Creating a New Religion, and the Beauty of Television, in Hulu's 'The Path'
Hulu's original series The Path focuses in on a family at the centre of a controversial religious movement known as Meyerism, in a dramatic tale of conflicting relationships, faith, and power. It sounds like deep stuff, and that's because it is.
Starring Aaron Paul and Hugh Dancy, Collider has spoken with executive producers Jessica Goldberg (also creator) and Jason Katims, who spoke about creating a whole new religion and where the story is going.
Goldberg had created a script for the show born from a rough year she'd had, Katims said. "I'm always compelled by something when it comes from a deeply personal place."
While season 2 is definitely in the cards, Hulu did say that the religious elements should be pulled back a bit, regarding how far it has developed. So the show opens with a less powerful and less capable cult than what may have been initially.
"Creating your own religion is terrifying and really fun," Goldberg said. "I took inspiration from a lot of different places. One of my friends, crazily at 40, decided to become a Jesuit priest, and that really impacted me.
"We also took from a lot of Eastern religion, and from our own modern idealism. If we could grow our own food and have sustainable resources, what would it be like to live that way? It always seems to go bad, but the fantasy of it is fun to play with."
Katims described the beauty of television as getting to "have ideas about where you want to go, but also be somewhat improvisational... it's a living organism. As a storyteller, you get to respond to not only what was in your head to begin with, but also what's inspiring ou in, as a result of what you're seeing."
Source: Collider
