When they were casting, Denis was very specific that he didn't want any actors from L.A. and I was living in L.A. at the time.

He's a dream. He's the greatest. We shoot about 14 pages a day, which is maybe seven different scenes, which is a lot for a TV show. And I don't think we ever work over 12 hours. But that's because we don't really rehearse. We don't. We get some notes and maybe Denis changes this bit of writing or that. He's so present. He has a special talent in that he's so truthful. Working with him, you just fly with the material. He's very centred and very generous.

All the characters are good and bad. None of them are soft and fluffy.

We got a great response (after the first episode) from firemen and their wives, but since then, certain firemen feel their sense of honour has been meddled with, ... But it's TV -- we choose highly dramatic situations. You know, because Ally McBeal wore short skirts they weren't saying all female lawyers wear short skirts. So there are some mixed feelings among firemen.

It's not unlike how we develop any of our stories on our athletes. It's a pretty collaborative effort between ourselves, the agency and the athlete. We talk to the athlete and try to gain an authentic insight that maybe goes a little deeper than the world at large is seeing.

You know, I feel complete. I don't feel like a part of me is missing. I just feel perfect.