from a lot of agents there who think he's a liability because his partners keep dying. Stephen actually takes a step away from Ultra -- a leave of absence -- because it's getting to be too much.
STORY: 'Tomorrow People's' Aaron Yoo: 'Things Get Stupidly Crazy'
Let's talk about Stephen and Cara. Their connection obviously deepened after last week's events. What does Stephen see in her that he's not seeing or getting anywhere else in his life?
Well, you find out in episode seven very quickly that Cara puts an end to it, but there's something deeper than either of them know. Neither of them really know what it is but there's something deep between them. It starts from her being in his head; she's the first person to talk him through the problems he's going through. Honestly though we don't know what [their connection] is either. There's something deeper and we talk about it in episode seven. There's a moment where she can connect to him telepathically when she shouldn't be able to. They have a link together that can't be explained just yet. With that being said, Cara shuts Stephen down hardcore.
So you're implying that there's a reason why they have this deep connection?
There is. There is something going on between the two of them that neither of them can explain -- some sort of tomorrow person bond.
What are the repercussions of Stephen and Cara's ill-timed hookup?
You feel those repercussions immediately at the beginning of this episode.
Does the fact that John is a trained killer enter into the equation at all?
You find out that John hasn't been entirely truthful to Cara -- not just that he can kill. There's much more to it than that.
What's the likelihood that John or Russell (Aaron Yoo) find out about Stephen and Cara?
John finds out very quickly and he makes it known to Stephen that it was not OK. (Laughs.)
How would you describe their confrontation then?
Aggressive. By the end of episode eight, it seems to be something that isn't forgotten about -- but John and Cara may be stronger. The love triangle is breaking down; by the episode nine, there's almost nobody left in the triangle.
How difficult has it been for Stephen to maintain his double-agent status?
It's brutal. I was thinking about this yesterday. The stakes are so high every week and he's really putting everything on the line and he's fighting for what he believes in, but he's losing over and over again. He's really in a bad place at the end of episode seven and right when things couldn't get any worse there's a little light at the end of the tunnel and you get to see Stephen's dad -- and it's not in a flashback. It really becomes the catalyst for the next two episodes and a lot more moving forward after that.
With Stephen stepping back from Ultra, do we get a sense of who he was before all of this?
You see a more human side of Stephen and what somebody who's 18 would do if they had these powers: using them to get popular, to hook up, to show off. Astrid (Madeleine Mantock) makes a comment, "It's like an '80s movie."
How would you describe Jedikiah's boss?
I don't know what I'm allowed to tell you but he makes Jedikiah (Mark Pellegrino) look like a good guy. (Laughs.)
Stephen revealed that he can teleport to Astrid, something that John warned him not to do. Will Stephen's decision come back to bite him any time soon?
He wasn't supposed to tell anybody that! It's the superhero syndrome. She's the Lois Lane. You tell the closest person to you about your powers and your alter ego and eventually they will be used against you and they are your ultimate weakness. But at the same time, it's been like that since the beginning. Jedikiah makes these underlying threats towards Stephen's mother and brother so it's really just another person Stephen has to worry about losing and taking care of. The way the season is going and the hits Stephen's taking, I wouldn't be surprised if he really starts to fall apart by the end of the season. If you try and imagine this kind of a load on an 18-year-old; it's a lot for anybody -- let alone somebody that young who's just coming into his own without all these problems.
Lastly, what can you tease for future episodes?
Stephen dies twice before the 10th episode.
The Tomorrow People airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on The CW.
Email: Philiana.Ng@THR.com
Twitter: @insidethetube
