Michael Arndt, that guy - you're just supposed to say nice things about other writers, but I worship Michael Arndt.

There is no suspense in inevitability.

You can't just come out and do the same moves that you always do because someone just basically came into the center of the ring and spun around on their head and did a back flip.

I'm a huge Star Trek fan. I've seen all the shows, I've seen all the movies, but ultimately I just want a 2-hour movie that takes me to another time and place - something that entertains me.

Hopping around time in a non-linear storytelling fashion (on 'Lost') allows you to bring back characters who are dead and, in some cases, buried. Now that time travel is the story itself, it opens up even more doors. So when an actor reads that they're getting killed off on the show, they're basically, like, 'Okay, but should I still bother to show up next week?'

The best jokes on The Leftovers are the ones that make you feel a little sick to your stomach.

If you're constantly hamstrung by worry that people aren't going to like it, you can't do your job.