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What Seeker's Regan hopes for season two. Hint: It flies and breathes fire
Legend of the Seeker, the first-run syndicated TV series based on Terry Goodkind's Wizard's First Rule, will return for a second season, and no one's happier about that than the fantasy show's lovely leading lady, Bridget Regan.
For Regan, it means another year of playing the powerful and mysterious Kahlan, working in the employ of executive producers Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, and sharing scenes with Craig Horner, who plays the handsome and heroic Seeker, Richard.
SCI FI Wire spoke to Regan by telephone from New Zealand during a day off from shooting Seeker —a day off that came less than a week after news broke of the show's renewal. Following are edited excerpts of the exclusive conversation.
Congratulations on the show's renewal. Was it a surprise to the cast and crew? Expected?
Regan: Thank you. We're thrilled. It's what you work for. Everyone from the crew to wardrobe and makeup and the cast and the creative team puts in 110 percent. We're working really long hours, and it's every day. You get up in the dark and you go, and everyone keeps putting out such high-quality work in every department. I'm not surprised at all. I think there are plenty more stories to be told and a lot more things to explore about our characters. We keep trying different tones, which I like. We're starting a new episode and it's frigging hilarious, the script, and we haven't explored that yet.
I feel so lucky that the writers and the directors keep exploring these different styles, that it's not the same thing each week. I'm getting to play a different character that's inhabiting Kahlan's body. That's such a great challenge. A few episodes ago I got to play a Mord'Sith. I did not expect that to happen. So I think they're doing everything they can and really using the material well and wringing the best out of the actors and the crew.
What do you want to see for Kahlan next season? What have you tasted that you want more of? What's not clicking that you'd like to see improved?
Regan: I love the relationships that have developed, like with Kahlan and Zedd [Bruce Spence]. They have such mutual respect for each other, and I love working with Bruce. He's literally one of the nicest, coolest, funniest men you could ever know, and I hope that we get to explore that relationship more, because in the mythology of the books the Confessor and the Wizard have a long-standing relationship. When I get to do scenes with Bruce, it's such a treat. So I hope that we explore that more.
At the end of Wizard's First Rule, Kahlan and Richard get together and ride off on a dragon. I keep asking, "Are we going to get a dragon? Is there going to be a dragon in the last episode? I really want a dragon." I don't know if that's going to happen. I don't know if we're going to get together or not. If we don't, I don't know how long we could hold out on getting them together. I think there are 12 or 13 books in the series, so there's no shortage of material. And I'd like to maybe get Kahlan into a shorter dress, because it's hot in the middle of the summer. But that's about it. That's the only change I'd make.
This first season is far from over. Which has been the best episode so far, and why?
Regan: I felt that "Denna," our eighth episode, was the one where we all really felt we'd found our footing. That was when we had Jessica Marais come in to play [the Mord'Sith] Denna. That episode, as far as the writing, was the most faithful to the book. I felt that, in the beginning, the writers wanted to be really creative and come up with their own stories and have these episodes that had a beginning, middle and end. That's a hard thing, because the book is such a long-term journey, but they want each episode to have its own story, which has been the hardest part of it, because I love the book. But when they do follow it, which they did in "Denna," it had the grit and the violence and pain that Terry Goodkind paints so well in his books. The stakes are so high, and that episode really hit the nail on the head.
After a couple of weeks of repeats, Legend of the Seeker is back with original episodes. What's coming up?
Regan: The relationship of Richard and Kahlan is really getting put to the test. I think this show is so sexy because they're these two people who couldn't respect each other more, need each other more, want each other more, but they can't be together. And in these next few episodes the strings are pulled quite tight on their relationship.
The last time we spoke, you said that your mother had met Goodkind, but that you hadn't. Have you met him since then? Or heard from him?
Regan: No. I still haven't met him! Can you believe it? I hope he loves the show, and I hope he thinks we're doing his characters justice. That's what I hope more than anything, because I'm such a fan of the books and of Kahlan and Richard and Zedd. And if he wasn't happy I'd be so heartbroken, so maybe I shouldn't talk to him. I think he's put a lot of faith in the producers and the writers, and maybe that's best because they have taken so many liberties to make the show work for TV. But I think it still rings true.
By Rafe at 9:23 AM ON 02/25/09
The show is hit or miss. Sometimes the show seems original but most other times it like every other genre program about the "One True!" this or that.
By CJAnderson at 10:01 AM ON 02/25/09
I am very happy to see more from RenPics = I LOVEthe genre they produce as both fun and characters I care deeply about.. Regan I feel you are portray Kahlan well and connected as easily to her as I did both Xena and Hucules. It has taken me a while to connect with Richard as portrayed but my fondness and pleasure is growing with each show.
I suppose high tech Gen Xers with their high drama gaming priorities would not be so much attracted, but I am very old school with wanting morality plays, value driven characters I care about and a willingness to have the occasional fun moments in my series driven TV viewing!
By hulitoons at 10:09 AM ON 02/25/09
Goodkind's world/novels are much MUCH darker. You can literally 'smell' evil. I understood when I began watching the series that to put that kind of vile evil on screen would mean the target audience would have to be severely 'bordered'. But the real magic that Goodkind has spun is clear here and beautiful!
For those of who are fans of Goodkind there is certainly a mixed reaction to the series stories but in our own imaginations we create the rest of the written material around the characters portrayed onscreen. They are complex and contrasted. They are hopeful.
