‘UnREAL’ Actor Brandon Jay McLaren Teases ‘Raw’ Season 3, Talks ‘Ransom’ Future

“UnREAL” Season 3 has been off to a chaotic start. Between Rachel’s commitment to honesty and Quinn’s dedication to creating the most explosive season of “Everlasting” yet, the production crew is more determined than ever to save the show from the brink of cancellation.

Due to their past controversial moments, a new therapist is tapped to keep the gang in line, and his name is Dr. Simon. Portrayed by actor Brandon Jay McLaren, the new therapist on set is supposed to make sure everyone remains emotionally stable while filming the reality dating competition show, but it looks like the doctor will also have to deal with his own demons.

During an exclusive interview with International Business Times, McLaren shared a few spoilers about the Lifetime series and teased what’s to come next in his career.

Dr. Simon, who was formerly a corporate crisis counselor, comes to the show with the reputation of a “fixer.” Although he is expected to remain above all of the drama that happens both on and off camera, the therapist will find himself pulled into the “Everlasting” chaos.

McLaren told IBT viewers will get a glimpse into his character’s past, and understand why he chooses to make strategic decisions.

“Dr. Simon’s past will be explored a little bit in Season 3. His career setback informs nearly every decision he makes with regards to Rachel’s (Shiri Appleby) mental health, and also how he feels about the way Quinn (Constance Zimmer) treats her,” he said.

While Rachel has grown accustomed to Quinn’s sharp tongue and the toxic environment the crew has created on the set of the dating show, Dr. Simon will attempt to be her savior.

“As a ‘fixer’ Dr. Simon will try his darndest to fix Rachel. In fact, he is so dedicated to fixing her that he may go to any length to do so,” McLaren teased.

While McLaren believes his character will do his best to make sure Rachel comes out a better person, the star also promises this will be a season to remember. When asked to describe “UnREAL” Season 3 in three words, McLaren said, “FUN. REAL. RAW.”

When the actor isn’t busy playing doctor to reality contestants and a production crew, he is on the set of the CBS series “Ransom,” portraying the role of psychological profiler Oliver Yates. Although his characters’ professions are similar, the star insisted the environments on set are completely different.

“The vibe on ‘UnREAL’ could not be more different than that of ‘Ransom.’ What makes the set of ‘UnREAL’ so unique is that because it’s a mock reality show, the first few weeks has this tremendous energy. Then, as the show continues, and contestants get kicked off, the cast gets smaller and smaller, until the last two episodes where you’re left with a small group,” McLaren explained.

“The energy from the first episode till the last goes through this drastic evolution that is really interesting,” he added.

Fans of the “Ransom” star won’t have to wait long to see McLaren grace their television screen once again. The actor revealed the series will be coming back in a few weeks, saying, “‘Ransom’ Season 2 will premiere this spring on CBS. Excited for that.”

Catch “UnREAL” on Mondays at 10 p.m. EST on Lifetime and be sure to tune into “Ransom” when Season 2 premieres on Saturday, April 7, at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.