Chat Transcript from WB Chat with Bob and Joel

Live Chat with Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran
January 11, 2001


LFN Team: We're very happy to be here and thanks for asking us.

Frankenfurter: What is your favorite part of making an episode of LFN?

Crazyguy: What was your biggest obstacle you had to overcome to get LFN  on the air?

Joel: Oddly enough back when this show first got picked up the big concern was that it was a female
lead show. The first one was Xena. And now there's more than that. Back then it was considered too
risky.

WBHost: Why?

Joel: Because female lead shows did not succeed until that point.

WBHost: What is your favorite part about making an episode?

Bob: LOL Uh... I guess thinking of story twists and turns tht utilize our characters and their
personalities... it's fun to come alive to us as well as our audience. 

Cheesy: Is the cast totally serious on the set or are there practical jokers?

Joel: Believe it or not Roy Dupuis is the biggest practical joker on the set and yes everyone keeps
things light. Our season end wrap reels are truly hilarious.

Johhniecake: Were you surprised by the outrage for support to keep LFN on the air when LFN was
almost cancelled?

Bob: We wern't really suprised because the fnas have been loyal. We were delighted not suprised. 

Crazyguy: Is Peta Wilson as beautiful in real life as she is on the show?

Bob: Yes

UncleRoger: How did you two meet?

Joel: bob and I met in 1989 when we worked together on Falcon Crest. It was dis-trust at first
site. LOL

SillyJackie: Was it fun to work on JAG?

Bob: Not as much fun as on Nikita.

Freakydawg: What's the best part of working in Toronto?

Joel: the 40 below weather. LOL

WBHost: Where are you both from?

Bob: I was a navy brat but when I was 12 we settled in Monterey California. So I consider taht
where I grew up.

Joel: California native. The West is the best.

PhatGuy: Can you describe how you created the LFN we watch today and what elements of the original
movie drew you to the project? Also what did you think of Point of No Return?

Joel: I honestly have intentionally never seen PONR. The elements tht drew me originally was the
idea of being able to do a female action show. (Which at the time was a novelty)

Bob: Much the same... in addition I really liked the idea of a main character trapped in a
situation where she had to behave in a way that is totally different than she really is. That
premise was more applicable to the series than to the original movie but we knew early on that we
were going in that direction.

Frankythefty: When you do location shoots do you have to get extra security to keep girls from
flocking to see Roy?

Joel: No. because we usually shoot in fairly out of the way places around Toronto... but when I go
to a restaurant with Roy the meal usually lasts over 2 hours because he's usually inundated with
women.

Crazyoldguy: How much of the action and stunts do the actors themselves do?

Joel: None. Mosty for insurance reasons. Not that they don't want to... but they can't.

Myunclefrank: What is your favorite part of the creative process you go through in making LFN?

Joel: Getting paid. LOL Coming up with the story. That's where it all happens.

Unclewally: What do you attribute your success to?

Bob: I think for a tv writer, one key is to be able to adapt your own style to many different
shows. Versatility. As far as the success of the show I think everything just came together, the
story, the actors. It jelled. 

Leeja1: Will we find out Walter's last name and how he ended up in Section One? We know the
personal histories of everyone else but not Walter.

Bob: You'll learn a little more about Watler's past but not really the things you asked about.

Roy4Me: Why is Roy only going to appear in a couple of episodes? Was that what he wanted? Do you
know of any upcoming projects?

Joel: Thank you. I don't know if Roy has decided what he wants to do. We are fortunate to have
gotten him for the episodes we did. 

Zike1: Do you as a collaborative writing team of LFN have plans regarding future projects together?
I think the writing of this show has been so grat and i just wonder if you have talked of doing
something else together in the future.

Bob: Yeah. We (Joel and I) have a project for Fox together which we  have high hopes for.

PaintedCayeuse: Which characters is/are the hardest and/or easiest to write for? I would imagine
that you've developed a sense for what a particular charactar would do or say in a given scene. But
are some of them more or less of a challenge?

Bob: I always enjoy writing Michael because he says the least words. So that means I have to write
the least words. 

Joel: ditto

Valencia: Will we see Adrian in Season 5 and will either of you be at CQS4?

Bob: We don't see Adrian in Season 5 and we won't be at con.

Allegra: Roy and Peta have extraordinary chemistry. Watching them together has been a big part of
what has kept me coming back for more each week. Will you give us closure on thier relationship
when the series ends? It will be painfully frustrating to be left hanging.

Joel: You won't be frustrated by the time the season is over.

AbeyanceOpM5: When laying out the storyline and in terms of the episodes when was it decided that
George had a boss and that Mick/Mr.Jones was his boss?

Bob: I don't remember exactly when, but generally when we thought we had played out the story line
that involved George and needed to up a level or notch in order to add layers to the show both
figuratively and literally.

Room412: About a year ago a colleague of mine auditioned for the part of Nikita's sister for a
spinoff of LFN. What happened to it? Was the idea completely scrapped or can we expect to be
allowed at least a little of a weekly Nikita fix?

Bob: to my knowledge there is no spinoff planned.

Adaknm: Is Walter Operations brother or Nikita's father? Is Walter Michaels father?

Bob: He's not Operations brother. In terms of Nikita's father you'll have to watch season 5 to find
out.

DeniseLFN: Being the the show is filmed so far away was it difficult for either of you to maintain
the initial vision of an episode from the director to the actor to the final edit?

