2014 Comic-Con: Saturday's TV Fun

Saturday was a lighter day as far as panels go, but we still managed to fit in a nice variety of television activities. Two pilots, an off-site experience, two state-of-programming television evolution discussions, another behind-the-scenes writers' session, and a scavenger hunt of sorts filled the day. 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!

Why Not Serious? Comedy vs. Drama in Animation, with Craig Miller, Ted Biaselli, Brian Hohlfeld, and Jim Krieg.
- comedy episodes are more re-watchable than drama or adventure installments.
- sometimes descriptions don't translate well when animators are from a different region. Example: there aren't marshmallows in Spain, so there's a scene around a campfire with someone toasting a piece of bread instead!
- Mickey Mouse is a lot like SpongeBob... both are exuberant and love the world.

photo: Amy K. Bredemeyer

Inside the Writers' Room: Earth's Mightiest Writers Re-Assmble, with Chris Parnell, Michael Narducci, Steve Holland, Sarah Watson, Bill Harper, Christine Boylan, Ashley E. Miller, Steve Melching, Jose Molina, and Mark A. Altman.
- The Vampire Diaries and The Originals allow support staff to submit scenes. If the make it into the script, they get a credit, and some even wind up joining the staff!
- Series that the panelists really enjoy currently include Game of Thrones, Justify, The Americans, Orphan Black, Orange is the New Black, Korra, Adventure Time, Penny Dreadful, The Good Wife, The Walking Dead, The Leftovers, and Fargo.

photo: Amy K. Bredemeyer

NBC's Off-Site Constantine
We also went off-site to check out the Constantine experience (if you're looking out from E lobby, across the train tracks, it's the blue dome near the Omni). At the time, the wait was about 25 minutes, which was definitely worth the unique four minutes you watched the trailer. It was similar to a theme park atmosphere, actually, as there were 4D elements such as fans blowing wind.

photo: Amy K. Bredemeyer

The Digital Revolution: The Convergence of Television and the Internet, with Daniel Alter, Jasmine Andrevos, Adrian Askarich, and Jeff Krelitz.
- you can be raunchier in an online format like Hulu, Amazon, or Netflix.
- The way the digital age affects television may show up again in the near future, as people don't want to deal with the hassle of driving to a movie theater if they can have a good time at home.

photo: Amy K. Bredemeyer

The Strain Screening
- During specific times throughout Comic-Con, you could stop by three booths (FOX, Dark Horse, and Harper Collins) and collect wristbands promoting The Strain. Then, you could take them to a specific theater downtown and see what could have been done better. We scored autographed The Strain comic books and had our faces morphed so we'd know what we'd look like if something similar happens. After photographing a few of the props that were places around the room, we bailed on viewing episodes 2 and 3 in favor of hitting something more closely aligned with our interests...

photo: Jonathan Bredemeyer

Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment: The Flash, Constantine, Arrow, and the World Premiere of Gotham, with ~35 members of talent on the stage at once! *We'll discuss the pilots later, but here are some highlights from the panel itself:
- Arrow will bring in Wildcat this season, who will interact with Laurel.
- Grant Gustin likes to dig as deep as he can with the emotional rawness of The Flash.
- Jesse L. Martin is excited to play a detective who actually gets to shoot people, as he apparently never did that in his ~200 episodes of Law & Order.
- Constantine's basic plan is to try a spell, fight, con, kick, then run away... he's no Superman! 

photo: Jonathan Bredemeyer

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

2014 Comic-Con: The Bag Designs!

San Diego Comic-Con begins in less than a week, and today Warner Bros. has released the bag designs. There will be 13 different looks this time, and a bag will be randomly given to attendees when they pick up their badges at registration. They are again designed like backpacks, but will not feature the "cape" addition that was popular at the 2013 convention.

All bags will have an image of the San Diego Convention Center on one side:

But the other sides will vary from popular live-action shows Arrow, The Following, The Originals, Supernatural (which I forget is still around), and The Vampire Diaries...

