This summer TNT is reinventing the classic TV series “Dallas” and bringing back to TV. It is bringing a mix of original and new characters. Patrick Duffy is returning to his role, along with new co-star Jesse Metcalf. “Dallas” premiers Wednesday, June 13th at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on TNT. Media Mikes had a chance to ask the guys a few questions about what we can expect from the new 2012 “Dallas”.

Mike Smith: How do you feel that the new version of “Dallas” differs and how is it similar?
Jesse Metcalf: Okay. Well, I don’t think we’ve changed what made the original series great.I mean the show still centers around the major themes of family dynamics, greed, loyalty, love, and betrayal. But we’ve just updated it. We made it modern and definitely socially relevant to the times. And in addition to that we added some new characters. Obviously, Christopher and John Ross were established in the original series. But, now you now get to see the type of man that these two children have grown up to be. We also introduced the character of Elena Ramos, who is the one side of the love triangle between, Josh Henderson and Jordana. She’s the daughter of our…
Patrick Duffy: The Ewing housekeeper…
JM: Yeah, the Ewing housekeeper. She definitely wasn’t a part of the original series. Then we also have my fiancé, Rebecca Sutter played by Julie Gonzalo. It’s a great marriage of the original show and the original cast and some new cast members.
PD: Yeah. The difference also is just technologically speaking television is done so differently now that if we tried to duplicate the old school “Dallas” I think it would be slow in appearance and in substance for a modern audience. So with the technology that we have with high def cameras and the new way of directing television, which is so dynamic and so intense in terms of the pacing. And the scripts reflect that also. They’re much more condensed. We get maybe four or five episodes of an old “Dallas” in one episode of the new “Dallas”. So all of these things I think contemporize the old show. But we maintain the honor that Cynthia Cidre and Mike Robin feel towards the show. So that hasn’t changed. And I think that’s what will impress old viewers as they look at the new Dallas is it’s so much similar to what they were used to. But it’s done for a contemporary audience. So we think we got the best of both worlds. And we’re hoping that everybody out there is going to agree with us.

MS: So Patrick, what was it like to hear the news that they were recreating the show? And did you ever see it coming back as a series?
PD: No, because I didn’t think that anybody knew how to do it as a series again. The real brains and heart behind the show is our executive producer, Leonard Cassman. And he died. All of these other attempts to write scripts and to promote a movie or a television show that fell so far short of what the original concept was. I didn’t think anybody had the ability anymore. Then Cynthia Cidre wrote a script and it was submitted to Larry and Linda and myself. And it was phenomenal. The pilot script for the show had everything even better than I would say half of the original “Dallas” scripts that we got. So from the moment, the three of us read it we were onboard. And it was the first time I ever thought it was a possibility of returning as a series. And we filmed the pilot. I was sure that we were going to series. I was sure we were going to do this show. I’m still as optimistic that it’s going to go for years and years, because the quality of it is so satisfying having done the show for 13 years to see how well it can be redone again in 2012. I would be more than happy if this were my swan song.

MS: Do each of you have a favorite scene that you’ve done or favorite moment from the first few episodes that you could each talk about?
JM: I probably have a favorite moment from every episode. It’s really difficult for me to pick just one scene. I mean the fun thing about this show is that it’s a magnificent ensemble. Every single day you get to work with a different actor. I love working with all these different actors on the show for different reasons. But I’d say from the pilot episode my favorite scene would have to be the scene where Christopher confronts Elena about possibly betraying him and about the email. Patrick and I have had a number of really strong scenes
PD: Yeah.
JM: What do you think, Patrick?
PD: Well it’s interesting to me, because several of my favorite scenes didn’t make it to the show. That’s what’s interesting is that these scripts are so compact and so intense every scene is so brilliantly done. You finish filming and you think I can’t wait to see that. And then it’s edited out. Well because, you just can’t put everything in each episode. I am sure it still exists somewhere; especially when it comes out on a DVD there will be, additional scenes as an ancillary side to the DVD. You have to as an actor let that go. But I had a scene with Jesse in a barn, which they only kept the lead in scene for that. And they eliminated it. And it was one of my favorite ones of that episode. But over the years I’ve learned to let those feelings go and just enjoy what I see. Most of my new scenes that I have with my wife, with Brenda Strong, are really satisfying, that to me is the big test to find someone who would be the new Mrs. Bobby Ewing is a tough decision that casting had to make. It was a tough role for somebody to accept and Brenda is so good and I feel like when I watch us on camera anymore that we’ve been married for 20 years. There’s just an ease that we have with each other that makes those particular scenes very enjoyable for me. And I like being a father. So every time I work with Jesse it’s another level of satisfaction.

MS: Jesse, what really made you want to be apart of this show?
JM: It was the writing. The pilot episode was the initial script that I read. To be honest, I think this probably speaks to our critics a bit.
I was a bit hesitant to even audition for the new “Dallas”, because I wasn’t sure of remaking such an iconic show was a good idea. With the wave of remakes and reboots of various different shows over the past five years, it’s really been a trend. Most of which weren’t very successful, I was definitely hesitant. But after reading that pilot episode I was like, wow, this is really good story telling. The characters are really well defined and complex. I was like, wow, I think I want to throw my hat in the ring. Initially I auditioned for the role of John Ross. There was some interest there. But they ended up going with Josh Henderson, who I think is perfect casting for the role. And they came back for Christopher and I was even more excited for that role. Then I think the thing that really pushed it over the top for me was that Larry, Patrick, and Linda were going to be a part of the new series, which I think is completely necessary.

MS: Patrick, what do you think it is about the show that really captures so many viewers?
PD: Well, Jesse nailed it because we’ve been approached over the years both to be in a show or how do we feel about, you know, redoing “Dallas” or movie versions that didn’t even involve the original cast members and they all fell so far short…even approaching the original show that I didn’t think it was possible to do. And as Jesse said, once I saw the script and Larry and Linda saw the script and read it we realized not only was it possible but it could end up being better than the original because of the timely nature of how the scripts were written and what we could do with technology now. So the three of us got onboard, and I’ve not been disappointed in a page, a paragraph, or anything since the original pilot episode. So I’m onboard as long as they can squeeze another year out of this old horse.

Jaleel White recently competed on season 14 “Dancing with the Stars”. He also hosted Syfy’s new reality game show “Total Blackout”. Media Mikes had a chance to catch up with Jaleel again in order to reflect on his experiences with “Dancing with the Stars” & Syfy’s “Total Blackout”.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you reflect back on your work on “Dancing with the Stars”?
Jaleel White: The last eleven weeks have been unlike anything I have ever experienced in my career. It’s been hard on the body and very chaotic. People also ask me “Was it fun?” and I tell them “If you ran two marathon’s back-to-back, would you consider that fun” [laughs]. That is how I feel about “Dancing with the Stars”, I have survived some pretty awesome shit. I didn’t fall on my ass out there. Everywhere I go people said they were happy to see my dances and that makes me proud. The training was a lot but it was all necessary. My highlight was the cha-cha week, I knew it wasn’t going to get much better than that.

