I’ve got a treat in store for you today – Lucy Hale, who plays Becca Sommers in Bionic Woman, has given Bionic-Blog an exclusive interview! My untimely laryngitis meant that it couldn’t be an audio interview, but it’s still great for an actress on the show to connect with the Bionic Community in this way:

Roco: I’ve enjoyed your performance in Bionic Woman, especially your interactions with your sister on the show, Jaime (played by Michelle Ryan). What was it about Bionic Woman that initially attracted you to the role?

Lucy Hale: First of all, thank you and sorry about your laryngitis! I remember first reading the script and thinking that it tied in different elements really nicely. By this I mean the sci-fi part of the show and family part, which is where I come in. Becca is a little edgier and more angry than any other character I had ever played before and that really drew me in.

Roco: Many fans of Bionic Woman will know you as an actress, but you’re also a very talented singer – which do you prefer, singing or acting? 

Lucy Hale: That is one question I will never answer simply because I love and adore them both! They each let me fulfil my creative side in different ways. With acting I get to be someone else and live in someone else’s mind for a bit and with singing, obviously I am myself.

Roco:  Bionic Woman is a very sci-fi orientated show, but it is also given a lot of humanity through the relationship your character, Becca, has with her sister, Jaime, and the ups and downs that they share. How have you approached this aspect of ‘sisterhood’ and do you draw any inspirations from real life?

Lucy Hale: My real childhood is very different from what Becca’s may have been like. I grew up with very supportive parents that were active in my life. Becca’s mom died and her father was completely out of the picture. I do have an older sister though and I drew from that to add to the character. I had to do some research and daydreaming.

Roco: You have a new film coming out in the summer – The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 – would you be able to tell me a bit about that – what are your hopes for the film and what attracted you to the role? 

Lucy Hale: I was thrilled to be a part of this project since I was a HUGE fan of the first and of all the cast that was involved. In the film I play Effie, Lena’s little sister who is played by Alexis Bledel. My character is basically the complete opposite of Lena. She was a really fun character to play. I’d describe Effie as young minded and carefree. The movie should be out in theatres this summer and I’m counting down the days!

Roco: Many fans are eager to know whether Bionic Woman will return after the writers strike, what do you think the chances are of this happening?

Lucy Hale: We honestly don’t know what will happen. It will probably depend when the strike ends on whether or not we do more episodes this year.

Roco: You have recently launched your official website – LucyHale.com – I think it’s a great site and a very good way for your fans to get exclusive Lucy Hale content. Could you tell me a little bit about the site and what fans can expect to find there?

Lucy Hale: I really am excited about my site because I put some input in creating it. You can find information about the shows and movies I have appeared in and will appear in. You can also find out information about my dog =) Silly, I know, but it is just so fans can get to know me better. They can also post questions in the Message Center and I answer them myself.

Roco: I interpret Bionic Woman as being about a young woman trying to find her role in a modern society and having to deal with the internal and external expectations placed on her. As a young woman, how do you see Bionic Woman, and do you think that it provides any important messages to young people in today’s society? 

Lucy Hale: It provides a message of finding yourself and dealing from the pressures of everyday life. Of course no one is bionic, but it can be applied to the average person. Many people have trouble accepting who they are and I believe this show gives a positive view on how to go about living your life. It also has a strong message that family is what should come first. Family is your rock. They are the ones who are there for you no matter what the situation.

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My thoughts:

I thought that Lucy answered the questions very well and it’s great to see her perspective on the show. It’s interesting that the ‘edgy’ side to Becca’s nature appealed to her, because whilst watching to first 8 episodes I got the impression that she enjoyed that aspect. Becca is such a snarky and witty character and she’s fun to watch because of those characteristics.

It’s also interesting to see how Lucy distinguishes between her love for acting and her passion for singing – she’s clearly passionate about both, and as she said, both acting and singing allow her to explore her creative side. I think that being able to act AND sing is always a bonus in Hollywood, although I do hope that she is able to explore ‘both’ without one impinging on the other. I certainly think she can dovetail both, if given the right opportunities.

