SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains spoilers for Accused Season 1, Episode 12, “Morgan’s Story.”
Accused served up its most nail-biting ending in “Morgan’s Story.” The FOX drama was seemingly going to end well when Morgan Knight (played by Meaghan Rath) was able to escape false charges—but then her conniving ex-husband Jason (portrayed by Christopher Gorham) walked free without any kind of punishment for nearly getting her thrown in prison. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the end of the episode implied Jason was about to abduct his and Morgan’s son Ari. The show has delivered some difficult conclusions, but this one was thriller-level frustrating.
I spoke with both Meaghan and Christopher to get their reactions to the ending of their Accused episode and discuss whether or not they’d be interested in reprising their roles if “Morgan’s Story” did get a follow-up in the show’s second season. (Accused has already been renewed for Season 2, but there’s no confirmation that any of the episodes will connect back to Season 1). Check out what they had to say below, including a big surprise: that was not the original ending.
“Originally, that ending wasn’t in it,” Meaghan revealed. “In the original one, I’m pretty sure he goes to jail. And then they did a rewrite, and they were like we’ve got something fun…I was definitely surprised. It just seems like they’re setting up something for, if there was a Part 2, this is how it begins. If there was a next episode, it would be some sort of kidnapping situation.”
In discussing how Jason got to that moment in the park, Christopher pointed out that there’s a lot more going on with his character than just the story arc audiences see in the episode. “I don’t know what things were really like for him as a kid, what his examples were, but what I can glean is whatever they were, those lessons sunk in,” he explained. “[Jason] learned a lot as a kid; he just learned the wrong things. As far as being a happy, kind, loving person, he learned that that’s weakness. He learned that the key is to be powerful, and so everything he does is about power and winning at all costs.
“And so at the end he learns a lesson, but he hasn’t hit rock bottom. He hasn’t changed by the end of it,” he concludes. “I think he’s changed tactics. I think he’s changing strategy. But is he a changed person? Sadly, no. He’s a miserable, miserable human being.”
Given that and just how much Jason put his entire family through—let’s not forget he also got his brother Eric (portrayed by Kyle Mac) arrested after Eric helped frame Morgan—it’s a tough storyline to revisit. But both of the stars are interested in another episode if Accused Season 2 wants to go there.
“I’d be happy to come back and do it again,” enthused Meaghan, who would have liked to explore some of what was alluded to in Morgan’s conversation with her divorce attorney. “It would have been nice to see what Morgan and Jason’s relationship was when they were happy…To give their relationship that kind of dimension not just in talk, but so the audience could actually see it. And it would have been nice to see a different color on Jason. A time that they were really in love and happy.”
“Happy to come back,” Christopher agreed, while also saying exactly what a number of Accused viewers were likely thinking. “I would hope that if they were wanting to do another story with this guy that he wouldn’t get away quite so easily. I would like to see this guy actually get what he deserves.”
If nothing else, perhaps it’ll be possible for Christopher to use his directing skills in the second season—a different kind of opportunity that he’s equally game for. “Directing is the most fun,” he told me. “It’s a big challenge on a show like this. An unusual challenge—for the crew especially, but also for the directors, because there’s there are no standing sets. Everything is location, with the exception of the courtroom, which they refigure each week. And the time period shifts. So each episode is technically shot much more like a movie than your typical TV show. Which is such a fun challenge for the directors.
“Milan Cheylov, our director, worked really well with the crew to take advantage of, we have some great locations,” he concluded. “And the costume [department] did such a great job. It’s difficult for them, because there’s no series regulars so you’re reinventing the wheel every week and a half to two weeks. It would be a really, really exciting challenge.”
Accused airs Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on FOX. “Morgan’s Story” is now streaming on Hulu.
Article content is (c)2020-2023 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram.
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