MG: Do you think that the judges where too hard on you throughout the show?
JW: Look, I am so proud of what I survived. I don’t want to be negative, especially because of how proud I am. Also nobody has ever met the five secret men that handle the fans votes. Since no one has ever met them I will not let it get to me [laughs]. After about week three, I stopped caring about the score to be honest.

MG: Any chance of you coming back for season 15 this Fall for the All-Stars season?
JW: I haven’t been approached or anything. I know the competition was tough enough. I do not know how being elimated in the seventh week makes me an all-star but I learned never to say never.

MG: Are you excited with the success of “Total Blackout”?
JW: I am very happy with that way that “Total Blackout” came out. It is very rare that I can say that about something I had so little to do with in the post-production phases. We have been able to build on the ratings week-to-week, so its been great for us.

MG: I got to tell you my sister ordered Syfy just so that she could watch your show.
JW: [laughs]. You gotta write that in your article. I can’t say anything as cool as that.

MG: Any word about a second season for “Total Blackout”?
JW: No word just yet. I have not been in the game show business for too long but I pick up on things quickly. My only concern about the show is that I know contestants get smarter. Even though the lights are off, we will have contestants that will have seen the show and once they know what game they are playing will go back to a mental picture. So they are really going to have to work hard to stay away from contestants looking to outsmart the show and also to keep the show fresh and moving forward.

James Lesure appears in TBS’s new comedy series “Men at Work”.  The series was created by Breckin Meyer and James co-stars along with Danny Masterson, Michael Cassidy and Adam Busch.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with James about what we can expect from this new show.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to the TBS’ new series “Men at Work”?
James Lesure: The script, written by Breckin Meyer. Once I got the pilot, I responded and said I wanted to be apart of it. I have known Breckin for years but really only athletically. We played basketball together for years. I had know idea he could write so well. I am a big fan of his work as an actor and now also as a writer.

JL: What do you like most about it, Mike?
MG: Honestly, I like the dynamic between the guys. You guys all play off each other. This show really works well with that.

MG: You’ve worked on many TV series like “Las Vegas” and “Mr. Sunshine”, how does a show like this compare?
JL: Right now, I would have to say the speed we do it. Currently we are filming in front of a live audience, so its like we are putting on a play each week. We get the script and then get about three days to put it down. So that is a bit of an adjustment for me.

MG: You seem to have natural comedic timing, how do you prepare for the role?
JL: Mike, listen keep the compliments coming because I appreciate them [laughs]. I have to give a lot of credit to the writers. When I get the scripts, they just make me laugh and that is a good sign. It is up to us then to just take the words make it deeper and better. So, that is my goal.

MG: Any room for improv throughout shooting?
JL: They let us fly off, here and there, with an ad lib and I appreciate that. The producers are open for us to be collaberative. It is a special kind of work environment we have. I just hope we can do some great things with it and do it for a while.

MG: What has been your highlight on the show so far this season?
JL:  It’s been working with this cast, Adam Busch, Danny Masterson and Michael Cassidy. They make me laugh on and off the set. It’s kind of nice to have that geniue chemistry and respect. I respect them and really enjoy what they are doing. I also have to give a shout out to TBS and Sony because they have been treating us very well. Thus far the whole experience has been very great.

MG: What else can we expect from season one?
JL: I know we got an episode about a special toliet [laughs]. They are blending together right now. But let me just tell you that everytime I read a new script, I’ve been laughing so hopefully that will carry over to the viewers.

Based on characters created by best-selling crime novelist Tess Gerritsen, RIZZOLI & ISLES stars Angie Harmon as Jane Rizzoli, a tough-as-nails Boston police detective, and Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles, a smart, impeccably dressed medical examiner from a privileged background. Despite being complete opposites, the two women share an offbeat chemistry and strong working relationship that has helped them bust some of Boston’s most notorious criminals.

RIZZOLI & ISLES returns to TNT for its third season starting on June 5th, 2012.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with its stars Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander to discuss this new season and what we can expect.  Check out the interviews below:

Sasha Alexander is known best for starring as Chief Medical Examiner Maura Isles on the Turner Network Television series “Rizzoli & Isles”. The show enters its third season on June 5th. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Sasha about this upcoming season and what we can expect.

Mike Smith: What fears did you encounter when you thought of filming season three, as opposed to the other seasons? Was there something different you felt going in?
Sasha Alexander: I was really excited because I feel like season two ended with such a strong emotional and intense kind of moment between Maura and Jane. So I was curious to see where we would begin season three, and we started just kind of moments after. So Maura is reeling from the shock and, obviously, the anger she’s feeling that Jane shot her father. It’s really great. It’s really fun to play that side of Maura and to have it be that kind of that intensity was exciting to see where it was going to go.

MS: What characteristics of Maura is closest to what you have for yourself?
SA: Kindness. I think Maura’s kind. I think she’s generous and polite. I would definitely say those are some of my better qualities. I’m not as much of a brainiac as she is. I certainly don’t have as big of a vocabulary. Those are the similar qualities, and I like the fashion.

MS: The dynamics between you and Angie is unbelievably phenomenal. What do you attribute that to personally as opposed to on screen?
SA: Personally, a sense of humor. We both share a similar sense of humor. We have a lot in common in real-life interms of our families and being mothers and all that. So I think that we bring those things. And having heart. Having a respectfulrelationship as women bring that to the screen. Wanting that to be to the screen. Wanting it to be a positive relationship between these women. I think that attributes to sort of the way we play the characters.

Are the ramifications from your best friend shooting your father going to be explored throughout the entire season, or do you think that they’ll be able to put it behind them?
Sasha Alexander: No, they wrap up pretty quickly. At the end of the first episode, they get to the bottom of what the crime was, and what actually happened. So I think that that clarifies a lot for both Jane and Maura. But they’re not completely ready to say they’re sorry because there’s a lot of miscommunication between them. So that leads into the second episode and, you know, Korsak, and Forth, and Angela all sort of get involved in kind of getting them back together. And they end up in a kind of life or death situation. And so their friendship will kind of come back by the end of the second episode. And they really earn their way back. I like the way that it all comes together. It’s not wrapped up immediately, they’re back together very quickly. Quickly enough.

