Pin-Pointing When “Primeval” Sounded Its Death Knell

The Death of Major Television Characters:  Does it Propel a Story Forward by Opening Doors, or Does It Slowly Mark the Death Knell of a Fantastic TV Show?

Is it me, or has this proliferation of using key character deaths to move storylines forward been overdone and needs to be nixed from this point forward?  In my mind, it all started with “LOST.”  I mean, who has not been shocked and disturbed at how easily “LOST” has killed off primary characters season after season?  Or perhaps it began with the death of Jack Bauer’s wife, Terry in Season 1 of “24.”  Either way, somewhere along the line television writers decided that it was the cool thing to do by killing off major characters right smack in the middle of a television series.

As a viewer, nothing ticks me off more.  It shows so little respect for the affection, time and energy that I (as a fan) have invested in these characters.  After all, I devote an hour (or more) a week of my time to slavishly devote myself to watching their show.  Should they not reward me for this commitment and sacrifice of my time?  I mean, if I were at work, my time would have to be compensated.  My job cannot just make me sit there at their leisure without some reward (e.g., an hourly salary).  But, in the television industry, I think they are taking us, the viewers and fans, for granted.  They just figure they can blow-up, strangle, eat, or kill off any one of our beloved characters (without notice) and we will still continue to watch their show.  Such naïveté is astounding!

I mean, in this past 2008-2009 television season, “Desperate Housewives” killed off Edie Britt, George O’Malley was killed off on “Grey’s Anatomy” and Jimmy Olsen was killed off on “Smallville” – all fan favorites.  (And do not even get me started on the death of Kutner on “House” – which I will only forgive because Kal Penn got his dream job in real-life to work at The White House, so I cannot really blame the guy.)

But, as a viewer, the answer is a resounding: NO!  I do not like or appreciate having major characters killed off.  After all, they are the reason we tune in week after week to watch these shows.  We want to spend time with these characters.  Watching these characters die is NOT the reason I watch TV.  In fact, it makes me assess why the I am even watching the show in the first place.  At what point is the line crossed and I say “enough” and stop watching the show?  Looking back, I find it IS usually after the death of a character that I find I cannot watch the show without them and do stop watching.

One good such example is the British television show “Primeval.”  I think they have just crossed the line.   They had the audacity to kill of the lead character, Nick Cutter!   It strikes me as sheer stupidity to kill off the primary character of a hot primetime TV show.  After all, the show did not kill off a mere second hand lieutenant, like the character Steven in “Primeval’s” 2nd season.  They dared to kill off Nick Cutter, the main guy – this was the guy who started it all – the guy who introduced us to our characters and made them a team.  That was the primary reason we all watched this hodge-podge group of people – they invited us to be a part of their “family” – a special team who chased dinosaurs in modern day England.

In Season 1, they pulled an alternate-reality switch in order to turn one character into another:  Nick Cutter’s love-interest Claudia Brown vanished in a “butterfly effect” when the timeline was slightly modified, only to have the same actress resurface as a different character.  Then in Season 2, they had Steven, the right-hand lieutenant, sacrifice himself to save the entire team.  It was heart-breaking and poignant – and ultimately forgivable.  But now, I find myself thinking that this is “it” – the point of no return.  How dare they seek to kill off the one character you are not supposed to kill off?!!!  Such arrogance and delusion is perhaps unforgivable.

I mean, are we truly a society where only the young and beautiful are allowed to “live” on television shows.  Must the older adults (and who said that anyone over 35 was “old”?) be killed off to make room for the younger and more attractive actors?  I don’t buy it.  I took a distinct liking to “Primeval” BECAUSE it felt like a family.  Nick Cutter was the “dad” who took everyone under wing and mentored and looked out for them.  To kill him off to make room for the younger actors is wrong.

An analogy would be to compare it with the TV show “NCIS” which also uses the patriarchy formula to create a successfully working family-unit under the brilliant leadership of a charismatic male lead/father figure.  Would “NCIS” even be watchable without Gibbs carefully grooming and watching over Tony and Ziva?  It would not make any sense to kill-off Gibbs and just focus episodes on Tony and Ziva’s characters.  The family unit is the key to success on that show and the show creators and writers of “NCIS” are very careful to preserve the shows carefully crafted character chemistry and balance.

