Schools Spirits Season 2 Nearly Had A Different Ending For Janet, Showrunner Explains Why Her Fate Was Changed
SchoolSpirits showrunner Oliver Goldstick breaks down how Janet (Jess Gabor) almost had a different season 2 fate. The Paramount+ series adapted from Megan Trinrud, Nate Trinrud, and Maria Nguyen's graphic novel follows a recently deceased girl who sets out to solve the mystery of her death while adjusting to the afterlife. Janet made her full debut in season 2, being a young aspiring scientist from a sheltered background who passed in a chemistry lab fire in the 1950s.
In an interview with Us Magazine, Goldstick looked back on the season and its developments, both on-screen and off-screen. According to the showrunner, Janet was envisioned to be among the spirits who would pass on, as it felt like the natural conclusion of her story arc. However, Gabor left such a strong impression on the production, and her performance made them realize the true potential of the character. Thus, the writers' room adjusted her fate, with Goldstick emphasizing the importance of being flexible with plans. Check out Goldstick's response below:
[With] the Janet of it all, we thought Janet was crossing over, we just felt that was going to be satisfying, it was inevitable. She deserved it. But we didn’t expect to love this actor [Jess Gabor] so much. It also felt like this person came into her own and could help the other ghosts. So we decided to not let her crossover. We thought maybe we need her in our world a little longer...
That’s what a writer’s room is about and you have to see how things evolve and they do, they reveal themselves when you start shooting, too.
What Janet's New Ending Means For Her School Spirits Journey
Janet Can Prove Herself The Better Spirit
Janet has one of the more complicated arcs, given her ambiguously antagonistic nature towards Maddie (Peyton List) and her friends. She is responsible for Maddie's memory loss and disappearance, thanks to possessing her body. However, season 2 soon made it clear that this was in hopes of escaping her own abusers in the afterlife rather than any true ill intentions toward Maddie. When given a second chance to walk among the living, Janet uses the situation to explore her traumatic past and the opportunity she missed before learning the error of her ways and trying to make amends.
10 Great Movies To Watch If You Love School Spirits
School Spirits is a compelling teen drama with ghosts and a shocking murder mystery, and those who enjoyed it should check out these similar films.
Janet may have played a part in the main group's misery, but season 2 allowed her to come clean about her involvement and reveal the sacrifices she had made. After Janet suffered a tragic end, she had been an antagonist out of desperation. As such, her staying behind not only allows her the opportunity to hunt for the truth, but it also gives her another chance to be better. With Mr. Martin's (Josh Zuckerman) true nature now revealed, her atonement could see her rise and become a better mentor, given her knowledge and status as the group's oldest ghost.
Our Thoughts On Goldstick's School Spirits Janet Rewrite
Janet Can Finally Escape The Limitations She's Always Faced
After an ominous introduction in season 1, Janet's journey fleshed out her character to great depths, showing her as a tragic figure in both life and death. Having to exist under the pressures of men like her father in life and Martin in death, her staying behind can allow her to find new meaning while helping the group uncover the mysteries of Split River. While no SchoolSpirits season 3 renewal has been issued, Goldstick's response hints that Janet could have a major role going forward.
Source: Us Magazine
School Spirits
- Release Date
- March 9, 2023
- Writers
- Nate Trinrud, Megan Trinrud, Oliver Goldstick
Cast
Kristian Flores
Milo Manheim
Your comment has not been saved