Adam Scott, Craig Robinson discuss Fox network’s ‘Ghosted’
Given Adam Scott and Craig Robinson’s collective comedy credentials — “Party Down,” “Parks & Recreation,” “The Office,” “Knocked Up,” “Pineapple Express” and, of course, “Hot Tub Time Machine 2” — seeing their names atop the new Fox series “Ghosted” sets up some expectations for the series, which airs on Sundays.
While it capitalizes on their comedy backgrounds, “Ghosted” draws as much from the sci-fi, horror and action genres with its wormholes, secret government bureaus and the occasional headless bad guy. Scott plays a disgraced research scientist who teams with Robinson, a former LAPD detective, to battle unexpected adversaries on a show that looks to ’80s action-comedies for inspiration, a detail underlined by a synth-heavy score.
Below, the two comic actors chat about the genre-straddling nature of “Ghosted,” which Robinson tidily summarizes as “Be afraid. Be kind of afraid.”
Q: How did you come to this show?
Robinson: Tom Gormican (“That Awkward Moment”) wrote this 12-page script – it’s far removed from what it is today, but it was the basic idea. There was a character in there that’s a badass black dude, badass afro, badass car. And I was like, “I’m listening.”
Scott: Another thing that caught my attention was the idea of this being a buddy action-comedy in the vein of “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Midnight Run,” “Lethal Weapon” — movies that we all grew up with in the ’80s. That’s sort of the tone we’re going for. “Ghostbusters” of course, tone-wise, is something we aspire to.
Q: The action aspect of the show is played pretty straight — do you get a lot of freedom to riff back and forth in your dialogue for the comedy?
Scott: Yeah, we improvise a lot on the show. And that’s part of the fun. Craig’s such a great partner for improvising, he’s ready for anything.
Robinson: (To Adam) Ultimate improvisation guy. Always ready, always playful. So it is a charm of coming to work, knowing that you’re going to do something that’s not on the script and surprise each other and one-up each other.
Q: Is the show structured as episodic, or is there one long mystery?
Robinson: There’s a mythology, but definitely case-bycase, monster of the week.
Scott: It is very much an episodic structure but there is this overall thing every few episodes. There will be a dedicated (mythology) episode coming up and then hopefully all leading to something big and cool at the end of the season.
Q: The show is called “Ghosted” — does it cover the paranormal or is it more of an alien, sci-fi thing?
Adam: It’s pretty much everything.
Robinson: It could be called “Vampired.” Scott: “Were wolfed.” Robinson: We’re going to cover things outside the scientific realm, the paranormal.
Scott: There is an episode where it’s a ghost we end up having to, uh, trade wits with. And then there’s a monster that gets loose in the office, an ancient sea creature we thought was dead but ends up being activated and comes alive.
Q: Do you guys naturally gravitate toward ghost stories and mysteries, like the show is drawing from?
Scott: (Pauses.) Craig is cagey on this subject; I feel like he’s had an experience of some sort, but it’s really hard getting it out of him.
Robinson: I believe in the paranormal and that there’s other things out there. I just don’t talk about it. Q: Do you, Adam? Scott: I do not believe in anything (laughs).