LOS ANGELES _ The second season of the Hulu streaming series "The Path" will be available for viewing Wednesday. The production follows a family struggling with relationships, faith and power while at the center of a controversial cult movement known and Meyerism.
Jessica Goldberg, "The Path" executive producer, is excited to have a second season because it gives the cast and crew a chance to go deeper in their examination of religion.
"I'm very excited that the show's coming out in this new sort of American time. I think it will be really interesting how we look to faith in this change in American life. So it was an opportunity to deepen, broaden, get more into the religion, more into the characters," Goldberg says.
Either as a refresher for those who saw the first season or to help get caught up for those who missed it, here's some background on the series:
Is it worth watching?: This is an intriguing series that balances a deep examination of personal and spiritual relationships. What makes the program work are the performances by Aaron Paul (best known for his work on "Breaking Bad") and Michelle Monaghan (currently starring in "Patriots Day") as a married couple pushed apart by their differing views on the movement.
Although focused on a cult, the series asks questions about devotion _ both with family and spiritually _ that works on a broader level.
Cast includes: Paul, Hugh Dancy, Monaghan, Rockmond Dunbar, Emma Greenwell.
What attracted Paul to the role: "I've always been fascinated with just religion in general. There's just so many different beliefs out there, and it just kind of creates answers to heavy questions. I think it provides hope, guidance, which I think a lot of people need."
Dancy talks about portraying a cult leader: "I thought about charisma before we started shooting the first season, and I kind of thought about it in terms of people have to be compelling. And I think to be compelling, actually you have to have humor, is one thing that occurred to me, and surprising timing. It's not unlike being interesting on stage, actually, which I've thought about a lot. And I think that's what I think of as charisma. What it stems from is real drive, inner conviction that picks people up and carries it along in your wake."
Monaghan on why the series connects with viewers: "I think religion and faith, having a strong belief system, is very universal. I think generally, most people have a natural impulse to want to worship something or to be a part of a like minded community. The show's fictional, but I think what Jessica does so beautifully is it makes all of these characters very relatable in terms of what they're struggling with personally and also in what they're struggling with within their faith."
