 PCM
was able to participate in a conference call with Dylan McDermott
star of the new TNT series "Dark Blue" which will
premiere on July 15th at 10pm following the two-hour premiere
of "Leverage! |
Q: What made you originally
want to be a part of this show?
Dylan McDermott: I always was intrigued
by the undercover you know growing up watching Baretta and
reading Serpico and watching the movie and Donnie Brasco.
And I just - I've always been intrigued by the underworld,
kind of the undercover aspects of this - of this kind of
show. And I was actually developing a show about undercover
cops, well, a couple years ago. So I always had an interest
in this world. So when Jerry Bruckheimer approached me about
it and I knew it was on TNT, then I thought it was a perfect
fit for me.
Q: Can you share any important
things you think viewers should understand about your character,
Carter Shaw such as what makes him tick or what made him
choose this - his current profession?
D.M: Well, I think this is a very kind of
complex character who's been in political enforcement a
long time and he's sort of corrupted by the system and he
finds himself in his 40s sort of empty. And - but he knows
that he's really good at this job and he knows that the
job has to be done and he knows how to do it. But nonetheless
he's very conflicted, as I said.
So he's struggling with many things (he's
got), in relationship with his wife and who he's become
at this particular point in his life. And so there's an
aspect of him that's crumbling inside, but also he knows
that he has to get this work done and he has to save this
people along the way and make them understand what this
job is. And what I like about the show mostly is that all
the characters are flawed. You know Jaimie has a past and
Ty is struggling with his marriage and Dean is - has many,
many demons as well. So we all are much flawed in this -
in this show, but at the same time we're all doing our jobs.
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Q: What made you decide
to move from the stage back to television?
D.M: I think the cable world. When you do
you know 13-15 episodes, whatever it is, if we're lucky
to come back next year. This year we're only doing ten.
So that's just kind of a nice schedule for an actor. I'm
used to doing like 24 episodes a year, which you know for
seven years I did that. And that took up about 10 months
of the year for me. So this was attractive in terms of the
schedule, where I didn't have to work the entire year and
you know I could work 6 months and be with my kids or do
whatever I wanted, maybe make a movie or something. So it
- that was - that was a really attractive part of it. So,
I mean, I love television and I love doing it, and this
particular character in this show was a perfect fit for
me.
Q: What has challenged you
the most about playing your character Carter Shaw?
D.M: Well, I mean you know it's not easy
to play. You know what I mean? It's definitely a character
that is haunted. So that's not - I mean, it's intriguing
to play and it's fun to play, if you consider that fun,
which I do. But it's heavy at times. You know what I mean?
There's a lot of weight that goes with it and there's a
lot of parts of me that I have to bring to work every day.
Last night I found myself in an abandoned
power plant handcuffed at 1 o'clock in the morning. So that's
- there's things and aspects to this show that are very
dark and hence the title Dark Blue. So you know what you're
getting into when you - when you hear the title and when
you see the first opening shot of the show. You know this
is - this is a criminal world, and sometimes that's not
easy.
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Q: What's it
like working with Jerry Bruckheimer again?
D.M: Jerry is - I mean you know
he's the most successful producer in the history of television
and movies, and there's a reason for it. I mean, Jerry is
the type of guy who does the work. You know he reads the scripts,
he watches dailies, he also gives his advice. I mean, this
is a very busy guy. He has many, many projects going, but
you know, he loves the show. You know, he - for the up fronts
he came to New York with me and was on stage. I mean, this
is a - he believes in this show. I know he showed it to his
film department when he saw the pilot. It's just great to
have someone who cares so much and believes in this product.
You know? Because like I said, he has a million things going
on and he can just sort of like you know sign off on the show
and walk away. But he hasn't done that at all on this show.
Q: So after you
know taking on this role and everything, would you say that
you can hack it as an undercover cop? Or do you think you
would crack like if you really had to do this in real life?
