Q: Have you ever had a chance to meet and compare notes with other HBO
Original Series' producers like David Milch or David Chase? [John Lee]
A: I met David Milch about ten years ago to write an episode of NYPD Blue
when I was still a reporter at The Sun, but when I had started to
contemplate a departure from the newspaper because of the management of
the place. That episode went well and I enjoyed the experience and
David offered me a gig writing for his show. I chose to work on
Homicide instead, first because it was filmed in my home state and
doing so allowed me to raise my son surrounded by extended family and
his grandparents. Second, I felt some obvious institutional loyalty to
the TV drama that was based originally on my own journalism. But I was
nonetheless grateful for the offer, and while I was mightily proud to
labor for Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson on Homicide, I do regret not
getting to work closely with Milch, who is a remarkable writer and a
genuine intellect. We have since stayed in touch -- sometimes through
my friend David Mills, who wrote and produced The Corner scripts with
me after working with Milch on NYPD Blue, and sometimes at other odd
occasions. Here and there we have kibitzed about police work and its
depiction, about the TV business, about such usual topics as women,
gambling, etc., and too often, it seems to me, about books that he has
read and can discourse on while I nod stupidly and think to myself I
need to be better educated. He's an interesting fellow with a nice,
biting wit.Obviously, there is much to admire in NYPD Blue and Deadwood.
I met Mr. Chase once at an awards dinner and exchanged pleasantries,
and frankly, I did my best not to fawn because I am sure he is
genuinely sick of it. Just as obviously, though, The Sopranos is
marvelous storytelling and to be greatly admired, as is the body of
Chase's work going back to Rockford.That said I don't think I've "compared notes" with either gentleman. Kind of ships passing in the HBO sea lanes, if you will. I will say that whatever debate I read among viewers or reviewers comparing the worth of Deadwood, The Sopranos or The Wire and articulating the merits of one compared to the other all seems a less-than-relevant exercise. Seems to me that each drama is seeking to do something different, and from the outside, as a fan, I can't see that The Sopranos or Deadwood have fallen in any way short of extraordinary goals. They seem to be beautifully conceived, written and executed. I can only speak with assurance to The Wire -- we are telling the story we want to tell the way we want to tell it. I think it's worthy and I'm proud it gets mentioned in such fine company so often. But arguments over the relative merits of dramas with such different intentions don't make much sense to me. Those two dramas in particular seem to be singular achievements by writers who know exactly where they are going, why they are going there, and exactly how to make the journey.
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