'A Million Little Things': Show Creator Shares About Character Jon Dixon in New Interview

Which character do you think A Million Little Things ultimately revolves around? Jon Dixon seems to be the central figure and main character. Jon’s the one who created everyone into a tight-knit group. Jon was initially positioned as the successful man who looked out for everyone and took care of all his friends and family. He is the one who committed suicide which is the premise of the show. Jon is the one viewers are trying to get to know better now and piece together why he chose to end his life.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, DJ Nash, the show’s creator and executive producer, explains as he was asked the below question.

The idea for the show came out of personal experience. Can you expand on that?

A few years ago I was working on a gig — the first of my career, and it was not a great fit, so I would take these walks at lunch just to try and psych myself up for the afternoon. On one of these lunchtime walks, I ran into a buddy of mine, and we both lit up: “Hey dude, this is great, we should have lunch!” It wasn’t an L.A. bullshit thing, we both really meant it. He said, “I’m really busy this week, but how about next week?” I said, “Yes, we’re doing it!” And then he killed himself.”

He went on to explain that he wasn’t as close to this person as the guys in the show are to each other. It still was hard on him. He thought it was a great idea for a show. Nash shared saying, “To me, the show is really about Rome, who almost did something, almost took his life, and instead reaches out for help and makes a change.”

Opinion on this interview

Rome is certainly not the reason I tune into A Million Little Things religiously every week. Sure, he’s a likable character, but he doesn’t add the charisma that James Roday (Gary) brings to the table. Nor does he have the physical attraction of David Giuntoli (Eddie). As a mom, I am watching how Jon Dixon’s choices and death affects Delilah and her kids. Many viewers have questioned if Rome could be gay and don’t see the chemistry between him and Regina.

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Prior to reading this interview, I never stopped to really think about how Rome attended a funeral that could have been his own. That’s so incredibly powerful and may not have been interpreted so heavy by people tuning into the show on night one or in subsequent weeks.

But Nash explained, “In episode two he’s walking in Jon’s footsteps, trying to find any way in which they’re different, and struggling because he can’t find it. We’ll continue to track that journey, and there will be highs and lows, because in depression there are periods of time where you feel like you’re OK, and there’s times when you’re suddenly not.”

Funny because even though Jon kills himself in the start of the premiere episode, and he’s often absent from many important scenes, there seems like there will be a huge void when the storyline doesn’t revolve around Jon Dixon. It does sound like he will be around for at least the first season of A Million Little Things.

Nash is creating stories that are part of a larger arc to build up to the finale he has already determined. As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” So maybe Rome’s identity is slowly being shown and we will eventually see the bigger picture and how Rome can be the leading man of his life and the series.

How would you like to see the show end? Who would you like to sail into the sunset together? Do Maggie and Gary beat cancer? Is Regina’s restaurant a success? Do Delilah and Eddie raise their son together? Do Nash’s statements make you view the characters in a new light?

Don’t miss new episodes of A Million Little Things on ABC.