Author: Amber Dowling

September 28, 2016 6:00pm PT by Amber Dowling

Peter Kramer/NBC

Luke Mitchell opens up about moving from ‘Agents of SHIELD’ to ‘Blindspot’ and his complicated character. He “has a lot of pain,” the actor tells THR.

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from Wednesday’s episode of Blindspot, “Hero Fears Imminent Rot.”]

Fans waiting for answers after the inaugural season of Blindspot were quickly rewarded when Jane (Jaimie Alexander) made the realization in the season two premiere that Roman (Luke Mitchell) and Shepherd (Michelle Hurd) were her respective brother and mother. Thanks to an arc setting up the new terrorist organization Sandstorm and the twist in which it was revealed there’s a mole in the FBI, it was immediately obvious that the two new characters would play a major role going forward.

It was also obvious that these weren’t the good guys, and that their previous relationship with Jane meant nothing if it meant her loyalties had turned.

In Wednesday’s episode, Jane’s loyalty was indeed put to the test when Shepherd ordered her to shoot an innocent man who was in love with her. Unable to pull the trigger, Roman stepped in to do it instead, effectively covering for his sister… for now. But even that move didn’t come without a threat by episode’s end, calling into question just how deep the bond between these two characters actually goes.

THR caught up with Mitchell on the heels of Roman’s deadly “rabbit” monologue to find out just how ruthless this character is and how far his loyalties go. Here, he chats about almost turning down the role, crafting the character’s look and what comes next.  

How did you come to this role?

I had basically just finished S.H.I.E.L.D. and I was asked to audition. I turned it down at first because I didn’t want to waste time on my holiday. I had read the character and didn’t think I was right for this role, which is pretty funny now. Once I came back to L.A. from my holiday, they reached out again. I still wasn’t sure it was for me, but I compromised and said I would put myself on tape. So I did that and a couple of days later they called saying [creator] Martin Gero wanted to Skype with me and do a callback with some tweaks. Long story short, I got the role, and I burst out laughing. I still had my holiday beard, as I call it. Every time I go on holidays, I just grow my facial hair out as a relaxation thing. When I have a job, I have to shave or trim down the beard to the same length, which is annoying. So I didn’t think I was right for the role and I went in with the way I looked and that spirit. Gero just so happened to love the look I had which was ironic and brilliant. Before I knew it, I was flying to New York to meet the cast. It all happened very fast.

When did you realize you were right for the role?

The initial character description was just very simply worded. I realized halfway through the audition process why I was in the running for it. I think a lot of people were playing this guy as a bad guy but I didn’t think he was a bad guy. He’s a good guy, he has to believe in the things he’s fighting for and he is looking out for his sister. All of a sudden it changed in my head, and I thought, ‘Okay, I can play this guy.’

Do you still think he’s a good guy after he shot an innocent man in the head?

Look, there are things that this guy does that are pretty extreme, but there are reasons for why he does what he does. So long as there are reasons, I can wrap my head around it.

Characters keep referencing how “ruthless” Roman is – how ruthless does he get?

He is ruthless. Absolutely. Look at the situation where he was killing those cops. Or his own people in his organization were trying to stop him from doing something and he almost killed them with his bare hands. He is ruthless and he’s brutal. He will do anything for his sister, absolutely anything. He went through an incredibly traumatic childhood and she is his saving grace. His sister is the human representation of the love he’s lost. He lost his parents at a young age, he grew up in this orphanage and he had awful treatment. He was the weaker of the two siblings and Jane was his protector.

How would you describe his relationship with Shepherd?

Shepherd came in and rescued them and brought them into the fold and the organization. Technically, she is their mother, and she did raise them and nurture them, but she is not the most mothering person. They don’t call her “Mom,” they call her “Shepherd” which is interesting. It kind of explains that inherent nature of their relationship. So he is a guy that has a lot of pain. He has a lot of scar tissue, not just on the outside but on the inside. Born out of that is a need to prove himself and show that he is ready. It makes him do some pretty extreme things for what he believes to be in the best interest of their cause.

Can you explain the line Shepherd gives Roman about how he can’t do what his sister does?

In my head it is to say, “You’re not as good as your sister and you never will be.” Shepherd had two choices to send to the FBI and she chose Jane. So that is just a reminder that he’s not enough and she makes him feel like he never will be, which is the constant struggle where he’s trying to prove himself as well as his need to be loved.

How far will he go in order to cover up for Jane?

