EXCLUSIVE: Drop Dead Diva Creator Sounds Off On Jaw-Dropping Season Finale

The closing moments of last night’s Drop Dead Diva season finale hit fans with what is possibly the biggest game-changer the show has seen to date. We’ve watched Deb struggle all season long to be Jane, and her impending marriage to Owen hinted that, at least where Grayson is concerned, a part of Deb was about to be lost forever. In an episode filled with themes on identity and moving on, we were never quite sure what her ultimate decision would be – despite the dress and the bridesmaids and the groom and the guests.

In a culmination of events, Grayson finally (reluctantly) admitted his true feelings to Jane, only to have a kiss interrupted by Owen. It was at this precise moment that the real Jane Bingum returned to earth and Owen suffered a (fatal?) heart attack. Moments later however Owen opened his eyes (miraculously?) and asked “Where am I?”

Is Owen dead? Has real Jane taken over his form?  Is this a case of ‘You steal my body, I steal your boyfriend?’  I spoke to show creator and executive producer Josh Berman earlier today about what this twist means for the show going forward and if it represents a hard-reset of some of Diva‘s core dynamics.

“The end of the season finale represents four years in the making,” admits Berman. “It was a twist that I had planned for over a year and I needed all the pieces in place before moving forward.” As for that hard reset?  “The twist definitely provides fertile ground for future seasons,” he says. “We’re still waiting on a pick up from Lifetime, but I’m quite hopeful given our strong ratings and viewer support.”

So, is that really Jane Bingum in Owen’s body and if so, is Owen officially dead? “I can’t answer that one,” he says. (We kind of suspected as much.) “I can promise the twists will keep on coming,” Berman adds. “The show is a lot like life — day to day we are thrown all sorts of surprises. Of course, Jane’s life is a little more complicated than mine, but hopefully the viewers find the storytelling grounded within the reality we’ve created.”

Jane’s been pretty unhappy in heaven. In her estimation Deb is ruining her life. (The words “trainwreck” and “Tsunami” were bandied about.) If Jane is truly back on earth – and in Owen’s form – will there be hell to pay?

“Yes, Jane is not happy with Deb,” says Berman. “She feels that Deb didn’t respect her old life enough. Of course, Jane’s perception might need to be shaken up. Hint – Season 5 will certainly have to deal with that!”

Season four really has been the season of the love triangle, with fans divided into camps favoring either Lex Medlin’s adorable Owen or Jackson Hurst’s equally likeable Grayson. (For the record, Jane I feel your pain. I couldn’t choose between them either!) Was there ever a temptation to make Jane’s choice a little more black and white at any point this season?

“That’s a great question,” says Berman.  “Lex Medlin, who plays Owen, deserves a lot of credit. Originally, he was just hired for four episodes. However, the cast and the producers all fell in love with him. And so did Jane! It was pure magic. As a writer, Lex is the actor we dream to have on our team. He elevates all the material we give him. So, with Lex and Jackson (Grayson) we have two awesome leading men – and great fodder for stories. More to come with this love triangle!”

Is it season five yet?

As Berman noted over Twitter earlier today, Drop Dead Diva could be described as a tale of two women living one life, but his latest medical drama The Mob Doctor, coming to FOX next week, is certainly the tale of one woman living two lives. Catch the season premiere on September 17th (following Bones) and stay tuned to Screen Spy for coverage on both shows.