Actors Eddie McClintock and Saul Rubinek returned to Warehouse 13 to kick off the show’s fourth season on Syfy.
Although fans of Warehouse 13 last saw their favorite characters in the Christmas special called “The Greatest Gift,” the third season drama really ended with the second part of “Stand” in which certain characters were sacrificed to save others.
Now, with Warehouse 13 back on Syfy for its fourth season, this week’s premiere gave fans “A New Hope.”
Ahead of Season 4 on Syfy, The Deadbolt heard from Eddie McClintock and Saul Rubinek as they shared their thoughts about the return of Warehouse 13.
Can you kind of talk about the artifacts we’re going to see this season?
SAUL RUBINEK: It’s really hilarious how you guys ask us the one question that we can’t answer. You know that we’re going to have to spoil everything if we start talking about this. I can tell you this though, our show is not called Giant Chasm in the Ground 13, it’s called Warehouse 13, so obviously they’re going to figure out a way to bring the Warehouse back.
But we’ve had artifacts. We’ve know that there’s a downside to using them. There are always consequences. And what the writers decided was that there had to be some consequences that were irrevocable. There were consequences that would be so dark that – so it that it wouldn’t just be easy.
So, “Oh, they’re dead. All right. We have an artifact for that. The Warehouse is gone. We have an artifact for that,” so everything becomes easy. It’s not going to be that easy. And whatever we use will have consequences for the life of this – of the characters and for the life of the series.
So that’s what I can tell you is that the use of artifacts becomes a darker and more dangerous and less takebackable thing than ever before. Would you say Eddie that’s true?
EDDIE MCCLINTOCK: Yes. Not necessarily that it changes the show totally, but certainly there will be fallout from the use of artifacts that we cannot take back. You know, that stay with everybody. The change, it changes everyone permanently. But from week to week you still have fun ones
How do you feel about the longer season this year?
RUBINEK: Well, they’re really two seasons. It’s really a real vote of confidence from the network and the studio to do that with us. That’s how we felt.
I mean, it’s a little harder I would say on those of us that have kids, and Eddie is farthest away. I don’t live that far away because I’m in New York and my kids are older, so it’s a mix. A little different. My daughter is in college and I can get back. That’s the hardest thing for Eddie, right Eddie? That longer season?
MCCLINTOCK: Yes. If my boys and my wife could be in Toronto with me all the time, it would be much, much easier. It’s a quality problem. I’m on a show that’s been on the air for four years now. I’m making a living as an actor in Hollywood in arguably one of the darkest times in the American economy, so I really have no complaints.
What was it like doing a really heavy scene versus like what you’re normally doing?
MCCLINTOCK: Well, for me, it’s always great to be able to work with Saul – and unfortunately, we don’t get to do it as much as we would like. Not to blow too much smoke here for Saul, but I have such a great deal of respect for his work and the way he approaches his work, that anytime that I can be a part of that, I think it makes me a better actor and I think my work is better.
The opportunity to really do something serious with Saul – it’s those moments for me that make all the moments of tedium worthwhile. I do all the other stuff and I love the other stuff as well, but it seems like the one you’re talking about – ones that actually move me, I don’t have to work up emotions for those scenes. Saul is present; I’m there, the writing’s good, and things just happen.
Not to be too trite, but that’s the magic of what we do I guess.
RUBINEK: Thanks Eddie for that. I think that we’re a team. Over the last four years we’ve really become a team. We’re like a family. It’s not like we don’t have bumps with each other like any family does, but we have certainly one of the best crews in Toronto, and I know that because I’m a Toronto actor from way back and I know Toronto crews.
We’re a show that other crews envy because there’s no prima donna. There’s just hard work and a lot of fun, a lot of which is because Eddie really keeps things light and entertaining. I call it his buffoonery. But it’s true and we do have a wonderful time together.
The show has really ramped it up considerably in the past few episodes and looks like it’s continuing in that direction. How rewarding is that for you guys as actors?
RUBINEK: It’s an extraordinary thing. At a certain point it becomes the biggest character I’ve ever played and it’s quickly become probably the best character with the most range because of all the episodes and all the different things the writers are asking of us.
There is something that I think is called series-itis that you have to be careful of. It’s incredibly exciting. First of all the positive and I’ll tell you what the dangers are, given the fact that I’m a very old man who’s been doing this for 40 years or so.
MCCLINTOCK: Very old.
RUBINEK: Very, very old. What’s exciting is that the audience is connected with us. We have tremendous support from the studio and the network. It’s very rare in any actor’s career that you’re doing a show that is the Number 1 show in the history of that network. That’s rare, and we’ve held on to that since the very beginning. It’s a testament to the writing and the family that we’ve created.
And the fact that audiences I believe are watching – this is what I’m really proud of, because both Eddie and I are dads. We’re the only dad’s – or parents of the actors right now, right? Families watch this show together.
Warehouse 13 airs Monday nights at 9/8c on Syfy.