It may be on a new night (Monday), but don't expect anything to be too different The Originals Season 2: the action will come fast and furiously when this CW hit returns on October 6.

In fact, The Originals Season 2 Episode 1 - which I got a sneak peek at yesterday - is jam-packed with developments, as we dive head first into addressing the finale cliffhangers while also stirring up more storylines that will drive the rest of the season.

Co-Executive Producer Michael Narducci watched the episode with members of the press and stuck around to field questions about the new season. Here are 7 things we learned about what's to come...

The Originals Season 2 Premiere Photos

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It’s A Family Affair: With Mikael and Esther back with big plans of their own, watch for the second season to be very heavy on family dynamics that, of course, lean towards the dramatic and dysfunctional.

"I think our hope was that this would be the season about the return of mother and father,” Narducci explained. “There’s a lot of family stuff that we need to get out. I think that’s the big theme of this season is the past returning to haunt you and enemies who are even more dangerous because they know you intimately.” Should make for an interesting Thanksgiving later this fall, right?

Rebekah Is Anything But Gone: Don’t count the lovely blonde out this season, even though she left with Baby Hope in the finale. And since reports have come out of Claire Holt being seen on set, Narducci wasn't about to play dumb.

“I’m not going to try to hide anything,” he said. “We’re going to see Rebekah, we’re going to see Baby Hope and that’s going to be an important thing. As to what Esther’s plan for that baby is…Esther thinks that the baby died. Esther doesn’t know where Rebekah is."

Familiar Faces in Flashbacks: Expect to delve into the past while stories move forward, Narducci said: “Why does there need to be a season two of The Originals? We talked a lot about how [The Originals Season 1] was kind of like this mob drama…and if the first season was The Godfather, the second season is The Godfather 2. The thing I love about the structure of Godfather 2 is it takes the story forward and it also explores what happens in the past simultaneously so there’s even going to be more flashbacks this season.”

We'll see some familiar faces in those flashbacks, too, including Nathaniel Buzolic as Kole in The Originals Season 2 Episode 2. We’ll also get a flashback centered around Marcel down the line.

Nina Dobrev As...? Speaking of going back, fans know that Nina Dobrev coming for a guest spot, but doesn’t mean we’ll be seeing Elena or even Katherine in New Orleans (at least not anytime soon). Dobrev will be playing Talia, who has been talked of before (in the third season of TVD, according to Narducci) but never seen on either show.

Narducci said that creator Julie Plec encourages crossovers, but emphasized how they should be organic: "We want to have these crossovers take place from a point of story, what makes the most sense for our story."

Dobrev is busy, of course, on The Vampire Diaries Season 6 - but she pulled double duty shooting both shows. Episode 5 will involve a Vikings story with Tatia.

“There’s no possible way to tell this story if we didn’t get Nina Dobrev, so we basically got on our knees and begged her and begged her.” Narducci said, teasing that she shares scenes with both Daniel and Joseph and “we tell a story that will make you understand her fate, what happened to her, her relationship with both brothers and why what happened between her and the two brothers is so beautiful and also tragic.”

Daniel Sharman is Here! We see the dreamy Teen Wolf alum in the season premiere, playing the devilishly charming Kaleb. And while it’s too spoiler-y to get into much detail about his function at this point, know that he does interact with Davina. Could there be a romantic spark? She’s a pretty girl/witch and he’s, well, Daniel Sharman! Anything is possible, right?

Haley + Elijah...or Not?: Are they on and off in the new season? Narducci explained: “I think Elijah sees how broken and devastated Haley is not just by the loss of having to give up a child but the loss of her pure blooded werewolf aspect. She’s now a hybrid, which means she’s no longer a pure wolf…she’s going through all the after effects that you would expect of someone recently becoming a vampire.”

Narducci added of Phoebe Tonkin's character: “She’s a mess!” Doesn’t sound like a recipe for romantic happiness, does it?

Romance for Josh: Davina's gay BFF is busy in the season premiere, but he's working with Marcel to help rebuild his team to help run New Orleans - if they can get it out of Francesca's grasp! But what else is up with Josh and is he maybe going to find some love this season?

“Without putting the cart before the horse, it’s very interesting to me why Josh is sticking around in New Orleans,” Narducci said. “He’s kind of of Marcel’s last guy from that old regime, that old community and he’s trying to figure out ‘what am I fighting for? What is this all about?’  and very quickly is going to realize what do we fight for if not a home, if not our friends, if not the people we love both platonically and romantically? Coming down the line, we are going to tell some really great romantic stories and Josh has a really great story coming up, that’s all I’ll say.”

Are you excited for the new season of The Originals? Which character are you dying to see most? Leave a comment!

The Originals now airs Mondays at 8/7c on The CW. 

Jim Halterman is the West Coast Editor of TV Fanatic and the owner of JimHalterman.com. Follow him on Twitter.