It’s interesting to consider the amount of research that Lucy must have to do whilst playing the role of Becca. I guess it goes without saying, but sometimes it’s easy forget the level of research and creative exploration that the actors must go through in order to visualise the character and make that character ‘believable’. I think Lucy’s done an excellent job in making Becca ‘believeable’ – In my view, she’s one of the most consistently believable characters on the show, and we shouldn’t forget that there are a lot of top notch actors in Bionic Woman, so credit to her!

OK, so I had to ask whether she knew anything about the future of Bionic Woman – you would’ve done the same right? ;) Although Lucy didn’t give much away, it certainly does seem that the future of the show depends on the writers strike and when (if!) it ends. This is what myself and many of you have predicted for sometime now, and whilst we shouldn’t think it’s a given that it is going to return, it’s a good sign that NBC haven’t cancelled the show yet! Of course I’m only reading between the lines here – I don’t think Lucy knows whether or not it will return.

As I’ve said before, I really like Lucy’s official website. It looks great and has some superb content! Her message center is already buzzing with fan interaction – you can check it out by clicking here!

I think that Lucy saved the best for last – her answer to the final question was quite inspirational for one so young. I think she’s right – Although Bionic Woman is a show filled with fantasy, it actually relates on many real levels. In a world were everyone is trying to fit in, isn’t it fantastic to celebrate the things that make us different and unique? There’s a moment in Bionic Woman, where for the first time since ‘being bionic’, Jaime seems to relish being ‘different’. Although there is some irony in the fact that this was forced upon her, it’s still valuable to consider that it’s Jaime’s unique DNA which ‘allowed’ her body to accept the bionic implants in the first place. So yeah, go Lucy for reminding me that this show has a lot of depth and relevance for today’s society. She’s also right about family – another reason why the show has so much potential depth; the chemistry between Lucy and Michelle Ryan is very good in my view. Wouldn’t you agree NBC!? :)

I’d like to thank Lucy Hale for taking the time out to answer my questions, and hopefully we’ll be seeing alot more of her in The Sisterhood in the Travelling Pants 2, Bionic Woman(!) and whatever else the future holds for her! She’s still young and is clearly talented, I think she’ll go far.

So what did you think of Lucy’s answers – were there any questions that you think I should have asked? If so, what would you have liked to have asked Lucy? let me know. Also, as mentioned above, you can ask Lucy questions directly by using the Messaging Centre on her new site.

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I’d also like to give special thanks to Ripple Portal Official Websites for making this interview possible.

I’ll be posting Lucy’s Interview on the blog tomorrow, so be sure to check back in for that! In the meantime be sure to check out Lucy’s new site - which seems to be getting bigger and better with each passing day. 

Roco: What are your hopes for this re-imagined Bionic Woman Series?

Margie: Great character development is always what pulls me into the show, and there
is the potential for amazing character development in Jamie Sommers and the
rest of the cast.  Jamie is so unsure of herself in the pilot, always
reacting instead of instigating actions and events herself.  I hope that we
can see her mature as a woman, and as a hero, as the show progresses.

Ryan: I would like to see a much darker, technology critical sci-fi series that
isn’t afraid to use the series’ corporations/government as a critique of our
military industrial complex.

Roco: Margie, You also run a BSG Blog (watchingbsg.com) – do you think that the two shows will be similar considering they share the same creator?

Margie: I hope so, because great television these days is often television that
expects something from its audience.  Shows that expect people to pay
attention, like Lost and Heroes, seem to do very well with fans.  In the age
of the Internet you have to give people something to think about for a week,
you can’t fill in all the gaps or you deny fans the thrill of discovery as
they watch plots unfold and characters progress.  Battlestar Galactica is a
very smart show that expects a lot from its audience and I hope we see that
expectation with Bionic Woman.

Roco: Isaiah Washington..after all of the controversy, what do you think of
his addition to the cast?

Margie: I go back and forth on this one.  I did a fairly controversial post on our
blog about how I was glad the show gave him a second chance even though I
hate what he said.  Then all of these stories started coming out about how
the environment on the Grey’s Anatomy set is so much happier this year, and
it made me rethink what I said once again.  I have very strong opinions
about bosses and companies who allow toxic personalities to poison the
productivity of a work environment, because it happens so often … and if
you believe even half of what you hear, Isaiah Washington was a poisoning
presence on the set of Grey’s Anatomy.  You can tell something was wrong on
the set just by watching the dark and humorless tone of the last half of the
third season.   It’s no secret that hiring Isaiah was a network decision,
not one from the producers or anyone who is consistently connected to the
show.  And it is clear from watching the pilot that not all of the network
decisions are good ones (remember the little girl in the car?).  So given
that his presence may create extra tension in the fragile early days of an
already dark show, and the fact that it alienates some of the gay audience
which is never a good idea with an iconic show like this one, hiring Isaiah
may prove to be a giant mistake.

