The Solar Opposites cast and creators discuss the accidental homage to Jimmy Buffett in the Valentine’s Day special.
The Solar Opposites have done holiday specials before, and this time they are tackling Valentine’s Day in a completely unexpected, but hilarious way. This special is not a standalone, as the other have been in the past, but rather has implications that will follow throughout the series, and into Solar Opposites season 5.
When the Opposites are fed up with a special Valentine’s Day menu at a restaurant they frequent, they decide to remove all love from the world. But what fills that void? Jimmy Buffett of course! This special was written and filmed before the passing of the beloved Margaritaville singer, and ends up being an accidental homage to him.
We spoke with Solar Opposites Executive producers Mike McMahan and Josh Bycel about this, as well as the cast, Thomas Middleditch (Terry), Mary Mack (Jesse), and Sean Giambrone (Yumyulack).
Solar Opposites Cast & Creators On Jimmy Buffett Homage
Mike McMahan admits that he was so sad to see the passing of Jimmy Buffett, because he is such an icon. He goes on to talk about the actual inspiration of including Jimmy Buffett in this Solar Opposites special.
“This [episode] was inspired by, I think it was one of our writers, Joe Saunders, who answered this question I said, if you remove love from the world, what would you fill the emptiness with? What would a divorced dad or somebody going through a breakup, what would be something simple that you could fill your life with. And somebody said parrot-head culture. We were all like, that does make sense.”
Josh Bycel adds, “there’s a lot of tentacles to it. It’s not just one thing. It’s the clothes, it’s the concerts, it’s drinking, it’s the relaxing lifestyle.”
McMahan says that it comes out of left field for a Valentine’s Day special because it’s not the commercialized greeting card industry’s representation of the red hearts and all that stuff. “But that’s what makes it feel very Solar Opposites to us. If you don’t have love, you’re gonna fill it with weird stuff.”
He goes on to explain that he has friends whose dads are fully invested in that whole world. “It’s a bit of a boomer thing, I think, although I’m sure I’ll get a million people telling me I’m wrong, but the idea that parrot-head culture is just shy of being as important to people as having true love was just very funny to me.”
Thomas Middleditch claims to be a Margaritaville aficionado. “I used to live right by Universal City Walk and I always thought it was funny, but also a good time, to go to City Walk because you realize that, on the weekends at night, there’s plenty of people’s that that’s their night out.” He says he started going ironically, and then it became his night out thing to go into Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. “Just lounge and out. My version of Florida. Just living the dream.”
When Mary Mack recalls that Jimmy Buffett passed before this Solar Opposites special was written, Middleditch jokes that it was actually because of this special. To which Mary answers “Or another take is it was an accidental homage to Jimmy Buffett.” before saying she things it should be called Burgerville because she goes for the burgers.
Sean Giambrone asks if Jimmy Buffett is also the Cheeseburger In Paradise guy, which prompts Middleditch to ask him to stop rubbing it in their faces that he is so much younger than them.
See how Jimmy Buffett is honored in The Solar Opposites Valentine’s Day special by streaming it now on Hulu.
NEXT: Solar Opposites Season 4 Review: Dan Stevens Fits Right In
