One of our favourite characters from Hart of Dixie was definitely Dr. Brickland, played by an incredible Tim Matheson. In a recent interview with the actor to discuss his most recent work on Netflix’s Virgin River, where he plays another doctor, Dr. Vernon Mullins, Tim Matheson recalled his experience on Hart of Dixie and the main differences between his character on Virgin River and Dr. Brickland.
Check out our exclsuive interview with Tim Matheson about his work on Hart of Dixie below!
Considering you had already played a doctor in another TV show – Hart of Dixie. What kind of differences did you detect between Doctor Vernon Mullins and Doctor Brick?
TIM MATHESON: You know, Hart of Dixie was a wonderful experience. It was much lighter, and it was more comedic and less serious and less medicine. There was, you know, slight bit of medicine, we didn’t really focus on the medicine too much. It was more about the characters and their families and their interactions in this little town. In my life I’ve played a lot of doctors. I mean, when, I think the first television series I starred in after Bonanza & The Virginian. And when I did a Western with Kurt Russell called the Quest and we did, I think, 13 episodes, 15 episodes and I was a doctor. And I think might have been the first time I played a doctor and then subsequently in so many different movies and films, even in Animal House.
Eric Stratton, the Rush chairman, became a Gynecologist in Beverly Hills, you know? So, there must be something about me that is, you know, I have a good bedside manner, perhaps you know. But it’s always fun and challenging. In Hart of Dixie the medicine wasn’t so challenging. We’re now more, especially in Virgin River, we spend more time making sure that’s exactly right, and it’s a bigger part of the show and we’re not as comedic and light-spirited as that. Virgin river’s much more earnest and about the relationships between the people. And all the different ages and stories that are going on in this little town, all at the same time.
And what was your favourite memory of your experience on the set of Hart of Dixie?
TM: Well, my favourite was, I guess, Rachel Bilson is such a tremendously warm and gracious woman, person, and she had just a way of setting a tone on her show. She’s the star and she, you know, was gracious and loving and kind and generous to everyone. And so it sort of sets a standard by which you realize – because some shows aren’t fun.
I mean, sometimes, you know, we all have our work, and sometimes it’s more fun than others. But boy, I tell you, sometimes you get on the show and it’s like ‘Oh, dear, it is worth-it, you know?’.
It was really the first time I’d been in a series where I was in almost every episode and they’re all a lot, you know, most of everyday. And I was directing too, and so they became my family and that was the first time I’d really spent that much time on a show.
We went on for four years. And I realized and learned how close a group of people, cast and crew and writers, and you know, the network as well, can grow over time and how most of the time in my career prior to that, the previous 25 years, I was doing TV movies, I was directing episodic. I was doing that. So I’m jumping from job to job to job and you don’t really get too close to the cast or crew of any show because you’re only there for three weeks, so you just pop in and out. But this was a chance for me to develop long-term relationships with people and you know, that you enjoy spending time with.
The interview has been edited for clarity and lenght. To see the full interview with Tim Matheson, check out the video at the top of the article!
Keep following us for more news about Virgin River and other Netflix TV series!!!
Desirèe
Please step by our Facebook page SurvivedtheShows, Instagram page @survivedtheshows and Twitter page @SurvivedShows to keep yourself updated!!!
