Host: Joe Lando who plays a former stockbroker and recovering drug addict on the Fox Family Channel show Higher Ground will be here soon to chat with us.

Host: I'd like to welcome Joe Lando to the chat.

Joe: Hello everybody. I'm excited to talk to you. Please feel free to ask me anything you can think of.

Question: Hi Joe, congratulations on a great series. Have you finished filming season 1 and is there any news of renewal yet?

Joe: Today is my first day off. I finished my last scene at about 6:00 p.m and we are now doing what I call the slow burn which means you sit at home waiting to find out whether or not your show gets picked up. We'll know that answer in the next two weeks.

Question: Hi, I'm really enjoying Higher Ground. What initially attracted you to this project?

Joe: It was the subject matter and that I would be able to be one of the producers and have creative input to the show. I though the stories we would be able to tell were worth telling and that the subject matter was of interest to me in general.

Question: Joe, it's nice that Peter and Sophie are starting their relationship from the beginning, but are we going to progress beyond just friendship and into some real romance?

Joe: Oh yeah, the subject finally gets quite deep. As the show was always meant to be, we will explore the relationships of the adults on the show as well as the kids and Peter and Sophie will become a major focal point in future episodes.

Question: Higher Ground is such a terrific show and it does such a good job of balancing the adult storylines and the teen storylines. Why isn't Fox Family doing more to promote it?

Joe: I can only hope that Fox Family will continue to stand behind us. I realize it's a good show, better than most of the shows out there. It has been one of my major frustrations, I feel that the show could be seen by a much larger audience if Fox would just stand behind it and push it. I have tried my best to support the show and to show people I truly believe in this series.

Question: Do you miss playing your role on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman?

Joe: No. It's been over two years since I was involved in that series and since then I've moved on with my life and career. Although I always remember the show fondly and hope that I'll be involved in the show in the future for movies of the week and such. If not, I'll be fine with the memories.

Question: Hi Joe. Now that the filming is complete with the first season of HG, do you have any movie projects lined up during your time off?

Joe: This will be the first time I have taken time for myself and my family during the hiatus so no, I have nothing on my plate as of yet. I really just want to enjoy my family and my free time.

Question: Will the teens work their way out of Mt. Horizon season by season or actually during the season's episodes?

Question: When (and not if) Higher Ground returns for a second season, will you be using the same kids? Surely some will have to return to their parents?

Joe: Yes, the kids don't normally go back to their families at least until they're six months into the program. Some of the kids will work their way out of Horizon. Some will stay and some will not make it and that's the design of the program, to be true to what would be the real life equivalent of the show.

Question: When did you know you wanted to be an actor?

Joe: At about six years old. When I realised there was actually a process behind the movies I was watching.

Question: Joe, what has been your favorite episode so far?

Joe: There are probably three. And I think the show really hit its stride before we took our Christmas break. There's a certain learning curve you have to go through when developing a show, that's with the crew, the cast, the writers and I really felt we found our groove in episodes like Best Behaviour, Innocence, and Exposed. I think that's what our show is all about.

Question: Higher Ground is really getting better and better each week. Will we eventually learn how Peter and Sophie met and more about Peter's decent into drugs?

Joe: You'll learn more about Peter and Sophie. You'll actually slowly learn more about Sophie whose character development is very interesting and she both supports Peter in his sobriety and then in the future helps him back from a momentary lapse of reason we could say. He slips and falls off the wagon at one point which is what I like so much about the show, that although it establishes its heros, it doesn't leave them without their faults.

Question: Joe, why won't they show that one episode about the suicide?

Joe: It's because Fox Family felt that because the series is so new, and the network itself is so new, to go out on a limb and take a chance was not worth it. And although I stand behind them in their decision, I at the same time realise it was a very tough one and have to be honest that I personally wanted to take the chance and air the episode because although there was a small minute chance that someone might misinterpret the message of the show, I thought the amount of people we could help far outweighed that.

Question: Joe, there are some funny situations in certain episodes of Higher Ground. It is a new aspect of your acting career. Would you consider playing comedy in the future?

Joe: Actually, what I love about being on the show and being more in control of what I do as an actor is that on this show I can actually improvise and we will do many takes where we do different versions of the scenes so that I've actually had a chance to explore a more comedic approach to my acting. We like to have fun on this show.

Question: What is the atmosphere like on the set? Do you hang around with your co-stars after filming an episode?

Joe: I try to hang around with them as much as possible. My social status working on the show is a little different from the last show I worked on because I'm now a new father and husband and producer and one of the main actors on the show which takes up a lot of my time. So I spend as much time as I possibly can with the cast and crew of the show. I also make sure I spend a proportionate amount of time with my family which is difficult.

Question: Does Fox Family own the rights to Higher Ground or can Lions Gate market it to another network?

