Quick, name television’s top-rated new sitcom. It’s Christina Applegate’s “Samantha Who?,” which, thanks in part to a strong “Dancing with the Stars” lead-in, has proven to be one of the few bright spots in a mostly dismal season. (The show moves into its new time slot — 9 p.m. tonight). We recently interviewed the luminous Applegate, who like a lot of actors sidelined by the strike, is antsy to get back to work. Here’s our one-on-one Q&A, complete with some material that didn’t make it into the dead-tree version of the Times:

Q: How have you handled the layoff so far?
A: I feel like I’m going to lose my mind if this keeps up! I’m someone who can’t sit around a lot. I’ve got to work. … Acting is like a muscle: You need to use it or it will atrophy.

Q: Are you worried that the work stoppage might cause the show to lose some momentum?

A: Of course. It’s like having the rug pulled out from under you. We had just gotten our (full-season) pickup and four days later the strike hits. It’s hard to take. You feel like you’re doing something good and you’ve got a place in the pecking order and then — boom — it all comes to a stop.

Q: On your show, old Sam, or “bad” Sam is routinely resurrected through flashbacks. How fun is it to play her?
A: It’s a blast. I’ve never gotten to play a character with no self-editing system whatsoever — a woman who is so incredibly self-involved. I noticed recently on the set that, when I slipped into her wig and took on her personality, I was extremely relaxed. She’s not a tense person. She isn’t dealing with any inner struggle.

Q: And that’s different from “good” Sam in what way?
A: She’s just constantly on edge. The way she walks, the way she holds herself — her posture, her hair, her voice — it’s all very different.

Read the rest of this entry »