Roman is scared of what Shepherd might do if she were to find out that Jane can’t find a way to be herself again. Showing signs of weakness means she isn’t the person they knew, which means they can’t trust her. Roman knows what kind of person Shepherd is and therefore he is doing everything he can sheep to protect his sister. At the end of the episode, the story about the rabbit is him threatening her, but essentially, it is a form of tough love. He is trying to tell her to figure it out; whatever she’s playing at she needs to find her way back to being herself or shit is going to hit the fan. Like this is really, really, really serious. Also a part of that is him stepping up and saying, “Hey, while you’ve been gone I’ve been working my ass off to be better, to get better and survive.” As hard as that is to do to the one person in the world he loves, he has to do that to protect her.

Could the rabbit story be a metaphor for anyone in Jane’s life?

In terms of the threat he makes towards Jane, it could represent anyone. Certainly people or a person close to her, for sure. But in Roman’s head it represents weakness. That is what it represents for him personally; he was too weak and he was not able to kill the rabbit. His sister was strong. She was able to do it and he reminds her of that story saying that he is not a strong one but now he is not afraid to do whatever it takes. 

How far ahead do you know what’s coming up for your character?

Before we started shooting, Martin and I had a great chat where he pretty much gave me my season arc. It was amazing because I have never had that before on any project. It was great to be handed so much information on a platter. Where he takes this story and these characters really brings this relationship to life. In terms of scripts that I’ve read I have read up to episode nine, which is the midseason finale. Obviously things can change, but things are moving incredibly quick from the season premiere. It is mental. The midseason finale could be our finale… like that much shit goes down. It’s crazy.

Blindspot airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.

What did you think of the episode? Sound off in the comments below.

Twitter: @amber_dowling

Blindspot

September 27, 2016 8:00pm PT by Amber Dowling

Ron Batzdorff/NBC

Ranking the emotional punches on the second episode of NBC’s new Dan Fogelman family drama.

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from episode two of This Is Us.]

In a world rife with spoilers it’s a nice surprise that the twist at the end of the pilot for NBC’s This Is Us wasn’t ruined before last week’s series debut. Given the inherent nature of the show and creator/showrunner Dan Fogelman’s plan to give audiences “the good cry” in subsequent weeks, the creative team now has a tall order ahead.

After revealing that Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) are parents to Kevin (Justin Hartley), Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown), the drama used its second episode to flash forward eight years to a weary couple trying to raise three children. Meanwhile in the present-day story, the narrative followed Kevin’s job woes, Kate’s struggle with weight loss and Randall’s reactions to meeting his birth father.

Here are seven of the big emotional punches from “The Big Three,” ranked.

7. Kevin’s Crisis

Contracts can be a bitch. At least that’s what Kevin found out when he was confronted with some harsh truths courtesy of his agent (played by Katey Sagal) and the network head (Brad Garrett). When faced with whether he should Manny-up and ride the show out for two more years or risk being ruined financially and professionally, he stuck with his convictions and left the show, determined to move to New York and take a stab at theater. The real punch came when he reached out to Randall and admitted he’d never been a great brother, leaving audiences with the feeling that a new door had finally opened between the two.

6. Kate’s Breakfast

A big storyline this season is Kate’s quest to lose weight now that she’s on the other side of 35. But as viewers witnessed in the episode, being heavyset has always been a narrative in the character’s life — the struggle is nothing new. While Kevin and Randall enjoyed the sugary cereal all children in the ’80s woke up to every morning, Kate’s breakfast consisted of fruit. Later, when Kate revealed to her mom that all she ate all day was fruit, it was an insightful look at how minds and habits are formed so young. Rebecca’s speech to Kate about figuring out how to find a healthy balance together was heartfelt, but probably also resonated with a lot of viewers out there who grew up having a love-hate relationship with food.

5. “Webster”

Adoption and race relations remain touchy subjects in 2016, but they were handled quite differently in the ’80s. As a black child adopted into a white family Randall always had trouble fitting in, even with his own brother. When the other kids called him “Webster” (thanks to the popularity of the TV series back then), Kevin was quick to join in despite Rebecca’s insistence that brothers should stick together. Watching the boys get off the bus and Kevin immediately ditching his baby bro during a crucial moment explained a lot of the strained relationship between the pair in the present day, along with Randall’s constant need to be “perfect.” That didn’t make it any less heartbreaking, of course.