         

to animated series Teen Titans Go!...

to upcoming programs Constantine, The Flash, Mike Tyson Mysteries, iZombie, and Gotham...

and even a few to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Batman. 

Many Con goers trade bags to get the one they want, and you ca also donate blood during the Convention to get an extra bag. Which are you hoping to snag as your premiere souvenir from this year's event?

Midseason Check-In: What Will Happen to the Rookies?

[original comments from 2/21/14; final update: 5/10/14]

Shows have come and gone, both for me and for everyone. Many mid-season replacements are moving along now, and others are coming back from Olympics hiatus, so let's take a short look at how the new network programs have done based on what has premiered so far...

What I Planned to Watch:
The Goldbergs (ABC): 15 episodes in, 7 more to go in the first season. I'm willing to bet it'll get renewed, which is great, because I enjoy it. RENEWED!
Lucky 7 (ABC): CANCELLED after 2 episodes.
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC): Full season ordered, but I quit after 3 episodes. It'll likely be renewed. RENEWED!
Intelligence (CBS): 7 of 13 in, and I gave up after the pilot. Numbers are decent, but there are other factors in play for a second season. CANCELLED!
The Crazy Ones (CBS): 15 episodes have aired so far, and it may or may not be renewed, but I quit after 5 episodes. CANCELLED!
We Are Men (CBS): CANCELLED after 2 episodes.
Star-Crossed (CW): only one episode in, so it's too early to really tell. CANCELLED!
Dads (FOX): its season of 18 episodes has finished airing, and many believe it will be cancelled. I quit after 6. CANCELLED!
The Michael J. Fox Show (NBC): CANCELLED after 15 episodes; I quit after 8.
Sean Saves the World (NBC): CANCELLED after 13 episodes; I quit after 5.
Welcome to the Family (NBC): CANCELLED after 3 episodes, though a few more are available on Hulu.

The Others:
Back in the Game (ABC): CANCELLED after 10 episodes. 
Super Fun Night (ABC): It will only run 17 episodes, and it's not looking good for renewal. CANCELLED!
Trophy Wife (ABC). It will have a full season, and has 8 episodes to go, This one actually won me over, but nobody else, and it's not likely to be renewed. CANCELLED!
Betrayal (ABC): It has finished its 13-episode season, and I'll bet it's canceled. CANCELLED!
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (ABC): You CAN have too much of a good thing, and this is an example. 8 episodes have aired so far, and probably only 5 more will. CANCELLED!
Mom (CBS): 16 episodes so far, 8 to go, and it looks like renewal is a distinct possibility. RENEWED!
The Millers (CBS): 10 episodes aired so far, and more should come this year and next. RENEWED!
Hostages (CBS): It ran 15 episodes and is not likely to get any more. CANCELLED!
The Originals (CW): RENEWED!
Reign (CW): RENEWED!
The Tomorrow People (CW): 13 down, 9 to go, and although this one could go either way, I'm betting against it. CANCELLED!
Almost Human (FOX): 6 episodes aired so far, and the horizon is bleak. CANCELLED!
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX): 16 down, 6 to go, it's doing well, but could do better. RENEWED!
Enlisted (FOX): 5 out of 13 episodes have aired, and the ratings are just abysmal. CANCELLED!
Murder Police (FOX): CANCELLED without airing.  
Rake (FOX): 5 out of 13 have aired, and the audience is steadily declining. CANCELLED!
Sleepy Hollow (FOX): RENEWED!
The Blacklist (NBC): RENEWED!
Chicago P.D. (NBC): 5 out of 15 episodes have aired, and it's a toss-up at the moment. RENEWED!
Dracula (NBC): It got its 10 episodes, and although it's not looking great, a renewal is not impossible. CANCELLED!
Ironside (NBC): CANCELLED after 3 episodes.

What are your predictions at this point in the season?

TV Highlights at Comic-Con 2013

Over the 4th of July weekend, SDCC released the schedule for the upcoming convention. Between comics, movies, video games, television shows, and countless other pop culture phenomena, hundreds of panels will take place between July 18th and 21st. Let's take a look at some of the television highlights. Check back this week for the schedule we will attempt to follow this year with two staffers at the event.

Thursday, July 18
Intelligence: 10 a.m. in Ballroom 20. It's the CBS thriller where a man has been implanted with a super-computer microchip so he can help the government by quickly hacking internet, telephone, and satellite data.

Star-Crossed: 11 a.m. in Ballroom 20. It's the CW drama where Aimee Teegarden is in love with an alien who is part of "The Orion 9," a group that has been in an internment camp since landing.

Beauty and the Beast: 12 p.m. in Ballroom 20. Back this year are Kristin Kreuk and Jay Ryan for CW's cult favorite.

Psych: 1 p.m. in Ballroom 20. Always a hit panel, James Roday, Dule Hill, and Maggie Lawson will be on the panel for this USA series.

The Blacklist: 3 p.m. in Room 6A. A new NBC drama, this police procedural will have a wanted criminal turning himself in, offering up all his colleagues, and then demanding to work with a rookie FBI agent.

The X-Files 20th Anniversary: 3:30 p.m. in Ballroom 20. The reunion of Mulder and Scully from the long-running FOX thriller. 

Dexter: 6:30 p.m. in Hall H. After several appearances at Comic-Con, it's time for this Showtime series to say goodbye with Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas, and James Remar.

Hannibal: 6:45 p.m. in Room 6A. With one season in the books, this serial killer series makes its first appearance at SDCC.

Friday, July 19
The Big Bang Theory: 10 a.m. in Ballroom 20. What's interesting here is that the focus is not on the actors but on the writers for this CBS ultra-hit.

Adventure Time: 11 a.m. in the Indigo Ballroom at Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. The Cartoon Network cult hit's creator Pendleton Ward and some cast members.

Veronica Mars: 11:15 a.m. in Hall H. With a highly-anticipated film in the works, creator Rob Thomas and several stars (including Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, and Chris Lowell) will be available to show exclusive footage and answer questions.

Nikita: 11:30 a.m. in Room 6BCF. It's the end of the line for this CW cult series starring Shane West. Catch it one last time

Bones: 12:30 p.m. in Ballroom 20. Rather than giving up new scenes, CBS's Bones will share never-before-seen footage, coupled with some teasers.

The 100: 12:45 p.m. in Room 6BCF. Another of the CW's new dramas, this dystopia is based on not-yet-published books set 97 years after nuclear war destroys civilization. Can you handle another futuristic apocalypse drama?

The Walking Dead: 1:35 p.m. in Hall H. The line will surely be long for this one! Stars Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, and others will be in the room alongside the creative team to discuss what's ahead in season four of this AMC series.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 1:45 pm. in Ballroom 20. Another highly anticipated panel will feature Joss Whedon and surprise guests to discuss the new ABC series.

Game of Thrones: 2:50 p.m. in Hall H. If you make it into the room, you're probably in for a treat. GoT has had hugely appreciated panels in the past, and with HBO's Emilia Clarke, Richard Madden, and Peter Dinklage around, it should be epic once more.

The Following: 3:15 p.m. in Ballroom 20. Last year, the pilot was shown to attendees, so be sure to see what's in store for Kevin Bacon during season two of the FOX serial killer thriller.

Sleepy Hollow: 3:30 p.m. in Room 6A. FOX is bringing out the pilot for a screening!

Almost Human: 4 p.m. in Ballroom 20. It's J.J. Abrams' new FOX futuristic police series, featuring robot assistants.

Bob's Burgers: 4 p.m. in Indigo Ballroom Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. FOX's non-MacFarlane, non-Simpsons animated show will return to SDCC with more never-before-seen footage and a Q&A with the creator and several of the voice actors, including Dan Mintz and Kristen Schaal.

Falling Skies: 4:30 p.m. in Room 6BCF. Previous Comic-Con goers are likely after the killer swag from this panel, where TNT stars Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, Will Patton, Drew Roy and more will tease the remainder of season three.

