Giacomo Gianniotti (Grey’s Anatomy) and Vanessa Morgan (Riverdale) are back as Ellis and Max in the crime procedural series Wild Cards which returned for Season 3 on January 7 on CBC. The drama series, which also has a comedic twist, follows the unlikely duo of a cop (Gianniotti) and a clever con woman (Morgan) who are are partnered together, and each uses their unique skills to solve crimes. We were joined back on the Popternative show by Gianniotti and Morgan to discuss the new season and what audiences can expect.
Season 3 picks up one month after the Season 2 finale, with Max now working as an official police consultant and her father George (Jason Priestley, Beverly Hills, 90210) is out of jail. Her world is immediately upended by two arrivals: First, Ellis returns to the force, cleared of all charges and ready to be her partner again. Second, the woman at Max’s door is revealed to be her long-lost mother, Vivienne (Tamara Taylor, Bones), who Max believed was dead. Vivienne’s shocking return ignites the dangerous, high-stakes events of season three and further upends Max’s already complicated relationship with Ellis. Over the course of the season, Max must navigate her complicated relationship with Vivienne while simultaneously growing closer to Ellis.
“[My character’s mother] is a very big shift in the storyline, and you get to see that dynamic and then there’s a whole other bomb that was dropped by my mom, that there’s this drug dealer, big mafia guy that’s after our whole family. So that is a big part of Max’s journey this season that I’m excited for people to see,” Morgan says.
On blending crime, drama, and comedy, Gianniotti sees the combination as one that works: “I think that’s what is probably one of my favorite parts about the show is that we keep people entertained, having a good time, witty jokes, quick banter, and we have that fun, playfulness, but there is always something kind of real and and dramatic. We have scenes between [Vanessa Morgan] and I about our journey and love for each other that keeps building and changing and shifting. I like that we’ve established that we’re a show that comfortably swings between those genres and I think it just gives a more well-rounded show in a season for an audience member.”
Watch the full conversation with Vanessa Morgan and Giacomo Gianniotti below.
A new episode of Wild Cards airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBC and CBC Gem in Canada and on The CW in the US.
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