4. Clooney the Kitten

William’s shady ways throughout the episode would have made anyone question his motives for moving into Randall’s house, so it’s acceptable that Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) wanted to protect her husband. Constantly asking for bus fare and then disappearing all day pointed to signs that his “vice” had returned, but as it turned out he was only going to take care of his ugly and ironically named cat, Clooney. He knew Randall would insist on bringing the cat home despite his daughter’s allergies, which is why William didn’t say anything in the first place. The secret led to a heartfelt scene between Beth and William, however, one that gave a lot of exposition about Randall’s constant need to be everything to everyone. It’s a storyline that could have gone another way; as it stands now the more audiences get to know William the harder it will be when the cancer does eventually take his life.

3. Jack’s Drinking

If Jack was the ideal family man in the pilot, he was anything but eight years into the future. A little worse for wear under the stress of raising three kids, Jack began coming home later (and drunk), leaving Rebecca to fend for the family by herself. It was a sad turn of events for viewers expecting to clink celebratory glasses of lemonade after the pilot, but one that probably showcased the character in a more realistic light. It also allowed Rebecca to deliver a beautiful monologue about their collective seven-out-of-ten parenting skills, one that was convincing enough to have Jack sleeping in guilt on the floor outside their bedroom. Maybe that good guy from the pilot was still in there after all.  

2. The Big Three

“First came…”

“Me!”

“Then Dad said, ‘Wee!’”

“Then came…”

“Me!”

“And mom said, ‘Gee!’”

“Then came…”

“Me!”

And there’s the episode title in a nutshell, “The Big Three.”

1. Introducing … Miguel

It may not have carried the emotional weight of the big pilot reveal, but the revelation that in the present day Rebecca is with Jack’s best friend Miguel (Jon Huertas) was probably gut-wrenching for any viewer holding out hope for Jack and Rebecca in the long run. It’s safe to assume the question of what happened to Jack will be revealed in the third episode; until then it’s important to note that Rebecca is still wearing that moon necklace Jack gave her.

This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on NBC. What did you think of the second episode? Sound off in the comments below.

Twitter: @amber_dowling

This Is Us

September 22, 2016 8:00pm PT by Amber Dowling

Mitch Haaseth/ABC

Showrunner Pete Nowalk opens up to THR about “the hardest decision in the history of the show.”

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from Thursday’s season three premiere of How to Get Away With Murder, “We’re Good People Now.”]

If fans tuned in to How to Get Away With Murder’s third season premiere expecting a tame opener, they had another thing coming. Following a cliffhanger at the end of season two, the show wasted no time before revealing that Wallace (Adam Arkin) is definitely dead and Frank (Charlie Weber) is alive and well… and ready to take whatever action necessary against Annalise (Viola Davis) in order to keep himself alive.

Meanwhile, after a tumultuous summer, the students returned for a second year of university and to Annalise’s new class, which gave them an opportunity to practice real life court cases. The schooling quickly took a backseat when a new threat emerged in the form of “killer” Annalise Keating posters though, and thanks to a two-month flash-forward, viewers learned that someone very important to the law professor is about to die a grisly death involving a house fire.

To break down all the premiere twists and find out what comes next, THR caught up with showrunner Pete Nowalk. Here he talks about the “hardest decision” he’s had to make in the history of the show, how the timelines factor in going forward and Famke Janssen’s return.

When did you decide you were going to kill off a big character, and when did you know who it was?

Over our hiatus I was thinking that we needed to make a big impact in our new season. Of course that’s a lot easier to do in theory when you’re on vacation or working with the writers early on in the season. We are just actually catching up to the episode where we reveal who is under the sheet — that happens in episode nine. We got to that point just this last week so I had to make that decision of who. I always just want to surprise myself and find the thing that’s best for the show, but it was a very hard decision. It was the hardest decision I’ve had to make in the history of the show.

Were you going back and forth between a few characters?

I tried not to think about it. It was a decision that was much easier to make when I didn’t have to think about it. It’s like anything — I didn’t make it until I was forced to and at that point I just trusted my gut and followed the story.

Because this show plays with time, is it possible to continue seeing that character in the future?

Because our show plays around with time a lot, we will always flash back to certain things. I still think there is a chance we could see Rebecca in a flashback sometime. So that goes for all of our characters. I never thought we would see Sam as much as we do, but we are going to see him again this season with some flashbacks that relate back to Frank’s origin story. So I think there’s a very good chance that we will see more of this person.

What does your timeline look like now that the premiere is out of the way?

That premiere packed in a lot of timelines, so we are going to simplify it from here out. It will just be in the present and then in the two-months-later timeline with the Keating house fire. So it won’t be too confusing but those are two main time periods.

Where does that leave the Frank and Bonnie (Liza Weil) origin stories?

