The new "Pitch Perfect" spin-off series finally sees Bumper Allen, the movie franchise's antagonist played by Adam Devine, become "a contributing member of society," in Devine's own words.
Peacock's "Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin" follows the iconic "Pitch Perfect" character almost a decade after we last saw him with the Treblemakers. This time, he moves to Germany in an attempt to launch his music career under the guidance of a familiar face: Pieter Krämer, another old villain played by Flula Borg.
The six-episode series is set to air on Peacock on Nov. 23. Peacock is owned by TODAY's parent company, NBC Universal.
"I wanted to make sure in making a spin-off of the 'Pitch Perfect' movies that this world felt recognizable enough so that OG fans wouldn't feel like we had completely exploded the universe," showrunner Megan Amram tells TODAY.com. "But it was also really fun to create this new cast of characters and just see Bumper off on his own adventure."
Amram, alongside producer Elizabeth Banks, says the team created the new series in part because of their love for a cappella, but also to extend Bumper's storyline without taking any of the "obvious routes a sequel would go."
"We thought that Bumper would be the perfect character to learn more about, to try to humanize to the point that you're rooting for him and populate the world with other sweet yet silly characters," Amram says.
Bumper's journey in Germany is not taken alone. With the help of Krämer, his manager, and his assistant Heidi (Sarah Hyland), Bumper faces off against his rival Gisela (Jameela Jamil).
"My favorite part (of reprising the role) was showing the growth of Bumper from being this talented psychopath in the first movie, to in the second movie, you see a little crack in his façade and you're like, 'Oh, is there a sweet guy underneath?'" Devine tells TODAY.com.
"This series is seven years after you saw (Bumper) the last time. Everyone else has kind of moved on, and he really hasn't. It's nice to then show his progression," Devine contines.
For Borg, returning to the series was "a delicious gift." Borg previously starred in the "Pitch Perfect" movie series as a member of Das Sound Machine, the German a cappella group that becomes the Barden Bellas' rival.
"I felt like I found a strawberry shortcake on the street," Borg tells TODAY.com. "The show is great because you have more time ... we can expand on these characters, learn more about them, kind of sit and enjoy these things instead of going too quickly and rushing."
For newcomer Jameela Jamil, becoming part of the "beloved franchise" was daunting — but working with Amram made her feel at home.
Jamil tells TODAY.com she had freedom to develop her character Gisela, who she called "possibly the most ridiculous character on television in recent memory."
When asked to name her favorite part Gisela, Jamil's response was swift: Her confidence.
"It's inspiring, frankly, to see a brown woman with that much delusional self-confidence and that hyper-inflated ego. It makes me laugh, and I loved playing her," Jamil says.
Playing Gisela was also a foray into the villain world, something Jamil says she had been long wanting to do.
"One of my big draws of playing villains is that we need to see more women as villains, seeing as we get villainized in society anyway, and we need more brown people who are the bad guy without being members of the Taliban," Jamil says. "It's partially about representation and partially about the fact that it's really fun to play a glamorous nightmare in a corset."
Hyland, also a newcomer to the "Pitch Perfect" universe, plays the optimistic and excited assistant to Krämer with a blossoming secret singer-songwriter career.
"I really relate to Heidi in a lot of ways. I put a lot of pressure on myself for perfectionism. It was a bit cathartic to be able to play Heidi and release fears," Hyland tells TODAY.com. "To be part of the "Pitch Perfect" world is just a dream."
The new series was also an opportunity for Hyland and Devine to reunite after their time co-starring in “Modern Family.” Working with Devine again was “a lot of fun,” Hyland says, adding that “he’s a weirdo.”
Ultimately, the cast members say they hope this series can be a holiday treat for viewers.
"I hope that it gives them something to watch with their families on Thanksgiving so that they don't spend the day fighting about bloody politics," Jamil says. "I hope it's something that everyone can just escape into during the holidays."
"We will be the television version of sweet potato casserole — that's our goal," Borg adds.
