Ana's captured in Ray Brennan's studio of horrors

The Team Works on a Case -- or is it "Hangman?"

Special Response Team Plus One

Chemistry anyone?

On the tenth day of shooting, the gray clouds that had been sitting low over the weekend finally broke. "Welcome to Vancouver," everyone said. Until then the weather had been unseasonably warm, blessing us with bright sun that made our mini-mall scenes look like summer in Los Angeles. On the very day we moved into the huge industrial space forty minutes out of town, where we had built three sets — it rained like crazy. We took it as a good sign that someone was looking out for us.

The week started hot and heavy with the big love scene between Catherine Bell (FBI Agent Ana Grey) and Cole Hauser (SMPD Detective Andrew Berringer). Their characters have been corrupted by the toxic effects of chasing a serial sexual predator, and they make love with savage, almost sadistic intensity. It was a closed set, but from what I saw on the monitors, these two together are not like anything you've seen on TV.

Shooting in the "war room" and "bull pen" really brought the actors together as the Special Response Team. They enjoyed each other, and it showed — the nuances and rivalries came easily (as did championship games of "Hangman" between takes). For me the workplace banter and intimacy are the heart of the show, and I was more excited about the way they confronted each other over principles, or shared secrets in the break room, than all the SWAT action in the world.

But the most heavy-duty stuff took place on the last two days, in Ray Brennan's house — the "killer" of the piece — masterfully and courageously played by James Jordan — who takes women to his lair to photograph their gruesome final moments. Even though we'd approved those photos, taken by stills photographer Cate Cameron using actresses, a whole wall of them made a shocking impact. It was draining and upsetting to film in that set. "It all came from your mind," someone told me. I protested. It was the mind of a psychopath! Wasn't it?

We were well into overtime and the Chinese buffet was cooling fast, but we still couldn't get to the denoument until 2 AM — then it was a blast. Literally. The building was cleared so that special effects could blow the door open and set off blinding flash-bangs, as FBI SWAT and Ana Grey captured the bad guy and saved the day. I got to bed around three — not nearly enough time to recharge for the final wrap.

What are the most hours you've ever worked without a break?