Joe: Lions Gate and Paramount can market it to anybody they care to if Fox Family was to choose not to renew.

Question: Hi Joe. I'm really enjoying Higher Ground and I'm wondering if you miss the crowd of fans watching you while you film ... hi gals ....

Joe: No, only because when I worked on Quinn I had to concentrate knowing there was a gallery of people watching so I would make sure to put that out of my mind otherwise I'd be too self conscious.

Question: Have you gotten any feed back from real emotional growth schools about Higher Ground?

Joe: We have not heard back directly from any of the schools because for one the kids wouldn't be allowed to watch these shows because television isn't available to them. But when doing the research and sharing with the kids that I was in group with that I was going to show about teens at risk, they were all very excited and it made them feel good about themselves that other people would be interested enough to do a television show about them.

Question: Can you tell us what the medal is that Peter wears around his neck?

Joe: It was the patron saint ... there was a little confusion first of all as to who the patron saint of explorers and climbers was, so basically we arrived at it's the patron saint of ... St... Bernard!

Question: What kinds of things do you do in your spare time?

Joe: I love just to travel in the simplest of forms. My wife, baby, dogs and I will soon embark on a cross country trip in our suburban not knowing exactly where we're going day to day, but knowing where we'll end up eventually. The journey is the best part.

Question: I went to school like the one featured on Higher Ground. The teens featured on the show remind me of what my friends were like at school and I want to thank you for showing what it's really like to have problems like that.

Joe: Thank you Carter for coming forth and saying that the show means something to you.

Question: What about Hannah, will she ever return?

Joe: No, Hannah doesn't return. Hannah's storyline was kept open in the beginning because we were trying to find a way to approach an adult relationship with Peter and we felt that the ex-husband storyline along with Peter's emotional baggage made that storyline a little too complicated.

Question: We've noticed a lot of "Sullyisms" in Higher Ground, for example the "mountain man" and "woodsy" comments as well as the YMCA song (one of my favorite scenes so far). Peter even wears a suede jacket and carves. Was this your input for the DQ fans?

Joe: Yes it is. There is a little bit of "Sullyisms" sprinkled through Higher Ground because of my input and because the writers like to joke. So we've just used that as kind of a way tugging our ears at the audience, that we still remember Sully.

Question: Does Joe Lando wear some of his own wardrobe for Higher Ground?

Joe: No, but I wear some of Peter's wardrobe home. A lot of the stuff I wear in the show mimics what I wear up here in Canada in real life. It's really just simple clothing.

Question: Mr. Lando, is Peter your favorite character?

Joe: Yes, I'd have to say so far Peter is the most fulfilling for me to play, although I'd have to say Sully because of his stoic approach to many things I did on the show that was always a challenge. But Peter gets to explore far more emotions and be a little more volatile than Sully.

Question: I just love Shelby. Is she anything like her character in real life?

Joe: A. J. Cooke is nothing like Shelby at all. It just goes to her credit what a fine actor she is. She chose the part because she wanted to see if she could do it as an actress and I think she has done a far better job than any of us could ever have expected. Her betrayal of Shelby is sensitive and very clear as to what this person is going through and I also have to add that her character is based on a real life person. We just took a license with her relationship with Scott.

Question: I was just wondering if you enjoy making Higher Ground. It seems like it would be fun to make with the beautiful scenery.

Joe: Oh, it's the best job in the world. I can't think of a better place to have to go to work and to be able to call the mountains and forests your office. That's what I get to do here on Higher Ground. I always want to maintain that quality of life when I'm at work, because when I was on the soaps in New York my dressing room was a basement, and I came to work when the sun was done and I went to work when the sun was down and I never had the chance to breath fresh air and now I'm in a position to make a choice, and I choose to be outdoors where I feel most comfortable.

Question: What's it like working with Jim Byrnes?

Joe: Jim Byrnes is a great guy and I love spending time with him cause he has great stories to tell and he's almost as good at telling jokes as Orson Bean.

Question: I used to be a teacher of kids like the ones on the show and I believe that your show truly shows what these kids are like and how brittle their lives are. Good job.

Joe: Thank you.

Question: Will other teen issues be addressed, such as eating disorders, more in depth?

Joe: It's not just the disorders such as eating disorders, drug abuse or sex abuse, we just try also to explore the relationship of these kids with their parents, with each other, because Horizon is just a microcism of the real world and although we're kind of on an island, we try to enter into as many aspects of real life as we can.

Question: Joe, would you ever want to direct an episode of Higher Ground?

Joe: Hopefully I'll be directing one or two of the episodes we'll be doing very hopefully in our second season. It's one of my goals to be able to take a show from start to finish and I look forward to it.

Question: Who chose the name Peter Scarbrow and why?

Joe: I originally wanted to make my character's name Jack after my son but Matthew Hastings who is one of the creators of the show, had a special meaning behind the name and it's dedicated to someone who is no longer with us. So out of respect for that, we kept it Peter.

