Sam Witwer, Sam Huntington, and Meaghan Rath talked Season 2 with us at the Syfy Tour this morning. After a great introduction from Mark Stern from Syfy, where he announced that the show returns January 16, 2012 at 9/8c, the cast joined him on stage for a great preview clip.

They promise that it’s going to be a very dark Season. Huntington says that they kind of all go off on their own independent paths that are all obviously interlaced with one another. They talk about how the characters has a tremendous amount of growth in Season 1. This season is about “letting the temptation in,” trying to keep others from the temptation.

Season 2, Sally (one month after we left off) is dealing with the consequences of missing her door. She explores more of the rules of the afterlife, and discovering new things that she can do and discovering new powers. Dangerous, addictive, and painful for people around her. We’ll be eeting a lot of new characters.

Dichen Lachman is featured this season as a very old vampire. Over 700 years old. Kyle Schmidt is a great addition as Henry.

Aidan is dealing with identity issues. They spend time going back to the 30s, discover a time whe vampires weren’t taking day jobs, and hiding. Going back to 1918 and learning more about the past. We discover Aidan at the height of his influence and power; learn why vampires all hide. We’ll get a strong sense of who Aidan was.

Plus there’s sex. Old loves returning. A romance from Josh’s past comes back in an unexpected way. Nora is still a huge part of Josh’s life. Huntington says that it gets very, very complicated when the romance from his past comes back. His need and his want in life is the thing that he finds most difficult to achieve, and hurting other people is his biggest fear. He’s a lover, so it’s really, really difficult for him.

Aidan’s old love interest is Dichen Lachman. He was a different person when they were together. What does that mean, where does he go, and is this even what he wants anymore? He gets caught up in all of these identity issues.

Meaghan says that for Sally, it’s about trying to find a purpose. Her goal in life was to have an affect on people, and feel like she’s contributing to the world. Her longings in death are the same. She wants to feel special, and important, and unique. She falls for someone who is living, and will do whatever it takes to be with him. Sam/Sam comment that Meaghan’s story is incredible.

Witwer says that it’s wonderful because you think that you’ve seen it before but it goes a whole other direction.

As for Bishop – we might see him again. Witwer says that you never know when he might show up; Mark Pellegrino is tremendous. Huntington is super excited for what they’ve done, so awesome.

Audience questions:

How important is it to explore the origins, not the characters, but the creatures. Will we ever seen the origin of the vampires, or the first werewolf, or the first ghost?
Says Witwer, in the vampire story, they do go into those direections. It gets a little out there. With this show, the gimme is just having people deal with humanity, but we do attempt to go off into the old school vampire origin. Huntington thinks the show plays best when it’s grounded in reality. Favorite stuff is them being together with their afflictions.

What’s the most memorable moment filming the show?
Says Witwer – These guys are the reason I come to work. Huntington says Witwer would sleep 24 hours a day if he could. Meaghan says that her favorite moment was Episode 2 of the first season, where Sally is flying down the stairs – it was a moment with the cast and crew. The boys joke that it didn’t play well. Aside from working together, Witwer says that having Mark back this year, he felt like it was some of his best stuff this year. Doing some really cool stuff, different from those two characters that we’ve seen before. Mark is so good that there is very little that he has to say to Witwer as an actor. Huntington says that he had a moment this year with Nora that is in maybe Episode 3. Can’t talk too much about it – very, very emotional, hits home with him. There is one scene in particular that he thinks will be a very difficult scene to watch, especially people who go through what they’ve gone through.

How much of the effects are makeup and digital?
For Meaghan, anything with flying or levitation, so they make a body cast. The boys immediately make fun of her body cast. Eyes and fangs are worn. It’s 50/50. Half practical, and the practical side of it, enables you to fill in the blanks with CG. The CG will make his eyes snap back, but from there, he’s wearing the contacts. Fight scene near a 30 foot drop, not ledge. Sammy’s stuff is a lot of practical makeup effects. It’s in stages, so between there is computer generated stuff that fills in the blanks!