I think it definitely helps that the series is finished, so at least we know which characters are important and which are easier to drop. At some point during the Q&A he did mention that he was looking forward to the characters who play a small part in the beginning of the series but then grow...
" maybe give me a little more credit than assuming I’m gonna gut that entire story and ruin everything off a one word answer? ;)"
There's a Facebook group for the TV show that I'm in, and I found it surprising the number of people who are completely writing it off now after that one answer...