Question: Do you think this show is a bit too "edgy" for Fox Family?

Joe: I think the show is possibly better than they can even imagine. And that they agreed to this show on paper and that the premise of the show, and they've agreed to what they've seen come out of what we're doing, and they have stood behind us except for the suicide episode. I'd have to say that Fox has been willing to take a chance with what we're doing. Is it too edgy for Fox Family? You can't really say because the grammar, the perimeters of Fox Family have not really been set before and we hope that's what we're doing with Higher Ground.

Question: Is Hayden Christensen coming back? He's a great actor.

Joe: He is a great actor, and as we sit right now, we don't know whether or not any of us are coming back. I know there is great promise for Hayden. I admire him as an actor and as a person. And I know there's been much interest in him in Hollywood just from the limited exposure he's had in Higher Ground, as there's been a lot of interest in the kids in the show. If Higher Ground is lucky enough to come back for a second season I think we might have something of a struggle holding this team of actors together but I also know there is a certain amount of dedication amongst them to the show and I can only hope that they will all stay. But what will be, will be. And us as producers of the show never want to hold back anybody with their careers.

Question: Is Peter totally recovered from his addictions or will he be tempted in the future by his former demons?

Joe: Peter is a real character in his approach to his sobriety, and with that comes the constant pitfalls of sobriety, meaning he's always working towards staying clean. It's not just a thing that came and went with Peter, its always there and because its always there, the answer he's found to keeping himself straight is to try and help others to stay that way.

Question: What's going to happen with Jewel's relationship?

Joe: Jewel's relationship ... first of all Jewel is one of our most interesting characters I think. And probably the most adult of all of us on the show. She's an old soul and very interesting and I think she brings a lot to Daisy. And we've just started to open the doors to where we can go with Jewel's character. There's going to be another student introduced who will vie for her affections, however strange they may be.

Question: How much of your stunt work is done by you and do you wish to do more your own stunt work in the future?

Joe: I wish to do about the same amount of stunt work I've done so far which is a good ninety something percent of it. There are certain things that I won't do because time doesn't allow me to do it. There are some things that I won't do because the insurance company won't allow me to do it, and there are other things I won't do because my wife won't allow me to do them. Whatever is left over, I do. And sometimes we lie to the insurance company!

Question: Joe - from France. The climbing was spectacular. Is there going to be other sports performances in future episodes but in other disciplines?

Joe: We do all types, from kayaking, which is what we really do, and a lot of kids have to learn these skills just to be on the show. But there is some repelling that we do. A tyrolian traverse, which is a climbing exercise. We've done mountain biking. Just several different exercises getting the kids' confidence levels up. Sometimes these exercises seem simple and repetitive but they help build kids' confidence and self esteem. That's what you're going for in these exercises, not to risk ones well being but to push a kid sometimes just so they can experience their limits.

Question: Higher Ground teaches a lot to teens and has some good storylines which seem real.

Joe: Thank you. I love to hear it.

Question: Would it help the chances of renewal if we wrote letters and called Fox Family or should we write/call someone else?

Joe: Fox Family is the way to go. And if anyone cares to send their messages and their support onto Fox Family Channel, Mr. Saban would be a good person to get in touch with. I know that Paramount stands behind the show but right now Fox Family wants to look at their numbers to see if supporting the show is both creatively sound and fiscally sound, meaning if they make the show, will people come? Will they watch? Are they interested? And if they see that people are interested, because I believe the Nielsen ratings are an archaic way of understanding the viewing audience, but it's the only system we have right now.

Question: What is the purpose of the music and sometimes singing in the background of the show? At times it seems to overdeviate the actor's words.

Joe: It isn't the first comment about the dialogue being somewhat diluted by the music. I think its us trying our best to combine both interesting music and drama in the scenes, and sometimes because of the broadcast quality, what will happen is the dialogue is then muffled by the music. A problem we are working on as we speak, making sure everyone understands what the actors are saying and that the music more colors the scenes than dominates them. That's not our intention.

Question: Will Peter ever conquer that rock?

Joe: As long as there's a taller mountain to climb, Peter will never conquer that rock.

Question: Joe, I came to Higher Ground because of you and I continue watching because of you and because it's a terrific show. Congratulations.

Joe: Thank you everyone for coming to the chat room. I recently was in Monaco and met with some of our fans of both Dr. Quinn and Higher Ground and I was very excited to be in France and sell the show to TF1 and hope that we get more international distribution so that more people around the world can see the show and see what I'm doing now. I hope you all enjoy it.

Host: Thanks so much for chatting with us. I want to thank everyone who sent in questions. Sorry we couldn't get to all of them. Hopefully we'll have Joe Lando back in the next few months to chat again. Goodnight everyone.