Creator Austin Winsberg Dishes on Bringing ‘Zoey’ Back for an ‘Extraordinary Christmas’ [VIDEO]

Season two of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist ended on a major cliff-hanger.

The conceit of Zoey (played with endless charm by Jane Levy) is that she can experience the inner feelings, the “heart songs” of those around her in the form of bombastic musical numbers featuring massive hits.

In the closing moments of the finale, Zoey and her off-and-on love Max (Skylar Astin) are (back) together—and surprise, Max hears Zoey singing a heart song!

A few weeks later, NBC announced that Zoey wouldn’t be coming back for a third season. Heartbroken fans rallied behind the show, launching social media campaigns to save the show. Then Roku entered the picture with Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas, bringing back Zoey’s core cast for a feature-length, holiday-themed adventure. It’s Zoey’s first Christmas without her father (Peter Gallagher) and she’s fighting to keep her favorite family traditions alive. And Max is trying to figure out how to navigate his new power—hijinks ensue, and holiday songs are found in abundance alongside Zoey‘s signature storytelling that centers on empathy above all else.

As always, Zoey unapologetically wears its heart on its sleeve, this time with a little extra dose of Christmas magic.

Here, Zoey creator Austin Winsberg discusses making a movie-length version of his show, incorporating would-be season three storylines, and how Zoey’s themes reverberate through his life and upcoming work.