D.M: Well, I would hope that
I could handle it. I mean, it's a - it's hard work. You know
I hung out with these guys. And I saw it in their eyes. I
saw the weariness and I saw what's hidden inside of them.
And I can understand how the burnout factor of this particular
job is - must be quite high because of it. So you know if
you put me in the situation, I would - I would do the best
I can. But I know that these guys are under an enormous, enormous
amount of stress.
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Q: I was wondering
what's been your most memorable moment you've had from filming
the first season of the show Dark Blue?
D.M: The most memorable moment.
You know what? It's what I read. When I read the pilot, sometimes
you can picture yourself you know - so I do a lot of like
visualization stuff. And I could picture myself in this role.
And it was a simple thing, and I was just walking down the
street and they were talking about me. And every time I see
in the pilot it just - it's so imprinted in my - in my DNA,
this character and that moment. And it's a very simple moment.
I'm just walking down the street. And for one - for whatever
reason, that just stays with me. Every time I do the show
it just reminds me so deeply of who this guy is.
Q: You know I noticed the
show definitely is considered more of a darker show. Are we
going to see some lighter moments to balance that out or is
it predominantly dark?
D.M: I mean, I hope to, I hope to find those
moments. I hope that they're in the show. Because you know
you don't always want to be dark. But at the same time, it
is - it kind of is what it is. It is a criminal element. You
know what I mean? It is - it's going to be criminal cases
every week and there's going to be bad guys. So, I mean, that's
always going to be - the predominant part of the show is that.
But I'm hoping that there's a nice balance.
Q: TNT has given Dark Blue
a top notch time slot, following Timothy Hutton's Leverage.
How do you feel about Dark Blue's chances with the two crime
series paired together, and do you think they're well matched?
D.M: Yes, I think in terms of the scheduling
at TNT this is probably the show - I mean - you know obviously
you always want to follow The Closer because that's their
number one show. But I think this is a nice mix. I think that
the male viewers of Leverage is about 50% from what I understand.
So we're hoping to get as many males and females on the show.
But, yes, I think it is a pretty good match.
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Q: You directed some of the
episodes of The Practice. Do you think you'll be directing
some of these episodes also?
D.M: Yes, I'd like to. You know if we're lucky
to come back for next season, I'd like to direct an episode.
Absolutely.
Q: You had mentioned earlier
that you had actually gotten a chance to work with some of
the officers, the undercover cops and everything. Are you
hoping that this role kind of gets you in good with the officers
and with the police department and everything?
D.M: You know what? I get so many tickets
I think I need them. Hopefully I can save me from some of
my tickets. I'm just dying for the show to air so I can get
out of some of them.
Q: In your words, why should
people tune in and watch the show?
D.M: Well, I think you know you're going to
get a great story every week you know you're going to get
a great case. And it's going to be contained episodes where
you're going to feel satisfied. Also, you're going to get
great characters on this. I mean, it's - if you're not into
me you know there's other people on the show that I think
are just amazing actors and I think that their characters
are really complex and difficult. And so there's something
for everybody on the show. And I'm just hoping that viewers
will give us a chance and watch the show each week, because
we have some great episodes coming up. I mean, I saw a couple
of them already. And, I mean, it's just - it's just fascinating
TV. You know what I mean? It's intriguing TV. And it's - I
think that with these stories, these great stories that you
know people are hopefully going to come back each week.
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Q: Dylan, obviously to be an
undercover cop you have to be really good at being under the
radar and having those skills of being covert and everything.
Do you find yourself being a little bit like more suspicious
of people now that you know that anybody could really be an
undercover cop?
D.M: I'm not really running in those circles
too much. But, yes you know when I hung out with them I was
fascinated by the fact of you know what they weren't telling
me. I was - I - I was watching the behavior and how closed
they are and how hidden they are, how secretive they are.
And that's just learned behavior over time. You know? So I
try to implement that as much as I could into my character.
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