Steven Long Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle wrote and executive produced the highly anticipated mini-series “Tin Man,” an edgy science-fiction fantasy take on the classic “The Wizard of Oz,” for the SCI FI Channel.
“Tin Man” is set to premiere in December 2007 and stars Zooey Deschanel as DG (Dorothy), Alan Cumming as Glitch (the Scarecrow), Neal McDonough as Cain (the Tin Man), Raoul Trujillo as Raw (the Cowardly Lion) and Richard Dreyfuss as Mystic Man (the Wizard). The story follows the characters through the Outer Zone (OZ), which is filled with wonder and oppressed by dark magic.
Our Slice of SciFi online reporter and interviewer, Linda Craddock sat down with Steven and Craig for an indepth chat about “Tin Man,” and spoke about their involvement with Kiefer Sutherland’s “24,” and other projects. For all you “The Pretender” fans out there we have a real scoop for you from Steven and Craig that they shared with us during this interview and you get it here first. Sit back, read and enjoy.
Updates: More exclusive news from Steven and Craig about The Pretender can be found elsewhere on Slice of SciFi:
Mar 2008: An Update for all “The Pretender” Fans from Series Co-creator
May 2014: The Pretender Lives: An Interview with Craig Van Sickle & Steven Long Mitchell
Linda Craddock (SoSF): Steven and Craig, thank you for joining me here at Slice of SciFi.
Steven Long Mitchell & Craig Van Sickle (SLM & CVS): It’s our pleasure.
SoSF: So, right of the bat tell our fans how Strange Highway Entertainment evolved?
SLM: It’s a company that has evolved from of all the past work we’ve done in a genre what we like to call “We do weird”. It’s kind of a catch phrase for Strange Highways and it encompasses everything from going all the way back to “Alien Nation” to The Pretender” to “The Flash” to really what we’re doing on the “Tin Man” movie. So it’s sort of a culmination of this thing, our favorite genre to deal with and make weirdness and things like that.
CVS: And the way to connect with our fan base which we feel is very strong coming out that sort of conspiracy enigmatic-slash-sci-fi audiences thankfully have been there for us.
SoSF: How long had you been working with the idea of the “Tin Man” for a 6-hour miniseries?
CVS: Originally we sold the idea of “Tin Man” I believe it was about 3-1/2 years ago. Pitched kind of along the idea about a cop in “Oz” and it evolved into more of what it is now. We kept the title in “Tin Man”; the “Tin Man” is still the main character but its evolved more into a reinvention of the entire “Oz” legend.
SLM: The whole “Wizard of Oz” story we all grew up with.
SoSF: How difficult would you say it was to remain true to the classic demeanor of “Oz” and yet create a modern day characterization of the Outer Zone as you call it, typically called “Oz”? Talk about some of the dynamics that set this particular incarnation apart from previous movies?
SLM: Well, to start with our goal was always to pay homage to the original story and the original movie, it being such an icon in our lives and quite frankly our parents and our children. So we kind of walked into this territory with great respect but we still wanted to reinvent it for a more modern audience.
CVS: I think part of the problem with some of the previous projects is that in some ways a lot of them tried to play it a little too safe, try to retell the same story as opposed to what we like to say with ours is it’s a reinvention of the world, a reinvention of the characters. It’s a whole new adventure that if you watch it and you see it and you’ve seen the [Judy Garland] “Wizard of Oz” you will smile and recognize the elements, and if you’re not familiar it, [then it] will be a whole fresh new tale.
SoSF: The Ozian realm has been plagued by dark magic and fear at the hands of the sorceress Azkadellia. Describe some of the other fantastical inhabitants of Oz!
SLM: One thing that’s interesting is we’ve created lots of different characters, and fantastical creatures, if you will in Oz. We have a lot of similar ones, ala, the flying monkeys. We’ve reinvented them and given them a purpose in life and an origin of who [they are] and where they came from. We have things called “pappe runners” who are creatures who had once lived in a magical forest that was basically the dark magic of Oz and basically [were] killed off and taken what were peaceful creatures and turned them into essentially carnivorous creatures who are dangerous and whose lives were taken away [from them].
