You may have first noticed Jesse Alexander's name in the executive producer credits for ABC's popular spy drama Alias. Now, this Santa Barbara native who got his start making Super-8 movies with his Star Wars figures has graduated from the depths of SD-6 and APO and has moved into the world of Heroes.
A self-admitted "fan boy from way back," Alexander took the film school route before ending up in Los Angeles, where he struggled to sell his spec scripts. This journey landed him at Dark Horse Entertainment, where he did his first professional writing job creating a new opening sequence for Barb Wire starring Pamela Anderson.
Alexander then wrote a ton of features, several of which didn't get made (such as Flash Gordon and a modern day Jason and the Argonauts) and some that did (like Eight Legged Freaks). Eventually Jesse Alexander's childhood buddy - a fellow by the name of JJ Abrams - asked for his assistance on a pilot he was writing for a show about a co-ed by day, spy by night hero named Sydney Bristow. This adventure lasted for five years. JJ also enlisted Alexander's help with a crazy idea about a bunch of people who plane crash on an island -- a show you all know as Lost.
Now, Jesse Alexander moves his creative talent and experience in working on mythology-based hour-long dramas to Heroes. He's been kind enough to provide 9thWonders.com with one of our first interviews, which you can read below. Enjoy!
Most people know you for the excellent work you did for Alias. How long were you involved with that show, and what was the experience like?
JJ and I met in college and have been friends ever since. We always help each other on our projects and we'd been chatting about the Alias pilot he was writing. He asked if I wanted to get into TV and would come on to the show -- and I jumped at the chance. See -- in TV, the writer is king. The train of creating content for episodes has left the station and is careening down the tracks, and you gotta lay more track ASAP or the train is gonna crash. Does that make any sense? Anyway -- Alias was always a train wreck in the best way possible. At the time -- nobody else was doing serialized shows, certainly not on a major network. And the production value we tried to get on the screen was also unheard of. Alias was a blast -- there is a lot that makes me cringe, but much more that makes me cheer. The stories, and scope, and 100+ episodes of that show will live on DVD forever. And the idea that I can share them with my two sons -- is pretty great.
Is it true you were also involved with the creation of Lost?
I did help out with Lost. When Lloyd Braun first pitched the idea of plane crash survivors on an island -- it was played totally straight. Real world. Scripted Survivor essentially. And the massive chunks of time passed in the pilot -- so they were quite settled into their island circumstance immediately. JJ has other ideas, he brought myself, Jeff Pinkner, and Bryan Burke into the fold to brainstorm about what the show could be -- we all had similar thoughts, and then Damon "the genius" Lindelof came aboard and made our crazy ideas into something brilliant. So I helped get the concept of the series off the ground, break some early stories, and around episode 7 or so -- went over on a regular basis to break stories in the room and get episodes written. One of my lines on the show was reprinted in Entertainment Weekly, I'm both proud and embarrassed by it -- Shannon is giving Boone a hard time about lack of food he's providing -- and Boone teases her about being a functioning Bulimic since the 7th grade and assumes she would've been happy to drop a size or two. Launching Lost and getting through that first year was one of the greatest things I've ever been a part of. Damon is a genius -- working daily with someone like that is always inspiring. And of course -- Javier Grillo Marxuach was there as well season one and he rules. Read Super Skrull! Read Middle Man! Worship Javier!
What was your initial reaction upon reading the Heroes script?
I fell in love with Heroes immediately. Tim's writing painted a picture of a world that was familiar, but also a world where incredible things were possible. The pantheon of characters he created felt fresh, emotional, and exciting. I had tried and failed to do super hero shows of my own. They all sucked. Mainly because I was so wrapped in the conventions of the genre. I'm a lifelong comic book fan. Seriously -- Wednesday is church day for me. Tim on the other hand -- had never read a comic book in his life. He was unfettered by the trappings of the genre -- he could see a real world of super heroes in a way I never could. I was blown away. I carried the script around in my bag wherever I went. Just wanting to be close to it. Hoping some of the brilliance would infect me by osmosis. When I had a meeting at Universal Television about their slate -- I was all about Heroes.
What is it about Heroes that appealed to you and made you want to become involved?
Having done serialized, genre-y shows before -- on networks. I'm quite familiar with all the ways they can go wrong. Tim Kring based Heroes all around CHARACTER. It's not about people waiting do be told answers to a mystery. Or discovering how convoluted their world, and family relationships truly are. Heroes is all about ordinary people dealing with something extraordinary that has happened to them -- and figuring out how to deal with it. We're not stuck in an endless cycle of plot reveals. We're telling thrilling character stories where our people are actually making the plot. We will never run out of stories for this show. Not to say that the show won't change -- certainly as more people develop abilities, and more people learn of these abilities -- the world our Heroes live in will get ever more complex, and rich.
How did you feel when you watched the series pilot?
The scope of the pilot is feature-esque. I still haven't figured out how they managed to do Madras, India. New York City. And that massive Texas train crash -- so effectively. And they never let the scope, or the effects, over-shadow the true strength of the show -- Tim's characters. The character scenes were all allowed room to breathe. It will always be a challenge to live up to the promise of quality made by the pilot.
