Joel Gretsch on V's 'Wow Moments,' His Sci-Fi Resume and Revisiting the United States of Tara

Science fiction is such an ambitious genre for television, creating this atmosphere where disbelief can be suspended by actors and the people at home watching. How is that reflected in the atmosphere on set?

Well, we have two stages that we are working on. One stage is a complete green-screen stage. I don't really spend a lot of time over there being that I play Father Jack, but the technology has gotten so incredible. You stand by the monitor and you will be able to see, even though there is nothing on the stage, what the room will look like for viewers. So it's not as left up to the imagination as you would think. It's great for the actors and directors to be able to see where we are going. What I think we have done in a wonderful way this season is balance the seriousness of the conflict and the stakes with levity -- there is really a human element and a humor to the show which is nice.

Speaking of levity, what kind of rodent carnage can viewers expect in the next couple episodes?

[Laughs] Stay tuned.

You have a lot of sci-fi experience on your resume. How much of that was a conscious decision -- "I really like acting in these kinds of projects" versus typecasting?

Well, it started with the Steven Spielberg [miniseries] Taken and after we did that -- which was a great experience on an Emmy-winning show -- and then my agent sent me the script for 4400, and it was sort of sci-fi based and I said,"I have kind of gone there already." He said, "Well, why don't you just read it?" It turned out to be a great read and I liked the character drama in it. And then the creator of that show was writing V and he called me one day and he said, "Would you read this thing?", and I did, and I liked it because I like what he does. And Scott Peters is a wonderfully creative writer and a really great character-development writer. I read it and I loved it and went into the meeting so it kind of fell into my lap.

How did you get to Los Angeles from Minnesota?

That's a great question. I went to a play in Minneapolis. I saw Death of a Salesman, and I loved it and I was moved in my seat and I thought, "Wow, how do these actors make me feel what I feel?," and I was very interested in it. One of the actors that was in the play was teaching a class, and I was so nervous and terrified that I just watched in class for months and months and then finally put a scene together. I got up in front of the class and I just kind of went from there. It was an odd way of stepping into acting, and then I figured that I had to be in New York or L.A. if I was going to pursue this career. So I went to L.A., and I got a job and another job and it just kind of went on from there. I am very fortunate.

And you were on the United States of Tara in some of the most pivotal scenes of the first season as Tara's psychologist. Do you know if you'll be returning to the show?

I have been asked about that. I have not gotten a call from anybody but the creators and I have had a conversation about the possibility but there are no immediate plans. It's a good show, isn't it?

It is. The second season is getting really good too.

[Toni] is unbelievable to watch -- I think one of the most impressive people I have ever watched on set. Obviously, she is playing all those characters but she is without

any negative thought. She goes from one moment to the next, and even if she makes a mistake she is in the moment of playing. It's really quite wonderful to watch something like that.

Is there any truth to the rumor that your father-in-law, William Shatner, will guest star on V later this season?

That's a rumor -- he's too busy. He's got too many things going on, but who knows what the future holds?

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