SPOILER ALERT: The following story reveals major storylines from the Season 1 finale of Fox’s Our Kind of People.
As Season 1 of Fox’s Our Kind of People comes to an end, answers have arrived regarding many of the show’s biggest mysteries. Mainly: What role did Teddy Franklin (Joe Morton) play in his former lover Eve’s downfall? It’s complicated.
In Tuesday night’s episode, “Kiss It Up To God,” Eve and Teddy’s love child Angela Vaughn (Yaya DaCosta) and her half-sister Leah Franklin Dupont (Nadine Ellis) teamed to get a confession from their father Teddy about a gun that connects them all to the events that took place at the 1984 Grand Illumination Ball that ended with Teddy’s brother Louis Franklin (B.J. Britt) dead, Leah’s mother Rose (Susan Spain) traumatized, and Eve arrested on a drug charge.
“I loved Eve, very deeply,”The finale featured Teddy. “We were going to meet at the dock that night and run away together. But before she could get there, Louis showed up and we argued about my new business dealings. While we were at each other’s throats, I didn’t notice that Rose followed me. She was manic, angry. She wanted to shoot me. She pulled the trigger and Louis jumped in front of me—his life for mine. Rose was never the same and neither was I. Ever since I’ve felt nothing but guilt and shame. I am so sorry.”
Angela was one step closer in identifying the true culprit after his confession cleared him of having planted drugs on Eve. Leah’s mother-in-law Olivia, who was best friends with Rose, admitted to Angela that she put crack in her mother’s purse as revenge for Eve’s affair with Teddy. She will need to face any possible consequences until Fox renews the series for Season 2.
Unfortunately, Teddy was not happy. Leah kicked Teddy out of her house and removed him from Franklin Holdings’ top position. Instead of ascending to the chairperson position, she named Raymond Dupont her husband (Morris Chestnut).
The future holds a new venture for Leah, who is joining Angela in building Eve’s Crown from the ground up. That is if Leah survives being shot twice in her back by a mysterious figure searching for Teddy.
Karin Gist, Series creator, talked to Deadline about Season 1 drama, where they stand regarding a renewal and why they chose to take down Leah.
DEADLINE: Karin, before we discuss the events in the finale, the fans want to know more about Season 2. What are your thoughts on the renewal of Fox?
KARIN GISTWe are sure to get Season 2. The network and the studio have been great supporters. I think they’re creatively happy with the show, so I think it’s a really good and positive sign. I have lots of great ideas for Season 2 that I’ll be pitching very soon. I’m very, very encouraged by the possibility of continuing to tell this story because I think we still have so much more to do.
DEADLINE:To find out what happens, we need Season 2! What made you decide that she would be killed?
GIST: It was a season that brought the family together. That is what I love. The Teddy of it all has cracked the family by the end of the season. So hopefully going forward, Leah’s injury will be the touchstone to bring the family back together.
DEADLINE: What can you tease about the shooter’s identity?
GIST: You know I can’t tell you about that! It’s going to be somebody completely surprising and it might be the beginnings of a new storyline.
DEADLINE: So it could be someone the audience hasn’t met yet?
GIST: Yes. There are many possibilities.
DEADLINE: Did you plan for the ending of the cliffhanger or an alternate ending, even though you didn’t know if the show would ever be renewed?
GIST: I always planned for Season 1 to be an introduction to the family and to keep it going, so I didn’t want to end the season as if I was ending the series. I wanted to be able to answer some questions raised in the pilot, such as what happened to Eve and how it affected Angela. I also wanted to add a little something for the future.
DEADLINE:How can we be sure that Teddy is telling the truth?
GIST: Although you heard the truth, there are often little twists and reveals that can be revealed. Although you heard the truth, there are layers to the truth.
DEADLINE: Angela received not one, but two proposal. Can you tell us about the difficult decision she made to choose Tyrique (Lance Gross), over Nate (McKinley Freeman),?
GIST: Each of the men in her world represent something different. Nate is almost like comfort food. He’s her past and they had a relationship that was interrupted by what happened to him. I think there’s always that love story that will never die and that love that will never die between them and then they have their daughter Nikki (Alana Kay Bright) on top of that. But with Tyrique, he’s her present and a step towards the future.
I wanted to create a love triangle in which both men represented two different paths for her. And she does make a choice at the end of the season, but I don’t think the Nate relationship is really going to die. There’s just too much unfinished business between the two of them.
DEADLINE:Boston is still possible?
GIST: No. She’s found a home in Oaks Bluff and she’s going to make a home there. Boston is in her future as far as building her business but I think she’s found a nice community and family in the Bluffs and she’s going to stick around.
DEADLINE: Olivia has really proven she’s not a person to be messed with. What do you think her future holds?
GIST: She’s so much fun to write. She’s a hoot, she’s complicated, and it’s so delicious. L. Scott did a fantastic job with this character.
What I can tease about Olivia is that she’s not going to sit back and let Angela play her or take advantage of her. Olivia is sure to have more tricks up her sleeves for Season 2.
DEADLINE: Are things about to get messier for Sloane (Ahmarie Holmes) after revealing she’s pregnant with Quincy’s (Kyle Bary) baby?
GIST: She is a messy character and she’s out to get whatever she can get. We shall see what happens with this pregnancy, which will certainly shake up Quincy’s world for sure.
DEADLINE:Aunt Piggy (Debbi) is a woman with many secrets. What could we learn about Darius Bates, Darnell Williams’s return from the dead, and his love life?
GIST: Aunt Piggy is another favorite of mine. She is based off my real aunt Piggy. I’m excited to discover more about her and Season 2! There’s so much more to learn about her and from her. She’s wise beyond her years.
Concerning her and Darius: I loved the idea that these two people, who may have made mistakes in their lives earlier, would come together from a place where they could heal and possibly fall in love. I think there’s something to that, but also, that’s Angie and Jesse from All My Children. Who doesn’t love that?
DEADLINE: Are you done with Mama Eve or can we still expect more?
GIST: I’ll never be done with Mama Eve. I think she’s one of the drivers for the Vaughn women. In terms of whether we’re telling stories about her life, I think we are done with that. I think all of our women will always go back to wanting to make the most of the chance they’ve been given because of how it was taken away from Eve. So no, I’m not done with her at all. We may have more flashbacks with her and other characters in the near future.
DEADLINE:How would Season 2 look?
GIST: If we get a second season, it’s going to be even more explosive. There will be family dramas about the sisters and how to bring the family together. I’m also excited about adding some new characters that shake up the world a bit and exploring the themes of power and access. I think that’s really relevant to what’s going on in our country, particularly through the lens of this really wealthy African American family. I’m really excited about where we could take this show and I know the audience is too.