Peter's credits include: "Murphy Brown," and "The Larry Sanders Show," (he won Emmys© for both) and films such as "Analyze This," Bedazzled," and the upcoming "America's Sweethearts." Peter co-wrote "America's Sweethearts" with Billy Crystal. The cast includes Crystal, Julia Roberts and John Cusak. I was very lucky, recently, to get a quick interview Peter about "The Job":

SJ: What were the origins of "The Job," and how did it come about?

Peter: Denis was in the remake of THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR a couple of years ago, and he played a New York City detective in the film. To research the role, he spent some time with a real (now retired) detective, Mike Charles, and after listening to Mike's stories, Denis thought there could be a show in it. I came to the project at the end of the line, when Denis was looking for someone to run the show and also run with what he had created. He and I created the show and wrote the pilot together.

SJ: Your work on the series, co-writer, executive producer, etc., tell me more about your role there.

Peter: In the early days of any series, it's important that the vision of the creators be maintained - especially since that vision is still being established. I'm on the set every minute making sure that the tone, tempo and feel of the show are all as they should be. Denis is also on the set a lot, of course, but his head is where it should be - on his performance. He still thinks about everything else that's going on, but I try to handle most of it so he can focus on the acting.

SJ: The Job was a risk, no laugh track, a lead character many people may find morally lacking and – horror of horrors – a show meant for adults. How did you get ABC to look past these factors?

Peter: Denis and I both have careers in film, so we don't really need to do a television series, which is very close to being out of town with a musical in terms of mental anguish. We went to ABC and told them, "Here's the character and here are some of the stories we want to do. Denis's character drinks, has a little pill problem, has a girlfriend and a wife, and he smokes a lot." They took this all in, and I got a call the next day. "Does he have to have a girlfriend?" I said yes. That was the last question about content we ever got from them. The network has been amazingly supportive from day one, and they remain great fans of the show. The Standards and Practices people on the other hand...

SJ: The characters, all of them, from Denis Leary's Mike McNeil to the cop that never talks fascinate the heck out of me. What went into their development?

Peter: Denis had McNeil down right from the start. Pip (editor's note: Denis' partner played by Bill Nun) was easy to create - there was a line in Denis's original pages where his partner said, "You're taking pills, self-medicating, sleeping with a sister. This stuff is biblical, Mike!" I read that and decided that Pip was a man who read his bible. I made him everything that Mike isn't - a good husband and a man with values.

We met a detective who is somewhat like Frank, Lenny Clarke's character - so that was easy. I wanted to have a thorn in McNeil's side - sort of an office snitch - so I created Tommy (Adam Ferrara). Denis always had a female officer who was the voice of reason, so I fleshed her out a little and came up with Jan (Diane Farr). I wanted a young detective - a guy who could be pushed around a little by Mike - and created Ruben (John Ortiz). And Al (Julian Acosta), the one who never speaks - well, I wanted more guys in the room but didn't have the budget for another speaking role! So Al won't be talking for a while longer. I told Julian (the actor who plays the role) that I had a brilliant idea for Al's first words. He would be shot, say "Ouch," and die. Julian didn't think that was very funny.

In creating these characters, I tried to set up different types and different allegiances. And I tried to make them flawed people, because flaws lead to conflict and that's what it's all about. People have asked me if there was some edict from the network to cast with actors of all colors, but that was just the way I wrote them. Denis and I were always trying to present an accurate depiction of this world - a show that the cops would watch and say, "They finally got it right!" I'm thrilled to have a cast of many colors, but even happier that they're all wonderful artists.

SJ: Leary's character Mike McNeil fits the description of "people who live in glass houses." In one episode he's annoyed to find out his mistress occasionally doesn't wear underwear when out in public. What's it like to write for such a Sybil-like character?

Peter: The joy of writing McNeil is his lapses in logic, like the one you point out. He's misbehaving at every turn, but he sees himself as the victim. McNeil is a character with a strongly stated world view, and those are the kinds of characters you want at the center of any show.

