Normally I'm super aware of events in my range of interests going on, but work had me stress out to no end for a few months and I did NO Comic-Con research. It is for this sad reason that I didn't learn about Nerd HQ until Sunday afternoon during Comic-Con. The sadness of not checking it out was heightned today as I was listening to The Nerdist podcast episode with Zachary Levi.
Zachary, in addition to playing the awesome Chuck Bartowski, is part of the Nerd Machine team. They rented out a venue in the Gaslamp District and turned it into a nerd hangout. Apparently there were video games (not my thing), panels (totally my thing), and the opportunity to meet new nerd friends and share my interests. If you want to learn more about the now closed Nerd HQ here is the link to the website: http://www.thenerdmachine.com/nerd-hq/.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Torchwood: Miracle Day - Anyone Watching?
I'm new to the Torchwood world. In fact, I'm still catching up with Doctor Who (I know!). While I was at Comic-Con I attended the screening for the third episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day. I must admit my motives weren't that I wanted information on the show... more like I heard the cast was going to stop by and I couldn't pass up a chance to see John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness) in person. He did not disappoint. My Dad, the Torchwood fan, gave me some vital information to understand a bit of what would be happening since I hadn't seen the first two episodes. I enjoyed the episode and have since caught up with the first two. I need to eventually go back and watch the rest of Torchwood that is out there, but I won't get to that until I finish Doctor Who. I'm curious how Torchwood fans view this incarnation of the series. From the few reviews I read online some people feel it is too "Americanized" and doesn't have the feeling of the original British roots. Are you tuning in to see the weekly exploits of Capt. Jack and crew?
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| John Barrowman introducing the episode at Comic-Con. |
TV Geek Out: Mad Men now available on Netflix streaming
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| Photo from AMC.com |
The set and costumes for the show are amazing and really bring you to that time period. The whole show captures the feel of New York and the advertising world at that time. I caught the first two seasons from iTunes and all I can say is I felt like I needed to drink and smoke all the time.
If you haven't seen the show now is your time to catch up... all four seasons are now available on Netflix streaming! This is also good news for fans who, like me, are sad that the new season was pushed back due to contract negotiations. Even though I own the first three seasons on Blu-ray this streaming option will allow me to re-watch episodes when I'm not at home!
For other Jon Hamm fans out there here is a link to Tumblr devoted to him... you're welcome!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Comic-Con 2011: TV comes out the winner
If I go to Comic-Con next year (really that should read "When I go to Comic-Con next year"), I will be live blogging to no end. This year I tested the waters with live tweeting for some panels I attended. If you would like to go back and read some of the nuggets of info I pulled you can find me @suzieqjenny. As a kind of recap of this year's festivities, and a precursor to the types of posts I will have here in the future I thought I'd talk a little bit about what ruled at Comic-Con this year, TV.
This was my fifth year attending Comic-Con and, as what drove me to the Con my first year, the television panels were the main event. For those of you unfamiliar with the inner workings of Comic-Con panels are hosted in about 18 rooms, the two biggest being Hall H and Ballroom 20. Hall H holds about 6,500 people while Ballroom 20 holds between 4,200-4,400 people. Typically the big movie studios host their panels in Hall H due to the amount of people looking forward to a sneak peak and more information on the big, blockbuster movies being released throughout the next year. Ballroom 20 has been reserved for the bigger television programs. It is also where I tend to spend most of my time due to my love of television.
Throughout the years I've noticed that some of TV shows are more popular than others and if you are interested in seeing the panel for one of those popular shows the best thing to do is get in line early for Ballroom 20 and spend the day there. The neat (and not so neat) thing about Comic-Con is that they don't clear the room between events. So once you're in the room you're in for the day, as long as you don't leave. If you do need to leave for any reason you can get what I call a "bathroom pass" for the panel. You just have to return back to the room before the panel is over. For me this has worked out in past years so I can see very popular panels like True Blood. (Being in the room all day has made me very familiar with some USA shows that I don't watch. I do enjoy the panels though.)
This year The line for Ballroom 20 was insane. Always. In past years the line would extend outside and be long enough that people couldn't get in. This year that line of people who couldn't get into the room in the afternoon extended far beyond the length I had ever seen. It was even longer than the line in morning before anyone has entered the room. As I said, they don't clear the rooms so some people were in there in the morning for a panel that might start at 3 or 4pm. With the amazing shows on TV nowadays I understand the need to try and wait in line. From what I heard some of the most popular panels this year were: The Walking Dead, True Blood, and Game of Thrones. I'm sure their were a ton more, but those were the ones I heard about. I know two people were in line for HOURS to see The Game of Thrones panel and only got in because they each knew someone who could sneak them past the line into the room. As this craziness for Ballroom 20 was going on, and thousands of people were turned away from panels, the line for Hall H would fluctuate from super long to non-existent and people could just walk in.
Sunday was even more interesting since they closed Ballroom 20 and had all of the TV panels in Hall H. The line was incredibly long most of the morning as the first three panels were for Glee, Supernatural, and Doctor Who (all three very popular shows). The staff of Comic-Con underestimated the popularity of these panels and they removed the last section of chairs from the room, causing about 2,000 people to stand in the back.
It will be very interesting to see if next year some of the more popular TV panels are moved to Hall H. I think the lines and number of people turned away are telling of the current entertainment landscape. I would say that we are a time when TV is producing material that is quality beyond what film is putting out there. Personally, I haven't been to the movies much in the past couple of years because I feel that the films released just aren't worth the $13 I would have to pay. The quality of TV shows we are seeing from cable stations is pushing network TV to strive to a higher level. Hopefully this will rub off on the film industry and we will be spared Transformers 4. If it doesn't then I hope Comic-Con takes note and gives the quality television shows the venue they deserve so the creative staff of those shows can truly see the fan support that is out there for them.
This was my fifth year attending Comic-Con and, as what drove me to the Con my first year, the television panels were the main event. For those of you unfamiliar with the inner workings of Comic-Con panels are hosted in about 18 rooms, the two biggest being Hall H and Ballroom 20. Hall H holds about 6,500 people while Ballroom 20 holds between 4,200-4,400 people. Typically the big movie studios host their panels in Hall H due to the amount of people looking forward to a sneak peak and more information on the big, blockbuster movies being released throughout the next year. Ballroom 20 has been reserved for the bigger television programs. It is also where I tend to spend most of my time due to my love of television.
Throughout the years I've noticed that some of TV shows are more popular than others and if you are interested in seeing the panel for one of those popular shows the best thing to do is get in line early for Ballroom 20 and spend the day there. The neat (and not so neat) thing about Comic-Con is that they don't clear the room between events. So once you're in the room you're in for the day, as long as you don't leave. If you do need to leave for any reason you can get what I call a "bathroom pass" for the panel. You just have to return back to the room before the panel is over. For me this has worked out in past years so I can see very popular panels like True Blood. (Being in the room all day has made me very familiar with some USA shows that I don't watch. I do enjoy the panels though.)
This year The line for Ballroom 20 was insane. Always. In past years the line would extend outside and be long enough that people couldn't get in. This year that line of people who couldn't get into the room in the afternoon extended far beyond the length I had ever seen. It was even longer than the line in morning before anyone has entered the room. As I said, they don't clear the rooms so some people were in there in the morning for a panel that might start at 3 or 4pm. With the amazing shows on TV nowadays I understand the need to try and wait in line. From what I heard some of the most popular panels this year were: The Walking Dead, True Blood, and Game of Thrones. I'm sure their were a ton more, but those were the ones I heard about. I know two people were in line for HOURS to see The Game of Thrones panel and only got in because they each knew someone who could sneak them past the line into the room. As this craziness for Ballroom 20 was going on, and thousands of people were turned away from panels, the line for Hall H would fluctuate from super long to non-existent and people could just walk in.
Sunday was even more interesting since they closed Ballroom 20 and had all of the TV panels in Hall H. The line was incredibly long most of the morning as the first three panels were for Glee, Supernatural, and Doctor Who (all three very popular shows). The staff of Comic-Con underestimated the popularity of these panels and they removed the last section of chairs from the room, causing about 2,000 people to stand in the back.
It will be very interesting to see if next year some of the more popular TV panels are moved to Hall H. I think the lines and number of people turned away are telling of the current entertainment landscape. I would say that we are a time when TV is producing material that is quality beyond what film is putting out there. Personally, I haven't been to the movies much in the past couple of years because I feel that the films released just aren't worth the $13 I would have to pay. The quality of TV shows we are seeing from cable stations is pushing network TV to strive to a higher level. Hopefully this will rub off on the film industry and we will be spared Transformers 4. If it doesn't then I hope Comic-Con takes note and gives the quality television shows the venue they deserve so the creative staff of those shows can truly see the fan support that is out there for them.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Comic-Con Panel Quick Review: Community
Community is one of my favorite shows on TV right now, so you better believe I was going to attend the panel at Comic-Con this year (I missed it last year). The cast was greeted to a thunderous applause as they came out on the stage. Joel Mchale, Donald Glover, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Chevy Chase, Ken Jeong, Gillian Jacobs, and Jim Rash made up the cast part of the panel. Alison Brie was away filming a movie, but kept a presence through twitter. Dan Harmon and some of the writers filled out the rest of the panel.
You could tell from the rapport of the cast that they get along and truly enjoy the show. When asked about their favorite moments of the season they all brought up special moments from other cast members and then their own.
My brother was the second person to ask a question in the Q&A portion. After introducing himself he said he was asking this question for his sister, Jenny, who get embarrassed easily. The cast then said that I shouldn't be afraid and said hi. Luckily, I was seated in the back, but it was kind of neat (and my question was awesome!).
Some things we learned about next season during the panel:
- Troy and Abed will be roommates this season.
- Michael Kenneth Williams, from The Wire, will join as a professor at Greendale.
- Jim Rash, who plays the fabulously funny Dean Pelton, will become a series regular for the next season.
- Next year they will deal with Jeff, and the rest of the study group, graduating. Dan Harmon said that it would be weird if he didn't and he wanted to respect the fans.
Here are some pictures from the panel
Twitter hash tags we were encouraged to use:
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