The Lazarus Project season two: On the red carpet with Paapa Essiedu, Joe Barton and fellow stars

BAFTA-winning The Lazarus Project is back – and the stakes are higher than ever. Joe Barton has form on creating high-calibre, stylish shows that are at once intense and absorbing, playful and funny, the excellent Giri/Haji being a case in point. The Lazarus Project is no exception, but this is the first time he’s had the chance to revisit a show and its characters with a second season. And he’s far from squandered the opportunity.

So where do we land for round two? Lazarus agent George (the ever-brilliant Paapa Essiedu) is in hot water for choosing his partner over the greater good, but has bigger fish to fry as the world is locked in an infinite three-week time loop that can only end in the planet’s extinction unless he and his team can find a way out. With its sci-fi premise pulling on threads from the time-travel and time loop canons, from Back to the Future to Groundhog Day, the show makes manifest the modern condition of wanting to assert control over a world we increasingly feel helpless in, while also exploring ideas of the greater good versus personal choice and who should be able to hold a position of authority or righteousness over others. Are there always clear villains and do-gooders? Is there a difference between a freedom fighter and a terrorist, or is it only subjective?

The Upcoming hit the red carpet at the show’s premiere at BFI Southbank to chat with the cast and director. Essiedu gave us a glimpse of what fans can expect from the forthcoming season, what he thinks this appeal is of the series and why Barton is such a skilled director. We also discussed his meteoric rise and plethora of exciting projects, from I May Destroy You to Black Mirror to The Effect at the National Theatre.

Barton shared the roots of the project, how it felt to have a second season of a show to delve further into the world and characters he created and why it is he thinks creatives and audiences return to the concept of time travel again and again.

Charly Clive spoke about playing George’s girlfriend Sarah, how she relates to her and the highlights from shooting season two of the show.

TV veteran Caroline Quentin shared the appeal of jumping on board with the sci-fi series, where we find her character Wes at the start of the new instalment and the fun she had sharing the set with her fellow cast.

Rudi Dharmalingam stopped to chat about his character of Shiv, what he thinks stands out about Barton as a showrunner and his love of all things sc-fi.

Sarah Bradbury

The Lazarus Project season two is released on Sky on 15^th November 2023.

Watch the trailer for The Lazarus Project season two here: