Comic-Con 2015: Farewell, Falling Skies!

At my first Comic-Con back in 2011, Falling Skies was a new show, and they wanted fans badly... they gave out zippered hoodies for attending the panel, which was in 6BCF back in those days. Now, with the show on its way out, there isn't much left with which to tease an audience, but the panel wormed its way into Ballroom 20 just the same! Unfortunately, listening to the dull roar of applause compared to years past, the timing of the panel (it had always been in the afternoon previously) meant that many people in the room were actually there for something later in the day.

Present on the panel moderated by Darren Franich were Moon Bloodgood, Noah Wyle, Drew Roy, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Doug Jones, Connor Jessup, Colin Cunningham, and Sarah Carter. Five winters in Vancouver are behind them now, and Jones will no longer have to endure four hours of makeup just to say a few lines. 

The panel description boasted of discussions of favorite moments, the most gruesome deaths, and the most memorable alien battles, and we definitely got some of that. Jessup shared that his character wasn't even in the original pilot, so he thought that he wouldn't last long. The most disturbing scene for Roy will pop up in episode five, where there's blood and cold humanity at its worst. Roy's most memorable moment is shooting the pilot, as the set was about a quarter-mile of running around, and there was a big explosion that almost went awry due to a domino-like fall. Amusingly, Wyle also talks about that scene being his least-favorite, as the footage was lost and they had to do the entire thing again the following night, despite the fact that Wyle was already sore from the first round of antics.

The folks asking questions seemed a bit planted, as both Wyle's son and Bloodgood's best friend's niece made it to the microphone. The best question asked, however, was what everyone's first impression was of the person to their right. We got some fun stories, and learned that Wyle and Bloodgood met in a Santa Monica coffeeshop, Bloodgood and Roy met on a plane to Vancouver to shoot the pilot, and Cunningham met Jessup as they were reading for fun (Cunningham flipping through MAD Magazine and Jessup studying Tolstoy).

One thing that Falling Skies has not done great in the past is exclusive looks ahead, as they often only show you a clip of something that will air a couple of days later, and that's what Comic-Con attendees got yet again. Also, no swag this year... it's not like promotion matters at this point, but still, it's a bit of a bummer not to leave with a parting gift of sorts!

Watch Falling Skies wrap up Sunday nights on TNT at 10pm (ET/PT).

Season Finale: Falling Skies: Still Apart

You know, I'm STILL not 100% sure who Lexi is! I also am a bit heavy-hearted over Tom's cliffhanger situation. So much of the fourth season kept the characters apart, it's frustrating to see that they may not begin the fifth season together, either. [though, of course, this show has a history of skipping ahead in time between seasons!] Plus, the potential for Tom's first wife to have become (or have been!) yet another alien creature is too much. I'm sick of the fighting to survive here... why can't we go back to trying to see how a new civilization might prosper?

Falling Skies "Space Oddity" (S04E11): Tom and Anne talk to Lexi, who claims that she wants to fight against the Espheni now, as she can control energy. Tom and Anne both turn her away, but Weaver convinces them to send her on the mission in place of Ben. [whoa.] There's damage to the ship during blastoff, so the ship is losing energy and is very cold, so Lexi has to wrap her and Tom in cocoons. [I'm skeptical...]

JAMES DITTIGER

When Hal and Anne break out Tom, the entire mission is over, and the humans have succeeded. Lexi no longer has white hair, and everything is good. But, Tom realizes that this is all an illusion, and learns that Lexi is afraid that she'll never be forgiven for killing Lourdes.
Pope shoots at Lexi, but she catches the bullet. In the end, none of it matters. [I hate episodes like this!]

Falling Skies "Shoot the Moon" (S04E12): The bomb has been destroyed because Lexi adjusted power for the sake of the ship. Lexi's "uncle" is there, as is Mira, who prepares to kill Lexi. Lexi claims that she delivered Tom as promised, but when that won't save her, Tom comes to the rescue by stabbing the Espheni. [I was totally ready to kill Lexi for everything she's doing to screw Tom!] Lexi doesn't plan to return home with Tom, but thinks she can remotely pilot the beamer to get him back. [so much more skeptical than before!]

Meanwhile, on Earth, a fog has rolled in that glues people in place. [that just sounds awful!] There are also giant slug-like critters that take over humans. [meh. so many types of danger on this show...] Anne discovers that fire is their Kryptonite, but can't kill them all before she becomes trapped, too, and they're only saved because Cochise's father leads the fight at the moon.

The season ends with Tom in a room with a female critter who seems to resemble his first wife. But, nobody knows he's there, as the beamer went MIA when the power core was destroyed.

Falling Skies: Closer to the Moon

I spent most of this episode shaking my head, rolling my eyes, and sighing. Next week we'll have a double-whammy to finish off the season, which will also be the end of our regular coverage of this series. I'm beyond the writers taking extreme liberties to make the program more exciting, appeal to a wider demographic, retain viewership by delivering something new, and whatever other justifications have been made to keep this show plugging along. I mean, seriously... it just so happens that Cochise isn't able to make the journey? I don't buy it.

JAMES DITTIGER

Falling Skies "Drawing Straws" (S04E10): Lexi has a nightmare of Ben coming to her to show her the result of what she's done: his hands have been severely damaged. [random!] She learns to defy gravity, then finds out that she's progressing so well that the Espheni are planning to use her to kill. She winds up killing her Espheni "father." [but her uncle is still out there!]

Matt has entered his teenager rebellious phase, and, as a result, doesn't listen to Tom aboard the Espheni ship. [not impressed.] As Cochise can't go on the trip, Tom assumes he'll be saving the day, but others want the opportunity to be a hero and demand a random draw. [why let Tom pick the papers??] Ben and Tom win the honors, and Anne wonders if Tom rigged it. [plus, Ben was foreshadowed to be on this mission...] He admits to doing so, and encourages his sons to make up before the mission. Except, when Hal goes to accept Ben's apology, he finds his brother making out with Maggie... again. [ugh!] The two blame it on the spikes, but it's not really believed. Just as the two Mason men are about to launch, there's a series of explosions and Lexi returns. [WHERE in the world is this drama going??!?]

Falling Skies: Heading to the Moon?

I really enjoyed listening to Tom recite President Kennedy's speech, and I guess I'm happy that Tom and Anne are married (I had forgotten that they weren't), but otherwise I found this episode rather draining. There's not even a wedding to look forward to, as the proposal and the ceremony were practically one after the other! The return of Mira, who was once a love interest for Matt, had potential, but, just as Tom and Weaver did, I was suspicious of her as soon as she started talking.

JAMES DITTIGER

She caused some unnecessary grief, as did the Sara-Pope plotline - who cares? The Ben-Maggie-Hal love triangle is now also officially a "thing," and it doesn't look like it will be quickly resolved. Furthermore, the idea that the 2nd Mass must now FLY TO THE MOON has me staring at the screen in disbelief, like a deer stuck in headlights. As the season begins to wrap up, I wonder if it should really just be dying down. 

Falling Skies "Till Death Do Us Part" (S04E09): The moon seems to be powering the Espheni machines, so to knock them out, the 2nd Mass will need to fly to the moon and shut everything down at the source. Everyone works to uncover the buried "beamer," but Cochise leads Weaver, Anne, Matt, and Tom to a stockpile of high-tech devices to help. [why have the area written to be a toxic waste dump where the characters must wear gas masks to avoid the chlorine??] Mira is there, and while Matt is excited to see her again, Tom ties her up while they dig. [and apparently nobody thinks they should keep a close eye on Matt...] She talks Matt into untying her, then blows the whistle that summons the Espheni to "dissidents." They arrive, there's gunfire, but the 2nd Mass is still victorious, even if there were a few wounds. [I really think a death would have been more believable here.] Plus, they now have Mira's whistle, which Cochise is able to deconstruct in order to control Espheni devices, and he raises the buried beamer. [so it won't even take long to get to the moon, huh?]

Maggie can't control her senses or strength, so Ben helps her work on tuning out others' conversations, jumping from heights, and sharpshooting. They kiss, Hal sees, then Maggie realizes it must be the spikes that are drawing her to Ben, nothing more. Hal later slugs Ben, and tells him to give up on Maggie. [but, as Comic-Con suggested, the brothers are not done vying for the girl.]

Also, Pope thinks Sara is taking drugs, but it's actually only aspirin. [yawn!]

Falling Skies: Stayling Alive

Weaver standing by Matt as he tried to find his father amongst the rubble was pretty heartwarming. I imagine that Dingaan's memories were also supposed to tug at one's heartstrings, but the montage did not connect with me in the way it was likely designed to. Instead, I found the Tom-Dingaan plot to be a bit stale and a waste of a set, something that seems to plague the budget of this epic series this season. What was gained from having the pair underground (which not only took money to build, but likely extra instruments to light and more time to block) for the episode? it seems that every time I think about the forthcoming fifth season, I fear just how over-the-top it may be.

JAMES DITTIGER

Falling Skies "A Thing With Feathers" (S04E08): Ben and Lexi see Espheni mutating humans into the multi-legged creature Jeanne was. [meh. too bad they made such a big thing out of that cocoon for Lexi to now be gone to the dark side for good!]

When the folks underground are certain it's safe, they go search for survivors. [and kill aliens still around.] Hal finds Maggie alive, but unable to move her legs. Anne suspects a spinal cord injury and internal bleeding, which may leave her quadriplegic. Hal wants Anne to use anything possible, even when Maggie says she doesn't want to possibly injure a formerly harnessed kid to heal. [grrr, Hal!] Hal proceeds to make it happen, but it doesn't work. However, Ben soon returns from trying to save Lexi, and asks Anne to transplant his spikes to Maggie, even if it kills him. [stupid Hal for not thinking his brother had ulterior motives!] Cochise gives Anne advice in the procedure, and both young adults recover.

Tom crawls around under rubble and finds a trapped Dingaan. After helping him, the two search for an escape, and wind up surfacing inside the downed spaceship. Moments later, Tom is infected by something that Dingaan must rip from his veins, only to trigger a giant grenade. [are we collectively rolling our eyes yet?] When it blows up, Weaver and Matt find the survivors, sheltered from the blast.

Falling Skies: What the Future Holds

So.... *spoiler alert*, I was a little confused when Maggie couldn't be found. I wasn't expecting her to die, given the large portion of the Falling Skies Comic-Con panel devoted to talking about the love triangle on the drama, but the preview for the next episode suggests that she's just lost the use of her legs. That's still a big deal and will probably cause extra contention that the 2nd Mass doesn't need, but with the other casualties this episode, I am glad they haven't completely wiped out the characters we know and root for, even if we don't love them, per se. I know that sounds a bit ruthless, but if you stop to think about it, the series really hasn't done a fantastic job in making you genuinely care for the characters... as least not in recent seasons!

Falling Skies "Saturday Night Massacre" (S04E07): Lexi breaks out from the cocoon and is initially weak, but quickly regains her strength, as well as her determination to return to the Espheni, as she believes humans will never get past their fear and trust in peace. [but it wasn't really explained why she was in the cocoon in the first place?!?]

JAMES DITTIGER

As Pope pulls a gun, Lourdes begs to accompany Lexi, but Lexi just kills her. [yep!] Anne mourns deeply, Hal is ready to disown his sister, and Tom isn't sure which side to take, not sure if Lexi killed or if the Espheni make her kill. [good point.] Dr. Kadar doesn't know what to do, either. Ben heads after Lexi, telling Maggie he's doing recon, and making Matt promise not to tell anyone. Matt soon tells Anne & Tom, and although Ben finds Lexi, she isn't willing to help her family and friends. [I wonder what Ben's next move is?]

Another invasion seems to be upon them, and the 2nd Mass checks out the real-time troops map, asking Cochise for help. His team buys them about twelve hours by blowing up a bridge, but that seems to be all they can do. Sara wants to flee to Florida, but Pope wants to keep killing aliens. [yeah... that's still all he's living for, I guess.] Some of the more brainwashed young adults stand in a line, intending to show that they mean no harm and believe they will be spared, but they're soon shot by the Espheni. [that should have been a tip-off that a bloodbath would soon follow.] At least 70 people die in the first battalion's fight, including Dr. Kadar, who gives Anne Lexi's blood samples, apologizing that he wasn't able to save her. [eh. he wasn't that great of a character anyway.] Tom wants to play opossum for the next wave of Espheni, so the remaining survivors go underground, except for Maggie, who is missing. Tom also stays above ground, with the intent to do some shooting, but another guy knocks him out and acts as a kamikaze sniper to wipe out some aliens. 

Falling Skies: Taking Opposing Sides

I'm not really much of a science fiction person. Longtime readers know that I never meant to watch Falling Skies, and at this point I'm ready for the fifth season to come and this series to end. That's sad to say, especially because I just came from Comic-Con and sat in a room of a couple thousand fans of the show, but it's true. This latest episode finally got everyone back together (which had been my primary complaint thus far this season), and I'll admit that it's interesting to see Tom and Hal on opposite sides of an issue. However, this Ben-Maggie-Hal wannabe love triangle is enough to make me gag, and Weaver becoming all sentimental because he has lost his child (for like the fourth time) makes me glaze over and stop paying attention. There's still time for this season to turn around, but they need to make some decisions pretty quickly... 

Falling Skies "Door Number Three" (S04E06): Ben dreams of being intimate with Maggie when Hal gets home, bleeding from the chest. [when did this shenanigan start to come about, anyway?] Fortunately, when Hal, Pope, and that group really arrive, no major scenes are made. Soon afterward, Tom, Weaver, and Matt also join, and that's when the latest happenings with Lexi are shared. And, by latest happenings, in addition to controlling the weather to some degree and meeting with the Espheni, Lexi has now enveloped herself into a cocoon. [because there's no limit to the weird on this program.]

JAMES DITTIGER

Anne wants to destroy it immediately, but because she has escaped from one before, Dr. Kadar tries a medicine to help her repressed memories surface. [... and now, for some reason, the writers want us to know that Anne had a son named Sammy at one point.] As she tries to put together the pieces, Tom fights to keep Lexi safe, as Hal, Pope, and a large group want to get to the bottom of what Lexi is.

2014 Comic-Con: Friday's TV Panels

Yesterday we saw television panels for three series and a scholarly approach. Today, our television panels included three for series, two for behind-the-scenes writing, and one on the translation of television to comics. Nope, this isn't exactly what we planned initially... we didn't make it to iZombie due to a time-ticketed exhibit, but learned that they weren't able to show the pilot in its entirety anyway (due to re-casting), so no major loss. We purposely chose to skip The Unexplained Files due to the additional information that was released describing the panel. But, we thew in another series and two different sessions discussing how pilots come to be, and what it takes to write one, so that's different. Included below are some highlights from these  events - look for more in-depth articles in the future. And, be sure to follow us on SmugMug, on Twitter or on Facebook for the latest throughout Comic-Con!

Writing for TV: From First Draft to Getting Staffed, with Spiro Skentzos, Karen Horne, Keto Shimizu, David Schulner, and David Slack.
- The more television you watch, the better you will be at identifying event triggers, character goals, and the stakes of a dilemma, which will improve a writer's ability to create those things.
- It's helpful to write a character description in both the first and third persons so you can get into their head and think of how they'll say things.
- You need more than just a spec script for a currently airing show and your pilot. Create content to showcase your abilities. With that, write what you know.

photo: Amy K. Bredemeyer

The Chair: One Script, Two Visions, One Winner, with Zachary Quinto, Dan Schoffer, Josh Shader, Shane Dawson, and Anna Martemucci.
- Martemucci was paranoid about being filmed as she directed, knowing that similar things have wreaked havoc on families.
- Dawson really learned to be patient through this project. He's accustomed to just putting an ad on Craigslist, getting an actor, and paying them. Now, he had a month to cast, a budget to work with, etc.
- Dawson won't be leaving YouTube behind after eight years of videos, but he thinks he'll need to change it, even if that's just slowing down to one video each week.

photo: Amy K. Bredemeyer

The 100 Special Video Presentation and Q&A, with Jason Rothenberg, Eliza Taylor, Isaiah Washington, Ricky Whittle, Lindsay Morgan, Devon Bostick, and Marie Avgeropoulos.
- The second season has fewer than 68 people alive. BUT, the title of the series doesn't refer to the number of people, but rather the name of the project.
- More information about the languages of the Grounders will come out - we even heard Avgreropoulos speak a bit in the tongue!
- Getting dirty happens much quicker than getting clean, so the actors don't mind wearing rags, because they're not spending hours in the makeup chair!
- If they had to spend a week with a castmate, Taylor would pick Bostick because he's funny, Whittle would pick Morgan because she can cook, and Avgreropoulos would pick Bostick because Canadians know how to survive!
- Most of the characters are now on the ground, so there will be some strange pairings in the near future. 

photo: Amy K. Bredemeyer

Falling Skies Season 4 Panel, with Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, Will Patton, Drew Roy, Sarah Carter, Maxim Knight, Doug Jones, Scarlett Byrne, and David Eich.
- Sarah calls the second half of the season "gnarly"!!
- Yet another variation on the species we've seen will come about.
- Bloodgood liked working with different actors this season, because although it was unfamiliar, it was also refreshing.
- Wyle thinks that the structure of this season allowed for a lot of the characters to develop their leadership skills.
- Anne will have a flashback to her life with a son.
- Patton noted that "Weaver feels a certain amount of things in his heart as Lexi makes him think about Jeanne." The character becomes one of Lexi's biggest proponents because of that. Also, he wants his character to have one more shot at love before the end of the series.
- Wyle hopes that Tom will get to be a founding father in the next society.
- Jones would like Cochise to understand what peace is and have a heart-to-heart with his father, then remain behind with his human friends. (and maybe move to Atlanta and become the head of programming at TNT, haha!)

photo: Amy K. Bredemeyer

Roar Comics: Saved by the Bell, Punky Brewster, and More, with Adam Staffaroni, Chynna Clugston Flores, Anne Toole, Lesley Vamos, and Brandon Easton.
- In the Punky Brewster comic, Henry becomes the title character's mother's cousin. I had never thought about society no longer accepting a young girl living with an elderly unmarried man!
- Henry's job has also been upgraded to him being a successful traveling photographer, so the storylines will take them out of Chicago.
- Original characters like Alan, Margeaux, Cherie, and Betty are still there.
- The Saved by the Bell comic maintains the Zack-Kelly-Slater love triangle.
- They will be starting a Care Bears comic book in 2015! Also, be on the lookout for Madballs and Packages from Planet X.

How to Write a Pilot, with Gray Jones, Jen Grisanti, William Rabkin, Bill Taub, and Carole Kirschner.
- Although it's tough to sell a pilot without being established, Extant was written by a nobody. Mad Men also didn't sell until the creator had done other things.
- Writing your own show demonstrates an original voice, which can be great... but some showrunners want to see people who write in their tone, so specs are sometimes better.
- With that, you should really have a dossier of 2-3 original pilots and a few spec scripts so if anyone wants to read more of your work, you have it available!
- The series Bible has gone from the 40 pages of the 90s to just 6-15 pages now, but you should still know everything about your characters.

photo: Jonathan Bredemeyer

* find more pictures of these panels, plus others, the exhibit floor, and off-site events at our SmugMug site!

Falling Skies: Splitting Up Again

I'm really not a fan of dramatic episodes that don't seem to add much to the overall story arc, and I feel as if "Mind Wars" was one of those. Something happens with Tom, Matt, and Weaver as they're on a journey, but they're back to status quo by the end of the episode. Hal gets his group further on their trip to join Lourdes & Co., but they don't make it all the way there and who is going to care in the future how they crossed the road? Lexi gets sick, Lexi gets better. Where's the carry-over material? Plus, although we had some merging of the groups recently, which allows the viewer to be more relaxed as they watch the series (fewer entirely different plotlines to follow), the potential of Tom running separately on his own again was a bit daunting. It's bad enough that it seems as if Anne and Lexi won't be able to co-exist for much longer...

Falling Skies "Mind Wars" (S04E05): Matt doesn't want Tom to shoot a rabbit, even though they haven't eaten in three days. [great. just what this environment needs... a conscientious objector!] They come upon a shack with a message of where to go, and narrowly escape some supernatural critters.

BETTINA STRAUSS

They're still with Weaver, but Chochise separates to head back to his own group. The trio come across a pair of brothers who idolize Tom, but the free food is too good to be true, and they kidnap Tom in the night, telling him Matt and Weaver were shot. [seriously??!?] Tom tries to get them to turn on one another, then appeals to the humanity of one who was a father. [yeah, they really do need a term to describe people who have lost a child...] Meanwhile, Weaver and Matt track them and prepare to kill the captor, but Matt can't do it. [I didn't think he could.] One of the brothers admits he killed the other's children so the two of them could survive. [O.M.G.!!] The childless father kills the murderer, then is about to shoot Tom when Weaver comes up and saves his friend. [phew!]

Hal tries to find a way to cross a road being patrolled, and Pope and Sara help out. Then, they find out there's a real-time way of tracking the patrols, and are able to travel to set a course for Lourdes, Anne, Lexi, Ben, Maggie, and the Espheni-Free Zone. [but will it actually be that simple...?]

Anne interrogates an Espheni, who hurts Ben through their spike connection. [ouch!] Then, when she talks to Lexi, the girl hurts her, before falling ill and developing a fever over 120 degrees. [yep, she's not human!] When the Espheni won't help Lexi, Anne starts to beat on one, but he's connected to Ben, who suffers the internal injuries. [that was pretty horrible!] The Espheni suggest flower tea, which brings Lexi to consciousness. She suggests that she's been forced to choose between Anne and her Espheni father, so she protects him. [and that might cause another divide...]

My 2014 Comic-Con TV Panels

In a week, it'll all be over. San Diego Comic-Con (known by many simply as "Comic-Con") begins on Wednesday night at 6pm and runs until Sunday at 5pm. Plans for the convention begin over a year in advance, and the dates for the subsequent event are generally known before the current one ends. Online pre-registration for badges takes hours. Determining your hotel order for the lottery is a lengthy process. But what really takes time and effort is planning how you'll make the most of those four days... from panels to see to booths to visit, from autograph possibilities to sorting through shopping exclusives, from to sifting through film schedules to discerning the best off-site activities, the work involved is great. [flashback to our previous SDCC schedules: 2011, 2012, 2013.] And that's considering you've been before and don't need to learn how to get around San Diego, where to eat, and how the logistics of attending work.

Because of the amount of work involved (note that I haven't even mentioned the hours spent in lines yet), outsiders don't think Comic-Con is worth the hassle and expense. It is a pricey event (for starters, the vast majority of hotel options come in over $180/night), but it's also one of a kind. Repeat attendees share a camaraderie like no other; once you've been initiated into SDCC, you understand. You share a kindred spirit with all who swarm upon the San Diego Convention Center, whether they be comic book collectors, zombie fanatics, wannabe filmmakers, creative cosplayers, or another variety of pop culture junkie. Folks at Comic-Con appreciate the passion everyone has for something, regardless of whether there's overlap in interest, and that's what makes the ambiance of the environment truly special.

All of that said, I've painstakingly narrowed down my selections and made my schedule for how I will spend Comic-Con this year. I still have twelve television panels on my list, but I'm not going to be camping out in Ballroom 20 or 6 BCF all day to maximize my TV program exposure. Why? Because I have other interests, too, and can't wait for my geek-out moments, which inevitably happen (like after the Disney Afternoon panel last year).

So, without further ado, here are the television panels I'm hoping to see, tweet, and report on this year:

Thursday, July 24th
10:30-11:30am: Legends of TV Land (Indigo Ballroom, Hilton Bayfront), featuring Betty White, among others, who will answer questions about making history on television. Plus, a look at the animated episode of Hot in Cleveland.

11:30am - 12:30pm: Dig: A USA Network Event Series (Indigo Ballroom, Hilton Bayfront), an inside look at this fast-paced international thriller, with actors participating via satellite from Israel.

8-9pm: Psychology of Cult TV Shows (Room 23ABC), will feature several scholars and scientists and examine the cult followings of shows like Doctor Who, Firefly, and Buffy. As someone who has studied Rocky Horror cult fanatics, I'm especially interested in the scholars.

Friday, July 25th
11:30am-12:30pm: iZombie Pilot Screening and Q&A (Room6BCF), for the new CW series that will premiere midseason.

1:30-2:30pm: The Chair: One Script, Two Visions, One Winner (Marriott Hall 2), for the new Starz series. Both directors and the creator will be there, and scenes from the movies and the series will be shown. I've already written a little about this show, and look forward to more.

4:30-5:30pm: Falling Skies: Season 4 Panel (Room 6BCF), for what may very well be the final panel for this post-apocalyptic television show. I've seen the three before this one (2011, 2012, 2013), and while they're not groundbreaking and tend to show you a clip from the very next episode, they're a goof time.

5:30-6:30pm: Roar Comics: Saved by the Bell, Punky Brewster, and More (Room 8), because I love that some of my favorite characters are in serialized narrative format. Some announcements are also promised, so perhaps more television shows are going that way?

7-8pm: The Unexplained Files (Room 7AB), from Science Channel, will be taking a deeper look at stuff you can't believe. It's as simple as that, but still truly fascinating, plus there will be scholars, eye witnesses, and prizes.

Saturday, July 26th:
10-11am: Why Not Serious? Comedy vs. Drama in Animation (Room 9), caught my eye because I hadn't thought about how little action and adventure is in cartoons. I grew up with Danger Mouse, and The Awesomes is around, but the big 80s/90s X-Men, Batman, and the like aren't really there anymore, so I am interested in the theories as to why not.

5-6pm: The Digital Revolution: The Convergence of Television and the Internet (Indigo Ballroom, Hilton Bayfront), will hopefully offer more information than I've already been learning lately about how ratings are changing and people are "cord-cutting."

8-11pm: Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment: The Flash, Constantine, Arrow, and the World Premiere of Gotham (Hall H) may be too tough to get into, as the Gotham pilot is very highly anticipated, plus a full viewing of The Flash will also entice people, but I'm game to try.

Sunday, July 27th:
10:15-11:15am Sesame Street & Pop Culture: 45 Years of Spoofs on the 'Street' (Room 6A) is near and dear to by heart. Two new parodies (on Comic-Con and Star Wars, no less!), plus looking at how popular culture has influenced the iconic show, with muppeteers on the panel.

Yeah, you probably noticed that there are quite a few gaps in this schedule... so what else am I planning on seeing, panel-wise? Well, Thursday features a Hanna-Barbera offering I don't want to miss, plus a Goonies discussion, and a look at retro 90s stuff. Friday and Saturday I'll hit a little of the Film Festival for a little bit of old-time Disney magic, plus take in a few how-to sessions about writing television shows. And Sunday I'm back at my old scholarly ways with an anthropological study panel, plus the making of the LEGO movie. Keep checking back as we report on the many distinct facets that make up Comic-Con!

Falling Skies: Changing Characters

Matt reuniting with Tom was great, but now it seems that they are no longer with Hal's (large) group, so we continue to have to follow three sets of activities, even if it does seem they may condense further shortly. And, for some reason, the drama feels the need to add more characters (not THAT many have died!), like Sara, whom joined the entourage by way of defending her property from Pope (see image below). There's also Matt's friend, Mira, and Cochise's second-in-command, Shak-chic (Shaq, for short), plus Lexi's cult followers. I'm having a difficult time trying to figure out where the series is going with this, but expanding the cast could have a powerful impact on the program's direction...

ALAN ZENUK

Falling Skies "Evolve or Die" (S04E04): Tom & Co. reach Cochise, who tells them of the children's camp where Matt is being held. Tom takes off to save the kids while Hal holds down the fort and arranges for rations and rest for the 71 people now in his charge. [dang. lie is rough on Falling Skies.] When Hal insists on following his father's orders regarding scouting radius, however, Pope decides to take matters into his own hands and takes off in a truck. When he finds some fuel, there's a woman protecting it, and she drugs him to take his truck. [ha!] But, they're soon attacked, and Pope manages to not only regain control, but also bring her along to help evacuate the group before danger gets there, too. Hal isn't happy about going against Tom's directions, but as the Espheni approach, he decides it might be best to move toward the location he hears Lourdes broadcasting her location, courtesy of Dingaan's technology savoir-faire.

Meanwhile, while Cochise leads Tom and Weaver to Matt, they're attacked by a mysterious creature, and Cochise falls unconscious to heal himself. Weaver and Tom continue on, but the kids whistle to alert authorities, though Mira leads them to Matt, who was being beaten up by his squad leader in solitary confinement. [I love how protective Tom is... but I still can't get past seeing Noah Wyle as John Carter, who wouldn't wail on a kid...] Time is against the Masons, but they can't find Weaver and must escape with Mira's help. [awww. I was hoping she'd get to come along!] Turns out, Weaver was again attacked and dragged outside... and it turns out that his stalker is none other than his daughter, Jeanne, who has been transformed by the Espheni. [we better get more information about this process next episode!] Unfortunately, a Skitter kills her.

Elsewhere, Anne is dumbfounded that people pretty much worship her daughter, but when Ben and Maggie tell her what else they know, the mother confronts her daughter, and practically destroys the peaceful covenant in place between Lexi and the Espheni.

Falling Skies: Condensing Groups

I'm really glad that Anne's group has merged with Ben/Lexi/Maggie, and that Tom/Hal/Pope/Weaver are now free and on the move, because I am definitely not a fan of these multiple-location storylines. Matt in the re-education camp is unique enough that I can handle it, but the four distinct sets of happenings was really getting on my nerves, and it's only the third episode of the season! In all seriousness, though, I think that this series has endless possibilities (based on how we've seen it grow to this point), but I don't think that it should keep going. Take the rest of the season to get it to a non-cliffhanger point, and retire the drama. Maybe I'm biased because I can only take so many supernatural elements on television, but I can't keep running with how far-fetched this drama is getting.

Falling Skies "Exodus" (S04E03): Tom and Hal chat about Led Zeppelin while discussing if they'll really be able to break out before problems start to take place in another 60 or so hours. A suit is made to let someone climb over the fenceand deactivate it with a bomb... in ninety seconds. [that seems like no time at all!] Then, everyone will escape through the tunnels. Though he's not the most trusted individual, Pope winds up being the one to do it, and drops the bag with the bomb, which takes so much time to retrieve that his suit begins to fall apart and he's hurt. He activates the bomb, and knocked unconscious as it doesn't completely sever the tie to the blimp. [haha, funny that the Masons were discussing Zeppelin, eh?] 

facebook.com/fallingskies

Then, two elderly people fall behind in the evacuation and a skitter follows them, causing ruckus on the other end of the escape as Hal leads the fight. [not gonna lie, I actually got a little worried for the people there.] Fortunately, Tom rides around on a motorcycle to get skitters to chase him, leading many away from the people barricaded near the fence. Pope gains consciousness and busts the fence's one remaining thread, as Tom annihilates a large group of skitters. [that was pretty cool, actually.] Only one casualty occurred in all of this, but it is unclear whether the group will remain a unit with their first taste of freedom in four months. 

Ben tells Maggie about Alexis in the woods with the Espheni. They confront her, and Lexi breaks Maggie's wrist. [what the hell?? this girl is above every law, huh?] Maggie pulls a gun on her, but they manage to resolve things amicably.

Anne collapses because she has been giving away her rations. She dreams of the Espheni impregnating her and knows Lexi is close, so when she comes to, they are soon able to locate Lexi, Ben, and the cult followers. [yeah, there's two different cults on this series now, and that weirds me out!]

Sheila brought in her parents to the re-education camp, and although her dad buys into the ruse immediately, her mom is upset. Matt's friend is worried that she's not strong enough to avoid the brainwashing, and when she steals some pliers, he takes the blame. [man, those Mason men are admirable and good-hearted!] 

RETURNING: Falling Skies: As I Shake My Head...

The season premiere really disappointed me. One of the biggest letdowns of last season was the fact that time passed and viewers were never fully let in on the events that took place off-screen. Well, the same thing has happened again, only this time we're missing four months instead of seven. However, it appears that much more serious happenings occurred, and the in media res is really getting on my nerves. Plus, in the second episode, we learn that Tom is going to have some side-scheming, which isn't the most believable storyline for the red-blooded American Mason. My interest in this series is waning, and I don't know that I'll be able to handle this season without constantly ranting...

Falling Skies "Ghost in the Machine" (S04E01): The group has been traveling for 20 days, and are just coming up on Charleston when they're attacked. [what else is new?]

Four months later, Tom carves the Gettysburg Address into the wall of a cell where he has been for two months. He's also drawing a map of the outside world, as he can escape and return as he desires. [then why come back? I don't know.] At some point before he was captured, he learned from Cochise that the Espheni have some secret new plan, and there are camps of people all over the world. Weaver is in an adjacent room, and is going crazy. He works tirelessly at breaking down his bed to get a weapon, but Tom talks him out of being destructive. [that was kinda freaky.]

Hal lives "in town" and is trying to de-activate the wall that's keeping everyone from traveling. He finds that Pope is hoarding things, and a fight breaks out when Hal tries to get a generator. 

facebook.com/fallingskies

In a non-war-ravaged area of Chinatown, Maggie introduces an injured Ben to a cultish area where everyone listens to Lourdes, who is protecting a now-16-year-old Lexi who wears a necklace symbolizing unity. [weird, I know.]

Someplace else, Matt is in a school for the New Coalition, where he is also taught to value anti-conflict. He is a squad leader who has to convince kids that there is false propaganda they must unlearn... while secretly hosting meetings with others trying to stop more kids from being brought to the school.

Anne leads a group in search of Lexi and other kids, and they find a truck full of children en route to an unknown location.

Falling Skies "The Eye" (S04E02): Tom is still breaking out of holding and acting as a vigilante Ghost, then returning to continue mapping the surrounding area. But, this backfires when the extraterrestrials are so infatuated with capturing the Ghost that all captives are released to help hunt him down... and if he isn't found, the people will starve. [that sucks.] Tom talks to someone who has gotten out of these walled areas before, then hears from Cochise that the Espheni are building a new power station so they can go on the offensive. [that can't be good.] Cochise can't get them food, but he'll go to the encampment and see if he can get Matt. Then, Tom reveals himself as Ghost, and is asked to be part of the war effort if he wants his family spared. [rolling my eyes here, folks.] Elsewhere in the walled areas, Weaver follows Pope to see where he hides his supplies, but he's also followed. The duo then find an underground tunnel.

Ben talks to Dr. Kadar about Lexi, who is only a year old but now looks 21. [yeah. still weird.] The doctor is worried about her rapid aging, but Lourdes tries to keep both him and Ben from Lexi, though the girl welcomes her brother. Because he swears to always protect her, she consents to Kadar running some tests, angering Lourdes, which, in turn, bothers Lexi. Ben insists on protecting his sister, and enlists Maggie's help. 

In the re-education camp, the new girl kisses Matt, but the bigger problem is that one of Matt's fellow rebels, Skip, has disappeared. [yeah, uh huh, he "graduated."]

On the roads, Anne and her troops learn about Lexi and the re-education camps, and head west.

2014-2015 Season: ABC Drama

ABC has seven new dramas, the same number as last year. Only having two premiere in the fall is a bit blah, but everyone is gunning to get rid of "pilot season" anyway, so let's not take that too seriously. There are a lot of familiar faces on these series, but the premises aren't that exciting. In fact, I'm only game to try two of them, and don't have strong feelings for either. While there may be a mix of mystery, procedural, law-and-order, thriller, and superhero in there, ABC might be stretching itself a bit thin if they want viewers tuning into multiple new series this time around.

Red titles I'm not interested in. Green titles I'm going to try out. "Who" covers actors, writers, creators, etc. "Where" covers the location of the series. "What" describes the basics of the premise.

First, the fall premieres:

Forever
Who? Judd Hirsch (Numb3rs), Joel David Moore (you've seen him guest in things like Bones as Colin and Avatar as Dr. Spellman)
Where? New York City
What? A medical examiner is trying to get to the bottom of how he has been alive for 200  years.
My Thoughts: It's billing itself as a procedural (AKA "case of the week" stuff where something small may factor into the longer plotline), and the ME stuff tends to creep me out, so I'm going to pass.

How to Get Away With Murder
Who? Viola Davis (The Help), Liza Weil (Paris on Gilmore Girls), Aja Naomi King (Cassandra on Emily Owens, MD). and it's created by Shonda Rhimes, of Grey's Anatomy and Scandal. 
Where? Present day Philadelphia
What? A law professor and four of her students live out the title.
My Thoughts: I can't help but wonder how three shows with the same creator will do running back-to-back. I'm not a fan of the other two works, but I'm going to give this one at least a shot because of the cast. My biggest concern is how they'll make the premise last. 

And, the midseason fill-ins:

Marvel’s Agent Carter 
Who?  Hayley Atwell reprises her role from Captain America.
Where? 1946
What? A female agent must work administration while also performing secret missions for Howard Stark.
My Thoughts: I think ABC is going to hit the same problem they had with Once Upon a Time in Wonderland... the same demo can only be expected to take so much of a good thing, and they already have Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which didn't do quite as well as anticipated. I pass.

 
Secrets and Lies
Who? Ryan Phillippe, Natalie Martinez (the deputy on Under the Dome)
Where? well, not in an urban area, given both the image to the right and the fact that the dead kid is found in a backyard.
What? An innocent guy is suspected of murdering a kid.
My Thoughts: Riffing off an Australian series, this might do okay, though I don't see a broad appeal, especially with so many similar things in the market right now.

 
The Whispers
Who? Lily Rabe (American Horror Story), Milo Ventimiglia (Jess from Gilmore Girls)
Where? Not sure. The base material was written in 1951, so they have some choices.
What? Aliens have invaded the Earth, using children to achieve world domination.
My Thoughts: It's based on a Ray Bradbury short story, Zero Hour, and was previously called The Visitors. Frankly, Falling Skies is enough extraterrestrial life for me, plus I don't get a good vibe from what I've seen so far.

American Crime
Who? Felicity Huffman (Dana on Sports Night and Lynette on Desperate Housewives), Penelope Ann Miller (Elizabeth Grey on Mistresses, among other things)
Where? Modesto, CA
What? A war vet and his wife were brutally attacked in their home, and there are four suspects.
My Thoughts: Race, class, and gender politics are all apparently explored in this series, but I don't know that I'm up for that heavy of a series when tied up in a lengthy legal battle. Plus, how will it sustain a second season? I'm notsomuch a one-season-special person.

Members Only
Who? Betsy Brandt (last season she played Michael J. Fox's wife on his show)
Where? present day Connecticut
What? Formerly known as The Club, this is a soap focused on a family who owns several upscale country clubs, as well as the workers of these establishments.
My Thoughts: I'm game to give it a try. I think it'll be next summer before it actually airs, though, given that AC doesn't even have a single mention of it on their actual site, hence no picture.

Photo Recapping 2013 Comic-Con: Vehicles

"Vehicles" may sound like a strange category for a photo recap, but, trust me and the 130,000 people who were at Comic-Con, it's not. In fact, the variety of vehicles is rather extreme, from pedicabs to sports cars to ships. Below is a smattering of the different modes of transportation that we spotted this year! make sure to scroll down toward the bottom to see all of the superhero cars!

Once Upon a Time's third season, set in Neverland, decked out some pedicabs! Amy K. Bredemeyer

a front shot of the Once Upon a Time pedicab, complete with costumed bicyclists! Jonathan Bredemeyer

Hell on Wheels customized the light rail that goes right by the Convention Center! Jonathan Bredemeyer

Revolution decided to dress-up a shuttle bus! Jonathan Bredemeyer

another post-apocalyptic drama, Falling Skies had a bus of its own at an off-site activity rally! Jonathan Bredemeyer

Scooby-Doo is the passenger in this van! Amy Bredemeyer

inside Nerd HQ, they had their own promotion vehicle! Jonathan Bredemeyer

Superman had his car in blue, of course. Jonathan Bredemeyer

I loved the Justice League SUV, especially the individual headrests! Jonathan Bredemeyer

another group car shot! Jonathan Bredemeyer

a new-age Batmobile. Jonathan Bredemeyer

Green Lantern's color scheme caught me by surprise! Jonathan Bredemeyer

who could forget Aquaman? Jonathan Bredemeyer

last but not least, Flash! Jonathan Bredemeyer

the Jackdaw from Assassin's Creed IV. even video games got into the action! Jonathan Bredemeyer

a different kind of ship... this one was for a relay race of sorts that began at Skywalker
Ranch and went all the way to Comic-Con! Jonathan Bredemeyer

last but not least, and it may be the largest stretch of the definition of "vehicle,"
but here's the Despicable Me 2 blimp! Jonathan Bredemeyer

It is difficult to select a favorite, but I have to say that I really liked the pedicabs in comparison to years past, and the train really looked neat in the old-timey facade. We had also seen the Despicable Me blimp before (in San Francisco), but my sister asked for a picture so we snapped a few when it appeared. I think the ships were the most surprising, as there were a couple of others, too. In fact, it was surprising how often "nautical" came up this Con! More pictures coming soon!

Season Finale: Falling Skies: Relocation

When Falling Skies began, I wasn't certain that it would be a great series. At the time, post-apocalyptic dramas were just coming to prominence, and the first season turned out to be very intriguing and worth watching. As time went on, however, the series began to decline, and this third set of installments really fell below an acceptable level. Still, TNT renewed the show for a fourth season, though one can only imagine what sorts of antics might occur after this bunch! One of the most outstanding issues in this season is that the bulk of the events of the seven months between seasons two and three were never divulged. Countless loose ends exist at this point, as arcs constantly give way to other, more "pressing" happenings, and deciding in which direction the series should go has become an exhausting, confusing, and mind-bending conflict.

Falling Skies "Brazil" (S03E10): Weaver and Pope are on a train to Chicago with Lourdes, as a decoy for Mason and the others, who use an aircraft carrier in Massachusetts Bay to use the weapon to take down the grid. [glad Kadar's 94% accuracy hypothesis was accurate!] Cochise brings Mason and Weaver to a meeting with a VIP Volm, and the men learn that Cochise is the son of the leader. [awww. I'm sad Cochise isn't as honorable as he appeared!]

courtesy of TNT

The Volm have been battling the Espheni forever, and they don't want humans to continue in the fight, so they plan to immediately relocate everyone to Brazil. [what's the justification as to the choice of location?] Tom and Weaver are both very upset, and when Tom touches Cochise's father, he winds up detained, leaving Weaver to go tell the group that they must move out ASAP. [Weaver's daughter finding out that her father is taking nitroglycerin pills was very forced, I thought.] Everyone eventually comes to accept the relocation, but then Cochise lets them have weapons and go freely, though they cannot stay in Boston.

