A Chat with David Duchovny

By April MacIntyre Sep 25, 2007, 18:38 GMT

David Duchovny - © Glenn Harris / Photorazzi

In Fox's "The TV Set", writer/director Jake Kasdan uses first-hand knowledge of the world of network television (dad is writer/director Lawrence Kasdan) to serve up a comedy about the making of a TV pilot.

A story of art and compromise, "The TV Set" exposes the players and the Byzantine process that bears television shows as we see them in finished form.

The plot follows a serious writer, Mike, played by David Duchovny, as he navigates the personality overload behind-the-scenes attempting to get his TV pilot, “The Wexler Chronicles,” made to his standards. 

That is the raison d’être of this film, now on DVD from Fox. 

The film illustrates that once the money and greenlights start popping for any writer, it is the death knell for creative control.

Lenny, played by Weaver on "The TV Set"

Sigourney Weaver plays Lenny, the Panda Network queen, showing off her solid comic timing.   Weaver delivers some of the best lines in the movie.

“They have Carmen Electra and a better concept,” Lenny says, when worrying one of her network’s shows is head-to-head with a similarly premised, yet more salacious reality show on a rival network. 

When asked if she cared for Mike, Duchovny’s character, Lenny hesitates, “He’s very…blue state.”  

Duchovny as Mike, "The TV Set

At a network party, effusive Lenny greets one of the network's reality shows, “Slut Wars,” losers. “You were my favorite slut,” she says earnestly. To her network cohort, Lenny seriously sells it.  “She’s the Lucille Ball of her generation.” 

Lenny takes notes from her 14-year old daughter, Betthany, in lieu of her professional peers.

David Duchovny has worn all the hats in film and television production, from writer, actor, director to executive producer.  I asked him what role was the most gratifying for him creatively.

“As a director, I think, because you project yourself into everybody’s shoes, into the heads of actors, yet you are thinking like the producers, ‘will I be on time?’ Generally, just directing the traffic flow of the production.  That’s essentially what you are doing as the director, marshalling them all.  It’s exhilarating and exhausting, but I love it.”

A bearded David Duchovny modeled his "TV Set" character Mike in a tip-to-the-hat to his friend, film maker Judd Apatow, whose career was about to take off after the release of “The 40 Year –Old Virgin,” when "The TV Set" was being filmed.

“Mike was based on Judd Apatow, who is now, like, this foster parent to the next generation of comics.  When I was doing 'The TV Set', I was doing a personal Judd that I knew before he blew up big after the success of the '40 Year-Old Virgin.' "

In the "TV Set", Mike’s pragmatic manager, Alice, is nailed by actress Judy Greer.  She calmly suggests that a bearded actor, played by the right-for-the-part, Simon Helber, be re-cast because of network notes.   Mike's responds to the  “he’s too hip for the room," comment by asking her if it was code for "too Jewish."

The insanity of the network polling odd passers’ by for reactions to their pilot's name in a "TV Set" scene illustrated Duchovny’s favorite moment in the film.  I asked David if there were too many cooks in television production that pull rank on each other.

“Yes, I think about it, there are too many cooks and beyond that, they are trying to sell a meal that isn’t even done yet.  My favorite scene is the crazy guy they are polling, pitching him ‘Call Me Crazy.’

He’s this crazy guy! And that’s what happens.  You know, in TV so many other people get involved, but on ‘The X-Files,’ once you are, you know, an up-and-running successful series, and you prove you can do it, people tend to stay out of your way.  But I have had films too where this also happens."

Showtime’s “Californication” is Duchovny’s latest television triumph, yet the naming of it was a vexing moment for him.  He didn’t want people to be thrown by the title, saying that it wasn’t all about T & A.

Californication on Showtime

“That actually came up when we were naming the series, 'Californication' which had its issues with the title, but after a lot of back and forth, okay, sh*t, let’s go with it.”

Duchovny gives his writers for “Californication” respect for their vision of the show, and occasionally will “pipe in”

“I feel my way around with jokes, and will pitch to them an ad-libbed dialog bit on set, or even with diction; I will pipe up if a character is sounding too much the same.

Generally I stay out of the way of the writers. I’m on set all day, because I am acting in it but also I am the executive producer, so I make sure to execute the writer’s vision, I feel like it’s my place to make sure the set is working.”

The series, “Californication,” took some hits and criticism about being too sexually graphic.  But as the show has progressed, the secondary characters played by Evan Handler and Pamela Adlon, Hank Moody’s agent and his entrepreneurial “Bikini wax to the stars” wife Marcy, have taken a wonderful side tour. 

Together, they round out ‘Californication” with well-played scenes.

“I know, I love that, I was watching the show the other day with my wife, and I was laughing so hard, their scenes are great.  I love Pam and how their characters are filling out. It just makes my job so much easier,” added Duchovny.

“The TV Set”
Cast:
Mike Klein - David Duchovny
Lenny - Sigourney Weaver
Richard McCallister - Ioan Gruffudd
Alice - Judy Greer
Zach Harper - Fran Kranz
Laurel Simon - Lindsay Sloane
Natalie Klein - Justine Bateman
Chloe McCallister - Lucy Davis
DVD release from 20th Century Fox, on sale September 25th

“Californication” Showtime on Mondays, following ‘Weeds”
Cast:
Hank Moody - David Duchovny
Karen - Natascha McElhone
Becca - Madeleine Martin
Mia - Madeline Zima
Bill - Damian Young
Charlie - Evan Handler