Read at your own risk!
Whatever the terrorists are doing, theyre succeeding.
Below, EP Josh Safran and writer Cameron Litvack answer EWs burning questions about the episode.
Credit: Giovanni Rufino/ABC
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Lets start off with Leighs gruesome death.
Why her, why this death, why now?
JOSH SAFRAN:Well, why Leigh is something that youll find out about as the show continues.
Nicole Rivelli/ABC
Why that way of dying?
Im sorry, I hope you werent eating!
I hope it didnt gross you out too much.
I had braced myself afterthe warnings you gave about this episode.
She was very excited.
CAMERON LITVACK:I was on set during episode 5 when we had to deliver the news to Helene.
Youre going to make it awesome?
Its going to look good?
SAFRAN:Yeah, [her enthusiasm] carried over to everybody.
How was that shot put together, with the blood spurting out from her neck?
That was really fun to do, because they were such troopers…
I think we expected to have to pull it back in editing, but ultimately we didnt have to.
Will we continue to see Leigh in the present?
Or did she leave the Farm because she misses her children too much?
SAFRAN:Unfortunately, we only had Helene for four episodes.
That was our deal.
Shes a series regular on [EpixsGraves].
We also saw Nimah in play in the future timeline.
Is she squarely on the terrorists side?
SAFRAN:You have to keep watching for the answer to that.
Is Lydia squarely on the terrorists side then?
SAFRAN:I cant say, but she doesnt want the terrorists to get those drives.
That will be answered.
Lets talk about the present timeline.
Simons death haunts everyone, particularly Alex, and it culminates in a ceremony by Simons grave.
What was it like writing that scene, and why was it important to revisit Simon?
We didnt want season 1 to disappear into vapor, and it hasnt for Alex.
It was a really beautiful scene to write.
It was a beautiful scene to shoot as well.
We went to this graveyard in Queens.
It was foggy and cold and, I dont know, it all felt right.
How did you go about choosing who would recite the Mourners Kaddish?
SAFRAN:Nimah and Raina have a facility with language, especially Raina.
I want to clarify a few things about Harry.
Or did he really lie to Sebastian?
Harrys not a liar.
He only lied to Ryan because Ryan was trying to use his personal information against him.
So you’re able to believe Harry.
SAFRAN:He does not, and that is an unfortunate cut that was due to time.
That shot had actually showed Sebastian getting into place.
Harry has become the most developed new character this season.
SAFRAN:Its actually surprisingly easy.
Wediddo a lot of work on him though, with giving him the biggest backstory.
LITVACK:Yeah, the amount of backstory that we put in is enough to fill its own show.
It ignites any scene hes in.
And once you meet Russell, it becomes, what do we want to see Russell do?
What situation do we want to see him in?
When we were developing episode 5, it was, All right, lets see Harry-slash-Russell get his comeuppance.
SAFRAN:The character-dynamic, not romantic, triangle of the season is Harry, Alex, and Ryan.
We knew we had two storylines going, the FBI and the CIA.
That was our rule.
Harry was the first piece of the puzzle, and then Owen.
I think youre starting to learn more about Owen now as you are about Harry.
What are the implications of having Shelby go undercover?Willshe go undercover?
SAFRAN:Thats the question.
It is up to Shelby.
That is the crux of the next episode.
SAFRAN:That is more of a clue in and of itself.
Its not actuallythatimportant, those specific locations.
Anything else you might tease about next weeks episode?
SAFRAN:Next weeks episode is a tour de force for Blair Underwood.
LITVACK:And an uncomfortable episode to write.
Quanticoairs Sundays at 10 p.m.
