You can also view photos from this interview.

David: I knew the show was going somewhere when.. um.. um. gee. I don't know where the actual point was. I think there was something that happened in Vancouver where I heard two people talking about the show in front of me on the street. They didn't know I was there, and, uh, I just thought "Oh!".. You know, cos, you work, you kinda work in a vacuum. when you're do a television show you're in a stage like this (waves hand to indicate surroundings) and you don't get out that much, and then you realize "Oh, it' s out there" and people are. it starts to take on a life of its own, and then people were just talking about it out on the street, and I went "oh, wow, people are actually watching". Those two people were actually watching. And in fact those were the only two people who were watching at that point, so.

Interviewer: Those were your first season two watcher.

David: Yeah, that's why they called it a cult, it was actually a cult of two.

Next question, though you don't hear it (though obviously something about the effect of the show on his life):

David: Ah well, I mean, in every way really, just, because of. ah. all the obvious reasons. It was. It became my life, that's all I worked at for 10 months out of the year, so that really circumscribed any kind of experience I could have. You know, since, again, I was in a place like this for 14 hours a day. And then, you know, there's fame and money and all that. And those are huge adjustments to. I mean, obviously money's a nice adjustment to make. But ah. you know, it's just, in every way. In every way possible.

Interviewer: Much was made, ah, about the chemistry between you and Gillian. Were you aware of it at the time?

David: (brief pause for thought) No. I mean, chemistry is.. is something that if, if you're lucky enough to have it, then you...you let it be. And if.. And if you don't have it, you've got to create it. That's you're job, you know. That's what actors are paid to do, is to actually look like they're interested in the person that they're supposed to be interested in. It's.. I never get the discussions, like if there's no chemistry, well then it's your damn job to make it happen. So. um. I think it probably grew over time, and was a function of many different things.

Interviewer: (while DD drinks from a bottle of water) Have you had any. any chance to think about, to reflect on what it's like to be a part of television history? Does that phrase mean anything to you?

David: Television history is a. is a. it sounds like a joke, to me. (Laughing) Ah, you're not laughing (at which point Int. does laugh) . But to use the phrase "television history" to me sounds like a bad joke. But, um, I'm proud of the show, I'm proud of the work we've done. I'm proud of so many of the individual shows that we've done, and that's the way I think of it. Less as one, singular entity and more as. you know, just "oh that was a great show. We did great work there. That's fantastic. I'd watch *that* again. That's as good as a movie." That kind of thing. So, it's less. ah. of keeping score, or history, and, and more like had a great opportunity to be involved in, ah, a creative enterprise that was worthwhile.

Interviewer: Um. Is there a particular high point in the show that you remember for you, was it being able to direct and write. Was that the high point for you?

David: Well, its one of them. I mean there's different high points that.

(They cut the answer!!!! Bastards!)

Interviewer: So while you were away, was the X-Files on your radar much? Did you ever, you know, flip on to see, ah, how the show.

David: Yeah. I'd occasionally, you know, on a Sunday night.ah. turn into that Fox network and see what they were doing over there. And the question was?

Interviewer and David laugh.

David: No, honestly, I'm not making a joke.

Interviewer: Did you. did you tune in to see how, see what they're doing with the show.

David: Yeah, cos I would hear Chris Carter saying "we have so many stories to tell'. And I wanted to see "hey, lets see what stories you're telling."

Interviewer: Ah, can you set up the last episode a little bit for us? Tell us anything about it?

David: Um. yeah, it's a. you know I think it's an impossible task to try and end a television show after nine years that has, has so many different threads like this. And I remember when Seinfeld was ending there was all this controversy - you know, because it was part of television history - that ah, how to end it, and whether or not this was a legitimate ending, and, you know, people were really disappointed in the ending, or people loved the ending. I think it's going to be the same way. You know, there's no way to win completely. I think this is going to be two great shows, because it's a two parter at the end. And uh, I think ah, I think they did a great job in creating a way to go out that kind of looks back and looks forward at the same time. Because there's so much work to do in ending. in ending nine years, that ah, it's. it's a huge task. But I'm glad we've got Kim Manners directing it. And er, we have writers here who been here a long time.doing. writing it. So, that's all a plus. But other than that, it's very top secret.

Interviewer: Well looking back, do you have, ah.. do you walk away with a sense of pride, looking back on the show.

David: Sure. Yeah, I. I'm very proud of the show. Like I said, you know it's. that I can sit here and tell you, that I'm part of television history. (laughs) A sense of accomplishment. Um. no, like I said. The pride is in the individual shows that I'm proud of. Er, I have a lot of pride in. in, having stamina to do it, you know, and showing up to work every day even when, ah, I didn't want to. And uh.. uh.. pride in things, little things like that. Just, er, in having the. the 'sticktoitiveness', as my mom might say, to, to get through it, and to. you know, to, to take a show, and be the lead in a show and to. I have pride in my consistency, and also pride in a lot of the work that we did, specifically that great shows that we've done.

Transcribed by Mon.