It’s time to reload

Work-life balance is an issue for most of us, but when you’re a criminal for hire, there is yet another element to juggle, writes

SCOTT Ryan is in a dark place, both figuratively and literally, when he answers the phone to talk season two of Mr Inbetween.

The creator and star of the hit Australian-american comedy series is in the editing room, putting the final touches on the new season just weeks before the global premiere.

“It’s been pretty stressful to be honest with you. The time pressure is unbelievable, but we’ll get there,” he tells The Guide.

“We have more episodes, that’s the big difference, and less time in regards to the writing.”

The dark and dryly funny comedy series is Ryan’s brainchild.

He created the central character, Ray Shoesmith, a criminal for hire juggling his work and personal lives, for his 2005 film Themagician. Ryan spent more than a decade trying to get a TV series off the ground – finally doing so with director Nash Edgerton.

The series was met with critical acclaim – including AACTA and Logie awards – and has found a cult following in the US where it airs on the FX Network.

“You write something and it comes out and it’s well received. Then it’s like that first album syndrome of ‘Geez, what do I do now?’ kind of thing. The thing is to stay away fromgoing ‘This is what I did in season one, so I’ll do that again’,” Ryan says.

“What I try to do is not go where people think I’m going to go. INTV there’s a formula, but I don’t really work like that. I sit down and try to come up with a bunch of good ideas.”

In season two, Ray finds himself struggling to keep his work and personal lives from imploding.

It’s a dark new chapter for the anti-hero.