Watch My Show: Rush's Jonathan Levine Answers Our Showrunner Survey

Writer/director Jonathan Levine, known for the indie feature The Wackness and the zombie romance Warm Bodies, heads to TV withUSA's new medical drama Rush. The show stars Tom Ellis as a renegade doctor who provides discreet medical care to the rich and famous. Levine explains why Rush is worth a prescription.

TV Guide Magazine: I've got room in my life to watch one more show. Why should it be yours?
Jonathan Levine: That's a lot of pressure! I think if you reworked your priorities, you could probably fit a couple shows in. Ours should definitely be one of them. Mad Men is also quite good.

TV Guide Magazine: Who should be watching?
Levine: I think what separates our show is its unique tone. It's got humor, suspense, action, fun, and drama. So if you like any single one of those things, you should definitely watch it!

TV Guide Magazine: What happens if we don't watch your show?
Levine: There are probably no real consequences, but I would be really sad.

TV Guide Magazine: Give us an equation for Rush.
Levine: Ray Donovan + House + Entourage - E (the character) + E (the drug, street name Ecstasy).

TV Guide Magazine: What's the best thing anyone has said or written about your show?
Levine: I try not to read reviews and I'm usually looking at my phone when people talk to me, so I may not be qualified to answer this question. But when I saw the pilot I told myself I did a really good job.

TV Guide Magazine: What's the worst thing?
Levine: See above.

TV Guide Magazine: Who was right?
Levine: I hope I was right!

TV Guide Magazine: What's an alternate title for your show?
Levine: Dr. Kind of a Dick.

TV Guide Magazine: Come up with a premise for the spin-off.
Levine: It follows Dr. Rush's weed dealer, Manny, as he drives cross country on a motorcycle ride. Every episode is a real-time hour of fast and sexy motorcyclization.

TV Guide Magazine: What credit of yours would you like to forget?
Levine: Innumerable short films that appear on my IMDB page.

TV Guide Magazine: Tell me one thing about your cast.
Levine: They are all lovely people, exceptionally talented, and I'm lucky to be working with them. Sorry, that one was sincere.

TV Guide Magazine: If you weren't producing this show, on what series would you most like to work?
Levine: The Leftovers was supergood. I love Veep.

TV Guide Magazine: Let's scare the network. Tell us an idea that didn't make it on to the screen.
Levine: Actually, most of our extreme stuff does make it on!

TV Guide Magazine: Finish this sentence: "If you like _______, you'll love our show."
Levine: Sandwiches.

TV Guide Magazine: Pick another show and start a fake feud.
Levine: Thirtysomething?

TV Guide Magazine: How will your show change the face of TV as we know it?
Levine: How won't it? It's pretty much a 44-minute revolution.

Rush airs Thursdays at 9/8c on USA Network.

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