We do find out more about Bonnie’s past in certain ways, it’s just not in the way you may expect. We’ve always had a really good idea of how Annalise and Bonnie first met. But this season is very much about a Frank-Annalise conflict. Obviously they’re on separate sides so his origin story felt a lot more present and urgent to tell right now.

How does he factor into the season now that viewers know he’s alive?

We will find out what Frank is doing and where he is. It is a mystery right now. And our characters are going to wonder those things as well. Annalise is scared of Frank and what he is capable of. There is a lot of fear there and she has to do something about that.

Does that fear go both ways?

Yeah, it does go both ways. When two very strong people are backed into a corner, it can be a very emotional thing. They both freak each other out because they both might do something that’s unpredictable and dangerous.

Is there capability for forgiveness there?

That’s the question of the season; both of them are asking themselves that. Where we catch up with Annalise in the premiere versus where we left her in the finale, she was so angry in the finale and hurt and shocked. That’s probably when she hired that guy to go find Frank. And of course we saw her struggle on the phone with whether she could give the final order to “take care” of him so to speak. That is a struggle for Annalise. When she said to Bonnie, “I’m not a killer,” she really believes that. It’s one thing that she can really hold onto about herself after having done so many bad things.

Is she now trying to be a better person?

I don’t know if I would say she’s trying to be a better person; she’s trying to get back to normal. It’s not about her image or anything to her. It’s about feeling bad and realizing that she and all of these kids are tied together. Their fates are tied and in order for her to feel good, they need to feel good. So it’s kind of a push-pull of whether she is doing this out of concern for them or out of concern for herself. I think it’s both of those things.

Will it be revealed how Conner got into Stanford if his marks are so low?

We do not address that but I imagine he had some good recommendations or something. There are a lot of personal favors that Connor was able to pull in order to get in.

What can you say to fans that will be upset by the Connor-Oliver breakup?

It is always a challenge for me to do what the audience doesn’t expect. Oliver said he wants to break up, but we are going to see what that looks like with the two of them. That was a very painful and a very mature decision on Oliver’s part. Is it just a break they’re taking or are they going to get back together? I will just say that yes, fans will be upset and I understand that. I am upset too; I love them more than anyone. But they are going to be in each other’s lives in a very major way for the rest of the season. So just hold on, don’t get too depressed and see where it goes.

How did the decision to give Wes (Alfred Enoch) a “normal” girlfriend (Corbin Reid) come about?

Someone else in the writers’ room pitched that and it just felt real to me. It felt like Wes deserves that. We are going to find out more about Maggie and what she is like. If I was Wes and I had been through all of this horrible stuff, and seen my father got shot, and I wanted to heal, and I had my cathartic scream, I might flirt with a girl in the bookstore. Or I might look for a little peace and quiet. That’s what happened with Connor and Oliver. That’s why Connor threw himself at Oliver, because of his normalcy. It just gives Wes balance.

Does Wes having a girlfriend make Laurel (Karla Souza) reevaluate her decision not to pursue their kiss from last season?

There is definitely some longing for both of them. There was never an opportunity for either of them to pursue something; Frank was in the picture and there was crazy drama. Laurel was really hurt when Frank pulled away from her. But these are two people who care deeply about each other. Whether or not that should be romantic? Right now they’re both telling themselves it won’t be.

How do the court cases factor in going forward? Do the students continue to compete for first chair?

Yes, they get to take a much more active role in the courtroom or on whatever cases they’re working on. That’s based on a real-life clinic a professor who came in to speak with us runs. She really gives her students a lot of rope to hang themselves with. It’s just fascinating to me and it allows our students to take a more active role in certain cases. I wanted to get back to that fun trophy competition. Annalise needs that for them; she knows they need to distract themselves like little puppies. She needs to make them run otherwise they’re going to make themselves crazy.

Does that force new students into the mix or do you have to find excuses to let the Keating Five win all the time?

It’s both; you’ll see the answer to that in the season. Other students besides the Keating Five will get a chance to be first chair. We definitely wanted to see how the other students feel about the Keating Five and Annalise. Obviously she needs to keep her people close, but she also needs to play the game.

Will Famke Janssen return as Eve now that she’s starring in The Blacklist spinoff?

Yes. Luckily before she went on to her new show, we got her back. She is going to be in an upcoming episode very early in the season. Eve and Annalise fans should definitely watch that.

How to Get Away With Murder airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on ABC.

Who do you think was under the sheet? Sound off in the comments below.

Twitter: @amber_dowling

How to Get Away With Murder