Patrick Fischler has appeared on two of the most critically acclaimed shows on TV -- 'Mad Men' and 'Lost' -- as well as starring on this season's breakout NBC cop drama, 'Southland.' Now is he looking more familiar? Yeah, we thought so.
AOL TV talked to Fischler about being on three of our favorite shows (turns out, they're his favorites too). We also got him to give prediction on the final season of 'Lost,' and dish about the "phenomenal" season finale of 'Southland' (Thurs., May 21, 10PM ET) and whether or not Jimmy Barrett will be coming back to Sterling Cooper. Keep reading to get the scoop. -- By Maggie Furlong
Patrick Fischler Photos
SOUTHLAND Michael McGrady as Daniel "Sal" Salinger and Patrick Fischler as Kenny No-Gun star in the episode "Two Gangs." Airs Thursday, May 7, 2009.
NBC
SOUTHLAND Patrick Fischler as Kenny No-Gun, Michael McGrady as Daniel "Sal" Salinger and Kevin Alejandro as Nate star in the episode "Two Gangs." Airs Thursday, May 7, 2009.
NBC
LOST season five Doug Hutchison, Ken Leung as Miles Straume, Josh Holloway as James "Sawyer" Ford, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin Kwon and Patrick Fischler star in the episode "Whatever Happened, Happened" - Kate goes to extreme measures to save Ben's life when Jack refuses to help. Meanwhile, Kate begins to tell the truth about the lie in order to protect Aaron. Airs Wednesday, April 1, 2009.
ABC
LOST season five Ken Leung as Miles Straume, Doug Hutchison, Patrick Fischler and Daniel Dae Kim as Jin Kwon star in the episode "Whatever Happened, Happened" - Kate goes to extreme measures to save Ben's life when Jack refuses to help. Meanwhile, Kate begins to tell the truth about the lie in order to protect Aaron. Airs Wednesday, April 1, 2009.
ABC
LOST season five Doug Hutchison, Ken Leung as Miles Straume, Josh Holloway as James "Sawyer" Ford, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin Kwon and Patrick Fischler star in the episode "Whatever Happened, Happened" - Kate goes to extreme measures to save Ben's life when Jack refuses to help. Meanwhile, Kate begins to tell the truth about the lie in order to protect Aaron. Airs Wednesday, April 1, 2009.
ABC
LOST season five Doug Hutchison, Evangeline Lilly as Kate Austen, Patrick Fischler, Ken Leung as Miles Straume, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin Kwon and Doug Hutchison star in the episode "Whatever Happened, Happened" - Kate goes to extreme measures to save Ben's life when Jack refuses to help. Meanwhile, Kate begins to tell the truth about the lie in order to protect Aaron. Airs Wednesday, April 1, 2009.
ABC
LOST season five Ken Leung as Miles Straume, Doug Hutchison, Patrick Fischler and Daniel Dae Kim as Jin Kwon star in the episode "Whatever Happened, Happened" - Kate goes to extreme measures to save Ben's life when Jack refuses to help. Meanwhile, Kate begins to tell the truth about the lie in order to protect Aaron. Airs Wednesday, April 1, 2009.
ABC
LAS VEGAS - JANUARY 28: (L-R) Actor Bryan Batt, costume designer Janie Bryant, and actors Patrick Fischler and Michael Gladis appear at an after party at the Tabu Ultra Lounge at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino following a performance of "A Night on the Town with "'Mad Men'" as part of the NATPE Market & Conference early January 28, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lionsgate Television presented the live musical revue to benefit the NATPE Educational Foundation. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Lionsgate Television) *** Local Caption *** Bryan Batt;Janie Bryant;Patrick Fischler;Michael Gladis
Getty Images for Lionsgate Telev
LAS VEGAS - JANUARY 27: Actor Patrick Fischler performs during "A Night on the Town with "'Mad Men'" at the Hollywood Theatre at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino as part of the NATPE Market & Conference January 27, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lionsgate Television presented the live musical revue to benefit the NATPE Educational Foundation. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Lionsgate Television) *** Local Caption *** Patrick Fischler
Getty Images for Lionsgate Telev
LAS VEGAS - JANUARY 27: Exotic dancer Rima Yazbeck (L) and actor Patrick Fischler perform during "A Night on the Town with "'Mad Men'" at the Hollywood Theatre at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino as part of the NATPE Market & Conference January 27, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lionsgate Television presented the live musical revue to benefit the NATPE Educational Foundation. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Lionsgate Television) *** Local Caption *** Rima Yazbeck;Patrick Fischler
Getty Images for Lionsgate Telev
1. Since you weren't on last week's 'Southland' at all, the last time we saw you, you had a pole impale you on 'Lost' ... do you have any insight about next season? Will you be back playing ghost Phil?
That was my goodbye to 'Lost.' [Laughs] You know, I don't know what those guys will do. They're great, but to be totally honest, I can't go back to Hawaii. [Laughs] The flight ... for the guys who don't live there, it's a lot. If you have a life in L.A., it's really hard to go back-and-forth. I also don't know how much they're gonna be in the '70s next year. I think we're sort of moving on for the last year, and my guess would be we've seen the last of Phil. But you never know.
2. Having been in Hawaii to shoot the show, do you have any insight into where we'll pick up next season?
I don't actually, so the good thing is, anything I'm saying to you is not giving away anything that I know. [Laughs] But I would guess that they're going to bring everyone back together again. I would think that's best for the show at this point. You know when you've got 17 episodes left, I think the fans really want to see all the castaways back together. I think the time thing was fun for a while, but once again, I think it'll be fun to kind of get back to the first season. That's my hope for what they do next year. You can't get an ounce outta those guys! I read the finale script and I was convinced there was a scene after the ending that I didn't know about and I begged Damon [Lindelof] and Carlton [Cuse], 'Please tell me -- is there a scene at the end that I don't know about?' And they said, 'We can't tell you.' And it turns out there wasn't -- the end I read was the end. But I don't really want stuff spoiled. I don't know what the end of the show is going to be -- I'd guess that Jack is gonna be a big part. He's sort of the heart of the show.
Lost' A to Z Guide
- More on 'Lost'
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B Is for ... Big Deaths
Since the surprising (well, if you hadn't read the Internet spoilers) season 1 death of Boone (Ian Somerhalder), the show has been willing to kill off major characters in the name of good storytelling. R.I.P. Shannon (Maggie Grace), Ana Lucia (Michelle Rodriguez), Libby (Cynthia Watros), Mr. Eko (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), Ethan (William Mapother), Nikki (Kiele Sanchez), Paulo (Rodrigo Santoro), Tom (M.C. Gainey), Charlie (Dominic Monaghan), Claire (Emilie de Ravin) ... well, we think ... Karl (Blake Bashoff), Rousseau (Mira Furlan), Alex (Tania Raymonde), Jin (Daniel Dae Kim), Michael (Harold Perrineau), Locke (Terry O'Quinn), et al. But we all know that on this island, people are never gone forever ...
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C Is for ... Charles Widmore
What is Charles Widmore's (Alan Dale) connection to the island? Emerging as the 'Lost'-ies biggest antagonist in season 4, the rich and powerful businessman (father of Desmond's love, Penny) has been in contact with Sun (Yunjin Kim) and Ben (Michael Emerson) since they left the island and -- in what will certainly come to a head in the show's final season -- Widmore promised Ben that he would take back the powerful piece of land that is rightfully his.
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D Is for ... Dharma Initiative -- Hanso Foundation
Funded by the Hanso Foundation, the Dharma Initiative was a research project that had scientists living on the island while testing theories on topics like meteorology, psychology and utopian societies. Unfortunately, their efforts were preempted by the Others, who killed the Dharma campers and took over their research stations. Thanks to our friends remaining on the island, we'll see more of their work and back story in season 5.
Related Links- More on 'Lost'
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E Is for ... End Date
Ever since ABC announced that an end date had been determined for 'Lost,' the show has kicked into overdrive. Now with only 34 episodes ahead in the final two seasons, the show's finale -- and the explanation for all of the mysteries that've plagued fans since the beginning -- can be adequately and thoughtfully mapped out. And don't expect anything less: Producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof (pictured) promise there won't be a snow globe or fade-to-black ending, and they won't be holding back information for a big screen movie either. Phew!
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F Is for ... Flashes
After years of flashbacks, a look to the future in the season 3 finale confirmed that some of the 'Lost'-ies would be rescued. In subsequent season 4 flash-forwards, we learned who the Oceanic 6 were, how they made it off the island and the price they're paying for leaving their fellow castaways behind. Now a new type of time-flashing (caused be the island moving, natch) will change life for the island dwellers indefinitely.
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G Is for ... Good vs. Evil
It's the ultimate battle of 'Lost' -- no, not 'Lost'-ies vs. Others or rescued survivors vs. deserted island dwellers, but that's not far off. We're talking good vs. evil. Our heroes have slowly but surely weeded out the bad seeds from the Others' camp, the tail section of the plane and the freighter ship, but there are still a few characters whose intentions have yet to be revealed ... we're talking to you, Ben, Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) and Widmore.
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H Is for ... Hurley
Aside from providing comic relief and the occasional helpful island discovery (what would they have done without that golf course?), Hurley (Jorge Garcia) also has one of the deepest ties to the island. His winning lottery numbers -- which landed him on the island in the first place -- matched the number on the hatch, and he's the only Oceanic 6 survivor to have been in contact with all the other five. We're betting their return to the island will hinge on his involvement.
