Superstore: Dina And Garrett Are Not Finished Yet According To Colton Dunn
Strange things happen in big box stores on Black Friday. Superstore alluded to that fact when, during the show’s winter finale, Garrett and Dina hooked up — putting the two character’s animosity on hold, at least temporarily. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Colton Dunn said the energy between the co-workers will continue if only because those things never go away completely.
“Nothing’s ever over… People say that kind of stuff all the time.
“My favorite thing about this season has definitely been the back and forth between [them]. It’s pretty funny, and it’s definitely given us a chance to see a different side of Garrett, one that’s not so cool and collected… I don’t even know what the attraction is. I haven’t been able to figure out what it is he’s attracted to, or what Dina is. Maybe it’s the no-strings attachment of it, but even that comes with strings.”
Meanwhile Lauren Ash, who plays Dina, wrote in a separate Entertainment Weekly piece that last week’s episode let her play drunk — something Ash joked she had been preparing for throughout her life.
“Now, to be clear, I am in no way an alcoholic. I prefer the term ‘alcohol enthusiast.’ I think most Canadians do.”
This week The Star reported that Ash had real-life experience working in a superstore, as she was an employee at Canada’s now-defunct chain Zellers. The future comedian was at the store for two and a half years, working her way up to cash after working in the shoe section.
During the interview with The Star, Ash guided the interviewer through the Superstore set which mimics most every big box store on the planet, including Zellers. Ash commented that the same discount brand scent lingered in the air.
“When I first walked into this place it smelled just like Zellers. It’s that smell of packing or something. It’s not bad, just really specific.”
While he didn’t comment on the smell of the Superstore set, Dunn told Entertainment Weekly he appreciated the show’s frequent shift from lighthearted to more serious topics. According to the actor, that’s typical of real life for everyone, including those laboring in the aisles of a retail establishment.
“[T]hat’s fun because that’s how the real world is. It’s never one or the other. So it’s nice to pepper in a little dark stuff every now and then just to make sure people are watching.”
Some of those diversions from light sitcom fare come from the cast’s own improvisations, says Dunn. Last summer Ash and Mark McKinney, who plays Glenn, spoke to Parade about the producers’ willingness to allow the cast members to improvise, often even letting the improv bits make it into the final cut.
During last week’s episode, while Ash was playing drunk, Dunn was getting his athlete on as the employees engaged in a game of Muffinball — a form of basketball involving a muffin wrapped in tape. The episode had the workers going through a slow day when the computer system is down and the store can only accept cash payments.
On his Instagram feed, Dunn may have given a hint as to an upcoming plot development. He posted a shot of America Ferrera, Nichole Bloom, and a child actor wearing a T-shirt that appears to say “Happy Birthday Jerusha.” Fans know Glenn’s wife is named Jerusha, but she has yet to be seen on the show.
Superstore airs Thursday nights at 8 pm on NBC.
[Featured Image by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images]
