"12 Monkeys" Season 2 Set Visit

Syfy's series 12 Monkeys is coming back for a second season on April 18, after an explosive first season. The network had us as guests to visit the set and talk to the cast about upcoming episodes. The series revolves around a dystopian future where a virus almost wiped out humanity. James Cole (Aaron Stanford) is sent back in time, over and over again to learn what exactly happened and he tries his best to change the events that almost led to the fall of man.

Members of the press were given a tour of the set, which was filmed in a warehouse outside of Toronto. The upcoming season is going to visit multiple places throughout different time periods, so some of the grandiose and elegant places Aaron visits will become dilapidated and weathered in the future.

Showrunner Terry Matalas led the group through the tour, which started in the Emerson Hotel set. We were told that the clock in the center of the room is always set to 10:04 as a nod to Back to the Future. He went on to say that numerous people will be travelling through time in season two, not just Cole, so there's a bit more of a social aspect to the characters.

From there, Matalas led the group to what he called the "Time Travellers Suite." It's suite 607 in the Emerson Hotel. The time period the set was dressed for the 1944 time period. Aaron finds the hotel, in his present timeline, with the help of Jennifer Goines (Emily Hampshire), who was teased as not being completely crazy towards the end of the first season. She's able to see the changes that are made throughout time. Matalas went on to say there's a lot of Easter eggs on the set, which will appear throughout different time periods, like holes in the wall. He said he likes to set all that up early which adds another layer to the show.

Matalas went on to discuss the filming process, which can become a bit tougher when dealing with time travel and sets that appear in numerous time periods. He discussed the threat for season two, and it's something that is much bigger than the plague that killed most of humanity. Viewers will also learn more about what the Army of the 12 Monkeys wants to do with time.

The group was led to the time machine room, which was relatively dark, with most of the light focussed on the time machine itself. The chair looked rickety and could fall apart at any moment, which is a testament to the production design because it was sturdy enough for everyone to sit in, even though it was a bit tough to get in and out of.

The sets are full, complete pieces, which can be shot from any angle. In front of the time machine was a full computer console, which looks more like it came directly out of a scene from Fallout. Everything looked beaten and weathered in the bunker where it was all located.

Afterward, the cast and crew were well underway filming a scene for the second season. Members of the press were welcomed to sit down and watch a scene get filmed where Ramse (Kirk Acevedo) was packing up a duffle bag, about to head out on another mission. It was unclear where he was going and for what purpose.

Sitting back in the Emerson Hotel, Matalas returned to take questions from the press. The show will jump between 2044 and 1944 for some of the scenes. The Emerson Hotel set was currently decorated for 1944. However, the season will deal with other time periods as well, and viewers will get to experience those same settings in different eras.

Kirk Acevedo, Amanda Schull (who plays Casandra Railly), and Emily Hampshire (who plays Jennifer Goines) sat down to talk to the group. Hampshire mentions that at one point in season two, fans will be seeing a more sane Jennifer, but she can't reveal why or how that happens.

Schull said that they have "a lot of fantastic guest stars this season. We get these crazy exciting storylines with people we haven't yet had an opportunity to work with." She went on to say that her character will be "much more savvy and taking on a physical approach."

Hampshire jumped in and said she gets to have a scene with Jones this season. Hampshire's character is from present day, while Jones is from the future. She couldn't explain why or how this happens, but fans of the show could assume that Hampshire could be jumping into the future.

Next, Todd Stashwick (who plays Deacon), Aaron Stanford, and Barbara Sukowa (who plays Jones) answered questions from the group. Stanford explains that season two starts with Casandra stuck in the future and James stuck in the past. The season picks up right where season one ends.

Stashwick jumped in to say there's a lot more to his antagonistic character in season two. "You're going to get to see more aspects of this guy who was a sarcastic bastard in season one. He's still a sociopath, but a sociopath with more emotional options. We will reveal glimpses as to why he is what he is and what led him to be this."

Stanford said that there's a lot in the first episode of the new season that sets the tone for the rest of the season. There are a few big moments right off the bat. The first season was pretty dark, and that will continue through the second season, although the cast mentioned that there's more of a balancing with the dark and the light,

The overall experience was incredibly cool, as the set of 12 Monkeys is incredibly dynamic, as each smaller set had its own life and story, just from the way the rooms were set up. Season two seems to have a lot to offer, including a whole lot more time travel. Thanks for Syfy Channel for having us as guests to the set. Season two of 12 Monkeys returns to Syfy on April 18 at 9 PM.