Jason Behr In Cult Times

Thanks to johnnysunshine and Jcspike17 for this.

The new issue of Cult Times (#64) features this interview with Jason Behr.
This excerpt can be viewed on their website and the entire article can be
read when you pick up a copy which should be on U.S. newstands soon. (It is
published in the UK.)

The aliens are still among us. For a sweaty-palmed little while there it
was touch and go. It looked as if Max (Jason Behr), Michael (Brendan Fehr),
Isabel (Katherine Heigl) and Tess (Emilie de Ravin) – not to mention their
vehicle, the Sci-Fi saga Roswell – were not long for this world.
Fortunately, a well-executed shift in tone from romance to Sci-Fi resulted
in markedly increased ratings, then to a limited commitment to a second
season and, finally, to enough episodes to complete year two.

“It always takes a while for a show that’s so high-concept to find its
voice,” Behr says. “During the first season we were really trying to come
up with these different combinations to find that voice. Towards the end of
last season, we found a nice, comfortable pace that balanced out the Sci-Fi
and the emotion and the relationships. At the beginning of the second
season everyone felt really positive. The stories were good. The directors
were good. The guest stars were good…

“And I think all the changes were welcome changes” Behr continues. “If the
first season was the exploration of the aliens’ human sides, their
relationships with other humans and each other, then the second season is
more of a discovery of their alien side. It takes those relationships and
puts them in extreme circumstances. So now we’re forced to care more about
the characters. At least, that’s what we’re hoping is happening.

“Bringing in Emilie was crucial to introducing the mythology of the aliens.
Before her, it was basically these three teenagers, these three orphaned
aliens stumbling around on Earth trying to find their own sense of self.
Now they’ve been told they have this enormous responsibility to a greater
cause. After that, she became important to the Liz-Max relationship too,
because as much as he loves Liz, he feels he has a bigger responsibility.
And here’s Tess, who he’s apparently supposed to be with. So Emilie’s
character has really changed a lot of things on the show.”

Any way you slice it – and despite his humble protests that Roswell is an
ensemble show – Behr is still the star. He’s in practically every scene of
every episode – take your pick, from Leaving Normal, Heat Wave, Max to the
Max and Destiny during Season One to Skin and Bones, Harvest, Max in the
City and A Roswell Christmas Carol so far in Season Two. And even when he’s
not the central character, all roads ultimately lead back to Max.

“I think Max has grown a lot over the past year,” Behr opines. “I think he
has become more comfortable in his skin. He’s become more comfortable with
his position in the grand scheme of things. Earlier on he didn’t really
want to tell people what to do because he believed everyone should have the
chance to live their own life and make their own decisions. He also
understood that other people’s decisions affect everyone. Now that he’s
becoming more comfortable being the leader and being more confident in his
choices and in his instincts. He’s learning to trust himself.”

Now that Roswell has found its storytelling footing, its place on the WB’s
schedule and a spot in the hearts and minds of TV viewers, it seems likely
that the show will be around for some time to come. It’s a prospect that
pleases Behr. “If we continue on with these kinds of storylines and the
balance that we have found and the voice that the show now has, I would be
very happy for it to stay on for a while,” says the actor, bringing the
conversation to a close.

“But if it goes away tomorrow, I don’t think it will be the end of the
world for me or anybody else on the show. There’s no way I can look at
Roswell as being a burden or a responsibility on me because then it
wouldn’t be fun anymore. I enjoy what I do. I think the characters are
interesting and I think the stories are interesting. I like the people I’m
working with. The moment it all becomes a job and work for me, I might as
well thrown in the towel.”

This is just an excerpt. Get Cult Times #64 for the full feature, where
Jason talks about Roswell’s fast-paced changes, its most surprising
development, and his favourite show so far