Ryan: He is a poor choice and one that personally disappoints me.  Casting a
serial bigot on a show that is inherently designed to appeal to a gay
audience serves as but one illustration why NBC is third among the major
networks.

As for Washington, I have no doubt that he will bring to his role just what
he did on Grey’s Anatomy, a manufactured brooding style that comes across as
flat and one dimensional.  If only they would make his character gay…

Roco: What themes or aspects of the new ‘Bionic’ series are you most looking
forward to seeing unfold?

Margie: David Eick has talked about how the show will explore whether expectations
are higher for women than for men, and I think every woman can identify with
that question!  Also, the frenemy relationship between Jamie and Sarah
Corvus and how that contrasts with the interactions between Jamie and Molly
Price’s character may be interesting.

Ryan: See number 1.

Roco: We’re you a fan of the original 1970′s Bionic Woman series? If so what
did you like (or dislike) most about it?

Margie: I liked the dog!  It is actually exciting to me that this Jamie Sommers will
not have a Steve Austin to overshadow her.  Even though I was a young fan,
that always bothered me a bit.

Ryan: God, yes!  Lindsey Wagner was my idol and the coolest teacher around.  The
slow motion editing to make her look like she was running fast is still
genius.

Roco: Which character (or actor/actress) are you most looking forward to
watching?

Margie: Wow, the cast is great so I don’t know that I can pick just one!  Katee
Sackhoff, of course, and Molly Price’s character really fascinated me in the
premiere.  Mark Sheppard is always good, and I actually found the character
of Jae much more interesting than I anticipated.  Here is a confession,
though:  I hate the boyfriend.  I kept hoping Katee’s bullet would hit a
little closer to home!

Ryan: Hands down, Katee Sackhoff.  After watching only one episode of her as Sarah
Corvus, I am hooked.

Roco: If you could have one Bionic ability..what would it be and would you
use it for good or for evil?

Margie: Hmm, bionic metabolism sounds too selfish huh?  Seriously if I could just
have one thing I would take the anthracites.  Think about how much good I
could accomplish if I never got sick!

Ryan: The bionic legs, but only if they came with a cool sound effect when I ran.

Roco: OK..make a prediction – do you think that Bionic Woman will get a
second season?

Margie: It’s definitely possible … anything can happen between now and then.  The
backlash could change after Jamie gets used to her abilities and Isaiah
leaves the show.  Or Journeyman could flop, they could move Bionic Woman to
Mondays, the characters could become even more interesting and the show
could pull Heroes numbers.  The future is wide open, but if any show can do
it Bionic Woman has a good chance.  I personally like the fact that the
show’s creators are willing to change things when they feel they do not
work.  You can’t get crazy with stuff like that, but you also have to be
open to the possibilities of life.

Ryan: Yes, it will get a second season because the Friday reruns on Sci-Fi will
justify its return as these reruns allow NBC to “double dip” ad-revenue.

Roco: What are you favorite TV shows and where would you currently rank
Bionic Woman in terms of ‘potential’?

Margie: That’s tough because a lot of my favorite shows, like Firefly, are not on
the air anymore!  In terms of shows that are on the air right now my
favorites are probably Battlestar Galactica, Grey’s Anatomy, Heroes,
and Brothers and Sisters.  I think Bionic Woman has the potential of any of those shows.
Grey’s and Battlestar both got slammed pretty hard for their concepts and
creative choices when they first came on the air, but they had great writers
with a strong vision and they evened out after a few episodes and the fans
and critics caught up accordingly.  Brothers and Sisters had a huge creative
shift halfway through its first season that worked out great, they got rid
of big story lines and characters in a way that was well done and paid off
magically for the show.  Heroes had the opposite trajectory, starting off
strong and really disappointing a lot of people at the end of the season,
and we are not sure about how season two will go yet.  It is very rare for
any show to be perfect, you just have to like what you like and hope for the
best.