Archer: 5 p.m. in Indigo Ballroom Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. A screening and Q&A from FX's covert operations cartoon, featuring voice actors H. Jon Benjamin (yes, it's poorly timed as he's also a voice for Bob's Burgers!), Aisha Tyler, and Judy Greer, among others.

TV Guide Magazine Fan Favorites: 5:15 p.m. in Ballroom 20. A real crowd-pleaser, this year's hot actors include Candice Accola, Joseph Morgan, Tyler Hoechlin, Henry Ian Cusick, Danai Gurira, Clark Gregg, and Blair Underwood.

Animination Domination High-Def: 6:45 p.m. in Room 6DE. FOX's anti-Adult Swim comedy block will preview two new series: Axe Cop and High School USA!.

Saturday, July 20
Bates Motel: 10 a.m. in Room 6A. Cast members Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, and others will participate in a Q&A as well as show some new footage from the A&E horror series.

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: 10:15 a.m. in Ballroom 20. Premiere screening of the ABC spinoff, need I say more?

Once Upon a Time: 11 a.m. in Ballroom 20: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, and others will be available to discuss the upcoming Neverland episodes.

Futurama: 12 p.m. in Ballroom 20. Futurama is another show at the end of its life, so as Comedy Central waves goodbye, join voice actors Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, and more as they perform from "Last Episode Ever." Plus, Matt Groening will be there to showcase some of his excellent cartooning!

How I Met Your Mother: 12 p.m. in Indigo Ballroom Hilton San Diego Bayfront. The CBS comedy has never been to Comic-Con before, but the whole cast Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, and Alyson Hannigan) will be in the house to promote their final season, as well as creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas!

The Simpsons: 12:45 p.m. in Ballroom 20. After 25 years on the air, the FOX animated family comedy is still going, here to show never-before-seen footage. Also, you can hear "We Put the Spring in Springfield" performed live.

The Originals: 1 p.m. in Indigo Ballroom Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Possibly the CW's most-promising pilot for fall and spun off from The Vampire Diaries, check out a preview and do a Q&A with the stars.

Family Guy: 1:45 p.m. in Ballroom 20: Fans can expect to see Seth Green, Alex Borstein and some surprise guests... if you can handle a twelfth season of this FOX feature.

True Blood: 3:30 p.m. in Ballroom 20. With a new showrunner Brian Buckner, the series returns to Comic-Con with a chunk of stars to preview what's next for the HBO vampire series. 

Revolution: 4:55 p.m. in Room 6BCF. Season two of the NBC post-apocalyptic drama will move to Wednesdays, but here you can see an exclusive first look, as well as take part in a Q&A with actors and producers.

The Tomorrow People: 5:55 p.m. in Room 6BCF. Watch the pilot for the CW's new drama, based on a UK series where people are evolving to possess the powers of teleportation and telepathy. Several actor will also be in attendance.

Sunday, July 21
Supernatural: 10 a.m. in Hall H. Another CW series, this panel will combine an exclusive video presentation with stars Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins, and Mark A. Sheppard answering fans' questions.

Doctor Who: 12:30 p.m. in Hall H. Why this panel is always on Sunday is beyond me, but BBC America is celebrating the show's 50th anniversary, so it's sure to be crowded in line!

Community: 1:50 p.m. in Hall H. NBC actors and showrunners will be around for this one, the show's first time in "the big room." Look for Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Ken Jeong and more.  

Under the Dome: 2:15 p.m. in Room 6BCF. The CBS summer hit series makes its debut with several actors and producers around, including Mike Vogel, Dean Norris, and Rachelle Lefevre. 

Sons of Anarchy: 3:50 p.m. in Hall H. The FX biker drama panel will include the full cast for a fun way to end Comic-Con.