CVS: We, again, tried to draw from the characters that we created for this piece in a place called Milltown as a big story payoff and it’s kind of a neat low-tech, high-tech world that is new to this version of “Oz” and the idea of the “Emerald City,” which was more of a bigger icon… we, again, tried to turn it into a modern edgy place that has a little or a lot more corruption than that of the book or the [Garland] movie and really tried to create a world there that is dangerous in a new way for our character DG who is basically our Dorothy.
SLM: We wanted to have these characters and these places in Oz have a humanistic quality but also having some quality of [that] humanity having been taken away from some of these people which is easier to fight for and finding those thematics. We tried to put a lot of very human thematic in all those characters and those situations in Oz so that as Craig was saying earlier you recognize the “Tin Manâ€, you recognize the cowardly lion, you recognize the Scarecrow, if you will, but because they all have their own human stories this time, or stories with human qualities this time, it gives them that much more to hold on to on every character level and something that if you join this story, if you’ve been hidden away on the planet, and don’t know the story of the “Wizard of Oz”, you’ll enjoy it on a whole different level.
SoSF: What attributes were you looking for in an actress to play DG?
CVS: Well, first and foremost, somebody to bring a fresh vitality to that part. Again you can watch it and it’s a very different lead character for the “Wizard of Oz” and Zooey [Deschanel] just brings this unique kind of energy that has a lot of youth appeal. Older adults like her. She’s got sort of a wonder-lost, but there’s strength underneath it that carries you through. Just a real unique take on the character and the world she’s in and she’s dynamite, I mean really interesting!
SLM: And she’s not a little girl. Her character’s a young woman and Zooey has the qualities, child like quality in the package of a young woman which really kind of transcends both of those.
SoSF: DG rides a motorcycle wears a leather jacket, versus driving a car. Did you choose the mode of transportation based on the tone you wanted to establish for her character as rebellious and unconventional?
SLM: Yes, we wanted our character, unlike in the book or the movie, we wanted her to have a little bit more edge, a little bit more of a modern feel and so those choices were made with that in mind.
SoSF: So a slight change in the characterization, and DG lives with her parents Em and Hank and Toto, versus the movie where Em was her aunt.
SLM: Well wait a minute, you said “and Toto, of course”, but how do you know?
SoSF: (laughing) According to my research I saw Toto.
SLM: Well, maybe Toto was there, or not! (laughing) We’re not confirming or denying Toto lives at home.
SoSF: And for the fans out there, you’ve heard it first.
SLM: But he is in the movie. (laughs)
SoSF: (laughs) Well, that’s great, they can live with that until December, I believe.
SLM: Yeah!
SoSF: You cast Richard Dryfess as the Mystic Man, the “Wizard” of Oz, Alan Cumming as Glitch and Neil McDonough as Cain, a.k.a. Tin Man among this wonderful ensemble of actors. Tell us about the casting process and what impressed you most about the actors you selected?
CVS: Well, we’ll start with Neil because he’s somebody we’ve worked with before several times and are close to and he was somebody that we really fought for the role of “Tin Man”, basically straight ahead, just manly strength and grit and durability. The ‘Cain’ character is very, kind of a western iconic character, traditionally strong, do the right thing, honorable, etc, etc. and we think Neil embodies all that. With Alan we’ve seen his work on several different fronts and when it came to the part of Glitch, he just brings inventiveness to that, I mean we couldn’t do any better than that, he’s just so interesting to watch and so funny and just brought so much to it. Raoul Trujillo, he impressed us because we saw him in the Mel Gibson’s movie Apocalypto and his role didn’t speak English at all.
SLM: It’s certainly the first role we’ve ever cast where their audition was in mime.