They head into the woods and soon run into Karen, who is wounded in a violent battle. It is believed that she died, though Hal sees her live on. Anne also appears with a six-year-old Lexi. [hahaha, best rapidly-aged baby ever!] Anne doesn't remember anything, and Kadar has no idea how to predict Lexi's growth. [no surprise.] The group is going to head for Charleston to warn them about the relocation, then start building another resistance group.

The episode ends with Lexi removing Lourdes' worms and dissolving them. [I was afraid the bugs were going to latch to Alexis!]

Giveaway Winners: Game of Thrones & Falling Skies

While at Comic-Con 2013, two giveaways were running, one for a Game of Thrones book, and another for a Falling Skies bracelet. Both have ended, we've contacted the winners and gotten their addresses, and now it's time to share those names with you!

One thing I wanted to be sure to point out is that we check the entries against the actual posts/likes/shares/follows. So, if you claimed that you "liked" us on facebook but don't, you were removed from the pool of potential winners. Similarly, if you said you left a comment on the post but didn't, you weren't eligible to win in that case, either. We have several more giveaways coming up in the near future, so be certain to read the directions like our winners this time around did!

Falling Skies: Lourdes is Caught

This is, once again, an episode where nothing really happened. Tom returns from Boston via speedboat, Lourdes sets off a bomb and gets caught, and the destructive device that's been under construction is in danger because those who worked on it have died. Yes, there's plenty that could have been unraveled about those topics, but that's not where the episode spends its time. Tom's journey is largely missing, and the future of the WMD is an afterthought. Even Lourdes' plans and actions play second fiddle to the bulk of the episode that follows Charlestonians stuck in rubble here and there, and those who are out to rescue them. Fraggle Rock's "Marooned" episode did a better job at depicting mortality than Hal and Maggie asphyxiating. At least Cochise made a full recovery.

Falling Skies "Journey to Xibalba" (S03E09): Tom returns and shares the news that Anne and Lexi are in danger, and they'll be going after Karen to get to them. Weaver also listens to Tom's latest adventure, but others are concerned that he might have been bugged. There are bigger problems, though, as Lourdes sets off a bomb. [so I guess she's truly evil and not just mind-controlled?] Pope and Tom find Cochise badly injured, but he can regenerate if left alone. [but none of the rest of his species can do so?] There are many injured and trapped people, including Hal and Maggie, whom Ben and Matt rescue. Kadar is also stuck, and very concerned that they won't be able to get above ground.

James Dittiger

Things come together again after Tom and several others put together that Lourdes is the mole. Although the WMD-like device has been buried and its engineers killed, Kadar will likely be able to operate the device.

SDCC 2013: The Tweets

Here's a collection of our tweets (@TheTalkingBox) from Comic-Con 2013! Be aware they are in reverse-chronological order. And, as we pointed out a couple of times, several tweets got eaten by the internet while we were there, so there are, sadly, a few gaps beyond Wednesday, when I was just over-excited and not thinking about sharing the experiences.

Sunday, July 21:
On the ground. #SDCC seems so surreal... I was trading swag 4 hours ago but now I'm almost home. 6 or 7 hours of shows on DVR... what first?
20 minute flight delay. Comic-Con just doesn't want me to leave! #SDCC 

That's a wrap, folks. We're headed to pack up the last swag bits and shuttle to the airport! More pics to come later! #SDCC 

Got an autograph from Jymn Magon on my #ducktales DVD set and I'm fighting back tears I'm so excited! #DisneyAfternoon #SDCC 

Gadget was the only character that stayed from the initial Rescue Rangers pitch. #DisneyAfternoon #SDCC 

We just had another #ducktales sing a long. I had goosebumps. #DisneyAfternoon #SDCC 

Someone in the room is dressed as a Beagle Boy! #DisneyAfternoon #SDCC 

Just saw the original pitch for Goof Troop! #DisneyAfternoon #SDCC

#DisneyAfternoon starts off with panelists statements. Voices in action! #SDCC

If anyone is there, good luck! RT @thenerdmachine Lets give away 10 Intel Core i7 Extreme processors right now at #NerdHQ Thanks @IntelEdge

That said, now in the room where Disney Afternoon will have its panel in 25 min! What was your favorite DA show? #SDCC

It always feels like you were walking forever to get to another #SDCC event, so when you arrive it's shocking to see it's only been ten min.
Did an hour on the floor, had some lunch, now back to the floor. Next panel at 2. #SDCC
A LOT of #Ducktales original gameplay was required to make the treasure locations match in easy, medium, and hard. #SDCC 

The #Ducktales game is banking on parents purchasing, not kids, as they don't know the characters. #SDCC

#Ducktales panel now featuring piano music in a special arrangement than what the credits feature. It was incredible. check YouTube! #SDCC

Special guest in the #Ducktales panel: Eric Bauza, Gizmo Duck! #SDCC 

If you played #Ducktales, you remember the pogo stick! Here's the look of Scrooge! ow.ly/i/2Fosi #SDCC 

The whole room just stood and sang the #Ducktales theme song! Magic! #SDCC

Also, for those who didn't check out my schedule, I'm doing Disney panels all day! www.thetalkingbox.com/2013/07/my-20… #SDCC 

Saturday, July 20th:

The girl who plays Charlie has REALLY white teeth. #Revolution #SDCC #Revolutioncon #WBSDCC (ridiculous hashtags!)

Seems that #Revolution is trying too hard this #SDCC with more hash tags than necessary... #Revolutioncon #WBSDCC 

This means that we will have #Revolution up next, which loyal followers know we love to hate! #SDCC 

Wait time was two hours WITH an appointment, so left and just sat in #6bcf #SDCC 20 Jul

Time to donate blood. It's a #SDCC tradition!

I'm always surprised that people don't know that voice actors usually don't sit around and all tape together... #SDCC #TheAwesomes

We're talking about #AllThat in here! Kenan can't compare it to #SNL to #TheAwesomes, but loves his job. #SDCC
Making fun of Real World and Kevin Smith. Such a funny panel! #TheAwesomes #SDCC 

#TheAwesomes just made fun of #walkingdead fans who aren't caught up. Love it. #SDCC

I actually really liked #TheAwesomes. On to the panel part, with Seth Meyers and Kenan Thompson, among others. #SDCC

We spent some time on the floor, but now seeing The Awesomes. Pretty good so far... #SDCC

Awesome! thanks for announcing! RT @jbtec Hey @TheTalkingBox there's definitely a Simpsons Futurama crossover...

