Obviously there are different standards and practices that are allowed on cable versus network. You just have to embrace what your network is going to allow.

I don't want my writing to be so unique that when you apply it to different genres, it seems like the previous show that people know you from.

Nothing makes me happier than to have a smart person tell me why the show is smart, especially if I didn't intend that. I tend to be a very instinctual writer, and I don't plot shows out like, "This is my thesis and this is how I'm going to subtly sneak my thesis into this episode." I just approach it from, "We know these characters well, here are the situations that they're in, now how would they behave? What would the consequences be?" And it's always fun to see how people interpret that and dissect it afterward, and make me and the other writers seem probably smarter than we really are.

I have no problem at all going back and forth between cable and network.

I've always read a lot of historical books and I'm a big fan of documentaries, and I've always thought of ways to do it.

I always think it's better to take your time and go through a lot of ideas - and dismiss a lot of ideas - before figuring out where to land. It's a good way to care for your audience, too. If you spend hours and hours and days and weeks coming up with the ending, then there's a chance the fans won't figure it out on their own.

Obviously there are different standards and practices that are allowed on cable versus network. You just have to embrace what your network is going to allow.