Going into Baskets it was like, okay, Zach–to me–is a really great comedic and dramatic actor and I want to build a show around showcasing him and everything that he can do. His manifesto for a show was like, let’s make it emotionally realistic and track, so then people are making choices based on real things, and making good or bad decisions based on real emotions. Then he says, “I can make it funny” on top of all of that. We all need to be in a comedy logic universe where super crazy, funny, wacky things are happening but at a certain point you get fatigue. Especially in a TV show. The main thing is whether I like these characters and want to see what they’re doing every week, and if I care about them in some way. I think you’ll see as the season progresses, it starts kind of different and very dramatic. I think that gave me a taste of drama. With comedy I’ve always had a pretty good sense of what I like and how to execute it well, but drama has its own rules.

DEN OF GEEK: It’s harder to tell when it’s working, sure. There was a brief moment during last season of Portlandia where you were away doing Baskets and Daniel Gray Longino and Steve Buscemi stepped in for directing duties. What was that like, watching someone else’s take on the material?

JONATHAN KRISEL: Well I think I was away doing Man Seeking Woman actually, but both of them have been around the show for a long time and know what I like, and the sensibility of it. So it wasn’t like I was bringing in Jay Roach or something–someone totally different. But it was still strange to watch, and as a writer on this show–some of these writers will just write something and then they’re done. And then I take it and I direct it, and edit it, and then they see it at the end. So I got to have that experience for the first time of being just the writer. It was a strange relationship to look and be like, “Oh, that’s how that video was executed.” I mean I’m involved with the casting and all the big decisions beforehand, but it is strange. It is strange. I really enjoyed it though and I think they both did a great job. I was really, really happy with the results. So this season has even more different people on it. Bill Benz who also comes from editing Portlandia and directing Kroll. I only did five episodes this year.

DEN OF GEEK: Is there any particular sketch from Portlandia this season that you’re particularly excited about? Or are there any set pieces from any of the shows that you’re working on that you’re really excited for people to finally get to see?