Showrunners need clear visions. For #ER, it was "doctors are heroes." #SDCC 

Nice comparison of a showrunner to a start-up CEO. #SDCC 

Inside the room for Inside the Writer's Room. #SDCC

Now in line for the television writers' panel at 1130. Not as short as I was hoping... #SDCC

It's always interesting when more questions are for the producers than the actors. #BatesMotel #SDCC 

#Lost fans in the house! #BatesMotel #SDCC 

The most difficult scene for Vera to do in the first season was the admission of incest. #BatesMotel #SDCC

Norma's brother might show up in season two of #BatesMotel. #SDCC

Shelby dying was the original end of the first season of #BatesMotel. Then, network ordered four more episodes. #SDCC
Freddie has arrived. He speaks Arabic and Spanish, and spent the hiatus translating legal documents. #BatesMotel #SDCC

Friday recap for #SDCC: ow.ly/n9l9q #FallingSkies #RogerRabbit #Catan #AssassinsCreed #Marvel

#BatesMotel fans very excited for next season. Too bad Freddie Highmore isn't here. #SDCC 

Game on! #BatesMotel #SDCC

It appears everyone in line got into #6a so if you wanna come see #BatesMotel, you can probably get in. #SDCC 

I'm always amused by people who wait until the morning of each day to plan their panels... #SDCC #n00bs

I suspect we're having tweets lost in the internets again this morning... #SDCC

Autograph raffle ticket line today is enormous. Allegedly it has been cut off already. blame he who kills off all his characters... #SDCC

Have joined the line for Bates Motel in eighty minutes. should get in but it's growing quickly! #6a #SDCC

Later start than planned this morning, but starting in #6a so hopefully line doesn't suck yet. on shuttle back to #SDCC!

ANOTHER giveaway is up! This time, enter to win a #FallingSkies item! ow.ly/n3wja

there's a lot of posts going out with #SDCC going on, but be sure to check out out #GameofThrones giveaway! www.thetalkingbox.com/2013/07/givea…

Friday, July 19th:
So this party is just a club, essentially. sponsored by Magic:The Gathering. Taking a shuttle to the hotel. #SDCC
The DJ is playing "Let's go to the Mall." Seriously. #SDCC

Just noticed that quite a few updates never posted, especially during #fallingskies panel...

Hitting up to hospitality suite, because that's something at #SDCC I've never done before. Don't care about chips, dip, salsa, and M&Ms, tho

Can't stay for the entire thing, but in the first part of a panel on body image and women's issues in entertainment. #SDCC

Charles Fleischer (voice of Roger Rabbit) is really funny, guys. #RogerRabbit #SDCC

Noah Wyle made an #ER joke and the audience clapped. Five seconds later, Wheaton got it. #FallingSkies #SDCC

Wheaton's questions will focus on the theme of family. #FallingSkies #SDCC

Looks like I'll get to head to the fulfillment room after all. Let's hear it for #FallingSkies ! #SDCC

#FallingSkies panel will be starting late, apparently... #SDCC

Any predictions for the #FallingSkies panel? I hope for great swag! panel prizes have been weak this year... #SDCC

Next up is the #FallingSkies panel. Hoping for better than last year! Also, I hear there is now a line for #6bcf. #SDCC

Big minority superhero movie in the pipeline. #SDCC #MarvelSDCC any predictions?

More female team comics coming! #MarvelSDCC #SDCC

Don't forget about our photo stream! as current as WiFi allows! thetalkingbox.smugmug.com/Events/Co… #SDCC
It's gonna be a good year to be a Nick Fury fan. or a bad one, depending on your perspective! #MarvelSDCC #SDCC

Marvel panel heckles fan wearing Batman shirt. #SDCC #MarvelSDCC

There are technical difficulties, guys. sorry for the lack of tweets. #6bcf didn't let me access 4g. Better now and ready! #SDCC

Looked for line for #FallingSkies at 430 but walked right into #6bcf. Just saw a lengthy and phenomenal preview of Assassin's Creed IV #SDCC

This means I'll also see a Marvel panel! That's always a #win! #SDCC 

Well, I didn't make the finals but it was a good time. I like that adaptation, actually. Will be back later for party. #SDCC

I start in the Star Trek Catan tournament in ten minutes! #SDCC

we've got a #GameofThrones #GoT giveaway going on, so head on over and check it out! ow.ly/n3ulW 

Friday morning #SDCC update: yes, the #HallH line is as bad as you're reading. I have strong thoughts, will save for later. giveaway soon! 

Thursday, July 18th: 

change of plans. because line for #HallH is already 600 people deep, going to bed to distract husband less, who gets up soon to join! #SDCC 

stood in a line for a long time to attempt seeing #BlackSails. didn't work out. very draining. some write-up coming. #SDCC 

Learning why lightsabers wouldn't work is sad. #SDCC

Was never a #Eureka fan, but the writing process was fascinating! #SDCC

Now time for the Science Of Science Fiction! #SDCC also, just popped in fourth battery...

Spent some time in exhibit hall and now in a panel for anime. Broad interests for the win. #SDCC
in a session examining how to use comics to teach a freshman-level English course. while I love this stuff, only like 60 people here. #SDCC
Now catching the second half of the panel on how superheroes empower us and heal us. #SDCC 

Surprise! Special #Reign preview! #SDCC #b20 

Aimee Teegarden was drawn to the scifi aspect of #starcrossed. #SDCC 

Flashbacks in #starcrossed will show why the Atrians are on Earth. #SDCC 

No prize tickets given for either #Intelligence or #starcrossed in #b20. #SDCC 
#starcrossed pilot very teen. Expected that, but still. Three actors and a bunch of producers on panel. #SDCC 

Next panel will be on the CW's midseason drama #starcrossed. Early thoughts: www.thetalkingbox.com/2013/05/looki…

#Lost joke! #SDCC #Intelligence 

Both Meghan Ory and Mary Helgenberger would Gabriel's power to be smart. #Intelligence #SDCC 

#Intelligence star Josh Holloway a technophobe. #SDCC 

Just saw #Intelligence pilot. new CBS drama where a guy has a computer chip in his head. Previous thoughts: www.thetalkingbox.com/2013/05/looki… #SDCC 

#b20 first panel starting very late due to line still coming in. #SDCC 

First poster! Double-sided #reign #batb ow.ly/i/2E0K2 ow.ly/i/2E0N2 also, made it into #b20. #SDCC

#b20 folks around me getting antsy about not getting in by 10, but we started under the tents so I think it's just moving slowly... #SDCC 

Just popped in my second phone battery. Good thing I have four this #SDCC!
Also, we will try to keep our photo stream current as much as WiFi allows! thetalkingbox.smugmug.com/Events/Co… #SDCC 

Sitting next to a lifer in line for #b20. She's been going every year since childhood, thanks to an uncle. sweet! #SDCC 

#SDCC costume highlights so far this morning include Alvin, of The Chipmunks, Louise from Bob's Burgers, a Sailor Scout, Mario and Luigi. 

Up first, starting at 10 AM, will be the new CBS drama, #intelligence, followed by the CW's #starcrossed
Got in line for ballroom 20 about fifteen minutes ago and have a great position! #SDCC #b20
 

Wednesday, July 17th: 

such a busy day that I forgot to tweet very often! Don't worry, will do better tomorrow! #SDCC 

Badge lines at T & C still inside. Room about half-full right now and people pouring in! #SDCC