Solar Opposites is one of the wildest animated shows currently airing new episodes, and that’s saying something when its peers include the likes of Rick & Morty and Smiling Friends. However, the sci-fi comedy has found a unique place for itself within the animated canon. Now entering its fifth season, the show has found ways to poke fun at pretty much every facet of average life and sci-fi genre conventions, all while also telling epic tales of shrunken societies.

During a roundtable attended by That Hashtag Show, Solar Opposites Producer Sydney Ryan, along with stars Sean Giambrone (Yumylack) and Thomas Middleditch (Terry), discuss some of the biggest surprises in the upcoming season 5, how the show approaches the Wall differently than the rest of the series, and the elements of the show that don’t make it past legal.

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Sean Giambrone & Thomas Middleditch On Season 5 Of Solar Opposites

Season 5 (as well as the confirmed season 6) look to expand the wild adventures of the titular alien family, as well as the citizens still trapped within the Wall. The new season also promises to push the characters in unexpected directions, with one of the biggest changes being Terry and Korvo’s open acceptance and acknowledgment of their romance.

Reflecting on the biggest surprises that have impacted Yumylack and Terry this season, Giambrone and Middleditch teased some of the directions they’re excited for fans to see in the upcoming season. “With Yumylack,” Giamborne explained, “there’s some stuff that he learns that really shocks him. It’s really kind of a surprising thing. I was surprised reading it. So buckle up.”

For Giambrone, one of the big draws of the character comes from his openly emotional approach. “He’s a really feeling guy. He’s still growing.” It’s different because his limits are broad. He’ll do anything, sometimes he’ll jump into the deep end of doing a bad thing. But sometimes, something will trip him unexpectedly. He’s a unique guy.”

For Middleditch, it was more surprising how the show shifted Terry’s relationship with Korvo into something more overtly romantic. “It was a surprise, because at some point we discovered that, hey, wait, these guys are in a relationship. And yes, it’s pretty romantic. I think both the writers and the fans all realize that now.

“It’s just a progression of [a romance], which is really fun. It’s fun to play with how this alien romance marriage evolves…. The thing I like about Terry is that he is so unabashedly himself. The wildest, don’t-give-a-fuck extrovert. I feel like I’m an introvert who’s figured out when to be extroverted. To see someone like that, who just doesn’t care? I love his free spirit.

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Sydney Ryan Breaks Down The Wall & What Jokes Never Make It Past Legal

Solar Opposites

Season 5 promises to expand the story of the Wall, which has been a fan-favorite element of Solar Opposites since season 1. Sydney Ryan noted how the Wall opens up a very different type of storytelling for the show. “The Wall is very much written like a drama. We boarded it like a drama, and record the actors very seriously. We even have our composer conduct an orchestra for the Wall parts of the show.

“So if you notice that it feels much bigger, it’s because all the stuff in the wall is a full orchestra recording that music. So, yeah, we do everything we can to make it feel very epic, down to post-production. They’re adding little elements, the little lights have their own little glow. Then you have all the tiny things that people are using. You’ll ask, “What are they sleeping on?” Oh, it’s a sugar packet. It’s a lot of fun.”

Reflecting on the creative process behind something as unpredictable and proudly bizarre as Solar Opposites, Ryan noted that their comedy does have to be restrained at times by a very specific kind of note. “[Hulu] doesn’t like it when we make fun of Disney,” Ryan explained. “I’ll see some of the stuff that ends up in the scripts, and I’m like, ‘that’s never getting past legal.’ But it’s really fun to read.”

Solar Opposites is now streaming on Hulu. Season 5 comes to the streaming service on August 12th.