Wednesday, May 27

IGN interview: David Duchovny on Facing Off with Charles Manson in Aquarius

David Duchovny is returning to TV this week in the new NBC series, Aquarius. Duchovny stars as LAPD detective Sam Hodiak, an old school cop having trouble adjusting to the changing times in 1967.

The fictionalized story follows what happens when Hodiak begins an off the books investigation into the disappearance of the teenage daughter (Emma Dumont) of an old girlfriend – and discovers she’s joined a group of drifters who’ve fallen under the leadership of Charles Manson (Game of Thrones’ Gethin Anthony), who’s a couple of years away from the 1969 murders that would make him infamous.

At the NBC Upfronts earlier this month, I had a quick chat with Duchovny about Aquarius and his character – along with the show’s notable release strategy, as NBC will be posting the entire 13-episode season online this Friday, a la Netflix, after the show’s two-hour premiere airs Thursday night.

We also spoke briefly about the return of The X-Files, which Duchovny will begin filming soon for its six-episode run early next year on FOX.

IGN: What does your character make of Charles Manson when he’s first hearing about him? Obviously he doesn’t have the hindsight that we do. What is his first impression?
Duchovny: That’s a good question because, first of all, my guy, Sam Hodiak, is an LAPD homicide detective. He grew up in the teens and the 1920s, so what he sees in the 60s in LA, he doesn’t like at all. He does not like the hair. He doesn’t like the drugs. He’s like Joe Friday. So then when he comes across Manson, Manson to him looks like a hippie, which he doesn’t like off the bat. But actually he can see through Manson. Manson is really just a pimp and a convict and a check forger. He doesn’t think much of it at all. He just thinks he’s a punk. So he underestimates him, if that’s the right word to use. He doesn’t see it coming and I find that interesting. He doesn’t see the 60s coming. He doesn’t see any of it coming.

IGN: What do you think of the release pattern of the show, with NBC posting all the episodes at once?
Duchovny: I think it’s a sign of the times. I think it’s smart because our show is more of a cable model type show in that it’s really a full season and therefore we don’t wrap things up hour by hour, week by week. I think it lends itself to binge viewing. Watch two or three at a time, watch the whole season at a time, whatever you want to do. The kind of storytelling that the show is involved in, I think lends itself to this type of viewing.

IGN: Lastly, is Fox Mulder 2015 – well, 2016 when we see him -- similar to the Fox Mulder we know?
Duchovny: He’s going to look like me. We’ll see!

IGN: You’re obviously very excited to return to that world. What is it about The X-Files that still appeals to you?
Duchovny: It’s like a high school reunion for us, a college reunion. It’s where we all made our marks in a way. It’s where we got our careers. We owe so much to the show and the fans of the show. We owe so much to each other. It’s nice to work together again. 

Aquarius premieres Thursday, May 28th on NBC at 9pm ET/PT. The entire season will be available on NBC.com and the NBC app on May 29th.

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