If you could have any superpower, what would you want it to be and why?
I'm a flyer. Even learned how to fly planes. I want to soar, zoom, dive, roll, and zip through the ether.
Of the characters of Heroes, which character do you feel has the most interesting or appealing power?
Peter is fascinating. I can't reveal too much about him yet. But his place in the world. His unique ability. And how it transforms him. And how he transforms the world around him. That's gonna be fun as hell to write. And to watch!
Which do you most identify with on a character level?
Good question! I'd have to say Suresh. This man's quest for answers about his father's death. And pursuit of his father's research. Resonate for me. I'm always interested in learning new things -- learning about people, and trying to think outside the box. But what if people really could fly? That's a neat way to approach the world. And Suresh -- doesn't have powers. He's always going to be a bit of an outsider. Not one of the anointed, or chosen, but the one who is tasked with understanding the Heroes, and helping them as best he can.
Is there a particular character that you'd really like to explore more into the background of? If so, why?
There is a side to Niki that were exposing, that has an amazing backstory. Fun adventures that we will be revealing through the show, and through the online comic book that we've got planned. Nathan too has some secrets in his past that will inform how viewers think about him.
Can you talk about the writing process?
Our process at Heroes is very team oriented. Many shows have one writer cranking out an episode in solitude. From my experiences on serialized shows -- I know that rarely works. And even when it does -- you get very behind in getting the work done. And when you get behind -- and the deadlines hammer you -- story suffers. Our team of writers -- or LEAGUE OF HEROIC SCRIBBLERS -- as I like to call them -- finds strength in numbers. We all get together in the room, come up with story, and the scenes for every episode -- and then we ALL write scenes for that episode. I might write the Isaac story, Bryan Fuller might do Claire, Michael Green would do Matt, Natalie Chaidez would do Niki, Armus and Foster would do Hiro, Aron Coleite on Peter, and Joe Pokaski would write Suresh, and so on -- this enables us to get the scripts written in 3 days instead of 3 weeks. And it means all of us know exactly what's going on in every episode. There is always one writer who has their name on the script who is in charge of bringing all the scenes together, and shepherding the script through production. But every writer on the show has written bits of the episode. It's a much more honest approach to the way TV is written, and is the only way to write a serialized show like Alias, Lost, or Heroes. We're all loving the process. Loving the work. And loving each other. But not in a sexual harassment way!
You have a history of writing some of the most duplicitous characters in television, with folks like Arvin Sloane and Irina Derevko. Will we be seeing "gray" characters of that sort in Heroes?
Gray. And duplicity. It all comes down to point of view. If an audience understands where a villain is coming from, why they are making the choices they do -- it grounds that character in a relatable way. Certainly even villains have friends, have things they care about, people they love. It's important to never think of someone as a straight-up villain, but to imagine those characters as the hero of their own show. Their story is just as valid as the story the protagonist is pursuing -- it just might involve the significant death of innocent people via nuclear holocaust, rage virus, gunshot -- whatever. The character of "Horn Rimmed Glasses" on our show will very much be such a person. We will see him working against our characters, yet we will also see how much he cares about his daughter -- Claire. The choices HRG will be forced to make this year -- will be some of the most water cooler moments of Heroes.
Can you say anything about working with Greg Grunberg again after a few years of working together on Alias?
Greg is one of my closest friends. Greg and JJ are buddies since kindergarten. I was lucky enough to join their tribe in the mid-eighties. Greg is one the most genuine, loyal, funny human beings that has ever walked the earth. And it comes through in his acting. Audiences connect with Greg because they know he's the genuine article. His character is desperately important in our Heroes universe -- Greg is the every man who dreams of being great. We will see how his ability complicates his life, and forces him into situations that are truly frightening. The choices Matt makes on our show -- should feel like the choices the audience would make. There aren't many actors who can pull of something like that -- Greg Grunberg is one of them. OH! They've been re-running a show Greg did with Jason Bateman. It's on Bravo I think -- called The Jake Effect. I suggest everyone TIVO the show to get a taste of Greg as funny leading man.
What can you say about the other cast members of the show?
Our cast is phenomenal. All of them are incredibly easy on the eyes. And yet bring a warmth of personality, depth of spirit, and smarts -- that prevents us all from hating them because they are so damn beautiful. I've been lucky enough to spend time with Adrian, and Milo -- they are taking the brothers thing very seriously. They have a great rapport and respect of the craft. They are also a hell of a lot of fun. Adrian always has a story to tell -- that guy lives a life that the rest of us can only dream of. And Milo is super cool -- he's very down to earth -- I was surprised by how smart he is to be honest -- you look at him and go "Oh, I get it." But you don't. This guy has profound emotional depth. I can't think of anyone else playing Peter -- Milo is him. We're so blessed to have all these people -- we will try to get them to check in at 9th Wonders as much as they can.
Can you talk a little about the process of creating an episode of a show like this?
