Superstore’s Dina Was Inspired By A Classic Danny DeVito Character

“Actually when it comes to the way in which I write — what I believe is sweet, what I believe is necessary to the story — I discovered from Greg Daniels on “The Workplace,” Justin Spitzer told Decider. “By way of the particular analogues, I am at all times attempting to push issues away from feeling an excessive amount of like ‘The Workplace.'” Many individuals in contrast the Amy/Jonah love story to that of Jim/Pam, regardless that their tales solely share the similarity of being co-workers who fall in love. “I am attempting to do issues that really feel completely different however nonetheless make a advantage of what individuals like about our present, about ‘The Workplace,’ about ‘Cheers,’ about ‘Buddies’ — exhibits which have will-they-won’t-they tales — however determining do it our method.”

One other “Workplace” comparability level: Lauren Ash’s Dina was assumed to be a feminine model of Dwight Schrute, which, once more, was not the case. “I actually see why individuals assume Dina is quite a bit like Dwight, however I see them as very completely different characters as a result of I have been so concerned in growing each of them,” he instructed Collider.

Spitzer defined that Dina was initially envisioned as Danny DeVito’s Emmy and Golden Globe-winning character Louie De Palma on “Taxi,” a reference which will have been past the scope of quite a lot of “Superstore” viewers. He continued to Collider:

“I wished her to be a hardass that you’d discover likable over an extended time frame. Lauren Ash is a tremendous actress and Dina turned likable quite a bit quicker, however typically I nonetheless need her to have the ability to be an antagonist and to be the authority that makes individuals observe the principles.”