Bob: No. b/c the cast and crew hooked into the vision early and never deviated from it.

Francoise: Was there ever any direction that you wanted to take the show but changed your mind?

Bob and Joel: LOL We felt that having her escape at the end of the first season was a season too
soon. Uh.. but beyond that there was no real change of direction.

IreneCiccone: When did you think of the idea of Mick being Mr. Jones and Nikita working undercover
for Center? did you think of it on Season 2 or was it later? and.. who had this idea?

Joel: i directed the episode  where we discover that Mick was Mr. Jones and it was borne out of the
love of working with the actor Carlo Rota.

Schnee: How has the changes in the cast and crew affected the feel of the show from the creative
team standpoint? Were there any adjustments that were neccessary to bring the show up to standard?

Bob: I think tht the cast we have for S5 did a great job. Both returning cast and new cast members.
I do think as Joel said earlier we would have liked to have Roy in more shows and that is not a
criticism for the cast we did have. 

redhairs: Is there any chance later for a Nikita movie on USA?

Bob: Never say never but it's a long shot.

Pwiches: Do most of the crew plan on staying in Canada now that it's over?

Bob: MOst of the crew, all the crew is Canadian. 

Genie86333: Were all the main twists and turns of each season usually mapped out at the start or
did it develop along the way?

Bob: Probably half and half. We try to have roughly half the stories  roughed out before we start
filming. And then we try to see what's working and what's not. And then we add the twists and turns
based on what we have. 

shane: Is Roy as good a director as he is an actor?

Bob: Well you'll be able to see that for yourself. He directed episode 6. 

Woof66: Where do you come up with the ideas for the show?

Bob: Desperation. Seriously a group a people who believe in the show and each other just sit in a
room and get ideas until they have some that everyone likes. Generally the ideas tend to be
generated from the characters on the show and from previous incidents on the show rather than from
say newspapers or real life events although there was some of that as well.

Xeta: Why does Section frame Nikita for murder?

Bob: That will be answered in Season 5.

Kascara: Did you work with Luc Besson developing the characters or was it an effort between writers
and cast as their history grew?

Bob: Luc Besson had nothing to do with developing the characters. They were created in the Pilot
and their development owes something to the performances of the actors from the first season.

Emerald32: Was there any special reason why episode 506 was specifically assigened to be directed
by Roy?

Bob: Logistic reasons. We knew he was going to act in 505 ad 507 so it made sense for him to direct
the one in between.

Campfreak: Does the original writer or the production crew have final say on the script?

Bob: LOL Joel and I and Larry Hertzog on Season 4. 

Wolf66: Any chance for a DVD release of the eps like X-Files

Bob: I don't know. That's a good question.

Emerald32: I've heard that Roy has improvised some scenes which end up being acted different than
what was actually specified by the script. Which criteria is used if any to allow this last minute
change on the acting?

Bob: Well any significant changes that an actor or director wishes to make on the set have to be
cleared with the writer first. If the idea is a good one you go with it.

dRiven: What kind of reactions have you gotten on the last episode of last season.

Bob: Mixed. I may be wrong but I have the impression that people in the US reacted differently than
the people outside of the United States. It was a question of whether people believed that Nikita
loved Michael or not. That question will be answered in Season 5.

Emerald32: Which was the funniest moment during the filming of LFN?

Bob: LOL No one thing stands out let me think for a second, but Roy clowns around a lot and always
provided the funniest out-takes. 

PhoenixRisen: do you have any new writers for Season 5.

Bob: Yes we do.

IreneCiccone: Do you think the success of the show was in great part to the work of Peta?

Bob: Peta Wilson did a great job and certainly had a lot to do with the  success of the show. I
think the sexual tension between her and character Michael was also extremely important. 

JadoreRoy: Was it hard to pick the right actors for the show or did you have them already in mind
when you read the first script?

Bob: Casting is always delicate and a tough process. Peta blew everyone  away with her initial
reading and there was never any doubt in casting her for the part. The others took a little longer
to choose but in the end we made the right choices. 

JosieM: Is there any chance of LFN staying after season 5?

Bob: I don't think so.

AnyaB: What was the hardest episode to shoot?

Bob: Actually I think there were a lot that were hard to shoot. Actually there were sequences in
episodes that were hard to shoot but I don't remember any that were a particular challenge. 

PWinches: Do either of you check out the message boards to get feedback?

Bob: From time to time yes. We're always interested in fan reaction but in the end you have to
write what you think works.

Cygnet3: If you could tell one more Nikita story what else would you want to tell?

Bob: LOL That's a great question. Let me put it this way. I'd like to flash forward and revisit
Nikita five years after the end of Season 5. 

JJA: Are you happy that the show ended up centering around both characters Michael and Nikita or
would you have preferred it to stay only focussed on Nikita?

Bob: I think as a writer it is always easier to work with a relationship than just one character.

LTrinity3: I just want to say thank you guys so much for creating this show and for the excellence
in it's every aspect. It's more than once made my week and I've had such a great time watching
since the first episode. I'm sure I can speak for everyone in saying we're going to miss the show
and all the great people that made it happen. Good Luck in the future.

Bob: Wow. I thank you so much for your generous words. The enthusiam and the loyalty of the fans
has been the single most rewarding aspect of working on the show. 

WBHOST: thank you so much for chatting with us Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran. We really appreciate
it. We wish you much success.

Joel and Bob: thank you too. We really enjoyed doing this.

the end


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