Or another example would be the TV show “Smallville”:  Do they kill off Clark Kent and Lois Lane to make way so that Jimmy and Chloe can carry on with the story?  Again, the answer is a resounding:  NO.  The story is about Clark Kent and his lady love and the adventures they have with their made-up television family, which consists of Jimmy, Chloe, Oliver and all the rest of their friends.  Never does the show stop and think, let’s kill off Clark Kent and focus on the younger generation.  The story just does not work that way.

Another example of a show that has perhaps foolishly killed off lead characters is the show “Torchwood” – perhaps a bit more analogous for the British folk.  It was a huge risk to kill of two of the five principal characters at the end of its second season.   But, as we are on the brink of Season 3 being broadcast in July, I am not even sure the show will recover from the loss of two integral “family” members of the core Torchwood team.  But, never in a million years, would they ever dream of killing off John Barrowman’s character, Captain Jack.  To do so would be the death knell of “Torchwood.”

So in my mind, for this avid sci-fi viewer, “Primeval” fails if it perceives itself as solely a show about the dinosaurs and that the humans are merely expendable background characters.

So I posit to you:  has the death knell sounded for “Primeval”?  Does the death of Nick Cutter spell the doom for a show that has callously ripped its own heart out?

‘Doctor Who’ at Comic-Con 2009

The Doctor Was In the House – and Nearly Brought the House Down!

Just introducing the panel for “Doctor Who” brought screams from the fans and, just when you thought your eardrums had already been blown to smithereens, David Tennant walked out onto the stage and the audience just went INSANELY WILD.  Handling this like an old pro at this rock-star greeting, David Tennant was the master of the stage, graciously bowing and waving for the fans.  He also confessed that this was his first appearance ever at a convention and thus felt it was a bit overwhelming, especially seeing his face plastered all over t-shirts, cakes and even children’s pants, like in England.  (After which Russell T. Davies exclaimed, “spread the word – get Doctor Who on children’s pants here too!”)  Tennant also explained that he is not always prepared for the extreme reaction of the fans as “they don’t really prepare you for that in drama school.”

Even Russell T. Davies, who re-jump-started the “Doctor Who” television franchise five years ago, said that he “never ever, ever, ever imagined [“Doctor Who”] would be this successful” and that “it’s gobsmacking,” the intense and wide-spread global reception and popularity of his reimagining of “Doctor Who.” Davies too was beaming with pride and happiness at the enthusiastic response from the fans.

The one infinitesimal moment of dismay was when Julie Gardner announced that she was not sure where that rumor got started, but she firmly stated they were not prepared to make any announcement regarding a “Doctor Who” movie.  There was a collective “booooo” by the crowd, but it quickly dissipated when Gardner announced that they would be showing clips of the upcoming 2009 Christmas Special “Doctor Who: The End of Time.”

From the very first moment the words were uttered from the screen: “It is said that in the final days of the planet Earth, everyone had bad dreams,” the audience was unable to contain itself and the jubilant screams of 4,000 rabid fans echoed against the walls of Ballroom 20.  The clip was taken from David Tennant’s last appearance as the 10th Doctor in the 2009 Christmas Special “Doctor Who: The End of Time,” which features return appearances by Catherine Tate as Donna Noble, Alexandra Moen as Lucy Saxon, and John Simm as The Master.  Once the clip ended, Tennant insisted that it be run a 2nd time just so he could enjoy it once more with the fans — a suggestion that was met with great enthusiasm.  Afterwards, Davies shared that the voiceover during the clip was indeed former James Bond himself, Timothy Dalton, who would also play a role in the “Doctor Who” special.  Another round of loud yells and whistles greeted this news as well.

Euros Lyn, who directed this last bow of the 10th Doctor, stated, “It is overwhelming.  You will need Kleenex.  He will knock four times.”  And spookier words have not been uttered since that final parting warning from “The Planet of the Dead.”  What a wonderful way to say good-bye to the 10th Doctor and welcome Matt Smith, who will pay the 11th Doctor starting next year.

In a nod to the previous nine incarnations of The Doctor, Tennant shared that he tries to meld them all into his performance and that “there are bits of them all in there.”  He is very conscious of the legacy bestowed upon him and has carried it with ease and thoughtfulness all along the way.  And just as graciously, he will pass the mantle along to his successor Matt Smith, who will portray the 11th Doctor.  Tennant gave a nice shout-out to Smith by stating, “There is no one in Britain who has worked with Matt who hasn’t raved about him.”

