Dreamwatch #85 Interview with Robert Leeshock, Von Flores and Lisa Howard
CJ
interesting, yet in some ways kinda depressing interview with Robert
Leeshock, Von Flores and Lisa Howard (all together). Here are a few
quotes:
--> Opinions on why the show has lasted so long:
Lisa Howard: “...I can’t imagine how it keeps going with the amount of
changes. Science fiction’s popularity is very much based on the fans
connecting with the characters, and with them coming and going so often,
its success is a mystery to me.”
Robert Leeshock: “I have tried at times to objectively look at the show,
and I think the characters themselves were initially very clearly
defined,” he notes sincerely. “The types of people that we are
individually make a very interesting, eclectic group of people. The
characters themselves are what’s kept this show going. They are
interesting, and I think the people that play them are very dynamic. You
could walk through a show like this, but I think you have a bunch of
really professional actors who bring their heart and soul to this,
whether the writing’s good or bad. That’s the only glue that I can see
to it.”
--> On how Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic view of human potential has
contributed to the show’s success:
Robert Leeshock: “The main theme, from day one to the last episode of
the fourth season, is the concept of free will,” explains Leeshock. “The
Taelon culture represents communal thinking and the only thing that
differentiates us from them is our ability to choose what we want to
think. The concept of separating humanity from this alien culture to me
is very interesting.”
Lisa Howard: “It’s a very hopeful message to cling to, and something
that we all need to be reminded of,” adds Howard. “You read the news and
it sounds so desperate, but you hold onto the fact that there is free
choice, and the individuality of humanity. That’s a powerful message for
people to keep coming back to.”
--> On the challenge the actors faced in maintaining consistent arcs for
their characters:
Von Flores: “The producers wanted to make the show so that Joe Public
could understand it, and the dumbing-down of the dialogue was really
frustrating,” he says. “But I realized that they were paying my bills so
I had to accept that. But luckily for the most part, it was what I
wanted to do.”
Lisa Howard: “Every so often I did speak up and enlighten the writers
about Lili, and they were appreciative,” adds Howard. “They come into a
show halfway through a season and they don’t really know what they’re
doing - what they’d written was not really an affront to my character,
it’s just that they didn’t realise certain things.”
Robert Leeshock: “They created this character and they just didn’t want
to deal with it,” he sighs. “They gave some lame excurse like, ‘The more
time he spent on Earth, the more human he became.’ What a cop out! If
you’re an artist or a writer in this business you need a point of view.
It doesn’t matter what it is – make a decision and have the courage to
back it up. Don’t be middle of the road. That’s not drama.
“I think my low point was when I realised that people were compromising.
At some point egos battle and it gets distilled down to some lowest
common denominator. It makes you feel kind of icky inside because you
want to believe that there are principles and there are points of view,
and you would like to fight for them.”
--> On the increasing action and gore content of the show, beginning in
season two:
Lisa Howard: “There was this one particular regime that had a very
violent attitude,” recalls Howard. “You had Lili with guns to people’s
heads, being incredibly violent. The producers didn’t understand: they
said it was an action show, and to get the ratings, they needed action –
blood and guts and guns. I said that they had to appreciate that our
audience was not going to appreciate Lili going down that road. It’s not
who she is. It’s not the honourable way to deal with that situation.”
Von Flores: “The period towards the end of the second season was
brutally painful to deal with. I had a couple of run-ins with that
producer. I really wanted to beat the crap out of him!”
--> On the willingness of producers to listen to the actors’ opinions
about their character:
Robert Leeshock: “During his three-year stint with the show, Leeshock
found that the producers were normally willing to listen “if you are
generally disheartened by something that blatantly doesn’t make sense or
isn’t true to the character.” However, he was always aware that Earth:
Final Conflict is shot on a very tight schedule, which meant that there
often wasn’t time to make the necessary changes.
“The most interesting thing I’ve learned about the whole process is the
role of the ego,” reveals Leeshock. “Everyone has an ego and at some
point there’s a battle with it. Someone would die to have a line done
their way, and all of a sudden you wake up and think, ’OK, I’ll do it
their way.’ Then the next day you’ll wake up and go, ‘No I’m not going
to say *that* line. I will die on *that* hill.’ It’s an interesting
subjective collaborative beast.”
Lisa Howard: “You have to choose your battles,” adds Howard. “You can’t
fix everything, so you have to let some things go.”
Von Flores: “Fatigue sets in and you go, ‘Sure, go ahead, whatever,’”
admits Flores.
--> On being a part of Earth: Final Conflict:
Lisa Howard: “When we talk about egos vying, we’re talking about the
writers,” Howard points out. “None of the actors was vying against each
other.”
“Yes it was ‘another job’, continues Howard, “and then you walk in and
see the set. There’s all these incredibly creative people creating a
whole new universe! It was shocking. I realised that I was going to have
to do some work!”
“It was so exciting to be a part of it,” she recalls. “As an actor, that
opportunity doesn’t come around very often.”
Von Flores: “It’s been amazing for me,” adds Flores. “I’ve learned so
much, not least of which is meeting up with Lisa and Robert and the
other cast. I think that we’ve been very fortunate that there have been
no egos.”
Robert Leeshock: For Leeshock, nothing beats the moment he phoned his
father to tell him that he had been cast as Kincaid. Another fond memory
was the first time he was given a gun to use in a shoot-out. “I was
cackling to myself, ‘I’m an action hero!’” he recalls with a chuckle.
“It’s been a phenomenal experience, meeting Lisa and Von and the rest of
the cast. This job has changed my life.”
CJ
with the quotation marks. Lets try that again...
----
Suffer359
writers on track. Interesting. I think the actors put up a valient struggle
for us fans and they should be comended for that in my opinion. Including
Leeshock. As he said he was just thrust in the middle there with a new
character, which must have been hard. He acctually managed to go somewhere
with Kincade I think which says alot. Im also still hoping that Flores and
Kliner can bring at least something to the final season that will satisfy
the fans. That might be impossible now though. I am very very sad. I am
still trying hard to reserve judgement. If the Boone episodes suck I will be
very very pissed.
"CJ" <CJ_Wat...@excite.com> wrote in message
news:3BD32920...@excite.com...
> It doesn't matter what it is - make a decision and have the courage to
> back it up. Don't be middle of the road. That's not drama.
>
> "I think my low point was when I realised that people were compromising.
> At some point egos battle and it gets distilled down to some lowest
> common denominator. It makes you feel kind of icky inside because you
> want to believe that there are principles and there are points of view,
> and you would like to fight for them."
>
> --> On the increasing action and gore content of the show, beginning in
> season two:
>
> Lisa Howard: "There was this one particular regime that had a very
> violent attitude," recalls Howard. "You had Lili with guns to people's
> heads, being incredibly violent. The producers didn't understand: they
> said it was an action show, and to get the ratings, they needed action -
790Robothead
"Suffer359" <Suff...@SoftHome.net> wrote in message
news:3dHA7.6202$R%6.83...@news-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca...
> Wow. That is depressing. They make it clear that it was a battle to keep
the
> writers on track. Interesting. I think the actors put up a valient
struggle
> for us fans and they should be comended for that in my opinion. Including
> Leeshock. As he said he was just thrust in the middle there with a new
> character, which must have been hard. He acctually managed to go somewhere
> with Kincade I think which says alot. Im also still hoping that Flores and
> Kliner can bring at least something to the final season that will satisfy
> the fans.
with the same writers who've written the last two years ... comon dude wake
up!
joe
shovel couldn't be used to dig it out of the cellar.
790Robothead
expecting greatness when the people writing Boone's Awakening and Boone's
Assassin are the same people who've written season 3 and 4 - specifically
season 4. The same people who've ruined the show. And whats worse - Paul
Gertz is writing the episodes. What does that tell you?
"joe" <joe...@barnwellsc.com> wrote in message
news:3BD3871A...@barnwellsc.com...
Suffer359
wake
> up!
If "waking up" means posting negative comments constantly, Ill pass thanx.
Yes Season 5 is bad, I agree. But, cant I hope that the Boone episodes will
be good? If that doesn't meet with your approval, TOO DAMNED BAD!!
790Robothead
"Suffer359" <Suff...@SoftHome.net> wrote in message
> > with the same writers who've written the last two years ... comon dude
> wake
> > up!
>
> If "waking up" means posting negative comments constantly,
if the shoe fits ...
>Ill pass thanx.
> Yes Season 5 is bad, I agree. But, cant I hope that the Boone episodes
will
> be good? If that doesn't meet with your approval, TOO DAMNED BAD!!
>
>
if it had the people who wrote season 1 writing Boone's ressurection I'd
probaby think differently
look at the episodes he wrote:
(episodes 1.05 "Old Flame", 1.06 "Float Like A Butterfly", 1.07
"Resurrection", 1.15 "If You Could Read My Mind", 1.18 "Law & Order", 1.20
"Infection", 1.22 "Joining, The", 2.01 "First Of It's Kind", 2.04
"Dimensions", 2.07 "Fissures", 2.09 "Isabel", 2.13 "Second Chances", 2.16
"Volunteers", 2.19 "Defectors", 3.01 "Crackdown", 3.08 "Pad'ar", 3.11
"Interview", 3.21 "Abduction", 5.05 "Boone's Awakening", 5.08 "Boone's
Assassin")
a slew of terrible EFC episodes. Not to mention he's the shows current
executive producer who ran the show into the ground.
PkJ0891
>if it had the people who wrote season 1 writing Boone's ressurection I'd
>probaby think differently
Me too, but I'll still be watching and hoping.