CVS: His face was so expressive, which the character Raw that he plays… Raw may have 20 lines of dialogue in the entire 6 hours so we needed somebody who was emotionally expressive with face, eyes and body movement and Raoul certainly embodied all that. Kathleen Robertson was one of the later arrivals…
SLM: …who plays Azkadellia and she’s wonderful. She’s been in the popular “Beverly Hills 90210” and she brings a sexy vitality, if you will, to [what was] a traditionally green wicked witch, where she’s not that. We also wanted someone who had to play a very complex character because our witch is far from one knowledge and her relationship throughout this movie as we peel the onion of who she really is and has a very big part in the entire epic story here.
CVS: And then Richard Dreyfuss brings a very inventive, twisted quality to our Mystic Man character who is essentially our take on “The Wizard” and again we try to do something a little edgier, a little more adult with that character and Richard has been very good and…
SLM: ….he’s Richard Dreyfuss!
SoSF: So what made you choose this western look for Cain’s character?
SLM: Well, it kind of goes back to what Craig was saying. We wanted something that’s close to a very strong, male threat. When you go back to your John Wayne or your Clint Eastwood, it’s that kind of iconic role that comes through because out of “Tin Man”, it’s not like he doesn’t have a heart. His heart has been shattered and we wanted to have a man who is strong and forceful and hurt and he just embodies all that and the look we felt would speak that to the audience as well.
SoSF: Now when we think of “The Wizard of Oz” we think, the yellow brick road, we’re off to see the wizard and one line to always remember, “there’s no place like home.” Does this translate to “Tin Man”?
SLM: Well, all of those qualities are in this movie and what we took were all of those icons and put them over here a little bit. There is quote on quote — “the yellow brick road”, “there is no place like home” and we have a similar homage to that and whether it’s the flying monkeys or the singing Dorothy or drop a house on her, all those icons. we tried to put in the movie in a way that the audience would sit there and just smile and go, “I understand exactly what that means”. Glitch is not a scarecrow but we know his character’s inspired by the scarecrow and the same thing with why Cain being inspired by the tin man although he’s a totally different character and the same thing with Raw being by the “cowardly lion”. We think that anyone who has seen the [Garland] movie or are big fans of the movie will be pleased with all the ways that we kind of twist and turn the icons but gave it an entirely new story approach.
SoSF: As we all know from the past the movies have always been written as musicals. Will the music score in “Tin Man” embrace the storyline, the scenery of the sets. How is that going to help your version?
CVS: We wrote an original song or two that actually plays into what we did with the Mystic Man character which I touched on earlier and we won’t give anything away, but it’s a fun little bizarre number that comes in the middle but this is not a musical like the original. We won’t kid you there, and as for the score, we’ve only heard some of the temp score stuff that’s grand.
SLM: It accompanies the visuals but the score itself does not drive the story as it did in the original movie.
SoSF: As a team, you have been credited with a number of television series including NBC’s highly rated “The Pretender” as executive producers during its five year run. What inspired that particular project or concept?
SLM: That was a labor of love and a script that was originally a spec pilot, which rarely happens in television where you develop outside the studio or network system. What really inspired it was the idea of a character could be a hero as everyone in life is searching for their identity and how we fit in, we wanted a hero who would be searching for his identity but who also could have any identity he wanted, but didn’t know who he was. We wanted a hero that could come into your life and learn things from you by helping you and in his own way be helping himself. There’s a movie that Tony Curtis did called “The Great Impostor,” which is based on a book by a guy named Ferdinand Demara, which was a great inspiration to us but then we also had a system the C.I.A. had in the early ’50s that we built upon as well.
CSV: It was called the “Genius Project.” They would take genius kids and basically bring them into the C.I.A. In the morning they would teach them the regular math, reading, all that stuff and in the afternoon they would have them play games like thermo-nuclear war. They would literally brain pick ideas out of these genius kids that later on actually did become C.I.A. hardware, operations tactics and what not. So we thought that would be interesting to have a genius who could do a lot of different things and knew about everything there was to know because that’s the environment he was raised in and just the idea of the fantasy of a lead TV character that could become anybody he wanted to be. We just felt it would be an interesting series franchise and had a great time doing it. Our fans still clabber for the answers because we never closed “The Pretender” out. We will just say to them please be patient, it’s going to happen, hopefully soon.