MS: What was it like to work with Jackie Bithide?
SA: Oh she’s a wonderful woman. She’s has a really enormous sense of humor. She’s so beautiful. And she’s not like at all, fake and done up for a woman. She’s just lived, and she’s gorgeous and a really funny, funny lady. I like her a lot and I had a good time working with her.

MS: I was reading in an earlier interview that you’d done before the first season, that you hadn’t read Tess Gerritsen’s books before getting the job. Have you caught up with the seriessince you’ve starting playing Isles?
SA: I have. I have a few more books left to read, but yes, I’ve read a lot of them and I love her writing. I’m a big fan of the books and what she’s created and of her personally. She’s really an amazing lady. So, yes.

MS: Judging by the way last season ended, the dynamics between you and Jane are going to be completely different. How did you approach playing the character going into the new season?
SA: Well, Maura’s going to get much tougher this season. I think all this stuff with her family has really – it’s changing her in a different way and its toughing her up. She’s in a moment of self-discovery; of figuring out who she is; where she came from; and finding her biological mother is a big part of the first part of this season. And I think all that brings on a lot of emotional stuff for Maura that is very new. But she’s going to toughen up. I think that Maura’s been, sort of compartmentalizing certain parts of her life. And now ever since Patty Doyle sort of entered the picture it’s opened up this whole new part of who she is. And so we’re going to see a tougher Maura. I still think a really funny Maura, and none of the comedy is going to go away. But I think a tougher Maura.

Angie Harmon is known best for starring as Detective Jane Rizzoli on the TNT television series “Rizzoli & Isles”. The show enters its third season on June 5th. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Angie about this upcoming season and what we can expect.

Mike Smith: How have the events this season two finale change Rizzoli & Isles’ friendship this season?
Angie Harmon: I think, if anything, we all know how it ended last season. If all of us have had friends with people that we love or people that we care about. I just think that it’s a really, really great thing to watch as these two character sort of work around their difference and work around the horrible situation that has happened, and come back together. What I also love is the way that the other characters in the show recognize the love that these two girls have for each other and, you know, help in their own different ways getting them back together. You know what I mean?

MS: “Law and Order” was marked as one of the great shows because of the great writing. And, the first two seasons of Rizzoli & Isles also has that kind of great writing. Do you see the show continuing, probably not as long as Law and Order, but having a long run? And is that something you would – you would see out and continue in the series?
AH: Gosh, I mean, I think as an actor, we all want to work and we all enjoy, you know, the projects that we set on to do. I think my strongest feeling in that – in answering that question is that and I don’t mean this arrogantly, I mean this, you know, as a parent of three girls, I think our show is on sort of the “right side of the line,” if you will. And I feel that way because, you know, I have young girls come up and tell me how much, they want to be a criminologist; they want to be a homicide detective; they want to get out there and help people and things like that. And I take that to heart. I think that’s an accomplishment for our show. So yes, I absolutely would love that, outside of the fact that, yes, I’d be working for a long amount of time. But I think that we’d be putting something that’s very positive out there. You know what I mean? For girls, yes I would love that. Absolutely. But not just for the selfish reason. We’ve got a great show. There’s more to it than that. We have something here that is a very positive role model and something that, personally I think we need. When they did that survey and all the girls were like, there were kindergartners, and like, “I just want to be famous.” But none of them said how. That, to me, is alarming. Young girls come out of college and high school to walk up and say the things that they say, like I just said. That means a lot to me. Yes, of course I would love to keep doing that.

MS: Did you always know from the moment you started reading with Sasha Alexander that this was the person that you were going to work with that and that would work best with? Or did you have to develop it?
AH: You know what I think? I think, both. We brought in a few people for Isles. I think Sasha just kind of hit it out of the part because she got the fact that, Maura was just kind of quirky scientist, sort of socially awkward. But she also got the fact that, Maura had friends and had girlfriends and things like that. You know what I mean? That’s why she got the job. Sasha and I have worked together over the past three seasons now, obviously our friendship is going to grow and mature and all of those things. I mean, it’s certainly wonderful to go to work and like everybody that you work with as opposed to walking on the set and dreading it because everybody’s a nightmare. Which I think we’ve all been in those situations, whether you’re an actor, or whether you work in front of a computer. So, yes, I think it’s both. I think there was sort of an instantaneous recognition. And then I think there’s a friendship and a relationship that has grown and matured over the years.

MS: I was wondering what you thought of the (Hoyt Art). Do you feel that it was explored within a good amount of timeframe? Or do you feel like he was – he still had a little bit more he could have gone?
AH: No, I was completely comfortable with where Janet took that and how much time we spent with it. If anything that was a really, really fun day that I actually also learned a lot from as an actor. I mean, in that moment after she kills Hoyt, you know, Bruce was there and him coming up and hugging me and crying and all that. That was all ad lib. It just sort of happened, because that’s what would happen. And when you’re living a character and living that life, you just keep going until somebody says “cut.” Bruce coming in and doing that and nurturing Jane in that kind of way. I had to break from him and walking to my trailer like I literally, my left knee gave out as I was about to go down. And I got into my trailer and just threw up. I mean, it was a very emotional moment. And as an actor, I’ve never had that happen before. I’ve always been able to draw the line and known the difference between reality and what we’re doing. It was just a very, very emotional closing for me. But no, I feel that we gave him his time. We gave him his due. You know the last thing you want is for people to be like, “okay, seriously, you can’t catch this guy? You can’t get in front of him?” You know, so, no, I was very fine with it. And if anything, I was very, very thankful for that experience because it just sort up upped the ante on acting challenge.

Chris Prynoski is the co-founder Titmouse, Inc.  The animation studio is responsible for a lot of shows on Adult Swim like “Metalocalypse”, “The Venture Bros” and “Superjail”.  Chris also works on the TV series on  Disney XD called “Motorcity”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Chris about Titmouse, “Metalocalypse” and Disney XD’s “Motorcity”.

Mike Gencarelli: Give us some background on how you started animation studio Titmouse, Inc.?
Chris Prynoski: I never really had a plan. I got my start in the mid 90’s at MTV in New York right after I graduated from SVA. I cut my teeth on Beavis and Butt-Head as a storyboard artist – and after directing on the B&B movie and Daria and creating a short lived show called Downtown, I felt like it was time to move out to LA. While I was directing at the studios out here, I had the idea to start an internet t-shirt company on the side. It was the early 2000’s and it seemed like a good time to try starting a business. I called the t-shirt company Titmouse. Anyways, I didn’t make a ton of t-shirts, but I kept getting freelance animation work. I had to hire a bunch of friends to help out. Before I knew it, we had a ton of employees and because I had filed the business paperwork for Titmouse, that became the name of the animation studio. I don’t think I could have started it on purpose. It just kind of happened.