Looking Ahead: CBS & The CW for 2013

With CBS only picking up eight programs and the CW only five (no comedies for them!), I figured I'd combine those two networks into one post. Honestly, CBS is doing so well that they can afford to take risks and try out higher budget shows than the other networks, but it seems like they've still got some solid options, which is good. The CW is becoming more and more of a true player in the broadcast network game, but it seems that this season's selections are SO niche that it's very difficult for the average viewer to find something worth their time. This isn't a new problem for them, per se, but it certainly seems worse with this batch than those of the past two years!

I'll be trying out one drama each from CBS and the CW and three of the CBS comedies, so that should keep me busy, at least for a few weeks! I did do a couple of Examiner pieces on the CBS offerings, so for more details, check here and here. 

CBS COMEDY:
Crazy Ones is a father-daughter workplace comedy with Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar starring, and Hamish Linklater (Matt from The New Adventures of Old Christine) as well. I'll give it a go for both the premise and the talent, but I don't have high hopes for the series. 

CBS

We Are Men was previously known as Ex-Men because it focuses on four guys living the single life with exes in their lives. Talent includes Kal Penn and Tony Shalhoub, and for them alone, I'll be giving it a try. I think that the premise is ridiculous (TVLand already has The Exes, after all), but maybe it'll turn out to be better than I'm expecting. 

CBS

Friends With Better Lives has a group of thirtsomethings in different life stages wondering if their friends have it better than they do. Not gonna lie... this show hits a little close to home for me. I don't have a lot of friends in the same stage of life, so I'm quite enthused to watch this one and see if it plays out realistically. James Van Der Beek might bring it down, though, so let's hope that doesn't happen.

Mom has a newly sober single mother trying to get it together while her mother berates her. I found the concept boring and the trailer worse, so I'm staying away.

The Millers (previously The Unauthorized Greg Garcia Project) is Will Arnett as a newly divorced man whose parents (including Beau Bridges) move in with him. I'm so sick of this multi-generational household concept that I could scream! 

CBS DRAMA:
Hostages features a surgeon who is scheduled to operate on the POTUS. She is told that if she doesn't kill him while he's under the knife, her family will be killed instead. I don't think this is anything more than a movie (though it's not a bad plot), and Jerry Bruckheimer just isn't enough to make it worth it.

Intelligence follows a man, Gabriel, who has been implanted with a super-computer microchip, allowing him to connect to (and hack) the Internet, the telephone, and satellite data. Gabriel helps the government. I think a lot of people will tune-in to this updated Six Million Dollar Man program, but I don't think they'll stay. That said, I'll try it out. 

CBS

Reckless is two lawyers struggling with mutual attraction while dealing with a police sex scandal. Television does not need more of this, and I think it's already played out to boot. I'm ignoring it.

CW DRAMA:
The 100 is based on not-yet-published books set 97 years after nuclear war destroys civilization. 100 juvenile delinquents are sent back to Earth to attempt re-colonization. I've had my fill of futuristic apocalypse dramas, and I really don't think that the majority do all that well. Pass. 

The Originals is probably the CW's most-promising pilot, based on the fact that it's a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries. Set in New Orleans, Klaus faces off against his "diabolical former protégé," Marcel. As many of you know, rarely am I into the supernatural, so I'll be moving right past it.  

Star-Crossed (previously Oxygen) has Aimee Teegarden in love with an alien. The boy, part of "The Orion 9," have spent the past ten years in an internment camp and are just being integrated into suburban life. Add in Maggie Elizabeth Jones and it could be worth an episode or two, however ridiculous it may sound.

CW

Reign is for the history lovers, telling the story of Mary, Queen of Scots' rise to power, beginning when she arrives in France. I considered checking it out for the period aspects alone, but after seeing promos and a clip, I don't think it's for me.

The Tomorrow People is based on a UK series where people are evolving to possess the powers of teleportation and telepathy. Across the globe, these gifted citizens must come together to defeat the forces of evil. This one probably interests me the least, but sounds like the kind of show that might be shlepped to Comic-Con to grow an audience.

Any of them sound like something you'd watch?

[quick links to the other networks: ABC, FOX, NBC.]