What are your thoughts on FRINGE delving deeper into the mythology this season versus the previous seasons more stand-alone episode approach?
Lance Reddick: When FRINGE started out, the trend in television was to produce standalone episodes because the truth is, that’s what sells better in syndication. And while FRINGE still worked in the beginning because there were so many interesting elements that were so good, what I think “Bad Robot” [The J.J. Abrams powered production company behind the show] does best is mythology. Mythology, for me is the most exciting thing to watch on television, and as viewing habits have changed — where everybody is watching these types of shows on DVR’s and DVD — I think the powers that be realized that if this thing’s going to really be a success, they have to do what they do best.

How challenging has it been keeping track of two different versions of the same character?
The season finale was a little tricky because there were slight differences in the Broyles and because we were shooting two episodes at the same time with two different version of the character it was a lot to keep track of when I was preparing. But now that we’re going back and forth between universes episode-to-episode it’s not so tough.

Is there any truth to the rumor that we’re going to get a peek into Broyles’ family life this season?
There’s been talk, but personally it hasn’t shown up in the scripts yet and I’m kind of one of those actors who will believe it when I see it because things can always change. Plus, I never know what I can and cannot say! What I can say is because I’ve been playing the primary Broyles for so long and the alternate Broyles is kind of looser, he’s more fun to play. Which is surprising, because Alternate Broyles is much more relaxed than a stereotypical military bureaucrat probably should be. And unlike our Fringe Division which is basically a Shadow Unit of the FBI, the alternate universe version of the division is a specialized military task force.

Do you think FRINGE will be successful in getting fans to see both sides of the conflict?
I honestly think different people will go different ways. Basically we have these two sets of human beings in a war over a misunderstanding where each side thinks the other one is wrong and they’re completely right, justified and on the side of the angels. One of the reasons why dramatic art is so important is that so often it’s easy to see good and evil and right and wrong in terms of black and white. What hopefully people will take out of the situation is to be torn. Because when you really look at the details, the intricacy of the human experience, how we get to the decisions we make and why we get to be the kind of people that we are, it’s never that cut and dry.

Are there any plans to ever revisit that mysterious kiss between Nina and Broyles in last fall’s second season premiere?
I really don’t know. I haven’t gotten an indication we are going to see more of that relationship. My take, I’ve always seen that whole kiss at the beginning of the second season as having more to do with Nina and Broyles past, versus an ongoing relationship we might see in the future.

FRINGE airs Thursdays at 9PM on FOX (CityTV in Canada)

Worried that this upcoming second season finale of FRINGE can’t possibly top last May’s Oh-no-they-didn’t just reveal that Olivia and William Bell were perched atop a very-much-still-intact World Trade Center in the alternate universe jaw dropper? Don’t be.

“It blew my mind when I read it,” revealed Lance Reddick of this May’s upcoming two-part season ender during a conversation with the TV Addict on a recent visit to the set of FRINGE. “On the second-to-last page I was shocked and when I got to the last page, I was floored! I was like, ‘No… to the point where I was like please no, please no, don’t you have that be it’”

Of course, the big question remaining is what exactly “it” is. Not surprisingly, the actor behind Agent Phillip Broyles, who let’s face it, has learned a thing-or-two about keeping quiet thanks to a short, albeit highly scrutinized stint on LOST as the mysterious Matthew Abaddon, wasn’t quite willing to elaborate (“In order to explain what “it” is I’d have to tell you what “it” is… sorry.”) Except to cryptically reveal that, “It’s going to be more crazy [than last season] because of how attached…. it has more to do with character.”

Unfortuantely, ‘character’ can mean a lot of things. And while we’re not quite sure whether or not Reddick is referring to an unexpected character addition that would certainly add fuel to the fire that are the rumors of yet another alternate universe, or Michael Ausiello’s claim that the finale will bring with it a shocking character death, of this we are sure: By the time the credits roll, FRINGE fans will already be counting down the days its return.

Let me start of by saying that you play two of television’s most mysterious characters. From LOST to FRINGE I have absolutely no idea what you are up to! Do you?
Lance Reddick: In LOST I can definitely say I have no idea!

Do you get that type of reaction a lot?
A fair amount. I have to admit that not that many people have stopped me about LOST, especially after coming off the last and biggest season of THE WIRE. I get stopped for that a lot more.

Thanks to the critical acclaim of THE WIRE and your guest spot on LOST did you even have to audition for your role on FRINGE?
That was the funny thing about FRINGE. I didn’t have to audition for LOST, but with FRINGE I actually auditioned for a different role.

Which role?
Actually when I first read the script the role I thought I was most right for was Broyles. But when I went to audition they had me read for Charlie. So I didn’t hear anything and a month later I got a call to come back and audition for Broyles. A week later I was in Toronto [shooting the pilot]

Which coincidentally enough is my hometown! What did you think of the city?
I love Toronto, I’ve actually shot a couple of films up there. But now we’re shooting the show in New York.

Do you think it’s going to be a challenge arranging your schedule so that you can make it back to Hawaii in time for your guest spots on LOST?
As with all things on LOST, I don’t know. I only know that I am going back. But I don’t know when or for how many episodes.

As an actor do you have a preference between working on a gritty realistic show like THE WIRE versus shows with more of a SciFi bent like LOST and FRINGE?
My preference had always been to do gritty realism. But I’ve done so much of it in my career that I find myself now ready to have fun. With both LOST and FRINGE it’s like reading an Alexander Dumas novel. I’m just ready for the action, adventure and fun.

As is the case with most of J.J. Abrams shows, the motivations of your FRINGE character Agent Phillip Broyles aren’t exactly clear. Do you know where your character is heading this season?
No.

Is Broyles good or bad and how much do your character’s motivations affect how you tackle the role?
It’s a little harder for me on LOST. But as far as FRINGE goes, I’m not saying that the creators have told me I’m good. But I’m fairly confident that I’m a good guy.

Of course one of the things I love about all of JJ’s shows is that the line between good and evil is pretty murky.
Exactly. Let me put it this way, there is always more than one dimension.

Do you ever worry that you’re going to accidently spill a massive secret to a member of the press [TV Addict note: Fingers crossed!]. Or have you gotten pretty good, as the British say, at keeping ‘mum’?
Especially on this show, because I know a little more than I do with LOST, I tend to generally be on pins and needles that I’m going to say the wrong thing.

I imagine it wouldn’t be too good a feeling to wake up to a phone call from J.J. saying, “Lance, You ruined the season! I can’t believe you gave away….”
By the same token. I only know as much as I have seen in the latest sript.

Don’t miss the exciting two-hour series premiere of FRINGE on September 9th at 8PM on FOX [CTV in Canada]

Photo Credit: ©2008 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: George Holz/FOX