MG: What is the biggest challenge co-owning and working with your wife?
CP: It’s great because I get to see her a lot, but sometimes we have to shut off the “work talk” when we get home. Just maintaining a certain amount of separation between our business stuff and the personal stuff is sometimes challenging. We are expecting our first son in about a month and a half, so she’s going to be at home for a while. I’ll shoulder more of the studio stuff during that time and I’m sure that we’ll be too busy cleaning up turds to talk very much about work.

MG: With “Metalocalypse”, you not only have produced but also directed some episodes, what is your biggest challenge with this show?
CP: There’s tons of challenges on every show I’ve ever worked on. With Metal (I directed on the first 2 seasons) it was trying to fit everything in the 11 minute format. Brendon and Tommy are both genius improv comedians. We would end up with hours of material. It’s a real challenge in the edit room to get these episodes down to time and still keep them funny and interesting and satisfying. We tried going to 22 minutes in the third season, but we are back to 11’s for the fourth season because we all agreed that’s the format that works the best for the show.

MG: How do you feel that the show differs now entering its fourth season?
CP: Well, one thing is going back to the 11 minute format. I dig it. Also, as Schnepp and I have involved ourselves in other projects, there’s more room for additional directors. Mark Brooks, who ran the writers room with Brendon, directed a bunch. Felipe Salazar, our editor, is also directing this season. Brendon is directing again as well. We are also working on new videos for the upcoming tour with Lamb of God.

MG: How does it feel going from a show like “Metalocalypse” to a complete 360 like Disney XD’s “Motorcity”?
It’s very different doing a kids show. Hopefully Motorcity is a show that adults can enjoy too. There are definitely more story restrictions – you’re not going to see any booger sugar addicted clowns, or bloody dismemberments in a show like Motorcity. But we are really trying to push it to a new level visually. The action stuff is fun to direct and we can go crazy in a different kind of way.

MG: Tell us about how you got involved directing the amazing hallucination sequence in “Beavis and Butt-Head Do America”?
CP: Basically I was a pretty new kid on the scene at that point. I came on at the tail end of the 4th season of Beavis and worked on season 5 and 6 as a storyboard revisionist, then a storyboard artist. I was storyboarding and doing layout on the movie when Yvette Kaplan approached me about directing the hallucination sequence. All the episode directors were busy on sequences that had to look like the show. They didn’t want this sequence to look like the show. I had done some crazy station IDs and weirdos promos recently, so they picked me. I was psyched. It was my first credited, professional directing gig!

MG: So what’s up with you 4-wheeling with my favorites Mike Judge and Zac Brown!!??
CP: It was pretty crazy. It was a very drunken evening involving swamps, 4-wheelers, bonfires and throwing axes. At some point soon you’ll hear about what we are working on together.

MG: How do you feel that animation has differed today from when you first started?
CP: Technology has really changed everything. When I started, you drew on pieces of paper and everything was painted on clear animation cells and shot frame by frame under a giant camera. Then it changed so the drawings were scanned and painted in the computer. Now we draw right in the computer on digital tablets called Cintiqs. That makes it possibly to operate the way we do now. It’s insane. Hooray for computers!

MG: “Superjail” has a real 90’s MTV feel to it and is so unique, can we expect a third season?
CP: We are working on a third season right now! I’m not sure when they will announce air dates, but I’m super excited about it. Christy is doing an amazing job of bringing the show back to it’s roots. He is storyboarding a lot more of the show and it is over the top bananas! It’s kind of a meld of the first two seasons – taking the most badass aspects of both and mashing them together.

Breckin Meyer & Mark-Paul Gosselaar are the stars of TNT’s hit law drama “Franklin & Bash”. The show returns June 5th for its second second. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with the guys about working on the show and what we can expect from season two.

Mike Gencarelli: What should we expect from your characters in the second season?
Breckin Meyer: I think with the second season, when we jump off, we start with Franklin & Bash becoming equity partners in the firm which, for them, is a great thing because, I mean, it’s more money for toys. But on the bad side, it is a lot more responsibility and also a lot more repercussions for their actions. It’s no longer just the chance of them getting thrown in jail for contempt or getting fired. Now they got 500 employees behind them and they can really cause some damage, and also them representing – if they have to make rain. They have to sign corporate companies and these are guys that are used to fighting against. So how do you stay true to your values when you’re working for them instead of fighting them.

MG: Were you surprised at how well people received Franklin & Bash that first season?
Mark-Paul Goselaar: Oh, see, I have to go really quickly because Breckin took up so much time [laughs]. Yes, we were actually pretty surprised that we had such a big audience.
BM: I’m sorry, Mark-Paul, that’s all the time we have.
MPG: But, you know, I think Breckin and I are huge fans of our own show and so it was just a pleasurable surprise to find that people liked it as much as we did.

MG: So let’s talk about relationships, though. I mean, you guys got any love interests coming in the cards this season? Mark-Paul?
MPG: Yes, there are about two episodes worth of a relationship for Bash. One of the things that we try to do is not have anything come in between the two boys. So – because relationships don’t last all that long. They just sort of give you a glimpse of a different side of the two characters.  I think for me -I don’t know about how Breckin feels about it, but I like when the guys are together so it’s hard for us to bring in another relationship that isn’t Franklin or Bash. But we did do a bit of it over the course of the season. I had a girlfriend and Breckin’s character had a girlfriend as well.

MG: This show kind of stands out from other law shows out there.  Can you describe why you thought the show is so unique?
BM: I think from the get-go what Mark-Paul and I can both respond to is the fact that even though there is a case of a (weak atmosphere) that you have in normal procedurals, with this show, we go home with the characters. It really is – the cases are more of a backdrop. What the show’s really about is the relationship between the two lifelong friends and their kind of dysfunctional family of a law firm.

MG: Now I hear you didn’t really know each other that well before Franklin & Bash started. Have you developed a real-life friendship? And does that translate to having even more fun on screen do you think?
MPG: Well, I knew Breckin. I just wasn’t a fan of his work.
BM: Yes, that’s accurate.
MPG: Yes, that’s pretty accurate. But go ahead, Breckin.
BM: I was hoping that they would get literally anybody but Mark-Paul Goselaar. And then once they got him, it really was just – the money was green so what am I supposed to do, you know, at that point. But no, I think I can honestly it’s by far my favorite day job I’ve ever had. And I think it shows up on screen. The show lives or dies by whether or not you believe these guys are lifelong friends.
MPG: And by daytime job he means by post hole digging and drawing cars as his – car lot, so. This ranks right up there with one of his favorite jobs.
BM: It ranks right up there will pulling weeds.

