In his new seriesMr.
He fell short, and sometimes he keeps messing up.
You root for him to do better even as you yearn to slap him.
Sonar Entertainment
Ultimately, Kelley says, its a comeback story but a dark one.
Hodges quest for vigilante justice will certainly end up costing more lives.
Its just a question of whether the people he saves will outweigh that price.
Sonar Entertainment
But Kelley also hopes viewers feel something besides hate for the killer.
Youre going to be afraid of him, and afraidforhim in other moments, he says.
But hes a bit of a victim of his circumstances.
Mercedesfocuses uncompromising scrutiny on its characters, good and bad.
Theres no mystery, no whodunit.Weknow who the killer is, even if Hodges doesnt.
Thewhyis the unknowable, perhaps unspeakable part.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You donotsoften the blow in the opening scene.
I thought for sure you would dial back that initial crash from the novel, that mass-murder by car.
But no…DAVID E. KELLEY:No, its pretty tough.
Its pretty disturbing and upsetting fare.
Mr. Mercedesis obviously part of a long tradition of cat-and-mouse stories.
Covered by a bunch of scar tissue and years of doing a tough job.
The killer is finding himself, too.
And it was a good character piece.
I wouldnt say we go so far as to relate to him, but we do empathize.
And also the actor, Harry Treadaway, who has been doing a fantastic job.
Why is it not enough to hate the villain?
I think youre going to be afraid of him, and afraidforhim on other moments.
Hes got some mean bones in him and mean muscles that he flexes as the series unfolds.
It is a difficult trick to feel compassion for the one you are hating at the same time.
Is the reverse true with Hodges?
Is it necessary to be disappointed and frustrated with him?Yes, very much so.
Hes irresponsible in the middle, which, without giving away plot points, might be criminal negligence.
But at the same time, that humanity that he has is pretty much beyond reproach.
Hes not a guy who asks to be liked, and yet we adore him.
That is a quality that Brendan Gleeson is able to bring to the table.
He was everybodys first choice.
He didnt care whether anybody liked him.
And yet were hoping to cultivate an adoration within our viewers for him at the same time.
And man, thats alotto ask for a character.
Casting is crucial to it.
Brendan just brings those qualities that allowed us to really reach the full measure of who Hodges is.
Its a cat and mouse game, but the cat is worn out and the mouse is especially nasty.Yes.
Ive not met him yet.
Im looking forward to meeting him.
and What was his thinking?'
He makes it pretty clear.Obviously, hes Stephen King.
Hes probably the most gifted and prolific writer of our generation, certainly on a short list.
He knows what hes doing and he knows this genre.
Mr. Mercedesdebuts on the AT&T Audience internet on Aug. 9
