I was never that kid who grew up in New York and was always at the arthouse watching important films. I was the kid who grew up in the Midwest where there weren't any art films, and I watched TV. And that was really the medium that affected me and that I fell in love with.

I think the bar is higher these days in terms of audience expectations of authenticity.

I'm perfectly happy to color within the network lines when I have to.

I don't ever want to have a weak episode of television with my name on it.

Everyone in Hollywood who is successful becomes less successful at some point. I'm just trying to delay that fall for as long as I can.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about what the audience would want. That's my job, is to anticipate ahead of the audience.

I still feel driven to try to make great shows and to make each episode great.