“V”: Laura Vandervoort Audio Interview, Part 1

Although “V” is off the air until March, SciFi TV Zone will be providing continuing coverage of the show, beginning with this exclusive audio interview with actress Laura Vandervoort (Lisa). Conducted just before the show began its production hiatus and before the audience — and presumably Laura herself — knew that Lisa was actually Anna’s daughter, she discusses the character and her overall feelings about the role and the show itself. Interview conducted by Edward Gross.

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Executive Producer Scott Rosenbaum on the March Return of “V”

Tonight’s episode of “V” is scheduled to be the last one to air on ABC until the show returns in March, following the airing of the Winter Olympics. The question amongst fans of the show, however, is whether or not this is a programming mistake. As has become extremely evident over the past couple of seasons, there is very little viewer loyalty with audiences quickly growing used to not seeing a show when it’s off the air. Will this take away something from the momentum “V” has been building?
Scott Rosenbaum, the show’s new executive producer, whose real influence will be felt beginning with the its return in March, doesn’t think so. “This scheduling was done on purpose to make the show even better,” he offers. “I think the reason they [ABC] did this – and it makes a lot of sense – is that they view this as a big event, and it’s also an expensive show to do. By breaking it up into these different sections, I think it allows more time for writing and more time for production. The idea is to make the show even bigger and essentially better. Think of a television season as a movie. Look at the first season of ‘V’ as 12 episodes [after the pilot]. The first four are the beginning, Act 1; the second four will be Act 2 and the final four will be Act 3. Approaching it that way, I think, will make the show even better. Is it going to be frustrating for people because they want to see new episodes? Possibly. But I think the plan is, by doing it this way, is that more people will be excited by the next group, and they’ll know that when they get to that next group of episodes, they’re going to get something that’s better than anything they’re going to get anywhere else, because we were able to put more time and effort into every aspect of production.”

The fear, of course, is that the network will look at the fact that the ratings have dipped from week to week and decide not to proceed with additional episodes. Rosenbaum doesn’t see this as a possibility. “I think they’ll stick to the plan, because everyone here agrees it’s a good one,” he says. “It’s like event programming. Truthfully, I’m thrilled that this is the way they’re doing it. It might be a little annoying, but this will work. I also think that season two or three will be more like a regular show with 22 episodes. In this first season, this is a property that people know from before. It was a huge event back in the days when it first appeared, and I think the spirit here was, ‘Let’s reintroduce it in a way that’s different from what everyone else is doing.’

“I think ‘V’ has great potential,” closes Rosenbaum. “I think it can be not just an entertaining show, but I think it can be an important show, if done right. It can be a show that has a sort of lasting effect, and can be bigger than just a TV show. It allows you to dive into things that most TV shows don’t allow you to do. Just in terms of the state of the world, the state of humanity, who we are as people, what is good and bad about us, how we can fix things in our nature – everything about humans beings’ place in the world and in the universe. It can be an intellectual exercise as well, and not just a fun action show. It gives you all the tools to play with, which is really nice.”

Exclusive Interview: Laura Vandervoort on “V” & Smallville

Laura Vandervoort, who stole the hearts of genre fans when she played Supergirl on Smallville, is returning to television this Tuesday on ABC’s “V”, in which she plays the alien Visitor Lisa, whose job is to bring disenfranchised teens into the Peace Ambassador Program, with the ultimate intent of using them against humanity. In the following interview, Laura talks about both series.

SCI FI TV ZONE: You are shooting in Vancouver – any chance that you might hop over to Smallville?

LAURA VANDERVOORT: Oh gosh, there’s been a few background performers I did Smallville with, and they’re coming up and saying, “So, are you coming back?” And I don’t know. I mean, I’m in Vancouver, I don’t know if they know I’m here, but it would be nice to hop over and be part of the show again. I loved Smallville. It was everything to me. You know, it was the first role that put me out there in front of America and the world – it’s played all over the world – and it’s helped me get in the door for other projects that were grittier and different, that I would have never been considered for because of the way you look, or the way they’ve seen you in the past. I owe everything to Smallville, and I’d love to go back, I don’t know if they’re going to have a storyline for me, I’m not sure what direction they’re taking the show in, so fingers crossed. I’d love to go back before the show is done.

SCIFI TV ZONE: Have you had the chance to get a better handle on who Lisa is as a person?

LAURA VANDERVOORT: As a reptilian or a person? As a character I feel like I had a fairly good grasp on her at the beginning, but as we’ve had different directors come in, and I’ve chatted with the producers, I’m definitely learning more. There’s a lot of stuff they aren’t going to tell us that might impact our performance and might give away any secrets, but from what I’ve understood, she’s literally just a 17-year-old who is there for peace, and she’s got orders that were given to her, and she’s going to follow through with them. That’s how they’re trained, and she’s also interested, similar to Supergirl, in taking in Earth and the culture. But right now she’s exploring.

SCIFI TV ZONE: You say she’s there for peace –

LAURA VANDERVOORT: I was just going to say, the way you can look at it is she’s been given an order to get humans to join the Ambassador Program, and that’s her task and that’s what she’s there for. She’s very focused, and she’s getting the best possible humans she thinks are appropriate for the job.

SCIFI TV ZONE: Do you think she’s going to develop a more sympathetic side?

LAURA VANDERVOORT: I think so, without giving too much away, I think when she experiences a bit of the hate that’s going on with the Visitors being on earth, and protestors, some of the things she sees impact her more than she expects. She feels more for some of the humans, I think, and I think she’s learning more about dealing with conflict and not being wanted.

SCIFI TV ZONE: I think a great arc would be to see her working with the humans.

LAURA VANDERVOORT: I have to say that’s what I want. But I don’t know where they plan to go with it. Especially because she’s focused on Tyler right now, and I’d like to see that develop into something, and perhaps that’s where the Fifth Column will come in.

The new “V” premieres on ABC November 3rd. For all the news on “V” — both past and present — just click below.

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Featured in our premiere issue:

MERCY REEF• Behind the Scenes on the “Aquaman” TV Pilot* Exclusive interviews with creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and director Greg Beeman
• A conversation with actor Justin Hartley, who played Aquaman before becoming Green Arrow on Smallville
• Never before published behind the scenes photos

JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE ANIMATED SERIES
• The making of all 52 episodes before the show became Justice League Unlimited
• Go behind the scenes on each episode with producers Bruce Timm, James Tucker, Dwayne McDuffie and others
• An interview with voice director Andrea Romano
• Exclusive interviews with the voice cast, including George Newbern (Superman) and Kevin Conroy (Batman)
• Previously unpublished behind the scenes images