Connecting dots is not that rewarding of an experience.

Everything I've ever been a fan of, whether it's Star Wars or the New York Jets, I've also been very hard on at times. It's sort of like, I go to a Jets game, I want them to win, but the minute they fumble the ball, I go, "I f**king knew it! F**king Jets!" That's part of loving something. As long as you love it, you have carte blanche to critique it as well, of course. That's part of being a fan of anything.

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.

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

If your friend is critical [of your work], you have to have a very thick skin and a thick skin is something that only builds up after it's callused for awhile.

I love finding new creative partnerships but then continuing the partnerships I'm already in.

But I do think that, when you slow the conveyor belt down, the quality control tends to go up. You have a lot more time between seasons to talk about what worked and what didn't work, and plan for the future. And the pacing of the storytelling, particularly for on-going serialized dramas, means that you don't need to do non-essential episodes, just because you have to fill this pre-existing schedule.