John Gallagher, Jr. of HBO drama The Newsroom has given a new interview in which he discusses the timeline fans can expect to see during the second half of season 1, as well as his thoughts on the love triangle involving his character.

With nine months of story covered in just five episodes, fans have been wondering just how close the show will get to current events before the beginning of the second season.

Gallagher, Jr. confirms that the show will keep moving at its current pace:

It doesn’t catch up entirely, but it gets pretty close. Within the next few episodes, there’s a nice even pace going from February to March to April to May and then into the summer a little bit. We’ll be almost a year apart [from the present] by the time the season ends.

On the subject of the Don-Maggie-Jim triangle, he says:

I have a lot of friends that watch the show, and they’re saying, “What are Jim and Maggie doing? Why are they not together? They’re so obviously perfect for each other. Don is a jerk. They’re not suited for each other. She doesn’t even seem to like him … ” Jim in the pilot was so obviously an underdog, really smart with a good set of ethics and a moral code, just really sweet and wanting to look out for people, but Don came in seeming like Jim’s foil and archenemy.

What’s great about it is that throughout the rest of the season — and last night was a big turning point — you really start to see Don’s veneer begin to crack. You start to see his vulnerabilities and his insecurities, not only about where he fits in at ACN but also in his relationship. You start to slowly see him realize that maybe Jim and Maggie are really hitting it off. The whole thing is constantly being turned on its head. Their roles are always kind of being toyed with and reversed a bit. But what can I say? I’m right there with you. I’m saying, “Gosh, when are they going to get together? It’s ridiculous.”

We suggest you read the rest of the entertaining interview on Vulture for more great insight from John Gallagher, Jr., including a hilarious story about his filming of an episode of The West Wing, another Aaron Sorkin TV show.

Do you agree with his assessment of Don’s character? Is the timeline moving too fast for you, or are you glad that the show will keep up its tempo?