Are you guys as hooked on V as I have been?  From the minute I watched the pilot a few months back, to the end of episode 2 last week, I’ve been dying to see more.  In tonight’s episode, ABC says “Chad reports from the Peace Ambassador Center as 100 diplomatic visas are being issued to the first wave of American Visitors, with Anna getting the 1st, but not everyone agrees with the decision. Meanwhile Erica has started tracking a death threat while paired with a V officer, as she actually has to protect the V’s, and Ryan starts reaching out to his old friends to build up opposition forces and help fight-off the V’s”.  It is bound to be a doozy of an episode, leading up to next week’s 4th hour, that sounds like cliffhanger after cliffhanger will keep us on the edge of our seats until the show returns in the spring.

I had the chance to speak with the lovely Morena Baccarin early last week to talk about the fan reaction, what she wants to see for her character Anna, and what else she does when she’s not gaining a huge Science Fiction fan following!

I am very excited to talk to you – loved the pilot; I think this it’s a great start to what is sure to be a lot of fun.  What’s the fan reaction been like, have you heard?
My friends love it!  From what I’ve been reading online.  I haven’t looked too much because I’m afraid I’m going to see something that scares me [laughs], but general consensus seems to be good.

I’m interested to hear what drew you to this character? What drew you to Anna?
Well, I think she’s such a great character.  So much fun, so many different layers to play with.  She is this sort of political, presidential like figure, but without being overbearingly so, and there are sides of her that are nurturing.  I just think that there are so many different qualities to her.  I thought it was so interesting to play an alien that was so human-like!

What can we expect for the next few episodes?
[laughs] Well, not everybody is who you think they are.  There are a lot of different colors and personalities to everybody.  There are a lot of surprising plot twists.

Is each episode as you get it a bit more shocking with twist and turn here and there?
I think a little bit of both.  We definitely want to establish a rhythm and not constantly be pulling the rug out from everybody’s feet, but there are definite things, by the end of the 4 episodes, there’s enough surprises that keeps people interested, but also enough to ground you so you don’t feel like you’re constantly catching up.

Had you been a fan of the original miniseries?
I hadn’t watched it in a really long time, but I remember watching.  I don’t remember specifics about it; I mean, I remember the Hallmark moments, you can’t forget those.  I remember watching it with my brother, and I remember just the feeling of being creeped out by it!

It’s funny with a show like yours – there’s always doubters that expect someone in the cast to not be up to snuff, but with the cast assembled for V, everyone is fantastic.
I agree, it’s really been wonderful.

We haven’t gotten to see you interact with many people, do you get a chance to get off the ship, meet the rest of the cast?
Yeah, there will be some new characters that I interact with.  And I have some interaction with some other characters, with Tyler, with Lisa, so you see some new story lines pop up.

Why do you think people should tune in?
Because it’s fun! [laughs] I watched it with my friends, and I had seen it before, so I kind of knew what to expect, but seeing it with a group of people, and people who had never seen it before, I really saw it through their eyes and I truly enjoyed it.  I think it’s one of those shows that is so entertaining and fun.  It’s an hour of television that flies by, but at the same time has some heart, and some really interesting characters that you can connect with, and some interesting parallels to the world we live in today.  You can’t just walk away and go “oh that was great” and not think about it; there is some thought-provoking stuff. At the bottom of it, it’s a really cool, cool show.

You have had some behind the scene shakeups – has the change from Scott [Peters] to Scott [Rosenbaum] done anything to how the show was going to continue?
I don’t think so.  I think that we’ve been up in Vancouver working, so we’ve been a little removed from all the things that are happening down here in LA, which I think is a blessing because we’ve been able to keep working and plugging away at it.  As you see, we have a great show on our hands.  For whatever reason, they’re making some creative changes. The show has a very clear voice, and I think that that will continue and I think they’re just doing whatever they can find is the best thing to do to keep the show as great as it is.

What would you love to see happen for your character in the next batch of episodes?
I am dying to see if the Vs like fall in love, and what their process of being in love and having a mate means for them.

You’ve got one of the most recognizable names in the SciFi world – is it a conscious decision to play these SciFi type of characters, or is it just a matter of going where good writing is?
I go where good writing is, and I’ve done a lot of other things, but the SciFi things kind of stick together.  Once you do one SciFi thing and you do another, then you have fans for life.

Especially when you do a Joss Whedon SciFi thing!
Exactly, lovely!  I’ve done a few plays and indies and movies and things that are regular things.  They’re out there, just not as followed.

Is there anything else that you have coming up besides V right now?
I just a movie with Jon Hamm and Josh Lucas called “Stolen Lives”.  I’m not sure if it’s gotten distribution yet.  It’s a little indie.  Other than that, I have just been in V land.

Do you get a chance to watch a lot of TV in your spare time?
Sometimes.  I watch very little television, but I’ve recently gotten addicted to MODERN FAMILY.  I think it’s one of the greatest shows [laughs].

I have to agree – it’s fantastic! I think ABC has really hit the ball out of the park this year.
Yeah, it’s really great!