The upcoming second season of Lifetime's critically acclaimed drama will center on a new season of Bachelor-like reality show-within-the-show Everlasting and its new star, an African-American football star named Darius.

"We don’t want to fall asleep at the wheel," co-creator Sarah Gertrude Shapiro told reporters Wednesday at the Television Critics Association winter press tour of the decision to take on the delicate subject.

"In an era where driving while black is dangerous, there are few more things more pressing than this conversation," Shapiro said. "We really want to keep talking about stuff that we're including passionate about."

Executive producer Carol Barbee believes UnREAL, because of its take on Hollywood, will be able to offer a new perspective on the conversation. [This show] gives us this unique opportunity to also make a statement about the media trying to make a statement about race and so that’s also what we're doing," she said. "Its really fun to watch a bunch of white woman try and school the world on race."

Although its been a challenge so far – it's one the writers have found fulfilling to take on. "The writers room has been super intensive so far but in a great way," Shapiro said. "I feel like I'm thinking about race differently than I was four weeks ago because of the conversations we've been having. They can be incredibly uncomfortable but that's what our show is about, being incredibly uncomfortable."

In addition to Everlasting's new suitor and crop of contestants, Lifetime confirmed several returning series regulars for season two. In addition to stars Shiri Appleby and Constance Zimmer, Craig Bierko will be back as Everlasting creator, and Quinn's ex, Chet, as well as field producer Jay (Jeffrey-Bowyer Chapman). Most notably, Rachel's ex-boyfriend Jeremy (Josh Kelly) will return.

Said Barbee, "He's coming back pretty angry and gunning for Rachel."

Original Article Source: The Hollywood Reporter