SLM: And it will happen in relationship to “Strange Highway.”
SoSF: Thank you gentlemen. Another Slice of SciFi scoop, oh, that will be great!
SLM: We will continue the story line of this digitally on the web.
SoSF: I loved that series.
SoSF: Talk a little about “She Spies” and creativity that went into that project?
SLM: Well that project was one that, again for NBC and they came to us saying they wanted to do a show about empowerment and a fun action thing reminiscent of “Charlie’s Angels”. I have three daughters and Craig has a daughter so we thought let’s create a show that would be a fun thing for our daughters to watch. This was a show we were only around for the creation of and then we went off to other projects and handed it off to other people who actually ran it. Its inspiration was just to have a show our daughters could watch.
SoSF: You were nominated this year for a Writers Guild of America award for writing an episode for the Fox Network TV series “24”. Tell us how you got involved with that project?
SLM: The guys over at “24,” Joel Surnow and Bob Cochran, are old friends of ours from our days when we were all working for Stephen Cannell and they actually called us one day and said look we’re in trouble and we need someone to help step in and do a script for us. We’ve been big fans of the show, big fans of Kiefer and were thrilled for the opportunity to just go in and help out but it was a very unique experience. Writing for “24” is literally like watching an episode or being in an episode. It runs at rapid pace. No one really knows what’s going on and you have to find Chloe to give you the answers to what you’re supposed to write. (starts giggling)
CVS: So it was a kick! (laughing)
SoSF: Can you give us a sneak preview of any new projects you are working on?
SLM: We’re about to do a pilot for Fox that is in the same realm as “Tin Man†that deals with well, another icon… it’s a fantasy… er…
CVS: …Somewhat of a fantasy world, one foot in reality and one foot in fantasy that’s in an iconic kind of character enters into….
SLM: …It’s very much reminiscent of “Blade Runner” but we can’t say a lot about it. Kind of a cross between “Blade Runner” and “Twin Peaks.”
SoSF: Steven and Craig, I know you have to run but thank you both for joining us here at Slice of SciFi.
SLM & CVS: It’s been our pleasure. Anytime you want to talk again just give us a shout.
I’m wondering what iconic character they could be talking about for their FOX pilot? Hmm. Honestly though, FOX?
My first reaction to the little comment about the pretender is to shriek like a teenybopper at a Westlife concert, but (not to say I’m above that when it comes to the Pretender, I might add. Because I’m really not) they have promissed us before (more than once I might add) and I know, it was probably financial reasons that broke my oh-so-fragile heart when nothing happened, so it wasn’t really CVS and SLM’s fault…
But if you’re reading this dear show-creators, Steve…Craig:
If you *are* serious this time then set up a web page, so we can track your progress, and know that you haven’t forgotten us. Maybe even add a guest book so we can share out feelings about the direction the last movie went in, and ways to fix it…erm, I mean…the questions we would love answered, and things like that. Maybe even a poll or two.
And if funding is the issue make a pay-pal account so we can donate (though we’re gonna need some proof it’s not just a prankster trying to squeeze a few dollars out of my broke little wallet). Even if we’re not able to pull together enough money, at least we have the chance to help prove to some PTB’s out there that this might actually be worth going for (And if I may, a suggestion to how to present this to your bosses: “Look at these nutties, they’re donating money to help make something they’re gonna pay to watch. How can we not make money of that?!”).
Who knows, I might even scoop as low as to buy Pretender merchandise, if it comes down to it.
But alas…this is probably nothing more than another vague promise that will never come true, you have been saying this for a while now… but for now I will assume it’s not and enjoy the day.