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I Is for ... the Island
You can ask yourself where the island has been, and where is it now that it's been moved, but the bigger question is: What is the island? We know it's filled with some scary, mysterious inhabitants (the polar bear, the smoke monster, Jacob) and that it has healing powers (curing Locke's paralysis and Rose's cancer), but the origin of this inexplicable locale is the show's no. 1 mystery.
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Whether you've been counting the minutes until 'Lost' returns or can't remember what exactly happened in the season 4 finale, we'll get you back up to speed, rehash some of the show's biggest defining moments and give you 26 reasons (from A to Z!) why you won't want to miss this season. -- By Maggie Furlong
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A Is for ... Ageless
We know the island of 'Lost' has healing powers, but can it also keep its inhabitants forever young? Take Richard Alpert (Nestor Carbonell), for example: We've seen him in flashbacks from 1956 (when he visited a then newborn John Locke) to the early '90s (when he helped Ben eliminate the Dharma workers) and in present day, and he always appears to be unchanged by time.
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3. What can we expect from the 'Southland' season finale?
It's phenomenal! Cliffhanger! You can expect a good cliffhanger. Janella, who's the young girl that we're working with in the gang unit, it sort of wraps up her storyline in a good way. It goes back to her a lot, which is great. It's a great episode -- it's gonna get people really psyched for next year. And, a lot of people weren't quite picking up on this, that Michael Cudlitz's character is gay, so it'll be a little bit clearer in the finale. On [last week's preview] they showed the cop car [accident]. I'll tell you this -- that's not the cliffhanger ... that's not the highlight of the episode. I hate previews! The same [thing happened] in 'Lost' when Sawyer, Kate and Juliet went off in the sub [then the preview showed them back on the island] ... you're like, 'Well OK, they get back.' I close my eyes -- I'm so against scenes from next week.
4. Are you happy to be in an ensemble cast where it's not the weight of the show on you, or do you hope your character gets more love next season?How about a little bit of both. You know, Ann [Biderman, the writer/producer]'s been great. When I got cast, she had not seen 'Mad Men,' and then during the course of the show, saw it on iTunes and was like, 'Oh boy.' I'm patient and I love the show. I really want Kenny to be developed next year, and I believe he will, but I also love working two days a week. Everybody does! I think Kenny was sort of an outcast, and I think that he's starting to pull his weight a little more and show people that he's a good cop. He, at the beginning, maybe had some problems that we've never seen -- we're seeing Kenny on his upswing.
5. And with that nice, open schedule of yours, can we expect Jimmy Barrett to make another appearance at Sterling Cooper or in the Draper house on 'Mad Men'?
Hey, let's hope so! I'm not allowed to say anything, because believe it or not, Matt Weiner is more secretive than Carlton and Damon. I got scripts for 'Lost,' and I did not get scripts for 'Mad Men,' just the pages. So when I would get what I was doing, I'd get it a couple of days before -- I'd go to the table read so I could hear the episode read, but I couldn't leave with the script. Matt is from the David Chase school -- I think he learned a lot from working with David [on 'The Sopranos']. He's incredibly secretive. So if I knew anything, if I'm actually shooting right now, if I'm going back ... none of it could I even talk about. But I can tell you they're just at the beginning -- they're just finishing shooting episode 1 -- so they're gonna be working for months.
Reader Comments (6)
bjbear at 2:42PM on May 23rd 2009
whine whine whine who cares
imkdawg at 3:05PM on May 23rd 2009
He was also on Burn Notice as a guest star which is a better show than Southland by far. In my opinion it is right up there as one of the best shows on TV along with Lost and Mad Men.
Alakatt at 3:13PM on May 23rd 2009
Thank Goodness he won't be back!!!.....his character was just WAY OFF freaky. I love the show, but some of their portrayals are just scary and crazy. I'm certainly glad they are on some LOST island. HaHaHa.
Cheryl at 4:30PM on May 23rd 2009
Heck .. I watch Lost religiously .. he must be a character that does not have a lot of signifigance to the show.
Roberta at 5:37PM on May 23rd 2009
From the few comments, it seems people think these characters are real. They are all wonderful actors, and it is a great cast, but they are actors and LOST is fun to watch. I think nothing makes a show succeed more than terrific casting. Take the "Mentalist"...where did they find Robin Tunney? She will single-handedly destroy this show...she just doesn't fit. On the other hand, look at Seinfeld...just brilliant! What unforgetable characters.
Louise at 7:40PM on May 23rd 2009
Agree with Roberta -- Robin Tunney apparently doesn't know how to smile. She always has such a hang dog look on her face and her mouth is always turned down. Simon Baker always has a smile and is a great actor!