A Few Bits of Interest

[InsideR]

I work on the show. I can't divulge any spoilers because it would be rotten to my co-workers. And, if my identity is revealed, I could get fired, so don't ask.

However, I would be willing to pass on interesting but harmless info and field questions if I know the answer and have the time to respond.

Here are a couple of fun bits:

When this week's episode, The Sleepover, was being filmed, Danny Pino showed up on the set with his handsome look-alike brother. His brother is a policeman in Dade County Florida. Danny told everyone, "He's a cop and I play one on TV."

There are also two inside jokes to look for this week...the director is Emilio Estevez - look for a cameo. And one of the original producers was Shaun Cassidy - look for a verbal reference from Vera.

With the exception of Kathryn, these are all tall people. And it's true what they say about the camera adding twenty pounds. Both Jeremy and Thom have endured onscreen jabs about their weight, but both are actually regular size guys for their height. Only in Hollywood is someone considered fat because he is the weight and height of Muhammad Ali in his prime.

If Kathryn looks better rested this season, she is. The location of the filming moved an hour closer to her home, so she gets two extra hours of sleep. Which is good because she was getting by on four or five last season.

Ciao,
R





edited thread title 6/8 Naj

[Tracylynn]

Well, InsideR I won't ask any questions because I know what you are doing is pretty risky but thanks for the small bit of info that you have given to us.

Thanks!

[CC Fan]

wow thanks so much!
just one question: whats it like working on the set? is everyone nice?

[InsideR]

I don't know exactly how many people work on this show - including pre and post production probably a couple of hunderd in one capacity or another - but with any group that large there are always some tensions. But in comparison with every other comparable outfit I've been with, it is a very happy ship. The core cast are really great people - smart, funny, talented.

And the leadership - Jonathan and Meredith - are about as good bosses as you can get. (And they don't know who I am so this is an honest opinion.)

-R

[TVFan]

Thank you so much InsideR for the neat info. It's funny that you mentioned the tidbit about Kathryn Morris sleeping more this season. Every episode so far, I watch and think to myself that she looks prettier this season. I thought it was my imagination, but that makes sense.

My question is, what is the filming schedule like? Do you shoot M-F or weekends too? What time do the shooting days typically start and end? I've heard it's quite arduous, but I was wondering just how arduous.

[Tati]

hi InsideR, thanks for the info.
It's great to have you here.

What I want to ask is, how is KM in person? And does the cast get along well, are they friends?

[InsideR]

Shooting is usually five days a week, but they can be 18 hours long.

KM is one of the nicest, most unpretentious people you will ever meet. She has a charming vulnerablity that I hope she never loses even once she realizes how big a star she has become.

The cast has an excellent chemistry, especially since the addition of Danny. (There were problems with his predecessor which would not be fair to relate.) Josh (who played ADA Kite) and KM got along famously. Josh's uncertain standing has - as I understand it - more to do with his well-deserved success as a leading man than as a plot development that Meredith really wanted. But I don't know all the details of that decision.

Trivia fact: Josh and Danny worked together on NYPD 2069 - a futuristic cop drama which never was never broadcast.

Jeremy, as opposed to Vera, is a happy family man with a young baby. John Finn is the soul of polite gentility. Thom is considered by many to be a great secret acting weapon - not so secret since Badlands. Danny is loved by all including, I'm sorry to say gals, his very attractive actress girlfriend.

-R

[Ryebeach]

Thanks for this great inside info. Just from your three posts so far, we've learned much more than we could on our own.
Good to have you aboard!

[TVFan]

Thank you once again InsideR for the great info. It sounds like everyone works long hours, which is typical of what I've heard from other television shows. Everyone's hard work is much appreciated, though.

I was not surprised by what you said about the cast members. They all seem to come across in interviews just as you described them. It's good to know that there is such a great group working on Cold Case!

[Trublu]

Just jumping on the bandwagon now....