>look at the episodes he wrote:
>(episodes 1.05 "Old Flame", 1.06 "Float Like A Butterfly", 1.07
>"Resurrection", 1.15 "If You Could Read My Mind", 1.18 "Law & Order", 1.20
>"Infection", 1.22 "Joining, The", 2.01 "First Of It's Kind", 2.04
>"Dimensions", 2.07 "Fissures", 2.09 "Isabel", 2.13 "Second Chances", 2.16
>"Volunteers", 2.19 "Defectors", 3.01 "Crackdown", 3.08 "Pad'ar", 3.11
>"Interview", 3.21 "Abduction", 5.05 "Boone's Awakening", 5.08 "Boone's
>Assassin")
The only one I completely disagree with you about is #115 "IYCRMM". And
someone named Julie G. Beers has a co-writing credit on that one. Makes me
wonder if she wrote most of it. That episode was the one that established a
lot of potentially cool stuff about humanity's capacity for telepathy, and how
it might fit with the Commonality. Not to mention, the important role of Ma'el
in humanity's evolution. Oh yeah, and blind Marie, and Augur's art collection.
Sorry, but I think you're way off in trashing #115. I'll happily give you the
rest, with gift wrapping and a bow, no less.
PKJ
nospam
Sorry, I've watched the show from the beginning and as much as I would
like to see the show continue... I don't see how it can. I look forward
to seeing Boone again, but I'm not going to delude myself into thinking
that he will be the savior of the show. One can hope, but I'm just
looking forward to what role Boone will play in saving humanity -
basically the last episode that will end it for EFC.
790Robothead
"nospam" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:3BD3DE46...@nospam.com...
KK's only in Boone's Awakening and Boone's Assassin.
¿fooguy?
the fans from going postal and lynching the writers, right?
After all, what this show *really* needs is a good old fashioned mod
scene. I'm thinking torches and a night time hanging...
Oh yeah, this is supposed to help. Let me go post my reactions to 503
- then I'll feel better.
"Suffer359" <Suff...@SoftHome.net> wrote in message news:<HFKA7.6252$R%6.84...@news-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca>...
Suffer359
I was talking about you.. everything you post is a disagreement with someone
else. Are you a lawyer?
> if it had the people who wrote season 1 writing Boone's ressurection I'd
> probaby think differently
>
> look at the episodes he wrote:
> (episodes 1.05 "Old Flame", 1.06 "Float Like A Butterfly", 1.07
> "Resurrection", 1.15 "If You Could Read My Mind", 1.18 "Law & Order", 1.20
> "Infection", 1.22 "Joining, The", 2.01 "First Of It's Kind", 2.04
> "Dimensions", 2.07 "Fissures", 2.09 "Isabel", 2.13 "Second Chances", 2.16
> "Volunteers", 2.19 "Defectors", 3.01 "Crackdown", 3.08 "Pad'ar", 3.11
> "Interview", 3.21 "Abduction", 5.05 "Boone's Awakening", 5.08 "Boone's
> Assassin")
>
> a slew of terrible EFC episodes. Not to mention he's the shows current
> executive producer who ran the show into the ground.
Funny. I liked Float like a Butterfly. I must be insane. Mabye Ill change my
opinion just because you say it sucks.
Suffer359
into thinking that he will be the savior of the show. One can hope, but I'm
just
> looking forward to what role Boone will play in saving humanity -
> basically the last episode that will end it for EFC.
I never said Boone would save the show. I merely was hoping that I would get
something out of it among all this weirdness. But according to 790 Theres no
point in hoping.
Suffer359
> the fans from going postal and lynching the writers, right?
Flame the show fine. Dont flame me for having an opinion.
Suffer359
Apparently theres no point becuase we know it will suck right 790?
790Robothead
"Suffer359" <Suff...@SoftHome.net> wrote in message
there are plenty who regard FLAB as one of EFC's worst. There was a big
thread about it when Sci-Fi channel aired it a couple months back,
790Robothead
"Suffer359" <Suff...@SoftHome.net> wrote in message
"but according to 790" ... "but according to 790" .... "but according to
790"
wow, I had no idea I could get under your skin like this. Haha! Now that I
know this of course I'll never stop. You suck dude.
Suffer359
I knew that was coming. You people are all the same.
Janus Thinker
Ehhhhhhhhhh....I happen actually actively like Resurrection and Infection, and
kinda liked Float Like A Butterfly, Law & Order, and details of If You Could
Read My Mind (one of season one's weakest episodes, I agree), Old Flame
(another weak episode), and The Joining. It's strange, compared with the utter
crap of those later episodes, from First of Its Kind to Pa'dar. Maybe someone
wrote a series bible he was taking cues from, and then they threw it out with
Boone's corpse? Who knows.
Wackilda Portmeiron
I liked it a lot, too. The image of the butterfly coming out of the
old Amish guy's mouth struck me as strangely symbolic and surreal.
Beyond that, it is another good example of what EFC used to be that it
no longer seems to care about: sci-fi as a means of debate moral and
philosophical issues of our times. In that episode, it was the
conflict between tradition and suspicion, old ways and adapting to
survive without selling out one's soul. It wasn't the deepest show
I've ever seen, but decent for syndicated sci-fi.
Nowdays, EFC doesn't seem to be about anything except a faint,
soap-operatic theme of one woman's continuing resistance to the
temptation of an evil, handsome man.
WP
On Mon, 22 Oct 2001 19:42:21 GMT, "Suffer359" <Suff...@SoftHome.net>
wrote: