Rainn Wilson Previews Backstrom’s Surprising Past, New Troubles

It looks like Everett Backstrom’s troubles are just beginning.

Remember that shooting from the pilot episode in which Everett shot – and killed – an unarmed man, and then threw his gun into the river?

Ok, we don’t quite like to remember it that way either, but as they say, the devil is in the details, and some of those details aren’t adding up. That’s according to the Civilian Oversight Committee, who don’t like it when cops investigate other cops and then proclaim them heroes.

Enter Amy Gazanian (Sarah Chalke), appointed head of the oversight committee, and Backstrom’s fiancée.

Wait. What? Yes, we were just as surprised as you. And FYI, this couple may have split over a decade ago, but Everett can’t seem to let go of the title and his connection to their past, despite Amy’s corrections.

With guest star Sarah Chalke present to stir the pot for some episodes to come, ScreenSpy sat down with Rainn Wilson this week to discuss what Amy’s presence and her investigation will mean for Backstrom over the coming weeks.

“There’s definitely a tension there. There’s an energy between the two of them. There’s a lot of love. I mean, they almost got married,” explains Wilson.

“They’re still very attracted to each other even though Backstrom is a grotesque lump of a man at this point in his life. That was something we wanted to play with – to learn more about Backstrom’s past, and she’s a door into his past. But we also wanted to show what he had lost, back in those days. He blew this potentially great relationship that could have actually brought him some modicum of happiness. We also wanted to play with the potential of the possibility of the future between him and Amy.”

“I think she sees the him inside of him. She sees the real Backstrom. She knows the good-hearted, warm, funny, smart, kind Backstrom that is underneath all the scar tissue that everyone else sees as Backstrom – that hateful, cynical, guarded, offensive Backstrom.”

However, says Wilson, that connection will not stop Amy from carrying out her investigation, and fans can expect to see the repercussions of Backstrom’s actions in the pilot rippling into episodes to come.

And as for the other key relationship in Backstrom’s life?

“You are going to see a lot more of Valentine,” previews Wilson. “You’re going to know him a lot better. You’re going to see a lot more of him and Backstrom and believe me that relationship between the two of them that is very mysterious and has a very interesting bond is going to be really delved into. It really is one of the most fascinating relationships on the show. It certainly is the one with the most emotion, and the most heart. There’s lots of gooey fun stuff to explore. Thomas Dekker is just blowing it away in the role, and he’s featured more and more as the season goes along.”

Catch a clip of Everett and Amy’s first encounter since their split below.

Backstrom returns tonight Thursday Feb. 5 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) with “Takes One to Know One” on FOX.