SJ: What drives, and scares, the character of Mike?

Peter: Mike, like a lot of cops, is an action junkie. He wants to get the bad guy and serve and protect and all that, but it's all about the rush. That's why he has the girlfriend - it's idiotic and dangerous, but that's part of the fun. I have no idea yet what scares Mike - I think we'll find out as the show progresses.

SJ: You did a fair amount of research with real New York cops. Care to tell me about it and what you learned?

Peter: Over and over cops said to us, "If people only knew how crazy it was." And that's what we try to show - how hard a job it is and how the people deal with the pressure. I heard some great stories from the detectives. Each of them has a case they're known by. You'll meet one of them, and another guy will say, "Tell him about the golf club." They're proud of the job they do, but they also know that it's a terribly difficult life that takes its toll. There's a lot of alcoholism in their world, and a lot of infidelity and divorce. It's just really rough - and they get very little money and even less respect. And I heard some stories that would curl your hair.

SJ: How much research do you do when you tackle new projects?

Peter: I research until I feel I can sit down and start writing without looking like a complete idiot. I can look like a partial idiot - I mean, that's what technical advisors are for. I recently wrote a show that took place in a hospital - and I know nothing about the world. I had to do a lot of research before I could start that one. But the show I was writing at the same time was about the people who work in the programming department of a television network - and that required zero research. I just looked back on my life over the last ten years and I was ready to write. Or vent. Whatever you want to call it.

SJ: How many writers (staff and freelance) on board on "The Job?"

Peter: Denis and I are heavily involved in writing the episodes. Mike Martineau, who worked with me on LARRY SANDERS, is also writing and has helped me a lot in terms of figuring out where we're going to go with the series over the next thirteen episodes. We might hire another person, but we'll probably just freelance some scripts out at this point. Because some of the work is done in Los Angeles and most of it is done in New York City, it's hard to have a traditional staff. And it's not a joke show, so there's no need for a table.

SJ: Walk me through the script process? Where do the ideas start, who (or how many) work on them?

Peter: Denis, Mike or I come with an idea and we bounce it around for a while. Then one of goes off and writes a first draft, and then that draft ends up getting knocked back and forth between Denis and myself. Denis and I have turned out to be a rather potent combination - I soften his rough edges and he roughs up my soft ones. The end result is satisfying, I think, for both of us.

SJ: What's your time frame on pumping out scripts?

Peter: I don't have a time frame. I usually give other writers a week or so to come up with a draft, but last summer I wrote three scripts in nine days. I'm hooked into the characters, so I find the show very easy to write. I felt the same way when I was working on LARRY SANDERS.

SJ: Will this be a staff written series or will submittals by other writers be possible?

Peter: I would love to read some THE JOB spec scripts - but there aren't any yet. I'm always looking for good stories for the show, so I'm more than willing to look at submittals.

SJ: Despite all the hard work, this was a lot of fun, wasn't it?

Peter: It was very, very hard work that involved me being away from my family for an extended period of time - which was really the worst part of it. But the end result is something I'm very proud of, so yes, it was worth it. And we have a lot of fun. It's a wild group and a very funny group, so we spend a lot of time laughing, swearing and smoking. I don't smoke, but there's plenty of the secondhand stuff to go around.

SJ: You're doing in this show, which has been renewed, and you have other projects on hand. How do you keep your sanity?

Peter: I stay home nights and talk to my children. They are endlessly entertaining and help keep me grounded.

SJ: You've been affiliated with several winning shows, "Murphy Brown," and "The Larry Sanders Show," for which you won an Emmy©. Any advice to up-and-coming writers?

Peter: Write what you know or what you like. If you have any talent at all, it will be recognized and rewarded.

SJ: Anything more you'd like to tell us about the show?

Peter: No. I have to go and write them now. Keep watching!

SJ: We will, but when?

Peter: The show will be back in September on Wednesday nights at 9:30.