Hollywood often glamorizes life on a hit network drama, but behind the scenes, the reality can be far more demanding. Just ask Ed Quinn, who guest-starred as Justin Marchetti in Season 2 of NCIS: Los Angeles. In a candid new interview with The Irish Star, Quinn revealed just how punishing the production schedule of a major procedural can be — even for the most seasoned actors.
“Those Shows Are Hard”
“Those big network procedurals are hard,” Quinn admitted. “They’re not easy, because there’s a lot of exposition. The hours are punishing. The people who work on those shows — they are working actors.”
Quinn’s guest appearance on NCIS: Los Angeles placed him alongside series mainstays Chris O’Donnell, LL Cool J, and Daniela Ruah, who led the hit crime drama centered around the elite Office of Special Projects. But the long days and nearly year-round production left little room for balance.
Recalling one moment on set, Quinn shared how Chris O’Donnell struggled with the demanding schedule while trying to prioritize his family. “I remember Chris was just trying to get them to move the schedule a little,” he said. “It was 10 months a year, 14 hours a day. He just wanted the timing to align better with his kids’ summer vacation.”
According to Quinn, O’Donnell wrapped filming in April and only had May off — while his children were still in school. “Then he’d get just a few weeks in June, and by July, he was back at it again.”
A Call to Keep Procedurals Alive
Beyond his experiences on NCIS: Los Angeles, Quinn also had a recurring role as Frankie Mala on CSI: New York. And while trends in TV may be shifting, Quinn is urging networks not to turn their backs on the genre that built primetime empires.
“I feel like we’re not making enough of those shows right now,” he said. “And it really concerns me because those shows still play around the world. They’re juggernauts. They pay a lot of salaries and keep the studios running.”
Procedurals, Quinn argues, are not just cash cows — they’re the financial backbone that funds creative risks elsewhere. “Those shows generate the money so the networks can shoot lots of other pilots and find the next big thing.”
Where Are the Next Great Sitcoms?
While crime dramas may be enduring, Quinn also mourns the decline of the traditional sitcom. “We don’t have the big comedies like Friends and Seinfeld anymore,” he noted. “Friends might not be the greatest show in history, but it’s still one of the most profitable shows ever — and they haven’t shot a new episode in 20 years.”
The actor pointed to industry shifts, including some major networks reportedly not shooting a single pilot last year. “That’s not good,” he said bluntly. For Quinn, the solution is simple: make more comedies, take more chances.
“Friends was a bunch of unknowns,” he added. “Just a bunch of young actors who clicked. You have to keep pumping out those great comedies so you can shoot 10 or 20 more pilots. Nineteen might not be very good — but that 20th one? That’s The Office. That’s Scrubs.”
Looking Ahead
With a career that spans drama, comedy, and even science fiction (Eureka, The Oval), Ed Quinn knows the highs and lows of television production well. And while the grueling schedules of procedurals like NCIS: Los Angeles may not suit everyone, he still believes in the power of these shows — and in the creative risks they make possible.
“We need balance,” he says. “We need those solid, dependable hits to keep the doors open for the next generation of storytellers.”
