Tim Minear

Truth be told, it has been quite some time since the last time I interviewed anybody, so a part of me was a bit worried. But when I found Tim Minear on Facebook and he accepted my friendship offer, my heart started pounding. Could it be? Is it at all possible this talented, busy, capable man will actually considering taking some time to grant me an interview? After a couple of months of brewing those ideas and concurring my fears, I finally sent him a message, and asked if he would be willing. Since time and distance were in the way, the best way for it to be done was for me to come up with the questions, send them over to Tim, and then gather ‘em up for all of you to read and enjoy. Let’s starts with the most recent issues – Dollhouse;

Do you feel “Dollhouse” suffered a pre-mature cancellation? If so, what is the direction you would have liked to see the show taking?

I think we were going in the right direction there at the end. Dunno if one could say it was pre-mature - nobody was watching it!

 Well, that isn’t entirely true… WE all were watching it. But I guess we don’t really count as much of an audience, as far as FOX was concerned, which bares the next question, probably the most burning question on every Whedon-Fan mind: Why FOX?

I mean, we all want to know - why FOX, again and again? Why not create stuff directly for your fan base, independently of networks and corporates?

You sell to whoever is buying, really. I’m currently doing a show for FX called "Terriers" with Shawn Ryan of "The Shield" and Ted Griffin (Ocean’s 11). Excited to be working on a cable show. All the shows I love are cable shows.

 Wish it were a live interview, because then I could try to sneak some info about “Terriers”, but you gotta take what you get. So we’re back on the subject of Dollhouse.

What or who will you miss most about the show? (Dollhouse) The people. Fabulous cast and crew of talented and friendly people. Wonderful writing staff. People who made the day nice.

Who discovered Enver Gjokaj? The guy is – no doubt – the biggest discovery of “Dollhouse”. Also, you wrote “Belle Chose”, the first episode where the audience got to see just what a brilliant actor Enver is – how did that idea (Enver playing a girl) come about?

Joss discovered, I suppose. For our purposes anyway. The way the episode came about? Jed and Mo were telling me about this funny girly dance Enver was known to do. Mo recreated it for me. Literally the episode was constructed around wanting to see him do that very dance on camera. The way the serial killer body/swap thing came about was really just asking "what is the most extreme opposite story I could tell that would make seeing Enver do that dance have maximum effect."

I couldn’t resist myself and had to sneak a question that turned out to be rather stupid, on my part anyway. That being said, I think the answer is totally worth it, even if it makes me seem like the biggest idiot ever.

Speaking of great ideas… how did you come up with Wonderfalls and why oh why isn’t there a “Wonderfalls” movie in the future?

Bryan Fuller and Todd Holland created the show. The pilot was already made when they asked me to join them. Very wise to let someone else create the brilliant thing then step in and take some credit. I know Bryan wanted to do a movie — who knows? Could happen.

 Yup, total putz. But hey – even the remote possibility of a Wonderfalls movie is exciting, especially now that Caroline Dhavernas is going to be buried in a Shonda Rhimes’ series…

Time to move along. In production, you wear many hats – writer, producer, director – and those are only job titles non-industry people are familiar with - Which is your favorite?

Director. One isn’t chained to a computer and avoiding answering the phone waiting for the dreaded "where is it?" question. It’s social, it means the writing is done, whenever you bend your knees someone puts a chair under your ass and donuts!

My dad says “you love all your kids the same, but one is always the closest to your heart” – which of your TV children is dearest to you, and why? Nearly impossible to say. Probably have to go with "Angel," since it was my introduction to the Whedonverse, I was my most prolific there and it gave me the opportunity to direct.

Speaking of “Angel”, in a commentary for one of the episodes Jane Espenson said of inventing the character of Dennis that usually when a writer comes up with a character, they get residuals every time that character is used again, except Dennis was an invisible ghost. How does that work with the different characters on Dollhouse that sometimes return in a different body, or in Echo’s case – when she switches back to a past character for a short time (Like that killer in “Belle Chose”)?

Good question. I really haven’t looked into it. I assume that those kinds of character payments slip through the cracks a bit.

How did you first start working with Joss Whedon?

David Greenwalt, co-creator of Angel, asked me to join the staff in ’99 when the show started. I had previously met with Joss and David and I think I scared Joss a bit. He told David he could hire me if he (Joss) didn’t have to be in a room with me. He thought I was angry and possibly insane.

What do you think of the enormity of the Whedon-esque fandom? How do you like, if at all, being a part of it?

Love the fandom. Am a fan. One of us! One of us!

When fellow industry people (I personally know some HBO higher-up of that sort) come up to you and say they are fans – how does that feel?

Awesome.

What is your favorite down time thing/ activity to do?

Read. Blogs, books — mostly nonfiction.

 This question was pure begginer’s luck on my part. I’m just such a book worm, I always wanna know who and what other people are reading, even if it wasn’t established that they really are readers…

Who is your favorite author/ authors?

James Ellroy, Harlan Ellison, (hey, kind an "Ell" thing going on there, huh?) Robert Heinlein. Mark Twain. George Orwell.

Ok, Real stupid question, but what would you take with you to a deserted island (if you could plan getting stuck on an island unexpectedly) A hot air balloon.

 When I mentioned this interview to Tim the very first time, I said it were for the Israeli TV magazine The Split Screen. His response was that although he is very busy, Israel is his second favorite country. You KNOW that’s bound to bear some important questions…

You said Israel was your second favorite country – which country is at first place?

USA!

Have you ever been to Israel? If so – what did you like the most. If not, what are you waiting for and how do we arrange for you to stop by?

Never have been. Love to go some day.

 You hear that, Sunnydale Embassy in Israel? Better get cracking!

Being a Hollywood success, how do you explain being such a humble and truly a nice guy?

Credit the folks!

Of your shows that ended before their time, which would you bring back to life if you could?

Firefly.