Ryan: I am a huge fan of The Office, 30 Rock, Heroes, Grey’s Anatomy, Dexter and
Weeds.  After watching the first episode, and comparing it to the other four
NBC pilots, it is weaker than I would have predicted.  The potential is
there, but it must improve.  For me at least, Ryan hasn’t done it for me,
and I am not sure she ever will.  After watching the pilot, I was more
interested in Sarah Corvus than Jaime Sommers.

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Many thanks to both Margie and Ryan for taking the time out to share their hopes and expectations for ‘Bionic Woman’! I have a few more of these planned and will be posting them over the next few weeks! Don’t forget you can always air your views by posting in the comments section, in the shoutbox or by emailing me! Also, if you have a theory or your own ‘Bionic Woman’ article that you’d like to see featured on the site, just send it to me and i’ll post it so that it’s shared with other BW fans (credit always given).

Roco: What are your hopes for this re-imagined Bionic Woman Series?

Cliff: My hopes are to see an updated version of a classic tv theme.  Knowing what they can do with special effects today, I’ve got high hopes that they can retool this old idea into an awesome hour long television series!

Roco: You’re planning to do a Bionic Woman Podcast – Are you looking forward  to doing this?
 

Cliff:Absolutely.  My wife, Stephanie, and I have been podcasting about tv shows since December of 2005.  We love the themes from the human condition that are brought up in tv shows as they provoke very good discussion for us as a married couple.  We love nothing more to share our thoughts with our worldwide listening audience.

Roco: Isaiah Washington..after all of the controversy, what do you think of
his addition to the cast?
 

Cliff: I’ve not followed the “Controversy” much.  I, of course, know what you are referring to.  However, I can tell you that Dr. Burke was my favorite character on Grey’s Anatomy!  I’m eager to see how they will fit him in and how long it will take for me to not think of him as a heart surgeon from Seattle Grace Hospital. 
 

Roco: What themes or aspects of the new ‘Bionic’ series are you most looking
forward to seeing?
 

Cliff: I’ve seen the first episode already.  I like the question “Who gets to decide what is right?”  The question of who are the bad guys seems to be a theme that they are going after.  Stephanie likes the romance angle of the who show.  Give her a love story and she’s good to go! 
 

Roco:Were you a fan of the original 1970′s Bionic Woman series?
 

Cliff: I remember watching it when I was a kid, but never really followed it closely enough to remember much from it.  I did recently read up on the old series though.  It’s kinda neat how they are bringing in some of the elements of the old show, but at the same time bringing in some new themes that could give the show more longevity.

Roco: Which character (or actor/actress) are you most looking forward to
watching?
 

Cliff: I guess Isaiah Washington now!

Roco: If you could have one Bionic ability..what would it be and would you
use it for good or for evil?
 

Cliff: I would love to have bionic arms with bionic strength.  Of course I would use it for good! ;)

Roco: OK..make a prediction – do you think that Bionic Woman will get a
second season?
 

Cliff: With the way that Networks cancel shows left and right?  I would have to say no.  However, I think it’s a great show judging by the first episode and I would certainly love for it to get a second season.

Roco: What are you favourite TV shows and where would you currently rank
Bionic Woman in terms of ‘potential’?
 

Cliff:

#1 Lost
#2 Doctor Who
#3 Heroes
#4 Prison Break

I could see Bionic Woman beating out Prison Break if future episodes keep up the pace with the first.

Roco: Thanks for taking the time to do this interview, Cliff!

Cliff:Thanks Roco!

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Cliff and Stephanie are going to be hosting weekly Bionic Woman Podcasts over at the Generally Speaking Podcast Network – they’ve already given their initial reaction to the Pilot episode which you can listen to here! Don’t forget to keep an eye out for my next Bionic Fan Interview coming soon!
 

I’ve contacted several ‘celebrity’ Bionic Woman fans and asked them to share their views on the upcoming show with our Bionic-Blog community. I plan to feature a fan interview everyday up to the September 26. I think it will be interesting to see what makes our fellow Bionic fans tick!

Keep an eye out for those – the first interview will be posted up on this site later today.