MG: You guys have a really great list of guest stars for season two. Is there anyone that you are particularly excited about working with?
BM: I was really happy to have Seth Green come on because he’s a buddy and Mark Paul has been on Robot Chicken and we kind of thought he owed us. He has to return the favor. Who else? We have – Shawn Aston was a lot of fun. Rick Fox. Kevin Nealon was great. Chris Klein came on. We’ve had a lot of fun with our guys because, I mean, what you’re offering as actor is basically a week to come and play, you know, to come and have a really good time and our set is a fun set. It’s a fun time. It’s not super serious with no egos. And you get to come play for a week so we had Beau Bridges come back. Jane Seymour comes on as Peter’s mom so we meet Mama Bash.
MPG: I just echo what Breckin just said, but we had Sherry Appleby come on and play your girlfriend and Kat Foster came on and played my girlfriend and, boy, we just had a lot of fun, it just is a testament to our show and the word around sort of the industry is that it’s a great set to be a part of and come have fun and enjoy yourself.

MG: Do you have a lot of room available for improv?
BM: They give us the script. We always make sure we get a take completely on book. And then once we’ve got it definitely in the can, we kind of take our leash off and they say we can – we riff a little bit just as kind of the (buttons), the ins and outs of scenes, we may riff a little bit and it’s more for us. It’s more just to help us kind of solidify these guy’s friendships in our mind, that these guys are real friends who riff and goof off. So luckily enough we all kind of get these characters enough. Sometimes some of that stuff ends up in the show. But I mean, it’s fun to be able to riff like that. It just keeps us alive while we’re having long days.

MG: The first season kind of pushed the envelope when they portrayed Franklin and Bash’s private lives. Is season two going to be pushing the envelope even further?
MPG: I hope so.
BM: We start off full frontal this year.
MPG: We not only go to their private lives but we go to their private parts.
BM: Yes.

MG: Well, besides your private parts, it is different for a legal drama to see their private lives? I mean you guys are party animals.
BM: Yes, I like that we go home with the guys. I mean, I like that we follow their relationship. It’s not just about what happens behind the doors of the courtroom. It’s about what happened in these guy’s lives and how it leads over into the courtroom. But really, it’s about these characters.
MPG: But I also think that they’re less party animals and they really just enjoy the fruits of their labor. I don’t think that they’re the guys that like to sip out of red cups and, you know, and throw a party just to throw a party. They really enjoy having people around them and using their money and having a good time. But they’re not fraternal in that way, right. I don’t think it’s like they’re a party – I mean, we’ve always fought that. We’ve always said you can’t make these guys just party animals because that’s not fun for everyone. You’ve got to have an element – these guys have to have a level of maturity and I think there’s a fine balance to that I think that we’ve created on this show. And, again, with this year, giving them more responsibilities, making them equity partners and (Intel Daniels), having them take on harder cases with bigger clients. And representing people that in the past that they fought against will create for the audience as well as for the characters, the maturity of that that I think you need to have to make this show work. It can’t just all be fun and, you know, parties.
BM: It’s just that’s their approach. There’s more drama – and I think that’s why this season is better than last season, is because there’s more drama and the way that these guys deal with drama is by being more liked and being fun and that allows the audience to not even realize that they’re watching a legal drama in that sense.

Joe Maddalena, who is owner of Profiles in History, the world’s largest auctioneer of original movie, television, science fiction, fantasy, and pop culture collectibles, returned Tuesday May 22nd at 10:00pm for season two of “Hollywood Treasure” on Syfy. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Joe about season two of “Hollywood Treasure” and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: In season one and you dealt with a lot of like collectible items and whatnot. I was reading that this season you’re going to be working with the house from “American Horror Story”. Can you tell us a little bit about that and how it differs for you?
Joe Maddalena: What’s interesting is that as a company, we’re trying to expand our reach into all areas of things that have to do with television and motion pictures, and this opportunity came along. We got a phone call from a guy, and he said, hey, I have some things from “American Horror Story”. It’d be cool to get some props, and lo and behold, we met this man, and we ended up at the “American Horror Story” house. The actual house is here in Los Angeles, and it was kind of surreal, because I had no idea. And I’m walking up to it, and it was really eerie, because you’re in the house. I mean, you’re in the rooms. I mean, you’re in the basement. You’re thinking of people hanging themselves, and all this crazy stuff going on. And it’s really cool because this was like a 17,000 square foot mansion, and it’s just another side of our business that we’re pursuing, is we’re going after these properties now, because they have such a value besides being a house. So being an “American Horror Story” fan, it was the coolest thing I’ve ever walked through in my entire life, to go through that house. And it was scary. I mean, being in the basement – they turned the lights off; you wanted to run out of there!

MG: What would you say is your biggest challenge both juggling, running your business, Profiles in History, and also filming a reality show?
JM: I really want people to understand that I’m trying to paint a picture on the show that’s real, I mean, that it’s like that this is kind of like really what we do so they get an idea, because people are always like, well, where do you get this stuff? How do you find it? How do you authenticate it? So we’re trying to answer those questions and give you slivers of like, a business and obviously in a sense for television, but that’s the biggest challenge is to accurately depict what we do in a way that the viewers are going to, enjoy it, and that’s my biggest, task, is to make sure we put something out there that they’re going to really like.

MG: Can you talk a bit about how you were finally able to get access to the ruby slippers?
JM: I’m writing a book and my son asked me a question a couple years ago, and he goes, so, is there anything, in the book that is kind of like your weak spot? And I said, well, I’ll probably never have a pair of ruby slippers. And I didn’t think in my career I’d ever be able to sell a pair. I just thought it would just never happen. I didn’t think another pair would ever change hands. I was lucky that within six months I sold Debbie Reynolds’ Arabians for $700,000, then the, obviously the Samuels pair, six months after that. And it’s kind of surreal now looking back that two pairs have gone through my hands. It’s – they’re kind of like – it’s surreal because it’s hard to believe that these things A, came up for sale, and that you can own them. I mean it’s I personally think the most iconic prop in the world.

MG: With an item like the ruby slippers, at what point do they become too hard of a sell, despite their legacy?
JM: I just think its all timing. I mean, the other day somebody paid $100 million for Munch’s scream. I mean, I just think day to day, it’s what’s happening in the world. Buyers are in one mode then they’re in another mode. I just think a lot of it’s timing. I mean, I don’t think – there’s no value. When you buy $100 million painting, it’s like you can’t take it tomorrow and trade it for some building in Manhattan. You’re going to have to go through a whole process to sell it, right? I just think a lot of its timing, and a lot of people understanding the slippers I think because there are multiple pairs might have confused people. A lot of things go into it.