By suprememango at 10:15 AM ON 02/25/09
I like the series. It is definitely a cut above most in the genre, particularly due to the acting, effects and action sequences. And Bridget Regan is hottttt!!!!!! Very happy about a second season.
By Megalomegalodon at 11:39 AM ON 02/25/09
Why are Richards eyes so far apart from each other?
By hellpop at 12:11 PM ON 02/25/09
Magalomegalodon: Sam Raimi and Terry Goodkind didn't like Craig's beady close-set eyes, so they made him replace them with wide-set eyes. At first, Craig wasn't sure, but now he loves his new eyes and wouldn't have it any other way.
Ask a stupid question...
By hellpop at 12:12 PM ON 02/25/09
Magalomegalodon: Sam Raimi and Terry Goodkind didn't like Craig's beady close-set eyes, so they made him replace them with wide-set eyes. At first, Craig wasn't sure, but now he loves his new eyes and wouldn't have it any other way.
Ask a stupid question...
By Ambrosia at 12:41 PM ON 02/25/09
Hmmm... the show is what it is.
I'd love to see it get closer to the books they have claimed to base it on, but I doubt that'll occur.
As for the next season, I wont have a stable opinion on it until this season ends. Hopefully, the writers read the novels, this time.
By Fanboy79 at 4:00 PM ON 02/25/09
I really like this show and Reagan is the perfect Kahlan. It may not be faithful to the books in every way but I can understand why that is. The show is more about the first book than it is about the whole series. If the show was guarenteed to continue for 12-13 seasons with each season devoted to one of the books or even half a season then I would would want it to be as exact as possible. But even in 2 or hopefully more seasons it would be impossible to cover all of the source material, so just to have a version of it is blessing enough for me. I do wish that it was a little more faithful, a couple of things they changed were changed for no apparent good reason. I hope the show continues for many seasons to come.
By gorehound696 at 5:20 PM ON 02/25/09
I am glad it is renewed.We need to have a fantasy type show on Tv and that is whjat we got.
By urbaba61 at 7:09 PM ON 02/25/09
Despite my initial reaction to so much of the story changing, I do find myself watching every week. The only real problem I have is the change to some things that are so central to the ongoing story. If the series continues, how are they going to fulfill the seeker's true destiny? Richard's ability to turn the sword white when he killed Denna ultimately proved critical to the completion of the final storyline in Confessor. There are so many other examples I can't even really begin. There is no going back on some of these things.
By bifferzz at 6:11 AM ON 02/26/09
I wish they could have put the show on HBO or Showtime. This way they might have been able to get closer to the darker and adult oriented theme the books had. I guess airing on a Disney affiliate (ABC) means they will have the backing need to create such an epic story as this. I will continue to watch though.
By wrast at 1:16 PM ON 02/26/09
I thought the first few episodes were a bit shaky, but I kept coming back every week until I was rewarded with the "Denna" episode mentioned in the interview above. I agree with Regan wholeheartedly that this was the best episode so far. My wife and I have read several of the books, and we're anticipating seeing some great moments from them translated to the tv series.
By PhotonBoy at 4:10 PM ON 02/27/09
I really wish they would incorporate Richards War Wizard aspect in the story. Not just the magic imbued in the sword of truth. It has a great discovery element that works well in the books.
By doope at 2:16 PM ON 03/10/09
I agree with Bridget, NZ does get really hot over the summer, but I dont know if I would like to see Kahlan in a shorter dress. Oh dont get me wrong, Kahlan would smolder in a shorter dress but shorter dresses are more for she-warriors who need to be mobile while fighting and whlie Kahlan does that a lot (probably more then anybody else, even more so then Richard) she is also a sorceress. And sorcers tend to wear more longer dresses like what Kahlan wears now so I like her better in white and it does justice to Bridget's figure as well.
By IConfess at 12:16 PM ON 03/24/09
Love the show, even if it doesn't follow the books as close as we "WFR" fans would like, I understand that being a Disney/ABC primetime show you can't go as dark as the books. I hope there are many seasons of this show, because I would love to see the many possible stories from the books bome to life on screen!! Bridget Regan is excellent as Kahlan, I can't picture anyone else in the role now or ever!! Keep pushing that limit, just as you (Raimi and Tapert) did in Xena!
By Lucy at 1:59 PM ON 03/25/09
Me and my family absolutely LOVE THIS SHOW! I've read the books and understand that it can't be exactly the same, and actually the show is even better! Top notch cast, costumes, plots, music, sets, props, just everything. Can't wait to buy the first season on DVD. Thanks for Legend of the Seeker!!
By PaulB at 1:19 AM ON 06/21/09
I love this show. I haven't read the books yet, but I will. But the show rocks. It gives me hope that other book-based shows will follow. I am surprised that after the LOTR movies' success, we haven't had more movies like them coming our way. So making book based series would be great. All Fantasyi fans should support this show so our genre won't go out of the tube.
By maranda at 5:48 PM ON 09/15/09
I am so in love with this show. I watched all of season one in 4 days I just could not get enough. I am into the magic and thrill. I cant wait for season 2,3,4,5, and as many as you can make.
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maranda:
I am so in love with this show. I watched all of season one in 4 days I just could not get enough. I am into the m...More »