Loot star Joel Kim Booster says season 1 finale 'completely changes the trajectory of the show'

Nicholas' (Joel Kim Booster) stage play debut is even more important than a potential Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston reunion.

In EW's exclusive first look at episode 9, "Cahoga Lake" (above), Molly's (Maya Rudolph) trusted assistant helps her start her day with fresh Japanese flame lilies ("They're Asian, beautiful, and a little bit toxic — just like me," he quips) and a regal Alexander McQueen number.

"This will be perfect for your big premiere tonight," Molly says of Nicholas' upcoming appearance in the play, aptly titled Cahoga Lake. "It doesn't even count as a premiere," a modest Nicholas replies. "It's a tiny part in a tiny play in a tiny theater in North Hollywood."

"North Hollywood? Didn't that all burn down in the '70s?" Molly asks. It did not, but regardless, the billionaire is excited for her assistant's big night — and will even dust off her best bottle of champagne to celebrate the occasion.

"No! You're saving that for when Brad and Jennifer finally come to their senses and get back together," Nicholas says of the celebratory sparkly. "This is more important than that," Molly maintains.

Booster contends Molly and Nicholas have a bit of a toxic relationship, telling EW that the codependency may not be the best thing for the both of them. "We talked a little bit about the transactional nature of a lot of his relationships, and obviously the one he has with Molly is, at its core, transactional because he is her employee," Booster says. "In many ways, he's her best friend, too."

"It's employee, best friend, and mother and son wrapped up into one, and that makes it really complicated and a little toxic," Booster says. "I don't think it's healthy for either of them at the end of the day, because they're both a little codependent of each other." The relationship stands in stark contrast to Nicholas' friendship with Molly's cousin Howard (Ron Funches), the Wells Foundation's affable, anime-obsessed IT expert who quickly becomes one of Nicholas' closest confidantes.

In "Cahoga Lake," Howard helps Nicholas prepare for his big night by tapping (well, attempting to tap) into some repressed emotions for a particularly big scene. "We see a glimpse into Nicholas' social life and its very surface [and] not genuine at all," Booster says, adding of Howard, "I think to have someone in his life who actually cares about what's going on is really new and unusual for him. I think he sees it as one of the only non-transactional relationships in his life, and that's really sort of transformative for him."

By the time the season 1 finale rolls around next week, Nicholas & Co. would have gone through their fair share of transformation. Booster teases a twist that "completely changes the trajectory of the show." He says, "There's been some criticism about the way in which we're portraying wealth and the wealthy. I think that people are going to be really surprised by the direction of the show."

"It completely changes the trajectory of the show in a big way and in a way that I don't think people will expect," Booster says. "I think it's really badass. Something changes the course of the show and it's going to be really exciting to see how people react to that." The plot twist, Booster says, will shift the trajectory of the second season. (Apple TV+ renewed the comedy last month.)

As for what he hopes for Nicholas in season 2, "I would love to see a little bit more of Nicholas' family," Booster says. "We've had a lot of fun talking about who would play my mom. I would love Julia Louis-Dreyfus to show up as Nicholas's mom. I also really want to expand the relationships that he has with the other people in the office."

"Michaela [Jaé Rodriguez] and I get to share a few scenes together, and I just really love getting to play with Michaela and would love to expand that relationship. We are Molly's two closest friends by the end of the season. It would be really fun to just explore our relationship a little bit more and that dynamic and see what that's about."

New episodes of Loot premiere on Apple TV+ on Fridays. Watch EW's exclusive first look at episode 9 above.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content:

• Loot star Michaela Jaé Rodriguez teases Sofia and Molly's 'oil and vinegar' dynamic this season
• Loot review: Maya Rudolph has money to burn in this breezy billionaire comedy
• Joel Kim Booster is excited for 'little bits of f---try' he snuck into Apple TV+ sitcom Loot