Spooky French drama The Returned is back for a second series - but why has it taken over 2 years for new episodes to reach our screens?
In fact, there's been a 3-year gap since the first series aired in its naive France - but creator Fabrice Gobert told press including Digital Spy that the French television industry is simply not equipped to work at a faster pace.
"It's a problem in France. and we have to solve it," he said. "As a spectator, when I love a series, I expect it to have 10 episodes every year. I would be very frustrated if Game of Thrones stopped for three years.
"So we know that we have to improve that in France, everybody knows that, but it's difficult to imagine a system where we have to make 10 episodes every year.
"In France, you have to write every script before shooting. So you can't make 10 episodes every year because you have six months of writing - if you're very fast - then six months of shooting and three or four months of post-production."
However, Gobert - who serves as writer / director on The Returned - also admitted that part of the delay was down to inexperience on his and his writing team's part.
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"The authors for season one and season two, we were all beginners," he conceded. "That was our first series. Maybe in 10 years, we can make better series, [and] faster, I hope."
Discussions with producers and broadcaster Canal+ further held up production, he explained: "You always have to be sure that everybody agrees with the directions you take, and sometimes they have their doubts and you have to convince them."
"Fabrice managed to make a success of the first season by fighting this way," said actor Pierre Perrier, who plays Simon on the show.
"I mean, there wasn't any big fight, but he kept his position strongly even when production wasn't agreeing with him, and I think that was part of the success of the first season.
"With the experience of the first one, he managed to be even more calm during the second season, and so he was very reassuring. Like, 'Don't worry guys, if it's taking more time, it's for the sake of the series'."
Jenna Thiam, who plays Lena, confirmed that she "had a lot of talks" with Gobert during the 3-year hiatus: "He would tell me what he was thinking about season two and how he was pursuing the adventure. So I was excited to know [what would happen] but at the same time, it's not like we weren't part of the whole process."
One problem resulting from the lengthy gap is that the show's child actors - such as Swann Nambotin, who plays creepy Victor - have visibly aged between series. But Gobert insisted that he has a plan for that too.
"He changed a little bit, not that much, and we try to take it into account. You'll see!"
The Returned is back - now on More4 - from Friday (October 16) at 9pm.
Fancy a drink in The Lake Pub? The Returned's infamous tavern is real
Watch the chilling trailer for series two of The Returned:
