The TV Chick

I would not call myself a lover of all things fantasy (vampire, yes…fantasy, not so much). However, I thought the premise of Legend of the Seeker (based on the book series written by Terry Goodkind) was interesting. The acting was wonderful, the scenery was breathtaking, and I really found myself very interested in the story. So, maybe I am slowly revising my take on fantasy/sci-fi…and getting aboard the Legend of the Seeker train. I do adore Lost, but that’s more sci-fi lite than anything else. In any case, Legend of the Seeker returns tonight with its 2nd season premiere. I have seen it, and I can tell you it is fantastic. I recently had the chance to chat with the lovely and gracious Bridget Regan, who plays Kahlan (or The Mother Confessor), about filming, the fantasy genre, her character and what’s coming up this season.

What originally attracted you to the show?
Well, it was the role. The character of Kahlan was not like any part I had ever auditioned for or played. So, I was immediately drawn to it. I thought that she was really tough and kind of timeless, epic and theatrical which I really was drawn to. I went to a drama school and I grew up doing theater, so I quite liked that the show was kind of heightened and it wasn’t the sort of low energy, common chit-chat show, it was big and epic and exciting and high stakes and all that which I loved.

Are you a fan of fantasy?
I wasn’t at all, actually. (laughs) It was pretty embarrassing when I moved to New Zealand, because the fact that I hadn’t seen Lord Of The Rings, I thought that they were going to turn me around and not let me into the country. But, once I got into [it], I really enjoyed it. The fans are really passionate, and have really strong opinions about things, which I like. You know, we had a fan base before we even started filming the show, which was so cool and bizarre. People had thoughts and feelings about what color my hair should be and my eyes and that was totally new to me.

Have you read the books or met the author?
I have not met Terry Goodkind. You know, my parents have because they went to Comic Con in San Diego. That’s where I grew up. I’ve read some of the books. I haven’t gotten through all of them, but I’ve been skipping around. The series isn’t really following the books perfectly, and so you know, I find them really helpful. But sometimes I find it frustrating, because I’ll read something and I’ll be like ugh I really wish we would do this in the show. Or there’s an episode coming up — the one I’m going back to film right after I leave the states — is totally an escape from the book and nothing like that’s happened in it, and I’m so excited to do it because Kahlan gets split into two different bodies…almost like a yin and a yang sort of thing. One of her is the confessor in her, you know, [is] magical, has the powers and everything. And the other is just a woman. And without having both of them in check, things kind of go crazy and it’s such a cool episode for me, and I’m so excited to do it, but it’s not in the book, so you know I’m kind of thankful that we do stray because we get so many cool other opportunities.

You were saying before how Kahlan is such a tough character. What does it mean to do you to play her? Do you think it sends a powerful message to women?
I actually do. This season even more than last, because this season, we introduce a lot of other characters as well. It’s not just me, there are a lot of really kick-butt chicks. The light, the dark and all the mord-siths and everything. But I have a hard time playing the weak ingenue. I wouldn’t get cast as that when I first moved to the city. And I don’t even know, maybe it was because I’m pretty tall and I’m not a tiny little thing. And I thought maybe that had something to do with it. I love it when Kahlan gets to be really strong. I had a dream actually — it’s funny — I haven’t told this to anybody. I had this dream where we were doing a scene and it was a massive, big, war/fight scene. And we were fighting — Kahlan and Richard were fighting all these mord-siths, and we had these resistance fighters who were these scrappy guys. And I was all upset because they cast all these big massive guys to be the D’Harans and all these kind of small, hungry looking guys who were all weak and disheveled to be the resistance guys. None of this really happened in real life, but I dreamt it. So we’re fighting all the mord-siths, and the choreography was that we were supposed to lose. And I was supposed to get beaten, and we were supposed to get captured. And I changed the choreography, confessing all these mord-siths, making them fight with us so that we would win. (laughs) So I was refusing to lose.

Well, maybe we will see it in a future episode!
I know! I actually told one of our directors, and he laughed at me. Because in the dream I was looking over to him being like “look see, I got her, she’s on our side now!” Because once I confess someone, then they immediately change, and they’ll do anything to defend my life. So I was totally cheating.

Is there anything specific you do to get into character or does it just sort of happen when you put on the costume and makeup?
It’s amazing. I’ve never played a character this long before. But when I put on the dress and the corset, I immediately feel different. It’s not like throwing on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. Everything about the costumes are really authentic. There’s no zippers, or buttons or hooks or anything. So to get in that dress it takes twenty minutes of just lacing. And it’s kind of like a ritual in the morning. And that helps. I often go back and read Wizard’s First Rule. I have it in my trailer, my old beat up copy. I have little parts marked. And I really love the sections when it’s in — because the book changes narrative — sometimes it’s in Richard’s head, sometimes it’s in Kahlan’s. I love it when it goes into hers, because it’s like a little cheat sheet, you get to get some ideas. So those sort of things. I listen to a lot of music as well. I have a lot of playlists on my iPod that I bring on set to get me in the mood.

What’s your favorite song that you listen to?
Oh my God. I really want to do an iTunes playlist! I talked to some people about that. You know it’s actually kind of dark, sad music. It’s a lot of Radiohead, and some White Stripes, too. I like the kind of aggressive, kick ass…sometimes you need that empowering sort of stuff. You know, Kahlan went through a lot of stuff last season…really, really heavy things. And so it was a lot of sad music.

Well, that makes sense. And what has been your favorite part of filming so far?
I think — I have to say, it’s really simple. But I love acting every day. It’s so simple, but that’s always what I dreamed of doing, was being an actor, since I was a little kid. And the fact that I get to wake up every morning, and do that, when I have so many friends that are really talented and are living here in New York and in LA and they can’t seem to get that break where they get to do it, so I mean that’s a joy. And playing a part that I love as much as I do is pretty cool — pretty awesome.

And you were talking about last season being pretty serious. But have there been any funny moments on set?
Oh my God, there’s lots. I actually was talking about this with Craig just a little while ago. We always want to cut up and play jokes and things like that, but we’re so pressed for time. Because we’re trying to do feature film quality special effects, on a really fast television turnaround schedule. So constantly I want to make him break and do something silly, but we feel like we have to reign it in. But a lot of the girls in wardrobe love to play pranks on Bruce Spence, and I sometimes try to get in on them. But one day, they were all waiting in Bruce’s trailer, wearing pajamas, watching “Dirty Dancing” and eating popcorn. (laughs) And he walked in and thought he was in the wrong room.

What’s it like filming in New Zealand?
Every scene that we do that’s outside, it’s all on location all over Auckland, and we’ve gone to the South Island a few times to shoot there as well. It’s really remarkable. It can be energizing as well, you know on a Wednesday in the middle of the week when you’re really tired. And I go to work in the dark usually, around four thirty. And then I come out of the makeup bus, with all the makeup on and everything, and there’s the most insane sunrise you’ve ever seen. And it’s pretty beautiful. I notice the air being so different, as soon I got off the plane in Los Angeles. I take one breath in, and I’m like wow, that did not smell nearly as fresh as it does down at that end of the world. But it’s remarkably beautiful.

And how long do you have to be away from home at a time?
Like nine months out of year. I kind of am calling that home. I guess it’s weird. Home in my cell phone is my parent’s house in San Diego, so I probably shouldn’t say that but home — I have a few. California is for sure one, New York will always also be a home, and now, oddly enough, New Zealand.

Do all of the cast hang out during your downtime?
We do. It’s actually such a small town, even if I’m not planning to see Craig [Horner], I run into him all the time. Because we live really, really close to each other. But we do hang out. We get brunches here and there. Bruce and I go to see plays when they come into town. We went and saw this Italian play together with our significant others. We hang out, we do. We have a great time together. It’s like we work really hard, and the crew is really terrific. And honestly all of my friends down at that end of the world are friends from work. The girl that was my dresser, she finally took her maternity leave, and she’s having her baby I think right now. I just got an e-mail that she was in contractions. They’re all my dearest friends down there, all people from work, and they’re gorgeous people who have a real down-to-earth outdoorsy sort of feel to them. They all like to rough it, because we do, we schlep up these mountains to work and they all are really good sports.

You were saying how there has been fan reaction to the show since before it started shooting. What has been the fan reaction to your character and the show? How was your reception at Comic Con?
Oh, I didn’t go to Comic Con. I did Armageddon, in Auckland, which is kind of like their version of Comic Con. But every time I come home, there’s just all this beautiful letters from fans and things like that. The best compliment that I get is when people say to me “You’re how I envisioned Kahlan,” or “How you played her is just how like how I pictured her,” things like that is just like wow. That’s amazing to me, because for one person to read something and another person, and then my interpretation — for me to bring it to life, that’s really bizarre and has kind of a cosmic-y, spooky kind of feel, because in your mind — when you read something, you get your own picture. And for someone to write to me and go “now when I read the books I picture you,” it’s like wow, that’s so cool.

And can you give a little teaser, without spoiling too much of what’s coming up in season two?
Hmm…well honestly I don’t really know too much further than a few episodes ahead of us. Because Ken Biller, he keeps a lot of it under wraps, he won’t let us know all the time. I think he changes it often, because I think he’s just got so many ideas. We do have a lot — we’ve had so many good guests from the states, like we have Charisma Carpenter in the first episode, and then we have Jolene Blaylock coming up from “Star Trek,” Amy Teegarden from “Friday Night Lights,” Gabriel Mann from “Mad Men.” I mean, some really great talent has come down to have a little play with us. But, it’s going crazy. I will tell you that on Tuesday, when I go back to work, I have a love scene, a sex scene, and I’m nervous…another one! This season’s been really racy, I can’t believe it, it’s really sexy and cool. I think it’s also Tabrett — because Tabrett’s new, she has some really hot, steamy scenes.

And I’m sure it’s too early to know, but has there been any word on a possible season three?
Everybody talks about it. It’s so funny, the second you finally hear you’re doing two, it’s like is there going to be three? I don’t know. The show has been sold in something like 130 some countries, so we’re doing pretty well in terms of interest all around the world, which I can imagine is quite a good sign of the studio wanting to continue. I don’t know, I think it’s just a matter of people tuning in. I know that it is hard for us, because I think a lot of our air times are up against a lot of sports and things like that. And I know a lot of people watch our show on Hulu and iTunes, and things like that, which don’t really count for our ratings on TV. I mean, I don’t really understand all this stuff that much but I do know there’s a lot of factors that go into it, other than us just having a good time. But I kind of hope we go to a third. I’m really enjoying my life down there, but you know it’s one of those things where sometimes it seems like it’s going by really slow, and then you go Oh my God, we’re halfway through the season, where’d this year go? Then it goes by really fast.

I know you were saying you weren’t really a fan of fantasy before you started this project. So what would you tell viewers who might not watch a lot of fantasy — why should they tune into this show?
Well what drew me to it was, I guess you could say, the romance: the relationship of Richard and Kahlan. I mean, to me it’s like Romeo and Juliet. It’s the sort of forbidden love thing. And I really think that’s part of the show, more than sort of magic and wizards and things like that. Maybe to some people it could be distracting, but I really find it to be kind of like, just an escapism sort of thing, where you get to go home, and forget about your day, and just kind of go into this other world — literally. It’s not reality.

What other projects do you have coming up?
I did a film in between the two seasons called The Best and The Brightest, and it’s with Neil Patrick Harris, and Amy Sedaris and Christopher McDonald, and Bonnie Somerville. It’s a really fun, great movie. I’m actually going to do ADR for it this afternoon, and I haven’t seen it yet so I’m really excited. That will be coming out sometime in 2010.

Be sure to tune in TODAY for the 2nd season premiere of Legend Of The Seeker. Check here for your local time and station!

The Good Wife is a drama based around Alicia Florrick (Juliana Margulies), whose husband Peter (Chris Noth) recently resigned as Attorney General of Cook County because of a prostitution scandal. It definitely has a ripped from the headlines feel in that if you follow New York politics at all, it sounds a lot like the Eliot Spitzer scandal. In any case, Alicia goes back to work for a competitive law firm and each episode centers around a different case. I enjoy procedurals, but sometimes I find them rather mundane. However, The Good Wife is incredibly interesting, and very different from other law shows out there. The characters are quite unique and I definitely want to see how all of the relationships play out. Matt Czuchry (you may know him as Logan Huntzberger from Gilmore Girls) plays Cary Agos, a junior associate who is competing with Alicia for the one spot in the law firm. I recently got to chat with him about his character, what makes The Good Wife so unique, and what’s coming up this season.

So tell us a little more about your character Cary. He’s super competitive.
Yeah. He’s very ambitious. He’s willing to do what it takes to get to the top.

What originally drew you to this character?
You know a lot of different elements first drew me to the project. The script was great. I loved the script as a whole. I loved the people associated with the project: the producers Ridley and Tony Scott, David Zucker. The director was Charles MacDougal, liked him a lot. And the cast that they were putting together. So there’s a lot of elements. And specifically with this character, when I sat down and talked to them about it, they said we kind of want this guy, when he comes on screen, the audience is not sure who he is, what his motivations are. Are they good or self-serving? And I thought that would be an interesting thing to play.

Are you anything at all like Cary or are you totally the opposite?
I would say this character is very goal-driven and I’m very goal driven. I’m very much a type A personality, where I plan things out. I think where the character and I are different is–Cary will at least where he is right now in his life, is willing to use any means necessary to achieve what he wants and I’m not that way. I care about other people’s emotions and feelings over my own personal goals.

Well that’s a good thing (laughs)
(laughs)

Your character is sort of the thorn in Alicia’s side. Does this rivalry continue as the season goes on?
It has so far. The episode that we’ve been doing–it’s kind of a back and forth on that, where they have to work together. Actually, the next episode that we’ll see on Tuesday night, they’re actually working together for the same goals. So, we’re going to see a little bit of that. And we’re also going to see the competition as well. So it’s kind of both sides of that.

On Gilmore Girls, you play Logan who is sort of a privileged, no cares type of guy. And now you play Cary. Was it hard to get into this role to play such a different character from Logan or any of your other characters?
Well, you know that show finished 2 years ago, so most of my work and emotions and thought I put into that particular character, having finished it two years ago, are kind of in the past. But you know, any time you’re taking on a new character, it’s at first, in the first couple of episodes if it’s TV, or in the beginning when you’re working on it in rehearsals in a movie, you’re trying to find your way. You’re still trying to find your way, to who this character is. So in the beginning, those first couple episodes, just trying to find the degrees as far as how genuine is he here, how much is he hiding here, how much is he completely just screwing somebody over here…(laughs)…so finding those degrees in the beginning are tricky because you haven’t had much time with this character but with each episode, you get in the groove and you understand who this person is based on having more time living inside his skin.

There are a ton of law dramas on TV right now. I love the Good Wife, but what do you think makes this show so unique?
Well I think that people right now are watching the show because they’re invested in the storylines and the characters. You look at Alicia’s storyline and you can kind of say, if you were in her shoes, what would you do? And even though you may not have had personal experiences that she’s had, you can understand those difficult choices that she has to make, so storywise that’s very relatable. And what Juliana is doing with that character, what Chris Noth is doing with his character, are very believable and interesting. And there’s a lot of different characters, and each of the characters bring something different to the show. I think that Alicia brings something that’s different than what Cary brings, and Kalinda (played by Archie) brings something different than what I bring, Josh Charles’s character Will is very different from Christine Baranksi’s character although they’re both partners. So I think that you have very specific characters who bring different things to the show. And I think that the storylines that go along with that is why people are enjoying it so far. Don’t you think?

Yes, I think so. And what has been your favorite part of filming the show?
This is the first time that I’ve ever been associated with a new show. So, kind of, going to Vancouver and doing the pilot, and then finding out that we got picked up. I had to move to New York for the show, and it comes out, and wondering how it’s going to do, and now it’s going well. All these moments are new to me, and you really do become invested in the show, and you become invested in your fellow castmates in a way it’s like they’re your family. So that’s been the most enjoyable, because it’s been very much like a family.

What would you like to see for your character moving forward?
I just want to keep the audience guessing and keep that going and building on that. I’d like for him to do some shady stuff here and there, even more so, but in some ways, it’s for the greater good. I think just continuing–right now the show is so new, and these storylines are just kind of beginning. There’s still so much room to go with Cary as far as keeping the audience guessing. So that kind of idea, I just kind of want to build on that and take it even further.

And, I know you can’t spoil too much but can you give us a little teaser of what’s coming up this season, specifically for your character?
Right now, each of the storylines that keep getting dropped are really just kind of being further and further played out. I can tell you the last couple scripts have been really good. The last one we got was really good. This next episode coming up on Tuesday night, I’m excited to see myself. Directed by a great director, Rod Holcomb who actually won the Emmy for directing the last episode of ER. And he won they Emmy on Sunday night, and we went to work with him on Monday. So that was pretty cool. He’s a fantastic, fantastic director. So I’m excited to see how this episode comes out. And this episode is the one I told you about where Alicia and Cary are kind of on the same page. So, I’m excited to see how that all turns out.

The show itself and Alicia’s storyline is sort of a ripped-from-the-headlines kind of thing especially relating to New York politics. Are there going to be any more of those familiar cases on the show?
I think that they want to make it, most importantly current in the sense of especially the things that you’re seeing for example with the kids, the family life, about how now — whether it be the internet, how that impacts people socially. One example there, one of the future episodes, there’s a little mention of cloning. A little spoiler there. So I think what the writers really want to do is they really want to make it current. And so I think that they’re going to continue to do that with the law firm itself and with the storyline involving when we have court cases. Just really current.

And is there anything you would tell viewers as to why they should tune into The Good Wife? I mean, I watch it but…
Thank you, thank you for watching it. Well you tell me, what would you say? Why do you like it? Why would you tell someone to watch the show, and I’ll build off that.

I think I would say that it’s definitely more unique than many of the law, procedural shows on TV and all the characters are interesting. And I want to tune in to see where Alicia goes, where Cary goes, where things go with the law firm, and how the relationships play out.
Yeah, I would say that if you like procedural shows where there’s cases that have a beginning, middle and end, and those are shows that you gravitate towards, then this is going to be something that you connect with. And on top of that, I think that once you connect to that, you’re kind of going to be like “oh, this is exactly the kind of the show that I like, but there’s also added elements of these different characters in the family drama aspect and the ripped from the headlines aspect of what would you do if you were in a public situation that you wanted to keep private.” So I think that if you like procedurals, you’ll connect to it and then at the same time be like “oh man, I definitely have to put this on my DVR because it’s awesome and at the same time, something new that I haven’t seen before.”

Be sure to tune in tonight for an all new episode of The Good Wife at 10 pm on CBS.

Have shows improved since their premiere or have they gotten worse? Have new shows been able to keep up their momentum or have they fallen short? These are all questions I am going to answer in a new segment I like to call Checking In. Throughout the fall season, I will be “checking in” with specific shows, and giving them my grade and analysis. There are definitely some pleasant surprises this season. But there are others which are not living up to the hype. I will start with Melrose Place.

Melrose Place has some large shoes to fill. Whenever there is a remake of a show, it runs the risk of being criticized and closely compared to the old one. The pilot did not impress me. I thought there were too many characters to keep track of, and not enough depth. There was a murder mystery to keep it together, but overall, I wasn’t sure if it would earn a season pass on my DVR. However, when I watched the 2nd episode (written by the super talented Liz Tigelaar), I became a little more hooked. The writing sharpened up, the characters became more interesting, and I heard there would be some cast members returning from the original show to play their old parts.

The show has slowly continued to build on that 2nd episode, and I have to say, I’m really enjoying it. Katie Cassidy is by far the best part of the show and she is truly unstoppable. Her ruthless character Ella is a take-no-prisoners PR maven, who has to deal with a terrible boss and difficult clients. Any episode that highlights Ella is always fantastic. Daphne Zuniga (Jo Reynolds from the original) returned this week, and I thought she was great too. I’m not sure how crazy I am about Lauren’s (Stephanie Jacobsen) whole storyline about becoming a prostitute to pay off her medical school debt. And Ashlee Simpson-Wentz’s character Violet is mysterious, but I’m not sure I like it. Recently however, the show announced that Simpson-Wentz and Colin Egglesfield (he plays Auggie, and I do enjoy him) are not going to be on the show anymore (after the episodes with them in it have been filmed). I was slightly surprised about Egglesfield (the network said his character is too dark), but taking Simpson-Wentz out of the picture is a pretty good decision.

I enjoy Riley and Jonah, as well as finding out everyone’s secrets. And I’m excited for the return of Heather Locklear (Amanda). I think the show is really making a name for itself, and while it has big plans to incorporate the old characters, it is very different from the original. No matter what the title of the show is, it’s still a completely different cast of characters…even if they still live at the same address. And in my opinion, it’s definitely better than it’s Tuesday night companion, 90210 (also a remake).

Melrose Place may not be my all time favorite show of the season, but I thoroughly enjoy it every week. I look forward to seeing where they go from here, and what storylines they have planned for the new (and old) characters. Be sure to tune in every Tuesday at 9 pm on the CW!

Grade: B+

In Treatment is probably the most unique and fascinating show on television (even though it is not technically on television right now). Based on an Israeli series called Bei Tipul, it finished its triumphant 2nd season earlier in the year. It follows the life of therapist Dr. Paul Weston (played by the incomparable Gabriel Byrne), his patients, and his sessions with his own therapist Gina (played by the lovely and talented Dianne Wiest). Each week was more compelling then the next. Each character was incredible, and insightful. Each episode made you feel like you were going through therapy and life changing events with the characters. I even found myself wishing I could sit on the couch across from Dr. Weston.

Despite it’s numerous accolades, awards and critical acclaim, it was unclear whether or not In Treatment would be picked up for a third season, because the Israeli series only had two seasons. However, I was thrilled to get this piece of news this afternoon. Michael Lombardo, president, Programming Group and West Coast Operations, HBO, said: “In Treatment is synonymous with inspired writing and brilliant acting,” noted Lombardo. “This is the kind of show that could only flourish on HBO, and we’re proud to bring it back.”

Well done, HBO! I am eagerly awaiting In Treatment’s return.

White Collar is an action packed crime drama, that centers around the unique partnership between a FBI Agent and a con-man who he’s been chasing for years. When FBI Agent Peter Burke (played by Tim DeKay) catches criminal Neal Caffrey (played by Matt Bomer, “Chuck”), Neal suggests that he should assist the FBI with their investigations, and in return, he won’t go back to jail. White Collar also stars Tiffani Theissen (of “Saved By The Bell” and 90210 fame) who plays Burke’s wife, and Willie Garson (“Sex and the City”) who plays Neal’s crime buddy.

I find that some crime-solving TV shows can focus too much on the crime, and not enough on the characters. However, White Collar is very much the opposite. The acting is truly phenomenal. And in the midst of crime and serious cases, the show has it’s incredibly funny moments as well. I think the premise is unique, and it works very well. In the beginning of the episode, Burke is frustrated by his FBI team of Harvard graduates who can’t seem to solve any cases. Along comes Caffrey who knows everything about crime, because he’s already committed them. The partnership is interesting not only because they are sort of yin to each other’s yang, but also because deep down, they each have an extraordinary amount of respect for one another. (Even if Burke’s “respect” for Caffrey is more of a masked, hateful respect).

In any case, I don’t want to spoil too much more. But I will say that I have incredibly high hopes for this show, because the pilot is just fantastic. Also, Matt Bomer is pretty nice to look at as well.

Don’t miss the series premiere of White Collar TONIGHT at 10 pm on USA Network.

Glee knocked another one out of the park last night. It centered around the guys making the choice between Glee and football, as well as the war of the “slushies.” I thought it was amazing to see Matthew Morrison and Jane Lynch do a dance number together (and then promptly for Sue Sylvester to start hating Schuester again). I also think Puckerman (Mark Saling) is incredibly amusing, so his storyline with Rachel and wanting to dating a Jew was great. Also, the guy can sing! His rendition of Sweet Caroline was great! And not to mention Matthew Morrison’s singing of Bust A Move.

Emma and Schuester’s dance sequence to “I could have danced all night” from My Fair Lady was adorable. And obviously, I’m hoping this bogus wedding between Ken and Emma doesn’t actually happen. Although where was Terri and all her crazy/wonderful-ness? And Kurt “taking one for the team” and throwing a slushie in his own face made me love that character even more. I think what Glee consistently does week after week is entertain me. While at the same time, I am blown away by the talent of the entire cast. Ryan Murphy and his creative staff never fail to amaze me.

Favorite quote of the night goes to Rachel: “I just think you want it too much, which is something I can relate to. I want everything too much.”

So while you wait anxiously for next week, enjoy these Glee-tastic videos!

Puckerman singing Sweet Caroline:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMV4QevheIA]

Bust A Move:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o74PGawqZys]

I am thrilled to offer this fantastic White Collar giveaway!

I love offering fantastic swag on my site, and this is a great one. In Gayle We Trust is the newest web series from NBC Digital. If you read the Q&A, you know that this show (the brainchild of Office writer Brent Forrester), stars Elisa Donovan (of Clueless fame) as Gayle, a sweet insurance agent forced to balance her family and her job. It is funny, quirky and just so enjoyable.

All of the webisodes are available here!

However, I have a SIGNED SCRIPT to give away. The script is signed by Elisa Donovan, Brent Forrester and Brian Palermo (who plays Gayle’s husband). It’s an awesome collectors item for anyone to have. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment to this post with your favorite line from “Clueless.” If you don’t like the movie (As If!), just leave me a comment!

If you haven’t seen the latest NBC webseries “In Gayle We Trust,” you really should check it out. Each episode is several minutes long, and contain a delightful look into the life of Gayle (an insurance agent), played by the wonderful and talented Elisa Donovan. It is the brainchild of Brent Forrester, a writer for The Office. I recently had the chance to participate in a Q&A with the former star of “Clueless,” where she spoke about her inspiration for the way she plays Gayle, working with kids, and how great it is to finally be playing a nice protagonist.

On juggling family and work: Well, you know, it’s funny, Brent does have children, yes, the creator and director. I don’t have children but every – all of my friends who – many of my friends do have children – and they have all responded so strongly. I mean it’s really funny because I think all right well, I mean, I’m having a great time with having a child onscreen but I don’t have the actual experience of it. And in particular one girlfriend of mine in New York, (Eileen), who’s a teacher, called me and was just in hysterics and she said this is what we do with our – this is what we do with my son at the table. And she has literally had that experience with the voices and the things. And she is like oh I can’t even tell you how great it is. And she passes it on to all of her, you know, her associates because she’s a kindergarten teacher. And everyone clearly has had that experience before. And, you know, I have nieces and nephews and friend’s kids but that’s what I’m drawing from.

Favorite insurance moment on the show: Oh I love, I mean, they’re all hilarious but I love the man who comes into get insurance for his dog. When he – in case, you know, in the unlikely event of his demise. And it’s hilarious because he’s clearly delusional first of all but he thinks that the dog is completely in love with him and, you know, needs his companionship and then you realize that the dog has simply left the building and is desperately trying to get away from this man. So I think it’s really, you know, it is something that I’ve realized and people who deal in insurance that you are really dealing with people’s personalities and their fears and their, you know, their apprehension at losing they love and it gets incredibly personal which is really something that I never thought about it from that angle. So we kind of exacerbate that dynamic to the fullest. But it is pretty real, you know, because people are talking about losing things that they love so it – it’s pretty I guess it can be pretty intense.

On playing a sweet character vs. a saucy one: You know, that’s so funny, I’ve been asked that before and well I have to say I am really pleased to be playing such a nice person now because it’s nice to take, you know, you take these characters home with you and you live with them. And it’s amazing how – what a difference it is to bring home such a nice person who’s happy to be there and everybody’s happy to see her. And it really is a very different experience. But I love being, you know, the spice in the soup which is Amber or Morgan or those kinds of characters but they are, you know, they generally are – they are the spice in the soup so you can have too much of them or else it overpowers everything. But somebody like Gayle is just, you know, she can be around all the time because everybody loves her. You know, and she’s just as flawed as everyone else but she’s, you know, the hero. And I love it; it’s been so much fun. I base her a lot on my mom. And my mom is not from the Midwest but she has this just relentlessly positive attitude that, you know, you could just see the edges of her patience being stretched after, you know, an inordinate amount of pressure. So I kind of base Gayle on my mom who I love being around so.

On how her previous roles have helped her prepare for this one: I think they made me deserving of this one – to finally get to play someone nice. You know, when you – I always approach characters from the opposite place so, you know, if you’re playing somebody, you know, it’s the old idea of like if you’re playing Iago in Shakespeare who’s this horrible, horrible man you have to see, you know, the human side of him or why he does these things. So, you know, that’s an extreme example but you look at the opposite side of things. So in terms of Gayle or Amber or Morgan I would just always see them as these very human people who just had different, you know, had specific needs and saw the world from a certain perspective. And so with Gayle, you know, maybe her – I sometimes look at her relentless positivity as, you know, maybe she’s just afraid of losing some things on the other side so she, you know, doesn’t want to hurt people. And you kind of look at it from the opposite perspective so that there’s a certain level. Because, you know, if you watch Gayle there is just a little bit of impatience that comes up towards the ends of certain episodes. And you see, you know, she does have a boiling point; she’s certainly human. But, you know, she has a bit more patience than most.

On what she has learned about kids: In particular I just love Shane, he’s just a doll, this kid. And I have definitely learned that, you know, it’s really easy to be the onscreen mom or the buddy and you can, you know, they look up to you. And I really have learned the difference between having to – the amount of patience and time and nurturing it takes to really have a child. Like I only have them, you know, when I work with them for 12 hours or day or really eight hours I think is what kids – that’s the most they can work. And I realize how impressionable they are, you know, and how you can – anything that you say they really pick up. And with Shane in particular he’s so – I just – I really, really adore him and we had a great rapport immediately. And he’s really – he’s really curious and really smart. And he’s one of these kids that is – he’s unusual. I think I was an unusual kid. And so I – unusual meaning that he’s really perceptive and he talks about, you know, feelings and things he observes. And he’s a really great kid. And, you know, it teaches – I think it just teaches me about life and, you know, in general. So I’m enjoying it.

On whether or not she hopes this will become a 22 minute comedy series: …like yes it is the hope. I mean, I think ultimately that would – that’s probably the goal in the traditional sense but I really think that, you know, this is such uncharted territory so I think nobody really quite knows where all of this stuff, you know, where it’s headed. But certainly, yeah of course, you know, I would love to make Gayle a half-hour sitcom that’s in primetime, absolutely I would love that because, you know, you reach a wider audience sort of in a more saturated way. And you know, then the budgets get bigger, everything kind of gets easier. But, you know, I would also love to do it again just as it is because ultimately you just want to work with great people and on material that you love. And in this case that’s absolutely what it was for me. I mean, (Francis) just a gorgeous human being and a great man and super kind and uber-talented. So, you know, you – for me that’s more what it’s about. And then you want to reach people. So certainly, you know, we don’t want to do it in a vacuum. You know, I don’t know if that’s even a consideration, you know, I don’t know if that’s something that they look at when they create these things. I think it starts, you know, as it is and then you see what happens.

On how hard it is to tell a story in 5 minutes or less: This is where Brent is a genius and where the writing is just the most – one of the most important elements because you really do have to have an entire arc in a couple of pages. And, you know, I – that is completely Brent genius. It’s more like a sketch really in that, you know, structurally speaking. So you have to really distill down what it’s about. So you know, okay, this particular scene is about Gayle trying to tell these two people that they can’t come in here anymore for their relationship issues. So you know from the beginning that’s what it is. And you have to get to that point really – like everything has to kind of go there directly. And the humor then comes out of it. So it’s – I guess what you have to do is be really laser-focused in what the intention is in this scene so that it doesn’t meander because you don’t have time, you know, you don’t have time to kind of let something develop; you have to know what it is immediately. And it’s really fun in that way too because it’s very clear and you know in the writing exactly where you’re going. And that’s super important like I can’t stress that enough that the writing is really important. As much as in certain – some of the episodes we improv’d a little more than others and, you know, went off script which Brent wanted us to do. But that was really only possible because he had created the structure that was very clear.

On the similarities and differences between her and Gayle: Okay well I think the similarities are I really do just love people. And I think I generally am a person that likes to – that cares about people, that is interested in their welfare, that I have a real support – I’m a really generous and supportive person so I think those are definite similarities. The differences I would say is I have – my patience is not nearly as extensive as Gayle’s. I am a bit more – my sense of humor is – is maybe – I wouldn’t say more biting but definitely I think I’m a little – I might be a little more combative than Gayle I would say. I think most people are. She was, you know, bordering on sainthood I think.

On what sort of research she did for the part: I was given some information about, you know, the American Family and the insurance company that were working with. So I knew kind of what sort of – what their brand means and what their way of working is and how they deal with clients and I had to learn about what’s, you know, what’s confidential information and how to – how they deal with their own clients and that kind of thing. And then in terms of other research it’s more, you know, being a parent, that’s – I just talked to other parents and things like that.

On her own problem-solving abilities: I would like to think that I’m brilliant at it; I’m not sure I am. But I definitely do play the role of people – I wouldn’t say coming to me for advice necessarily but more for support and insight. I certainly do play that role I think in a lot of my friendships. But I have – my friendships are that way like we’re very supportive of one another and very verbal also in that way. So it’s a really open dialogue. But I definitely think that, you know, and with a lot of younger people for whatever reason I’ve always been that way, you know, where young people – and I don’t know, you know, it could be because of the roles that I’ve played not the specific roles but the shows and the movies, you know, between Sabrina and Clueless especially that, you know, that age group of people they kind of always, you know, look to those characters – look up to those people. So I think I’ve always kind of, you know, been a little bit of a role model and not to sound too egotistical here but, you know, where girls do – they ask me questions and things. So even in that capacity yeah I have – I do kind of play that role.

On her favorite resident of Maple Grove: Oh that’s a good question. You know what, I’d have to say my – well aside from my husband and my son I would have to say my rival because he just really, really needs a lot of love; he needs a lot of – a lot of support. And I think that, you know, Gayle is really the person to get him on the right road.

New episodes of “In Gayle We Trust,” air every Tuesday night on nbc.com. Also, look for a great giveaway from the show!

To those who subscribe to my site via RSS feed (thank you, you are awesome!), you have to re-subscribe. I made the switch over to Word Press, and it’s a different subscription now.

Thanks!!