Yul Vazquez on "Midnight, Texas" Season Finale and His Seinfeld Legacy

Actor Yul Vazquez calls in from a blustery day in New York City to discuss the season finale of NBC's "Midnight, Texas," where he plays Reverend Emilio Sheehan, the oldest inhabitant of the supernatural town and its moral compass who harbors a dark secret—he transforms into a weretiger during full moons. Vazquez explains the fascinating duality of his character, a man of the cloth who struggles to reconcile his violent nature with his religious calling, spending his energy trying to keep his dangerous side in check and ensuring nobody gets hurt when he transforms. He teases that tonight's season finale will have viewers putting on their seatbelts as the demon threat that's been building all season finally comes to a head in what he promises is "a hell of an episode." The conversation turns to Vazquez's enduring association with Seinfeld, where he appeared in two memorable episodes including "The Ribbon" and the controversial Puerto Rican Day Parade episode, noting that no matter how many projects he completes, people still recognize him from that iconic show. He enthusiastically discusses the passionate fan base of "Midnight, Texas," explaining how he and the cast live-tweet with viewers during each episode and how these genuine fans know Charlaine Harris's books better than the actors themselves, often commenting on how the show matches their imagination from years of reading. Vazquez makes an impassioned plea for networks to pay attention to social media engagement and streaming numbers rather than just traditional ratings, arguing that fans are tired of investing in shows only to have them cancelled, and warning that there could be "a riot" if networks don't start recognizing the power of devoted audiences who trend every episode and deliver strong demographic numbers.