TRAFFIC LIGHT’s David Denman, Liza Lapira and Nelson Franklin Talk Fights, Guest Stars and More

Is anyone else really enjoying Fox’s TRAFFIC LIGHT?

There’s no doubt the show is in the shadow of GLEE and RAISING HOPE on Tuesday nights, but TRAFFIC LIGHT is a fun series about friends in various stages of their relationships.

I caught up with TRAFFIC LIGHT stars David Denman (Mike), Liza Lapira (Lisa) and Nelson Franklin (Adam) and we talked about the show’s realistic fights, the relationships, some fun upcoming guest stars and why people should be tuning in…

What would you say to people who aren’t watching the show? Why should they be tuning in?
Liza Lapira: Just because for me, it’s plain old funny.
David Denman: They’re missing out, because it’s the funniest show on TV right now.
Nelson Franklin: It’s also really relatable. And if you watch, you know these stories because they’ve happened to you and you’re going to love it.
DD: It’s very realistic. All the stories we tell, the writers have experienced. The mandate in the writers room is if you didn’t live it or this didn’t happen, we’re not doing it. And we improv a lot of the stuff, so a lot of stuff comes out of us very organically. We try and make the show as real and relatable and as funny as we can.

I actually really love the fights the couples get into. They’re realistic.
DD: They all get resolved somehow because we’re such good communicators.
LL: It’s true. And we try and keep it hot. I think that’s the key to our TV marriage. He gets mad at me for violating the burn notice which is do not be friends with your friend’s exes. Lisa is magnanimous and optimistic and wants to be friends with everyone, but she’s proven wrong. My husband was right. You heard it here first.
NF: And I fight with my girlfriend about money.

Yes, that was a pretty significant fight considering how deep she is in debt. Will that be addressed later on this season?
NF: I think it might come up again this season. I think.
DD: The main thing on this show is that the couples are really in love and when we get into fights with each other, it’s funny because you know it’s not going to a bad place.
LL: And at the end of the day, [Mike and Lisa] have a BAREFOOT IN THE PARK thing going on. He’s the guy in the suit, he’s going to the office and she’s footloose and fancy free.
DD: So poetic.
LL: Thank you. I thought about it. I wrote a thesis.

Will we be seeing more group scenes with the entire cast? The guys obviously hang out a lot, but what about the girls?
LL: Yeah. What I like about it is that Lisa is the fourth wheel because she went to college with these guys. These are like her brothers-in-law. There’s a scene where she’s with Ethan and she’s trying to get his mojo back. I imagine at some point I will be helping Nelson’s character, Adam, propose to his girlfriend. Me and Aya Cash[‘s character, Callie] start a burgeoning friendship, so it’s going to be the five of us.

And will you guys be trying to get Ethan a steady girlfriend?
DD: We always try to do that. We’re not very successful. He does give a girl a drawer.
LL: Two drawers.
DD: So that storyline goes on for a few episodes.
NF: At one point he gets sort of scared because he picks up an old man in his ambulance who had a Viagra accident. And it sort of scares him into saying, “Oh my God, I have to change my ways.”
LL: And that guy is played by Jimmie Walker.
DD: “Don’t turn into me, kid.”

Anything coming up that you want to tease for the fans?
LL: We have great guest stars, like Jimmie Walker.
NF: Paul Scheer, Adam Goldberg, we’ve got good funny people.
DD: And Larry Wilmore!

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Will you be watching TRAFFIC LIGHT, Tuesday night at 9:30 PM?

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