MG: So now that you’ve found your holy grail being, the ruby slippers, have you moved on to a new holy grail? Is there something new that you’re dying to find?
JM: Well, the ultimate thing, yes, there’s always another one. The ultimate thing would be Maria the robot from Metropolis. Now there’s all these legends behind that. In Metropolis, Maria burns, but there’s got to be more than one, so that would be like the next one. If you could surface that, it’d be pretty big.

MG: What’s the most valuable item you’ve ever sold?
The dress from The Seven Year Itch that we sold for Debbie Reynolds, which was $5 ½ million. So Debbie’s collection definitely was the highlight of anything we’ve ever sold. I mean, her material was the best that’s ever been put out in the market, and the prices – her first sale grossed $23 million, so for 500 items, pretty substantial.

MG: Can you tell us about your journey to Middle Earth featuring Sean Astin?
JM: Sean Astin is a neighbor. He lives close by, and a friend. We’re selling a large collection belonging to the Dryer family, and in that collection was this amazing map of Middle Earth. And I thought Sean, knowing his interest obviously in that part of the world, would enjoy seeing the map. So it was actually Tolkein’s copy, so he came by and we kind of had a little trip down memory lane and we learned interesting things. He went from the Shire to Mordor on what happened, and it was an interesting response, because he said well, we’re making this movie, Elijah and I figuring we’re going to have all this time together, a year and a half, and at the end we’re going to do this epic climax, throwing the ring in, in the mountain, and by the time we get there, we’ll be ready. And what happened was we were filming and there was a giant flood, and the set got wiped away, and they came in and said well, we’re going to film the climax instead, and this is very early in the process, and Sean’s like, I – we can’t do that. We’re not ready. And they’re like, you’re ready. So – and they literally – it was just like amazing insight into his world, his character. It was fascinating to meet him and kind of learn about that world.

MG: Is there anything that you own personally from a movie that you would never be willing to give up?
JM: Yes. I mean, I have a lot of things. Ihe thing I would never give up that’s from a television show, when my son was about six I had an auction and I had one of – Buck Rogers’ sidekick was Tweaky. He had a little robot, and I had a Tweaky in my auction and my son was about the same size. He was a little bit smaller, and (Felix Hiller) showed up, who wore the costume in the TV show, and we met (Felix), and my son thought this was the coolest thing in the world, you know? And we became friends with (Felix) and then (Felix) later sold my son – well, me for my son, his Tweaky costume with Theopolis around his neck. I’m looking at it. It’s six feet from my desk. It’s the holy grail of our family. It’s like the only thing – it’ll go to – he’ll take it to his grave. It’s like, it’s just such a sentimental thing among us, it’s like we’d never sell it. I collect things that are sentimentally important to me. It’s more about like I was lucky. I worked for ABC all of season six for “Lost”. I was in Hawaii during the entire shooting of the final season. I have such amazing memories of that production, but what I kept were things that were like, important to me, I mean, nothing of any value to anybody else, but to me it’s just all about the memory of being involved. That’s what I enjoy the most.

MG: It seems the horror genre is filled with some of the most hardcore collectors.
JM: Absolutely. I think horror is probably consistently always been number one with starting in 19 – the 20s, 1930, ’31, Frankenstein, Dracula. I think we’re infatuated with vampires, and I think obviously, look how popular they are now. I think the supernatural, ghosts and vampires and ghouls, just fascinates us. I think that the macabre – people just, like the dark side. They want to be a vampire, so I think that that’s just – it’s just – and because the material is dark in its creation, I think that it’s just kind of gravitates toward that world.

MG: I know you mentioned in the new episodes that – you said something about people are more after props than costume pieces. Why is that?
JM: Let’s see. Okay. Costumes are big and they’re a challenge to display, okay? So textiles are fragile, by nature, so they have to be – they can’t be in the sunlight. They have lots of things that will affect them over time if they’re not properly preserved or displayed. Props, pretty rugged. I mean they’re more manageable in size. They’re three dimensional. They’d kind of cooler looking. It’s just, people just want props. I mean, they’re just – there’s always a challenge with a costume, but when you get like the Maltese falcon and you hold it in your hands, it’s an object. the ruby slippers are an object. So those are the kinds of things – I just did the Captain America auction for Marvel, in April in Chicago. We had like the shields. They’re really cool because they’re objects. The costumes are nice, but when you get into like Thor’s hammer, Captain America’s shield or Iron Man’s helmet, they’re really cool.

MG: What other highlights can we expect from this upcoming season?
JM: This season’s going to be really fun. It’s the biggest things that I’m excited about is we used to be two back-to-back half hours. Now we’re one one-hour, so we’re able to tell much better stories, where in the past, we’d have to get in and out of a scene in three minutes. Now we’re able to invest like 10 or 12 minutes in a story, where you’re going to get a lot more information, a lot more access, learn a lot more about my world. I think it’s much better television, but American Horror Story – we have a great segment on The Hunger Games. I mean, The Hunger Games is going to be – we’ve got a great 12 minutes of Hunger Games. Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard – I mean, there’s going to be a lot of surprises, I mean, a lot of contemporary things, and we’re going to take you to places, Planet of the Apes, I mean, things that are just – there’s something for everybody. It is a really good diverse group. Vampires, Greg Cannon, who’s one of the judges of Face-Off, he did a Gary Oldman’s Bram Stoker Dracula. We sold his Dracula collection. Ve Neill is on the show. We sold her makeup collection, and she did some of the most important make-up appliances in Hollywood history, so a lot of cool things.

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Maurice Benard is known best for playing Sonny Corinthos on the ABC soap opera “General Hospital”. He also appears in the new documentary “OC87” about bipolar disorder. Maurice took out time to chat with Media Mikes about the film, dealing with the disorder day-to-day and, of course, working on “General Hospital”.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you tell us how you became involved with the film “OC87”?
Maurice Benard: I am bi-polar so I have done a lot of work for the cause as it is personal. Bud Clayman did some stuff on “General Hospital” and it was phenomenal. We just clicked right away. We went to a boxing gym and did some stuff that was great.

MG: You have said before that boxing is your release. Can you tell us about that?
MB: I think anytime you exercise it helps you. With boxing I can punch so it eliminates the rage. I have been boxing for 11 years now.

MG: How do you feel this film will inform people about the disorder?
MB: The bottom line is that this disorder is a very tough one to have. However you can still lead a productive life. I have been on “General Hospital” for 20 years and it’s been that long since I have had a manic episode or a breakdown. As long as you stay on yourmedication and you get help you can lead a great life.

MG: What do you think has been the hardest part of opening up about being bi-polar?
MB: I got a letter about 12 years ago from a kid whose brother was bi-polar and committed suicide. What got him through that was by reading something that I had written. Now it is not hard for me to talk about. There was one time though when we did a story line on “General Hospital” where my character Sonny has a breakdown. It kind of dragged on for a long time and towards the end it was starting to get difficult for me. I have done a number of shows where I talk about the disorder. You get nervous but I think this is my calling.

