Last week I told you about our Melissa & Joey set visit and how much fun that was. Well, one of the highlights was actually sitting down with Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence to chat about the show, their careers and life in general.
Both of these stars have been well known on television since they were young – Melissa for “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” and Joey for “Blossom” – who doesn’t remember him Joey’s catchphrase “Whoa!”, right? Well, now they are “all grown up” with season 4 of Melissa & Joey set to premiere Wednesday night (1/14).
Melissa filled us in on how the show is a bit different going into the fourth season. They are cutting back on the special guests and keeping the focus on Melissa, Joey and Taylor Spreitler, who plays Lennox. Melissa said Nick Robinson (Ryder Scanlon) has been “off doing big movies”. This lends itself to smaller stories with more room for dialogue and character growth, enabling a focus on the humor and the real life.
Now that the characters of Melissa and Joey are married, we will see the change of dynamics in the relationship. She contrasts their relationship to the often seen husband/wife relationship in comedies where the wife is the one that is nagging and always rolling their eyes at the stupid things the husband does. Said Melissa, “The wife is the smart one or the one that’s keeping the family together and the husband gets to be a total fruitcake. In this one, I get to be the fruitcake – so I love that. That’s what I wanted. I was so afraid when they were getting our characters together that I’d all of a sudden have to become the strong center pole – where funny things happen around me but not to me.”
“On this show I get to be a complete lush – completely self centered – for lack of a better word, a bitch. I get to be this really flawed fun girl, and I like that even though the dynamic of the show has changed 3 times now, I still get to play that character. Every once in a while, I’m the grounded, centered one but most of the time, I still get to be that kind of crazy completely selfish girl.”
Next up was Joey Lawrence and he did a little more filling us in on Season 4. The season premiere (airing 1/14) is the honeymoon episode, but Joey filled us in that they honeymoon will be extended on Melissa and Joey with their bedroom set being home to many more scenes this season. They are pushing the envelope a bit this year and apparently there is one opening to a show that when the actors first read it they thought “there’s no way that they’re gonna’ let us do this. The writers put things in that are just so salacious – just to push the buttons of standards and practices.”
Joey filled us in on some more things that are new for this season and a big milestone for Melissa and Joey – They will be airing their 100th episode! That is a great milestone for a TV comedy. Joey is also doing some directing, which he says he loves but is tough to do while also acting in the episode. And not new, but an interesting tidbit is that Joey wrote and sings the theme song for Melissa and Joey. I had an idea that might be the case and he confirmed my suspicion.
MELISSA & JOEY returns to ABC Family on Wednesday, 1/14 at 8:00pm/8:00c.
You can find out more about the show at ABCFamily.com, follow on Twitter or on Facebook.
Avry says
Awesome opportunity to be a part of this! Looks like a great trip!
Raijean says
I love Melissa and Joey, I can’t wait to check this show out.
Elaina says
What a cool experience! I can’t look at Joey and not say WOA!
Scott says
Could you take Joey Lawrence seriously? I can’t, all I hear is “Whoa!”.
Liz Mays says
I bet they have so much fun on the set of this show. Melissa was always really funny!
candy@mommypalooza says
sounds like an amazing blogger trip! I love when celebrities surprise us with how real and down to earth they are! very refreshing.
Ellen That Chic Mom says
What a cool trip, they both seem like such nice people, I was a fan of Clarissa Explains It All!
Sara Phillips says
I LOVE ‘Melissa & Joey’! I can’t imagine what a cool experience that was!
Pennywise Cook says
I recognized a few of those blogger faces! Very cool opportunity! And nice to hear a bit about the upcoming season.
Crystal says
Ohhh, he just gets even more darling. I didn’t realize he sang the theme song. I’ll have to listen for it next time I tune in!
Wendy says
WHOA! 🙂 Sounds like so much fun- and it’s a great show!
Denise says
What a great opportunity and thank you for giving us the behind the scenes view of the show. It sounds like ABC is getting it right.
Stephanie Keeping says
Sounds like you had fun!! I love the show and it sounds like they are great people.
Kelly Hutchinson says
This sounds like such a fun opportunity to be part of. I love this show because their chemistry is so great.
Lena Burkut says
ABC family with bloggers sounds like a blast. Great interview. I didn’t realize that Melissa and Joey are married – gotta catch up on my episodes
Chrysa says
Sorry for the spoiler if you’re running behind!!