What kind of man builds a bomb?
Typically, the answer to that is a criminal, a terrorist, a monster.
But what if youre building the bomb to destroy monsters?
Credit: WGN
In that case, the only question is how you know youre not one of them.
Stopping a war, and not merely giving the world a tool to wage even more catastrophic ones.
But what he wants above all is to be practicing that art for the right cause.
WithManhattanreturning to the air, EW talked with him about characters who go wrong while trying to do right.
Entertainment Weekly: How hasManhattanchanged since its first season?
The burden of exposition was lifted and we could actually delve straight into the issues at hand.
Peoples lives in the middle of this situation, without having to discuss the situation at all.
I sensed a heightened thriller pace this time instead of being strictly a period drama.
Were in the melting plot of paranoia.
The tensions are greater.
With Charlie, thats something you definitely see written on his face.
Paranoia and tension and a departure from who he was at the beginning.
And who was Charlie at the start, compared to who he is now?
Charlie was the greatest mind of his generation.
That was the description.
He doesnt have any evidence for that genius, so hes constantly in doubt of himself.
And constantly having to prove himself.
Nothing like a volatile man making a volatile weapon.
Thats what makes him an interesting and problematic leader for the Los Alamos project.
You need that person to lead this thing.
So maybe it is a good thing to have an unstable man pushing this forward?
Steve Jobs, Walt Disney …
That is exactly right.
These are also the people we see in government.
There is a Steve Jobs element to this
But Charlie hasnt lost his way.
Hes driven to do the right thing.
They do throw themselves back into each others arms.
Thats as simple as it gets.
She holds a special place in Charlies heart.
Was that this shows St. Crispin Day speech?
I asked [creator Sam Shaw] and he said ultimately youre talking about creating an atomic bomb.
While shooting the show, youre all in a similar situation to the characters.
Four and a half months.
That realization was harder hitting the first season.
Strangely that place becomes our home.
So the second season, I couldnt wait to get back and unpack my suitcase.