It all comes down to the script. What characters are we using in a story. Where are we taking them. And how many are we using in each episode. Heroes is pushing the envelope as far as what has been done with an ensemble cast on TV. Budget. Time. All those things are an element -- but at it's core, writing is always about -- What do we want to see? What are the scenes that have to be in the show? What are the stories we know the audience will love? What questions do we need to answer in this episode? It all starts with questions and ideas. The actual production of an episode is like going to war -- I'm sure Greg Beeman will be giving much insight into that whole process. My job is coming up with the ideas, sitting on my butt in a room, with my pals. The production team has the Herculean task of actually bringing all our crazy ideas to life!
Do you think Heroes will appeal to a fan base much like the type of fan bases the shows you've worked on before have enjoyed?
I think Heroes will certainly appeal to fans of Alias, and Lost. But also has the chance to reach people who have a hard time connecting with genre concepts. It's very easy for me to buy the idea of people with super-powers, time travel, privately funded armies, and so on -- but some people find it difficult. That's why we are trying to be vigilant in the idea that Heroes is taking place in the same world you live in. The only buy in our world is the people with abilities -- we're not also selling aliens, subterranean HQ's built by robots, or.. okay I'll stop. I love all that stuff. But Heroes is all about our characters.
What is your favorite part of the Heroes concept?
I love the idea that this could happen to me. The only thing special about the people getting powers on Heroes, is that they are getting powers. If it can happen to them -- it could happen to me. Or to YOU!
Did you know Tim Kring or any of the writers before joining the team?
I didn't know any of the team personally. But I had a connection to Tim through Damon Lindelof. Tim had mentored Damon at Crossing Jordan -- and then I worked with Damon at Lost. So knowing how cool Damon is -- I knew Tim had to be the greatest. And he is. Smart. Personable. Creative as hell. And then there is... LOEB! Jeph Loeb has been one of my favorite writers for years. He kept me reading comics when I should've been doing other things. The idea that I get to work with a guy like that, one of my personal heroes, and get paid for it -- come on! The greatest! Jeph and I have become close friends -- and I'm hoping everyone will get to know him through his postings on the site. And his convention appearance. I tell my son that I get to work with a SUPERHERO every day -- Jeph's super power is telling the best stories ever!
Did you read comic books as a kid?
Scarlet Witch will always be my first crush. The Claremont X-Men will always be the best comic books ever written. Neal Adams will always be the best Batman artist ever. Miller's Daredevil, Elektra, Bullseye arc kicks ass. Comic books are one of my reasons for living. Nothing transports me like a comic book. I still buy tons of books every week, usually following writers. Millar's WANTED. Bendis still rocks, even though he might be spread a bit thin. Come on! I had to say it. Brubaker is killer. I love Slott's stuff. I'm a huge fan of Dan Brereton, an amazing painter/writer who created The Nocturnals, and a book called Giantkiller. We've been lucky enough to lure Tim Sale into the world of Heroes. I just read Paul Dini's new BATMAN [in Detective Comics] -- loved it -- recommend it to all. And I'm so amped that Brubaker is taking us back to the world of the Shi-Ar and the Starjammers in his X-Men title. It's a great time to be a comic book fan! And now that I work with Jeph Loeb -- I can see that he really isn't as good as I thought. KIDDING!
Alias was known for taking place in many exotic locations without even leaving Los Angeles. Heroes, too, looks like it is taking place in many parts of the world. How difficult is it to make the locations look authentic, and whose responsibility is it to make that happen?
It's all about production design, and great matte work. Those techniques working together. One of the areas where TV can deliver great effects, that rival features, is compositing. Shooting a practical location in LA, and then matting in the background of some foreign land. We nailed it on Alias (most of the time). And Lost does it on a weekly basis in ways that nobody will ever notice. That said -- we are trying to make sure the world of Heroes is as real as it can be. We will only use effects when necessary. We don't want anybody to stop watching because they didn't like an effects shot. It happens.
Who was your favorite super-hero growing up?
BATMAN. He's just a man. And he's rich. And all these outrageous chicks want to sleep with him: CATWOMAN, TALIA -- come on! The cave. The car. The villains. The city. Batman wins against all comers. My dream -- schedule permitting -- is to write a Batman comic one day. That would be the pinnacle of my career. You never know. Could happen.
So where is this all going?
You'll have to tune in to find out. But I can say that Heroes won't let you down. You'll get amazing characters. Super cool plot. We'll never leave you hanging for too long, waiting for the next reveal. We are always going to be pushing the envelope of story telling. That was Tim Kring's mandate from day one. Ten pounds of story in a five pound bag. And we're going to be listening -- if you don't like stuff you see -- let us know on the site. We'll be reading 9th wonders and all the other fansites to see how the community is responding to our stories. Fan involvement is a key factor on shows like this. Not only do your comments have the power to influence the way we tell stories, but also to keep shows on the air! So we want to engage our audience in conversation. And every once in a while -- let us know if there is something you like. You can hate all you want. But if you start your flame post with a compliment -- we'll probably read the rest of it and take it more seriously, and you'll have a better shot at making a difference.
Is there anything else I am leaving out?
I think that covers it. Man, I wrote a lot. Oy. Thanks for asking such great questions, Craig! And thanks for supporting Heroes!