MG: Do you find playing a bi-polar character makes it easier for you to perform day to day?
MB: I am doing a story right now where Sonny’s girlfriend has dual personality disorder. I just saw the show and when I was watching her I played it as though Sonny was watching himself. It was interesting and the show is doing a really wonderful job showcasing this illness.

MG: Can you tell us what you think the future of Soap’s will be?
MB: We got picked up because the show is doing so well right now.  I think we will keep going because the people we have producing and writing for the show are kicking butt. Yes soaps are going off the air but it doesn’t mean ours is. All soaps go through highs and lows.

MG: What do you enjoy most about theshow after almost 20 years?
MB: I love this character! The people I work with really push me. If I wasn’t working with such great actors I would probably be doing something else. There are good stories on top of that so I love going to work.

MG: Do you have any other new projects you can tell us about?
MB: I have a film coming out called “Duke”. I have 1 scene in the film that is about 5 or 6 pages. I play a cop killer. This film is really cool. I don’t know exactly when it will be released but it’s going to be good.

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Kimberly Lacy is the project manager on HGTV’s “Curb Appeal” formally known as “Curb Appeal: The Block”.. She is also attending this year’s Central Florida Home & Garden Show May 25-27th, 2012. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kimberly about working on the show and also about the upcoming event.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your involvement with the “Central Florida Home & Garden Show”?
Kimberly Lacy: I’m coming to Central Florida Home and Garden Show as a presenter and Consumer. As a presenter I plan to inspire and motivate the “average” Do It Yourself’er with easy, budget conscious tips and ideas to get them well on their way to becoming the rock that needs to be turned over to one of the Jewel’s in their neighborhood.

MG: Tell us what you enjoy most about working on HGTV’s “Curb Appeal”?
The thing that I love the most about working on HGTV’s “Curb Appeal” is that it doesn’t seem like much of a job. Don’t get me wrong it is a job and it hard work but the instant gratification and appreciate from the Homeowner’s makes it all worth it. It get’s more rewarding everyday and every homeowner I meet. I can be myself and considering I was born to turn Frown’s upside Down, It’s my way of paying it forward and building community.

MG: Working as Project Manager on the show, what is your process when approaching a new job?
I approach a new job with an open mind and the “Can Do Attitude”, I don’t worry. All with knowing and keeping the budget for the project in mind. The budget can easily make or break the job. With that being said, when scouting neighborhoods for the perfect candidate to be a neighbor makeover, we only choose homes that we can give the homeowners and viewers a dramatic before and after with clean up, trimming and pruning, paint, and landscape and still staying within a $1,000 budget.

MG: Any fun stories from behind the scenes that did not make it to the show?
That’s funny! There are always so many fun stories from behind the scenes that don’t make the show. These stories include the crew that work with us behind the scenes. We were working in Oakland, it was a bright and sunny day and every one was in a good mood. We had empty Burlap sacks, which had pebbles in them, laying around and I (being the life of the party) had the bright idea to put on a potato sack race. We even had the human wheel barrel race going on. We created the lanes and finish lines for the races with bags of soil and mulch, pots and paint pails. It was a really good time and we filmed it on my flip cam.

MG: When can does the fourth season of “Curb Appeal” start and what can we expect?
The name of the show has changed from “Curb Appeal: The Block” to “Curb Appeal”. The shows time has also changed from 8:00pm to 5:30pm on Saturdays. So set your DVR’s, it may be hard for people to make it home at 5:30pm on Saturday. The show airs on March 31, 2012. The fifth season will roll in right after so no one will be without their favorite show, “Curb Appeal”. The fourth season is the last season we have Chip on the show and we are having a lot of fun, as per the usual and creating some spectacular makeovers. We are in the San Francisco Bay area, so there are several different types of architecture and John is able to create some serious never seen before designs.

DORIAN MISSICK (SOUTHLAND, THE CAPE) AND KATE KELTON (HAROLD AND KUMAR, AMERICAN PSYCHO 2) JOIN THIRD SEASON OF SYFY’S POPULAR SERIES HAVEN

SEASON 3 OF HAVEN PREMIERES FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

NEW YORK – May 18, 2012 – Dorian Missick (Southland, The Cape) and Kate Kelton (Harold and Kumar, American Psycho 2) will join the cast ofSyfy’s popular series Haven in recurring roles when the show returns for its third season beginning Friday, September 21 at 10PM (ET/PT).

Kelton portrays the spirited and fierce “Jordan McKee.” She’s a waitress at “The Gun & Rose Diner,” and also an influential member of a mysterious organization of “troubled” people whose identity is known by the distinctive tattoo marking its members. 

Missick plays “Tommy Bowen,” a street smart Boston detective who comes to Haven investigating a suspected serial killer case. A shrewd, calculating policeman, he’s also a fish out of water, completely mismatched with this L.L. Bean world.  

Season three of Haven picks up immediately following the events of the gripping season two finale with Audrey having been brutally kidnapped; Nathan (Lucas Bryant) warned against pursuing a romantic relationship with Audrey; and Duke (Eric Balfour) seemingly engaged in a fight to the death with Nathan after he discovers his family lineage is to kill Haven citizens with troubles.

Haven, based on the novella The Colorado Kid from renowned author Stephen King, follows former FBI agent Audrey Parker, who becomes a cop in the small town of Haven, Maine, and soon discovers the town’s many secrets, which also hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of her lost past. 

From leading independent studio Entertainment One (eOne), Haven is co-commissioned by Shaw Media in Canada and globally via Universal Networks International (UNI).

The creative team behind Haven includes executive producers John Morayniss (The Firm, Hell on Wheels) from eOne Television and David MacLeod (Legends of the Fall, The Ray Bradbury Theater) of Big Motion Pictures, who are joined by Lloyd Segan, Shawn Piller, Scott Shepherd (Stephen King’s The Dead Zone, Greek) of Piller/Segan/Shepherd and Matt McGuinness (Journeyman, Dark Blue) as well as Sam Ernst & Jim Dunn (Stephen King’s The Dead Zone), who also developed the series.

Haven is produced by Entertainment One and Big Motion Pictures in association with Piller/Segan/Shepherd and airs on Syfy in the U.S., Showcase in Canada and internationally on Universal Networks International’s channels. Entertainment One controls the worldwide distribution rights to the one-hour series and concluded a deal with Germany’s Tele München Group (TMG) for the television rights in Continental Europe.