God, I hope that they really mean it about the Pretender. I loved that show. I read a lot of fanfiction about it, and know there is a huge fan base still. Besides all the secrets coming to light, I’d love to see Jarod and Miss P finally come together. I read a piece from Andrea Parker that said they would cross that line in IOTH but it never happened. Almost doesn’t count. And Jarod needs to find his family. I hope it comes out soon, and I agree with the above comment that they should have a web site up for it just to keep us in the loop.
Wendy
Oh please PLEASE be telling the truth!! I NEED the answers, I NEED the closure on this show! The last movie left us wanting more, needing more answers, and we never got them!! Please isn’t there some way we can be kept appraised of the development and news,etc?!! Please, any news is GOOD news!!
This has me so excited. Another chance for closure for The Pretender. I just hope it really happens this time. I also hope we can also get this last movie on DVD to go with the rest of my collection. If the original cast returns, I know it will be good. Just give us all of the answers this time and I like the idea of a website for fans to go to so that we can check in from time to time to see how the project is coming along.
I agree with everyone who posted requesting SLM and CVS post an official website or something to give us the progress. I know I’m just echoing, but I just wanted to let ya’ll know that you’re not alone! And, I think the paypal idea is a good one.
Steven and Craig, I hope you’re reading all these posts!
This is the most intellegent show I’ve seen in a long long time. I was heart broken when it was cancelled. The writing and acting just couldn’t be beat – -The only thing I wished was that Jarod hadn’t completely lost his child like self – -I know he had to grow up, but that quality made him such a draw. Also, I wished you had done more with Jarod and his dad – -you had something special going there. One more thing, Sydney seemed to fade way too far in the background – he is such a powerful actor and character. Please don’t disappoint us again – – I’m hoping that we will finally see closure. Big smiles – -jojarod50
I’ve only got hooked on “pretender” since 2006, but when I watched the first episode, I just could’nt stop and continued until watched all the seasons + movies! I’ll do anything to see the series actually end! Like the other guy said it earlier…if worse comes to worse, I’ll might even consider buying some pretender merchenside!!!
Arrghh Just finished the last of the Pretender series to find out that it wasn’t finished. I watched it years ago and didn’t see it through then. I bought the DVDs and went through them slowly to savor it and now I find out there is no ending. This interview gives me hope and I still have the movies to buy and watch so I guess I can wait a little more but I really would like to have a tidy package.
I too would love to see a website with updates. As for supporting the cause, I have already bought all 4 season sets and going for the movies soon too.
My whole family watched pretender while it aired and we own all of the DVD’s Season 1 to IOTH. The fact that the questions havn’t been answered is killing all of us. I have combed the Internet looking for clues to the end and even if this doesn’t come to pass, please transform the the scrit into a manuscript and publish it. If my fellow fans come through than use the procedes to fund your projects, if they don’t, at least the story will have an ending and you will lay countless fan’s minds at ease please finish it.
Let me guess what we want:
1. The final truth. We’d like to see any form of the ending, whether in TV series or movies, or just released scripts.
2. Let Jarod and Miss Parker be together. But I’m also happy if Jarod and Zoe are together.
3. A website that can keep us posted in the loop.
4. Please don’t let us wait too long!
I personally wonder who will get the thumb at last, Mr. Lyle or Mr. Raines…
The Jarod and Miss parker thing.. I don’t know.. Earlier in the series, I really wanted them to end up together… but after waiting so long, I’m not sure thats how it should end anymore. Really, I don’t want it to end. I think it should’ve gone on longer.
All the best shows ended. The Pretender, X-Files, Outer Limits, Sopranos.. what I wouldn’t give to have these come back on the air with new episodes!!!!!!!!!!!
To all Pretender fans;
Steve and I are touched by your loyalty and love for The Pretender. Please know that often times things grind slowly in Hollywood and such is the case for our desire to get you all final answers for The Pretender and to give this series that is so dear to us a fitting and rewarding conclusion. When Steve and I talk about a final episode/movie, our intent is genuine — it just takes time, undoubtedly longer than any of us hope for. Just know we are working to make this a reality and that we so appreciate all of your kind words and patience. CV
Thank you so much for letting us know you are trying, Craig. I am a huge Pretender fan, and I will never give up hope that The Pretender will be completed some day. Good luck with everything. And please let the fans know if there is anything we can do to help. I would be glad to do anything to my ability to see The Pretender completed.
