‘Perfect Harmony’ EP Jason Winer Previews the Choir’s New Groove (VIDEO)
Exclusive
The Good Place isn’t the only forking-good time on NBC. “We have such a ball doing this show,” raves Perfect Harmony EP Jason Winer of the joyful new musical comedy set in Conley Fork, Kentucky.
Centered on Arthur Cochran (Bradley Whitford), a disgraced and dour ex-chair of Princeton’s music department, and the small-town choir he winds up mentoring after the death of his wife, Harmony is like a happy threesome between A.P. Bio, Parks & Rec, and Pitch Perfect (which also starred Harmony‘s Anna Camp).
“I think Brad has wanted to do a comedy for quite some time and he’s like living his best life doing this,” continues Winer. “And when the lead of your show is having that much fun, it kind of trickles down.”
That fun continues this week, as the Second First Church of the Cumberlands gang tunes up for the annual Fork Fest, a sort of Harvest Fest with more tractor pulls. Well, that is, until Arthur’s Yankee side nearly collides with a speeding Southerner, an event captured in the exclusive clip below:
What that simple honk triggers is a whole lot of mess for the songbirds, who nevertheless keep on crooning. “Music sort of pervades the series in different, creative ways,” offers Winer, who is also an Emmy-winning executive producer on Modern Family. “In the second episode, Fork Fest is the big yearly festival where everybody goes nuts…it’s one of the places that the choir performs and they’re going to be doing a bluegrass version of ‘Glorious’ by Macklemore which is really amazing.”
There is also a showcase for Anna Camp’s Ginny, the soon-to-be single waitress with a crippling fear of performing solo. But, Winer adds, “we find out [when she] is alone, she pretends to be Dolly Parton. That’s when she like really channels her inner diva.”
This is revealed in a lively take on Dolly’s classic “9 to 5” set to a backing composed entirely from sounds Ginny makes while cleaning up the diner. “It’s this really cool track that’s kind of built out of her imagination.”
Will Greenberg as Wayne, Tymberlee Hill as Adams Adams, Desi Dennis-Dylan as Karla (Justin Lubin/NBC)
Tunes aside, Winer is also excited for viewers to become more acquainted with the choir members as the show progresses. In upcoming episodes, he previews that “you’re going to learn all sorts of stuff and secrets about Arthur’s backstory,” including why his late wife’s dad (played by That ’70s Show‘s Kurtwood Smith) hates him so much.
He also says we’ll learn how scene stealer Tymberlee Hill‘s character, Adams Adams, became the richest woman in town. (Hint, it has something to do with an ominous rumor teased this week).
“Her character really blossoms,” promises Winer. “There’s so much good stuff for her coming. Her relationship with Ginny is really funny and we discover all kinds of things about her…she’s an expert huntress. So in one episode, we’re going to go hunting with the entire gang.”
A bunch of rural folks, a nasty city guy and guns? Sounds Perfect-ly safe to us.
Perfect Harmony, Thursdays, 8:30/7:30c, NBC
From TV Guide Magazine
How Hulu's 'Mid-Century Modern' Is a 'Golden Girls' for Our Times
Settle in for some older and bolder laughs with the BFFs of a certain age in the new comedy starring Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, and Nathan Lee Graham. Read the story now on TV Insider.
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services