Douglas McGrath Quotes

If we lived in a time where people couldn't watch 'Lost' on Hulu or record it on their DVR, we wouldn't necessarily have succeeded. We need people to be able to catch up. Now you choose when you watch TV. We wouldn't have survived in the old days because people would have missed episodes.

In the old days, money controlled politics. Today, information controls politics. So I think with the advent of the Internet, the power of wealth has been diminished. Look up all the people you know who spent millions and millions of dollars and fell short.

In the old days you could do re-runs, and people would have to watch that because there's nothing else. But with Netflix and Amazon, Hulu, Xbox, as well as premium and regular cable, it's very hard to do that.

'The Sopranos,' for instance, is arguably the best cable show of all time. They could have made a movie, but that show ended so perfectly, it would almost be a disadvantage to make a movie like that. Then again, if you made a 'Sopranos' movie, people would be lined around the block to go see it.

I got spoiled on 'Breaking Bad.' Playing the same guy for four or five seasons, you get to really explore who the character is.

Anything that Aaron Sorkin writes, I could watch a million times. One of the few shows that I've watched in repeats was 'The West Wing.'

We did 356 'Dallas' episodes between 1978 and 1991. The most memorable moment for me happened in 1980 when I got shot at the end of the third series. The rest is a blur.

The most important responsibility we have as journalists is to question those who are in power. I honestly believe that.

In the old days, I just could not leave characters alone. Now I just try to keep the ones that still have something in the way of stories to tell.

I think 'The West Wing' hit at a moment in time that was just right for that show.

I'm as addicted to 'Power' as I am 'Empire.' I'm just grateful. We get a chance to have two phenomenal shows that we can enjoy. So when 'Empire' is over, 'Power' starts. When 'Power' is over, 'Empire' starts.

Openness, transparency - these are among the few weapons the citizenry has to protect itself from the powerful and the corrupt... and that is the best thing that WikiLeaks has done.

I love series television because it's so much fun to have that much opportunity to paint the character.

I don't know if it's a romantic comedy but I'm in the beginning of the first of the season of 'The West Wing.' We shot it last year. I don't know. If anyone asks me to be in one, I'll jump on it.

I love a bit of political drama; 'The West Wing' is probably my favourite television series of all time.

When I came to Britain I was in awe of the British press, afraid of them. But they're not as ferocious as people think. In some instances they are, but when it comes to taking on power they're really deferential.

There were dragons to slay in the old days. Nixon was a good dragon.

I would have loved to have a role in the HBO series 'Deadwood.' It was Shakespeare in the Old West.

I loved 'The West Wing'; it's my favourite-ever television show.

For what it's worth, I enjoy 'Dexter,' 'Modern Family,' 'True Blood' and 'Breaking Bad.' I've enjoyed the wonderful 'The Pacific.'

Deep Throat is a guy who could have your files and mine in his trust.

It's funny because 'West Wing' is similar to 'Game of Thrones' in some ways, as it was very hard to pull off back then.

I started working in the mid-to-late Seventies, when television was not what it is now.

I'm into 'House of Cards.' 'Breaking Bad' - my God, did I binge on that!

'Fire Walk With Me' was so divisive because the tone was so different than the TV series. But now television is almost more of a free medium than cinema.