I really hope The Pretender to return. Since i saw the 1st episode i became i huge fan from jarod & cia and, like everybody else, i need answers 🙂
Anyway, i prefere to wait a bit more anda have a great show if it is needed.
best reegards from Portugal
Nobody else but me is dying to know Miss Parker’s first name? Please let us know.
Ten months later – are there any news about another installment of ‘The Pretender’??
I just recently got my hands on copy’s of the pretender series and movie, as this is a show my grandma got my hooked a few years back.
Thinking that the show ended with the only movie I had not previously seen (Island of the Haunted) I was and still am quite disappointed to not see a conclusion to the show. I love the Island of the Haunted, it was a well made movie, and I wish there was more.
And I really hope not for just my sake, but for a lot of other pretender fans sake as well that there will be some conclusion to the Pretender.
please unlock all the ‘secrets and lies’
I followed to series from the very beginning, it was something different and that has really been done before and I guess that is why so many of us enjoy watching it. It kept us tuned in and anticipating the next episode. I can’t say that I’m not disappointed because I am, I along with the fans just want closure to “The Pretender.” The was many reasons why the project is left unfinished, the many one stated by numerous people was the money issue. I can safely say that people are willing to give money just for it to finish once and for all. Above someone said to set up a paypal account along with a website stating progress and we will start donating. I don’t know how, but we will make it. Never know maybe we can revive it back into a drama series.
Make our dreams come true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, I just finished watching EVERY pretender! My netflix queue has been busy providing me pretenders!
I totally dig the show and would LOVE to see it continue (forever!).
At least release a couple of movies.
thanks!
Thomas
as they say all good things in time. this is what i am hoping for with the pretender. i’ve watched since the beginning and then bouht the dvds and basically can watch anytime. i eagerly await a conclusion, of course i ‘ve run scenarios through my mind even when watching other programs and see actors who were on the pretender i pay closer attention thinking maybe Jarod will pop up. I saw sydney on an episode of ‘house” and kept waiting for his cell phone to ring and Ms. Parker would tell him Jarod been spotted. But alas, i can only wait and hope but i can say the pretender is my all time favorite show. Thanks and congrats to the creators and actors.JOB WELL DONE.
I have just finished the Pretender series. I caught a few shows on tv but never saw the whole series until now. I couldnt stop watching and would love to see a movie to tie up loose ends. I really hope we really will see the end.
Just finished IOTH! My god! After the last episode of season 4, I really wanted answers, so I find out about IOTH and watched it with extreme anticipation about finally getting said answers. Got some answers, but I’m left with even more questions now! The creators said soon a year ago, so, obviously, in Hollywood soon means some time in the next decade. AAARRRGGGHHH! Well, for The Pretender, the wait will be worth it! But still, HURRY PLEASE!!!
To Craig & Steven (et. al.): It would seem that the most logical end game for The Pretender, its ongoing syndication and closure would be the Sci-Fi channel. Is this not were a good number of older quality-laden shows in the genre wind up at some point (or should)? The producers ought to switch their focus from network tv to the cable market – network TV is like the Big Three Automakers, doomed to fail in the near future unless some serious consolidation occurs. The fans of TP deserve better than the ‘hold on and and be patient’ carrot-dangling that has come from Craig and Steven. If they fear the fan’s acceptance of the end product; sh………., or get off the pot already!!! You can’t please everybody. The orginal season appeared on NBC 12 years ago. PPPPLEEEAAASEEE quit stringing us all along. You might find we would all embrace your future projects more enthusiastically (sounds like blackmail – NOT! It’s called two way loyalty) Thanks
Another please give us a well crafted and satisfying ending comment from my part, too. I’m currently surviving on fanfiction alone, even (to my utter horror) considered to write my own, which at least lead to clue-searching all over the episodes and movies, e.g. who and where is Baby Parker, where’s Ethan, etc. It helps a bit while we are all forced to wait. However, I am soon running out of them as well.
