Mike Kaye Talks Hell and Humor in The Bondsman, She-Hulk, Disney Lorcana, and More

In a fresh twist of events, Prime Video’s latest series, The Bondsman, has been met with a blaze of criticism, but fans who have delved into it can attest to an equal dose of humor alongside the intense bounty hunting for the underworld. What makes these hilarious instances truly shine is the exceptional ensemble cast headed by Mike Kaye, portraying Tommy ‘Tater’ Dean. Recently, we at egmr.ru had a delightful conversation with Kaye, discussing The Bondsman in depth, his collaboration with Kevin Bacon, how the show defies conventions, his past experiences in Marvel and DC’s cinematic realms, and even some intriguing insights into Disney Lorcana.

Initially, let’s discuss “The Bondsman”, a story revolving around Hub Halloran (played by Bacon), who once dead, gets resurrected to work as a bounty hunter for the underworld. Contrary to expectations, it offers an equal blend of turmoil and laughter, along with layers of familial depth that might initially go unnoticed.

In a nutshell, Kaye stated that the series often misleads you into believing it’s a particular genre but then unexpectedly shifts its focus. Each episode introduces a fresh danger, while there’s also an overarching threat that spans the season. Watching Kevin and his family deal with these situations keeps you engaged and curious throughout the entire storyline.

Kaye explained, “Following Hub’s resurrection, I’m among the initial individuals he encounters. It’s unclear if he fully comprehends me, but he chooses to keep me close, which is thoughtful of him. I work under Lucky (Damon Herriman). To be honest, I’m not sure what our specific relationship entails. He acts as my mentor, directing me, yet my character seems more chaotic neutral. Essentially, I’m just trying to navigate my path.

As the first episode establishes the foundation for the series, it’s truly episode 2 that propels the story forward at a faster pace, and it’s during this progression that Tater’s unique perspective begins to emerge. Kaye hinted, “What I find intriguing is that Tater seems to have his own ideas about the events unfolding. In the second episode, I saw some extraordinary occurrences, and I thought to myself, ‘Fellows, this is insane! The only possible explanation for this is such-and-such, and it doesn’t necessarily coincide with the truth as we understand it.’ However, I’m quite convinced that’s what it is.

In this series, both horror and action play significant roles, but humor is another crucial element. This was evident even during Kaye’s first reading of the script, demonstrating that amidst all the chaos, there are moments when you need to laugh things off and keep going.

Kaye expressed that upon initially reading the script, he found it amusingly preposterous. However, for the script to succeed, he needed to fully embrace the situation. He also noted a similarity between this and real life – no matter how challenging situations become, maintaining a sense of humor helps us avoid losing our minds. He believes that the show effectively incorporates this balance of chaos and humor, as scenes filled with explosions, demons, and other calamities are followed by moments of dry wit.

Kaye mentioned that Hub remains composed because he’s accustomed to that lifestyle from before his resurrection. Essentially, he seems to think, “Well, this is my new path now. I’m working for the devil, and that’s just how things are.” By accepting these circumstances as reality, it gives him a sense of powerlessness, implying that he believes there’s nothing he can change about his situation.

Being associated with The Bondsman isn’t my only claim to fame; I’ve also worked in the illustrious worlds of DC and Marvel, appearing in Doom Patrol and She-Hulk respectively. I was eager to share my insights into these experiences, and one thing that truly struck me was the colossal scale of these productions and their ambitious endeavors.

Speaking about that particular experience, Kaye described it as being remarkably large-scale. To put it in simpler terms, her first job in a union was working on Doom Patrol. She recalled meeting Timothy Dalton during this time, and they were both part of a circus tent scene with approximately 120 extras. The grandeur of the scene left Kaye speechless, as she found the level of detail and care taken in setting up the scene to be extraordinary.

In much the same way as with Marvel, I was part of the latest episode, but it was a small role. There were characters like the Abomination, Tatiana, and Daredevil, among others, and the action was non-stop, with so many people involved in the stunts. It’s a completely different scene compared to my work as a Bondsman, where I’m just an ordinary man watching all these extraordinary stunts and chaos unfold around me, thinking, ‘Just go ahead and deliver your line like you usually would.'” – Kaye explained.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I’m buzzing with anticipation as it seems both cinematic realms are on the verge of thrilling new chapters, with Superman and Thunderbolts spearheading this change. If the chance arises, I’d leap at the opportunity to rejoin the action! It’s an entirely unique sensation, and I can hardly wait to see if a fresh start steers these studios towards the right path for both universes. Frankly, if I could somehow weave myself back into either one of those stories, that would be simply marvelous!

Regarding Marvel, there’s a character he’s longed to portray for quite some time, and given that the X-Men era seems imminent, this could be an ideal opportunity.

Kaye shared, “I’m deeply fond of the Deadpool universe, and Sabertooth particularly appeals to me. For a considerable period, I sported long hair and a massive beard. I thought, ‘That’s me.’ But then, I realized, I’ve only been acting for approximately six months. I’m not that guy.”

Looking ahead, she expressed her affection for the concept of a villain with justification. You find yourself thinking, “I understand his perspective, to some extent. I can sympathize with it. He might still be doing wrong, but I can see where he’s coming from. There’s a logic behind that wickedness.

I couldn’t bid farewell to Kaye without discussing some board games, particularly Magic: The Gathering and Disney Lorcana. Both games keep introducing fresh sets and are gaining more popularity, and they’ve also focused on attracting new players. For Kaye, that’s one of the reasons he finds Lorcana appealing, and it’s been so since its launch.

Speaking from my personal perspective, it seems that when I joined Lorcana, it appeared to be more inclusive, welcoming a variety of players. Unlike Magic: The Gathering, where if you’re not playing one of the top decks, there can sometimes be an attitude that you’re insignificant or unimportant.

Kaye expressed her opinion that Disney has skillfully designed a game that allows even parents who’ve spent around $50-$100 on deck assembly to compete effectively against those investing $500 or $600, as the game is well-balanced and discourages unkind behavior. She appreciates the opportunity to offer constructive advice during matches, emphasizing that all trading card games (TCGs) should aim to be inclusive rather than elitist, and encouraging players to appreciate that everyone wants to play the game together. This approach will ensure the game remains enjoyable and fun for a longer period.

Kaye expressed her eagerness to observe how the game handles power imbalance, an issue that has been tackled differently by other games. She said, “I find it really intriguing. I want to see this because I’ve witnessed the power creep in Magic: The Gathering and I’m really curious about how they’ll handle it in Lorcana, especially if they plan to implement something like the Standard format we saw in Magic, and questions like when will we stop using set 1 cards, etc. However, at this point, I feel compelled to voice my concern: Blue Steel is a challenge. The issue with Blue isn’t the same as it was in Magic, but it’s definitely problematic. Oh dear, it’s an issue. Just stop giving everything to Blue. I think that wraps up my argument.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, you have the opportunity to witness Kaye at work in “The Bondsman.

2025-04-11 22:46

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