Even though Dickinson‘s third and final season takes place during the Civil War, series creator Alena Smith and her cast found some eerie parallels from that time to our pandemic times. 

Like many shows, the cast and crew of Dickinson eventually returned to work following the industry-wide COVID-19 production shutdown, but like it did for everyone, the world they’d left behind was forever changed.

Shooting this season in 2020 amid the pandemic, racial tensions and a contentious election called to mind the strife going on in America during the time the show’s final season is set, Jane Krakowski tells ABC Audio. “I can certainly say I never saw any of that coming,” laughs the Emmy nominated 30 Rock vet, who plays Emily Dickinson‘s mother, Emily Norcross. “Nor did I ever think that Alena’s trajectory could be so timely to flow alongside of what’s happening in the world today.”

Krakowski explains that going through the pandemic, and the strict COVID-19 protocols when they returned to work, really turned up the volume for her performance. “I think it was interesting for me as an actor, I felt like the emotions felt almost stronger inside of me because we didn’t get to film anything for 18 months,” she says. “And so when you had a scene of sorrow, the sorrow felt quite real and quite deep, obviously reflecting the times that we had just gone through.”

She continues, “And when there was joy, the joy felt a higher sense of relief and joy because we were able to feel joy for a little bit of time. And so it was very interesting to film something at this time in the world.”  

Executive-produced by and starring Hailee Steinfeld as the titular rebel poet, Dickinson returns to Apple TV+ Friday.