It was interesting to watch Jarod grow up: he gained some, but he also lost a lot of his innocence. In some way he and Miss Parker have developed the potential to understand each other more than ever before.
While luckily IOTH became a rather good movie (especially in contrast to its predecessor), there is a noticeable change in the music between the movies and the series. While every time Jarod makes special preparations for his pretend’s grand finale, the series uses lovely easygoing jazz-like music. In the movies? Boom, nothing the likes, even though I admit IOTH didn’t need it, but The Pretender 2001 needed a lot more than just good music. Shame they changed the intro! So, whatever happens, if it’s somewhere along the quality of the series and IOTH, it’ll be fine. Just get a move on, please
I have been The Pretender fan since it first aired in Estonia. When the 4th season ended I was in despair to find out that it was the end (’cause the network never showed the 2 films in E). Some time after that I found out of the films and hoped that those would answer the questions. Some answers, more questions. I have never been such a fan before to a movie of tv series of any kind and never will be. That’s a fact. But I still hope that the final movie will come. (I’d settle with a script, book whatever to get the answers).
God I love the idea, series and the cast.
If theres any mercy left in hollywood, (I doubt it, though), this has to be!!
It also has to count for something that the show is loved by many norwegians hoping to see the final ending.. It reached far beyond the states. When I found out that the pretender had been released on DVD, I had the series shipped here, borrowed it to a bunch of people, and watched it countless times with my whole family and a lot of nostalgic friends. We all sat glued to the tv while it aired in the ’90s..! To bad we ended up looking like a hundred question marks. Guys, You have got to make this happen..
We’re still waiting–we recently did the whole series–it was very difficult to keep Jarod away for a single night. More adventures and coming together will keep us watching…there are new converts out there every day.
Please let everyone know what you’re planning on doing with the show and when and where it will air. Also, please tie up all loose ends that are currently out there about the show. Thanks!!!
Come on guys Don’t say something as bold as that and give us no information! Pretender fans are loyal and addicted! It’s jsut like Jarod’s weekly addictions! If you are not going to make a movie at least release a script or soemthing. I think it woul dbe difficult for the creators to get James Denton back, he’s all big and bad on despirate housewives…..but teh others would probly come back…BRING BACK THE PRETENDER! come on guys….it’s mean to leave us hanging!
This interview was in 2007? It’s 2009, where’s is it?
It’s called closure..look it up!
Just found the series locally on dvd, am watching all over again. To Steven Long Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle – thank you for creating the series, it was my favorite show for both NBC/TNT.
I find it interesting that there are new shows that pay homage to Pretender with the similar concepts ie; Person(s) helping right the wrongs done to joe average person – that have become my favorite shows now – Leverage on TNT, House (i know its just medical – but I would sure hate to get those peoples medical bills).
Would like to see closure for Jarod and the fans – but may be too late now.
Thanks anyway.
It’s never to late for the conclusion to the story,Come on Steven Long Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle,Were all still waiting out here even in the UK.
IT’S 2011!!!
We need a closure for The Pretender! We need answers.
You left us chaising ghosts, and also chaising Jarod.
The actors are already older, and the end must come before it’s too late.
I speak on behalf of all Brazilian fans of this serie.
C’mon.. There are a lot of The Pretender fans who want closure.. We’re waiting already 3 years.. PLEASE, just let us know what is happening.. and PLEASE make final movie with original actors.. we love them and we love The Pretender!
Just finished watching the all series. Now i m dying for a conclusion!
Just came across this. I couldn’t believe it when The Pretender was cut. The writing for this series was sooo good! My wife and I are huge fans. When I heard about the possibility of of a movie to bring closure, I was elated to say the least. If you find it financially impossible to do a movie, how about at least writing a book to bring closure? A website would be great too, to let your fan base know of any progress that is made.