Actor and screenwriter Tim Balme visited us this week promoting the third season of the Almighty Johnsons. It’s the season that almost didn’t make it, but thanks to fans who went ‘troppo’ when they heard their favorite show might be kicked into touch, the Norse Bro Show is alive and well. And according to Tim it’ll be the ‘biggest and best series so far.’
I was most interested to know how the show’s writers go about their work. I once read that Michael Palin and John Cleese used to sit in a log cabin in the woods with pen and paper, but talk utter rubbish for the first hour. ‘How are the kids? I like your new shoes. Isn’t it funny how you never see baby pigeons.’ After that initial ‘download’ they could then begin their work.
According to Tim, writers meetings for the Almighty Johnsons are no different. ‘There’s always a certain amount of circling the wagons, or mucking around before you get the true gold.’ And given he is a writer and actor for the series, what’s the more challenging role? ‘I kid you not – the hardest lines to learn are the ones you wrote yourself.’
The third season of The Almighty Johnsons will also air in the US and Canada.