As the debut season of TNT's newest drama "Animal Kingdom" already came to a close, avid fans of the series can't wait for the criminal-drama to return back to the small screen and continue to cast the spotlight on Deran (Jake Weary) and his unconventionality.

To the uninitiated, "Animal Kingdom" runs on a story that follows the lives of a family of criminals led by the mother named Smurf (Ellen Barkin), who has all her sons involved in the crimes she orchestrates. The TV series is an adaptation of the 2010 Australian movie with the same title.

What sets "Animal Kingdom" apart from other series on television these days is one of its characters, Deran, who, despite being part of the macho crimes in the series, is a closet gay. In an interview with NBC News recently, "Animal Kingdom" producer Jonathan Lisco revealed that some people thought that earlier hints on the real sexual preference of Deran would not really be fully tackled in the series, but people behind the series were out to prove them wrong.

"We're going to thwart your expectations and turn this into not only a real storyline but a real relationship between Deran and somebody that he genuinely cares about, be it a man or a woman. In this case a man," Lisco said.

Weary, on his part, believes that a lot of things about the show are about love, despite its criminal theme involving macho men. He also added that, while it's true that all members of the Smurf family should be exclusive to the clan and their criminal business, his Deran character's love and relationship outside the family adds excitement to the show.

"It's a part of the struggle for Deran, because it's something that he's definitely struggling with that he can't really express to his family," Weary said in the same NBC News interview.

However, "Animal Kingdom" is not just about the sexual preference of Deran. According to Weary, there's a lot more about his character that will be gradually unveiled in the upcoming season 2 of "Animal Kingdom."

"It's not the stereotypical gay character on the television show. There's so much more to it, and that's why I love playing him," Weary teased. 

What are the other facets of Deran's character? How will his sexuality affect his position in the Smurf family?

Find out when "Animal Kingdom" returns for its season 2 in 2017.