Get ready for an exciting twist as we dive into the world of Hijack, a gripping series starring the legendary Idris Elba. In this article, we'll uncover the secrets behind the show's evolution from planes to trains, offering a fresh perspective on the second season's intriguing premise.
Unveiling the Hijack Evolution: From Skies to Subways
Back in 2023, Apple TV introduced us to Hijack, a series that captivated audiences with its intense storyline and the charismatic presence of Idris Elba as Sam Nelson. Now, two and a half years later, we find ourselves eagerly anticipating Hijack Season 2, where the action takes an unexpected turn from the skies of Dubai to the underground subway system of Germany.
While the return of Idris Elba is always a treat, the decision to bring back Hijack for a second season raises intriguing questions. After all, Sam Nelson isn't your typical action hero; he's a skilled negotiator, a businessman, and a family man caught in the crosshairs of fate. So, why did the creators choose to revisit his story, and how did they manage to transport the intense action from the skies to the depths of the German U-Bahn?
The Creative Journey: Crafting a Second Season
Jim Field Smith, the series co-creator, executive producer, and lead director for Season 2, shared his insights with IGN. He described the first season as a "puzzle box" that trapped Sam Nelson, forcing him to navigate his way out and back to his family. The real-time format, where each hour of the show mirrored an hour of flight time, presented a unique challenge. "Sam only moves a few inches as a character," Smith explained, highlighting the limitations of character development within a seven-hour flight.
The pseudo-real-time format also left several questions unanswered, such as the hijackers' motivations and the relationships between key characters. Smith saw an opportunity to explore these unanswered questions and delve deeper into Sam's character in a second season. "You've got the shorthand with the character," he said, "you know this guy, and now we're going to put him in a new environment with fresh motivations."
Exploring New Horizons: Hijack's Second Act
But with concept-driven action thrillers, there's always a risk of falling into a formulaic trap. Smith was well aware of this challenge, having seen both successful and disappointing sequels. So, he set out to create a second season that felt like a "yin and yang" partner piece to the first.
"Why is this happening?" Smith asked himself. He wanted to flip the script, to make Sam the instigator of events in Season 2, rather than a reactive character. This decision led to some major twists and turns, which we won't spoil here, but it also presented a simpler challenge: finding the diametric opposite of a plane.
And so, we find Sam on a U-Bahn, the Berlin subway train, two years after the plane hijack. He's on a path of "revenge and justice," and his journey takes an unexpected turn as he becomes entangled in a new hijacking situation.
One of the initial challenges with this change of scenery was the lack of hiding places. Unlike the first season, where the action moved through different sections of the plane, the subway offered a more confined environment. Smith described it as a "locked-door prison," a stark contrast to the transient nature of an airplane.
Another significant difference was the freedom of movement for Sam. In Season 2, he's able to move around more freely, unlike being locked in his seat on the plane. This change in environment presented unique storytelling opportunities, especially with the passengers not knowing they were hijacked until episode four.
The Technical Challenge: Building a Realistic Subway
Season 2 presented a technical challenge on par with, if not surpassing, the first season. Smith, a director known for his attention to detail, wanted to accurately represent the U-Bahn, down to replicating its exact dimensions.
Most of the second season was filmed on a set in London over nine months, but they also planned to shoot in a real U-Bahn station, which required an incredibly realistic set. Smith recalled that once the plane reached 35,000 feet in Season 1, it wasn't doing anything unusual, and the sky outside provided a relatively contained environment. In contrast, a subway has windows all around, offering a constant view of the passing environment.
To overcome this challenge, the production team built a train surrounded by LED walls to simulate the subway tunnels and platforms. They even created a train that could move like a real subway train, ensuring the actors didn't have to pretend to wobble.
One of the trains built, the "interior train," was on a hydraulic rig with two separate carriages. The U-Bahn in the show was supposed to have four carriages, but since the second and third weren't visible, they only needed to build two cars. Smith explained that this not only allowed for more accurate performances but also served a dramatic purpose in the final episode.
The second train was built for both interior and exterior shots and was designed as a "real working train." Shooting in a real station with real trains was logistically challenging, and Smith wanted to avoid the headaches that came with it.
The production team's dedication to authenticity paid off. When they filmed the opening scene at Berlin's Hauptbahnhof station, the Berlin-based crew was fooled by the footage, thinking it was shot on location rather than on the London set. "I knew we were onto something when the real-life Berliners were fooled," Smith said.
The Control Center: A Retro-Inspired Set
The U-Bahn control center, where the Berlin police tracked the hijacked train, featured a retro-inspired set with an enormous board of blinking lights. Smith found the real-life control room, filled with digital screens, uninspiring and not visually compelling. So, he drew inspiration from a visit to a train station in Berlin, where he discovered the old system still in use behind the scenes.
In a "mothballed room" in the station, Smith saw a control panel with lights twinkling under a plastic sheet. It was a lightbulb moment, and he expanded on this imagery in the season's visuals. The retro-control panel offered a physical representation of the train's location on the network, and the analog machine's humming and clicking added to the atmosphere.
The Color Palette: Reflecting Sam's Mental State
The color palette shift from Season 1 to Season 2 was intentional, reflecting Sam's mental state and the show's thematic elements. Season 1, set on a luxury airline, was bright and light, while Season 2, set in the underground Berlin subway, infused more greens, browns, and grays.
"I'm using the visual imagery and color palette to reflect Sam's mental state in Season 2," Smith explained. "He's trapped in a literal and metaphorical maze, trying to find his way out, to get to the light and the truth."
The Future of Hijack: Where to Next?
With Season 1 set on a plane and Season 2 on a train, fans might wonder if Season 3 will follow John Candy's lead and take Sam on an automobile adventure. Smith laughed, saying, "Anything is possible."
"Would Sam ever get on any other method of transport? I don't know. I think he might just take an E-bike, but I don't think that makes for a very good season."
Smith believes there's more life for Sam Nelson, and he's excited to see Idris Elba's portrayal of the character and the challenges they can put him through. Whether it's a car, a bus, or a speedboat, the team is confident they'll find a way to put Sam through hell once again.
Hijack Season 2 premieres on Apple TV on January 14, and we can't wait to see what twists and turns await us in this thrilling new season.