Thanks InsideR for all your info. I've always wanted to know what its like to work on a set for like a TV show or movie or something... Your tidbits are really interesting ;D

And i second what TV said, it sounds like there is a great group of people working on Cold Case

[misguided freak]

Thanks for sharing the interesting snippets of info, InsideR. I'm going to echo what others have said on this thread: it's really great to hear that everyone gets along both offscreen and onscreen, I enjoy watching the show and I'm glad they enjoy working on it too.

[InsideR]

You're all welcome. Don't be afraid to ask about anything except who I am. I can always duck it if I don't know or think it would be unfair to answer.

Fans usually focus on the starts (understandable since that's who comes into your livingroom each week). But it's no secret that CC would not be a success without it's writing staff.

One unusual aspect of the writing staff is the number of women on it. CC probably employs more women writers than any other cop show. Interesting considering that Jerry Bruckheimer is considered the king of testosterone. But that's, no doubt, part of what appealed to him was the female driven attitude of the show when it was first pitched (I believe Meredith is the only female creator of a show in the JB family.)

There are a number of outstanding veteran writers on the show including Jan Oxenberg who worked on My So-Called Life among many other fondly remembered shows. But the emerging star is young Veena Sud, who never sold a script before working on this show and has written many of it's most memorable ones. (Naj - you can probably list them.)

-R

[TVFan]

Veena Sud is my favorite writer so far. Her powerful and emotional scripts ("Fly Away" is my favorite episode) never cease to amaze me. The way she handled such delicate topics in "The Plan," "Daniela," and "Fly Away" was refreshing and very moving. I'm very surprised to learn that Cold Case is her first sold script. As someone who loves to write, I always look for the writer on each episode. When her name appears, I know the episode will be powerful.

[Ryebeach]

As a writer myself, I'm also always checking on the writer of each ep and I second what you said, TVFan. Veena Sud has done an incredible job on the three eps she has penned.

[InsideR]

Veena also wrote Runner and the upcoming Mindhunter.

-R

[Ryebeach]

I'd forgotten about "The Runner." I'm glad to hear she wrote "Mindhunter." Another poster has said that episode will be a much talked about ep so it's no surprise Veena Sud is the writer.

[CC Fan]

I've always wondered what a typical day on the set is like, or any set for that matter. You said some days can go up to 18 hours. If people live far away do they ever just sleep in their trailers?

[Naj]

Hello InsideR,


Thanks for the tidbits and some things to look for in the next episode. It's nice to hear some extra things about what is going on - on set or about the show. Thanks so much. I look forward to hearing from you whenever you can stop by.


~Naj

[InsideR]

People prefer to go home, even after a killer day. And that makes sense because CC does very little location work outside of LA. If you know LA's architecture you will see it standing in for Philly with some regularity on the show. (Although some scenes are shot in Philly for authenticity.)

Fun fact: do you know the Philly skyline seen through the headquarters window? It's really Philly, but it's a very large photograph.

Do you remember the track scene in Runner where Lilly catches up with the jogging murderer? It's a composite shot: the skyline is Philly, the track LA.

Despite the disclaimer at the top, many of the cases are, in fact, based on real ones. Of course, enough has been changed so that lawsuits are avoided. One memorable one is Gleen, which was in fact based on a cold case in which the police believe a man blew his wife up with a box of laundry detergent. In the real case, they could never prove it and he is still free.

Real cold case detectives work for years on cases and few have Lilly's batting average...

--R

[Tracylynn]

Now that is interesting, InsideR.

I said I wouldn't ask a question but I got to now and that is with the success of the show do the cast members know the impact the show has had on the public and even on cold cases across the country? Granted there is a show called "Cold Case" on A&E but not everybody gets cable therefore your show is more accessible. With this people become more fascinated with crimes unsolved in their community.

Where I live the newspaper did an article on cold cases around here and how the police were going through them all because of the success of your show. This is something I'm sure all of you are proud of.

One more question...any hints on the music in each episode? ;D I know you probably can't answer that but it's nice to see music incorporated into a show. As they say...music is the background to our life.

Good job!

Tracylynn