About Syfy

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com) and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

About Entertainment One

Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a leading international entertainment company that specializes in the acquisition, production and distribution of film and television content.  The company’s comprehensive network extends around the globe including Canada, the U.S., the UK, Ireland, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.  Through established Entertainment and Distribution divisions, the company provides extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production, family programming and merchandising and licensing. Its current rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 20,000 film and television titles, 2,500 hours of television programming and 45,000 music tracks.

About Universal Networks International
Universal Networks International, the global channels division of NBCUniversal, is one of the world’s premier entertainment networks, delivering quality content and compelling brands to 150 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia.  The portfolio includes the brands Syfy, Universal Channel, DIVA Universal, Studio Universal and 13th Street Universal and now, with the acquisition by Comcast Corporation, E! Entertainment Television, The Style Network and Golf Channel. These brands deliver a full range of entertainment experiences to local audiences across the globe.  Universal Networks International also operates Movies 24 and has an interest in the KidsCo joint venture.

About Shaw Communications Inc.

Shaw is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.4 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 18 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, History Television and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX – SJR.B, NYSE – SJR). For more information about Shaw, please visit www.shaw.ca.

Cassie Steele plays the role of Abby Vargas in the television series “The L.A. Complex”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Cassie recently about the show and her upcoming music album.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the show “The L.A. Complex”?
Cassie Steele: The show is about people who move down to Los Angeles to try and make it in the entertainment industry. The show follows how the characters deal with the pressures and anxieties of trying to make.

AL: Can you tell us about your role on the show?
CS: I play Abby on the show. She is a girl from Canada hoping to make it. Abby doesn’t have a lot of experience or a visa. She is struggling with how long she can stay down there and support herself without making any money. This is Abby’s first pilot season so we get to see a lot of that and the pressures pilot season can cause.

AL: Did you have any likes or dislikes about working on the series?
CS: I enjoyed meeting the new cast and crew and I loved everyone I worked with. The people at Epitome are like my family. I really learned so much and it’s been amazing to working with them. Now we get to do the second season!

AL: When does shooting for season two of the show start?
CS: I am actually in Toronto shooting as we speak. We just had a long read through of the first 7 episodes. There are some hot new characters and a lot of funny girls and boys. It was nice to meet some of the new people joining the show and, it was great to see returning cast members as well. It is very exciting.

AL: Will we see any big differences on the new season as compared to season 1?
CS: I think season 1 pushes a lot of buttons especially compared to Canadian television. Season two you will see the characters get into deeper problems. As they get move up or down the ladder you start to see what each character is capable of when they are desperate.

AL: Do you think your time on “Degrassi: The Next Generation” helped prepare you at all for your role on “The L.A. Complex”?
CS: Yeah, I guess so. I don’t think I really notice because I have done it for so long. The things other people may notice I may not. I think that it must. Everything to my knowledge went very smoothly. I think it helped me learn how to communicate with other actors. Character development is where I think it really helped me. I played the character of Manny for so long that I learned you have to play what people want to see from the character to your advantage. If you work against it things can start to work against you. I think that was a really important thing to take with me.

AL: What other projects do you have in the works?
CS: I am getting ready to release a three song teaser for my album. This release will sort of align with the CW release of my album. This is going to be a lot of fun. I am glad to have something for people to see after they watch “The L.A. Complex”. I plan to continue working on the release of my full-length album when time allows.

Season 2 of Syfy’s “Being Human” picks up in the aftermath of the first season, with Aidan trying to deal with the mess left behind by his now (fully) deceased mentor Bishop and taking charge of Boston. Josh and Nora are dealing with being wolf’s and the return of his ex fiance Julia. Sally, having missed her door last season, deals with being stuck in ghost-form and unable to move on indefinitely. This season also introduces many new characters to the show.

Media Mikes had a chance to chat with many of the cast from season two including Andreas Apergis (Ray), Dichen Lachman (Suren), Dusan Dukic (Reaper), Gianpaolo Venuta (Danny), Kristen Hager (Nora), Natalie Brown (Julia), Sam Huntington (Josh), Sam Witwer (Aiden), and Susanna Fournier (Zoe).

Also check out our interview series from season 1 of Syfy’s “Being Human”

Andreas Apergis is known best for playing Ray on SyFy’s “Being Human”. Andreas also has a role in the upcoming third “Riddick” film coming out in 2013. Media Mikes had chance to chat with Andreas about his role and reflecting on season two shocking cliffhanger of “Being Human”.

Mike Gencarelli: What do you like most about playing Ray in “Being Human”?
Andreas Apergis: I love the whole supernatural aspect of the show. It is definitely cool to be playing a werewolf. Usually for these characters their word is dangerous. It always allows for interesting situations as an actor. It is definitely not a boring show to work on. Ray is kind of a tortured soul who has been through a lot. I’m sure it’s not easy being a werewolf. It’s a very rich role.

MG: How do you compare playing your character from this season to last season?
AA: I call Ray this season Ray 2.0. He has kind of evolved and it is nice to see that growth in a character. He is definitely not the same character we see in season 1. He is more unbalanced and I think still reeling from his change. When we see him this season he seems to have made a pretty good turn around. He has some stability in his life and is happier. He has found some balance and seems to be in a way better place this year. It was nice to come in to a Ray that wasn’t a lunatic. Of course playing Ray last season was fun but he has grown in season 2.

MG: Can you reflect on the shocking season 2 finale?
AA: These characters get very desperate. Making themselves human is a real struggle. I don’t even know where the chips will land for next season. I guess we will find out what happens but the characters have been through a lot. Josh has really paid the price for being a werewolf. I am a fan of the show also so I am waiting to see how everything is going to be resolved.

MG: What are you most looking forward to for your character in season 3?
AA: I wish I could tell you. I have no idea what happens after the cliffhanger from season 2. I am in as much of the dark as to what comes next as everyone else. I don’t know? I am dying to find out what happens.

MG: Can you tell us how you got involved with the “Assassins Creed” video game series?
AA: Ubisoft is based out of Montreal. I played a couple minor characters in the second game and then they asked me to come in and read for the Cesare Borgia charcater. It was a lot of fun. You are in a world where the characters are larger than life. There are a lot of things going on. How often do you get to play a maniacal guy who wants to take over the world? (Laughs) Cesare is very nutty. It’s a fun role to play. There are so many diehard fans that are into every single detail of both “Being Human” and “Assassins Creed”.

MG: Are you working on any other projects?
AA: I just finished doing the 3^rd Riddick film which doesn’t have a release date yet. I play a necro-monger commander. I can’t wait to see how that turns out. That was shot in Montreal and we just wrapped on that about a month ago. I have a knack for getting into these situations where the characters and their worlds are larger than life. It was fun to meet Vin and David Twohy. I am really looking forward to seeing the film.