The season 2 finale of A Million Little Things was full of heartbreaking moments and one hell of a twist. Eddie nearly broke his sobriety and started drinking again, but a drunk man actually saved his life. He is on the phone with Katherine and telling her that he wants to renew their vows tonight when he’s hit by a car! Is Eddie dead? That’s the question we all want (and need) answered.
HollywoodLife hopped on the phone with creator DJ Nash to ask that very question about Eddie’s fate and more. We also discussed Rome and Regina’s future after Eve kept their baby, as well as the possibility of a Gary and Maggie reunion down the road. After this finale, one thing is for sure: A Million Little Things will never be the same after this. Plus, DJ reveals some of his plans for season 3 if the show gets renewed.
Okay, we have to talk about that ending and Eddie getting hit by a car. Talk me through that decision to have Eddie resist drinking, walk away from the bar… only to get hit by a car.
DJ Nash: I have loved our card flips and our whole show is built on just when you think it’s one thing, it turns out to be another because that’s what life is. Right from the pilot, you think Rome’s going to take his life and then it’s Jon. You think Eddie’s having an affair with a guitar student’s mom and it’s Delilah. By design, I wanted you to not like Katherine in the pilot, and it seems like somewhere through the middle of the first season and into the second season, we fell in love with her. So I love the idea that the world and life is never exactly what it seems. It speaks to the idea that you have to walk in someone’s shoes and you have to give someone the benefit of the doubt. In a similar way here, I was really excited about the idea. I think all the writers were excited about the idea of having Katherine and Eddie be at the best place in their marriage, to have that marriage tested with him potentially drinking, to have him pass the test, only to have him step in front of a truck. What happens to Eddie? What happens to this friend group? What happens is very much up in the air. You know what I will say? You could try to get me to say otherwise. Katherine and Theo’s lives will never be the same.
The title of the finale is “‘Til Death Do Us Part.” Is it a possibility that Eddie could die?
DJ Nash: I think there is a possibility. I’m not saying he is dead. I’m saying that the uncertainty of life has never been more present in the world than it is right now. Maybe that’s sort of what we’re capturing with our friend. One thing to say about that, though, is whatever happens to Eddie, for the sake of the David Giuntoli trust fund, Jon died in the cold open. Ron [Livingston] is still very much a part of our show. He was part of one of our best episodes of this season. David Giuntoli is very much still part of our series, regardless of what happens to Eddie. What I’m saying is he’s not available for pilots.
On another heartbreaking note, there’s Regina and Rome. Eve decides to keep the baby and it devastates both of them. Regina says to Rome, “You made me want this.” When she walks away, it feels like there’s a huge divide between them now. Can they survive this?
DJ Nash: That’s exactly the right question to ask. I have a dear friend who was supposed to adopt a baby and was in the delivery room and the mom changed her mind. I’ve also had some friends who’ve lost their children. Really, that’s what this is. It’s like the death of this child that they only held for a minute, but he was still their child. I’m 20 years married. I have an incredible marriage. I’m very fortunate that she still falls for my tricks. But if we were to lose one of our children, that would be a test that I don’t know that we would pass. It’s such a heartbreaking thing to have to endure and to overcome. The writers wanted to take a marriage that it’s the one that we want for ourselves, it’s the one that we root for, and test it and see what happens. There’s this moment at the end — the line that you’re talking about — where she says, “You made me want this.” It’s almost like it’s the first time in the series where Regina speaks without thinking about Rome’s interests. Is that just a moment or is that the new normal?
I was wondering if this would be a long stall on their journey to being parents.
DJ Nash: The Rome and Regina story is one that the writers and I laid out this plan halfway through season 1 and we know it through season 4. So the journey of what they’re going through now, what they’ve been through earlier in the season, all this stuff with PJ, and Rome’s mom needing to die to make them realize that this is what they want, all this stuff has been hopefully feeling organic because it’s just been in the water for so long. I think there were many people who said, “Oh, we wish that Regina hadn’t changed her mind about being a mom. We loved that there was a woman on TV who didn’t want to be a mom.” Now we’ll see what happens with Regina losing her baby.
Maggie professes her love for Gary at the hospital and it’s a big moment for her, but he chooses Darcy. Should fans give up hope for Gary and Maggie? Do you think that these two are done?
DJ Nash: How can we give up hope for Gary and Maggie? No way. But also, how can you say give up hope for Gary and Maggie when we see them at the airport and what he says is so beautiful: “You’re going to go figure out who you are without cancer. I couldn’t have you leave to do that without knowing that I love you. You are someone who’s loved.” I feel like what she did at the vending machine to say I love you and what he did to go to the airport was sort of putting them in the best position to find each other again.
But I also really like Darcy…
DJ Nash: Darcy’s great. Let me just tell you something. When we were coming up with Darcy, I said to the writers, “We have to write her in a way that when you go through this finale, I want the room to be split on who they want Gary to be with.”
Are you planning to have Floriana Lima and Delilah’s love interest back next season?
DJ Nash: I would love to have Floriana back because, whether or not she is with Gary, we found a way to give Katherine a friend. love her and also love her performance as Darcy. So, absolutely, we want to find a way to have her remain part of the series, maybe as Gary’s love interest if that continues. I feel like that’s where it’s going. And certainly as Katherine’s friend. As for Miles, we saw Delilah do something she didn’t do a whole lot of the first season and a half which was smile. It’s just so delightful. Parker [Young] has another series. Our guest cast is incredible. When they have had other projects, they have been so gracious to almost sometimes cut into their personal lives to be on the show. It’s the same with Betsy [Brandt], who’s a dear friend and played Colleen. If he’s available and can, I love to see his return
With Maggie going away to Oxford, could she find another love interest? She had an emotional affair with Eric, but she hasn’t had a serious relationship since Gary.
DJ Nash: It’s not clear whether she’s even slept with someone since Gary, right? So, yes, you bet. That might be a delightful way to complicate things.
Is there a plan to bring PJ back next season?
DJ Nash: Yes. I talked to the network today as I was pitching my plans for season 3, absolutely. If he’s available, it’s the same deal with some of the other guest cast. I have a storyline in mind to bring him back in. I can’t wait.