Interview: Peter Capaldi and Jessica Raine Explore the Mind-Bending Ticks and Tocks of The Devil’s Hour Season 2

Prime Video’s The Devil’s Hour shocked audiences to their core when Series 1 debuted in 2022. Starring Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife) as Lucy Chambers and Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who) as Gideon Shepherd, the show bends genres and minds to deliver an enthralling mystery where Jessica keeps waking up at 3:33AM and experiencing disturbing visions. Matters take an even graver turn after her name becomes implicated in several murders. After two years away, The Devil’s Hour returns with Series 2, which is the second part of what’s meant to be a three-arc story.

Fortress of Solitude caught up with the stars of the show to find out more about their characters and what awaits fans in Series 2. In addition, Raine and Capaldi reveal what’s in store in the forthcoming episodes, while teasing what should be an epic conclusion with Series 3. The Devil’s Hour Season 2 debuts on October 18 on Prime Video.

Jessica, The Devil’s Hour Series 1 is emotionally heavy, and there are a lot of eye-opening and challenging scenes. My question is, will we ever get justice for Isaac? Seriously, Mike needs to pay after what happened in Series 1.

Jessica Raine: [Laughs]. I suppose, in a way, we see a glimpse more of Isaac in Series 2. Their relationship has evolved. And you see some more humanity with Benji [Chiver’s] character, Isaac, which you feel very happy to see. You have been waiting for it a lot. And any tiny little smile that [Isaac] gives, gives so much warmth to Lucy. So, yeah, I’m not sure [Mike] gets his comeuppance. You still see him and he does pop in with flashbacks, perhaps even more so in Series 3. But I do know Mike’s journey, and it’s quite funny. [Laughs]. In a way, he does get his comeuppance.

Peter, I’m interested in finding out more about how you view your character, Gideon. His intentions do possess somewhat of a noble quality – in a twisted way – but he also does try to play God in several instances. How do you view this character?

Peter Capaldi: I think he’s probably crazy. Because if the events of the show were real, and if you have the knowledge that the life you’re leading is one of many and it’s endless, relentless, I think that would push you over the edge. He does crazy things in a sense that he bumps people off and stuff, but we never really see him be crazy. He just really thinks he’s doing the right thing. That’s the way that he’s found to have a level of sanity – to turn this knowledge into a gift that he can prevent tragic things happening and along the way make relationships that wake people – like Lucy – up to what’s happening, so that they too can help. But I just try to do what’s written. The scripts are great, so I just try to tell that truth.

Jessica Raine: I think that moral compass that Gideon possesses is so off to anyone outside of his world, and that’s where the “push me, pull you” comes for the series. To him, like Peter said, he’s doing the right thing, but to anyone else, these things seem insane. And his persuasion of other characters to see his point of view is what makes it interesting.

In the way in which The Devil’s Hour Series 1 is shot and done, and the massive revelation in the final episode, it creates a unique narrative approach to telling this story. Now that audience knows what to expect, how did the approach change for Series 2? How do you grip the audience since they know the big twist already?

Jessica Raine: So the thrust of Series 2 is different. The thrust of Series 1 was: What the hell is going on in this world? And Series 2 offers a countdown to a horrific crime that Lucy and Gideon want to stop. So it’s almost 24-like – this countdown to this thing happening. There’s also a double helix of loops happening at the same time, so there’s DI Lucy and the original Lucy who we started with. One is unaware of the other and they almost help and hinder each other without knowing. So, that is the thrust of Series 2 that we want to stop something horrific happening.

Peter Capaldi: Yeah, like Jess said, it still has its supernatural, cosmic kind of elements, but there’s an ethereal thriller element, which we’re both heavily involved in, that drives it to its conclusion. I think the fascinating thing as well is that with Series 3, there is a conclusion. With most shows, the door’s always left open or whatnot.

Jessica Raine: Yeah, this is a three-chapter story – series 1, 2, and 3 – and we know what’s going to happen in Series 3. So, it’s really exciting to be able to play each series for the tone. So I would say, yes, Series 1 was a little bit more spectral and ghostlike. In Series 2, we have got more of a thriller aspect. In Series 3… You’ll have to wait and see. But it’s quite a unique series in that way. Tonally, it’s going to shift.

Starring Jessica Raine and Peter Capaldi, The Devil’s Hour Season 2 arrives on October 18 – on Prime Video.

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