It was also a return-to-work day for the 11-member writing team (and support staff) of the firefighter drama on the day the first writers rooms reopened after the five-month WGA strike. It is led by showrunner/executive producer Tia Napolitano as well as executive producers Joan Rater and Tony Phelan who co-created the series with star/executive producer Max Thieriot.

As they all gathered around the table in their new writers room for the first time just after lunch, the group shared their thoughts about the strike and starting work on the new season after a very long break and amid ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, teasing a bit what to expect in Season 2.

 

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While there are some nerves –“I think that we’re all a little bit like, can we still do this?,” Rater said — the long break also has its upside. (Without the work stoppage, the room would’ve reopened in May-June.)

“We’re all pretty rested,” she said. “And we’ve all read books, had life experiences.”

Said Napolitano, “I feel energized, and honestly, Season 2 is not a continuation of Season 1. It’s the next chapter, and I think, having had a rest from Season 1, we feel like we’re ready to come back even stronger and shock everybody from the second the episodes start to air when we’re finally out there.”

Life experiences during the strike

Co-executive producer Natalia Fernandez spent most of her picketing hours with a paperback book in hand, walking and reading.

“I also play piano now, and I started a veggie garden. I went to Italy and traveled a little bit everywhere,” she said, adding, “I have little kids; they were off for the summer.”

Co-executive producer David Gould’s dad passed away during the strike.

“In its own way, I was grateful to have that time to be there with my dad and also to process this loss,” he said.