When queried about whether his trademark long brown coat is a nod to the Joss Whedon series, “Firefly,” Tennant was forced to admit that it was not.  It was just a prop of his character.  (Link to video “I love Firefly, I love Serenity. They’re excellent”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJkHI6RuOQs)

Tennant also let it slip that he will be appearing in an upcoming episode of the “Sarah Jane Adventures” entitled “The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith” – that will undoubtedly break all ratings records with that little appearance on “SJM.”

Then, in a special tribute right in the middle of the panel, the Guiness Book of World Records arrived to present “Doctor Who” with an award for having the most successful sci-fi series on television.  To which Davies’ exclaimed, “Eat it, Supernatural!”

Davies, when asked about the character River Song which was introduced in the bookend episodes “Silence in the Library” and “Forest of the Dead” and whether she will cross paths with the 11th Doctor, said, “I think if you go online and do a little search for River Song, you might be very happy.”  (Taking his hint, I took a peak at Wikipedia and saw that it indeed offered a bit of a spoiler as it revealed that Alex Kingston, who plays River Song, has been spotted leaving the film set of Series 5.)

Look for the next installment of the Tenth Doctor series in “The Waters of Mars” to air sometime later this year on BBC America.  The preview clip for it was absolutely creepy and amazing all at once!

‘Dexter’ at Comic-Con 2009

Unveiling Dexter’s Ultimate Foe – the Trinity Killer!

Following the highly electrifying panels for “Burn Notice” and “Psych,” next up was the equally energizing panel for HBO’s sensational hit series “Dexter.”  Panelists included cast members Michael C. Hall (“Dexter”), Jennifer Carpenter (“Deb”), Julie Benz (“Rita”), as well as executive producers Clyde Phillips, Sara Colleton, John Goldwyn, and surprise guest, John Lithgow (who was revealed would be playing the “Trinity Killer” this next season).

Without missing a beat, the Q&A portion started right off and in responding on how to justify “Dexter” as a genre show which deserved to be showcased at Comic-Con, Michael C. Hall noted that there is a super-hero aspect to Dexter, in that he sees himself as a force of good in only killing those who have taken a life or who have escaped Lady Justice.  Additionally, the viewers have embraced Dexter like he was a superhero who they can root for and hopefully not emulate (emphasis on the word “not”).

Then responding to the question as to whether having a child will extinguish Dexter’s “dark passenger” compulsions, Hall stated that Dexter is having a difficult time exercising his compulsions to kill.  He also noted that Dexter will be challenged this next season, not only find the time to sneak away for some personal time, but in discovering further aspects of himself that he was unaware of and how he will continue to fit into human society.  Hall emphasized that Dexter “is sleep-deprived, which creates a frantic energy that we have not seen in his kills before.”  The more frustrated Dexter gets, there is always a chance he can slip up.  Thus, he is walking that fine line between his usual careful preparation and the need to satiate his dark desires.

When asked what her character Rita would do if she ever found that Dexter was a serial killer, Julie Benz shared that, even if someone presented hard, cold evidence that Dexter was a serial killer, her character Rita would probably never believe it.  Rita is so far in denial about who Dexter really is that she simply could not face it.  In a moment of unexpected levity, when asked how to describe Season 5 in one word, Benz said, it is “creepy,” which got a big laugh out of the audience.  For as everyone knows, at its core, “Dexter” is a very creepy show!

In contrast, Jennifer Carpenter who plays Dexter’s sister, Deb, revealed that she thinks that Deb does kind of know that there is something “not right” about Dexter.  But because Dexter is the rock in Deb’s life, she is willing to overlook some of the things that do not fit.  She specifically recalled that Deb in the 1st season finale had been tied up on a table during a revealing discussion between Dexter and the Ice Truck Killer, and thus, perhaps somewhere in the back of her mind she knows that Dexter is a serial killer.  Deb also is in denial and tries to justify it to herself by thinking she must be wrong.  Carpenter rationalized that Deb is so desperate for a connection to Dexter because she needs to know him in order to know herself.  On a personal note, she shared that because Deb swears a lot in the show that it is something that she finds hard to turn off and it frequently follows her home.  That’s the one thing she feels that has crossed-over from Deb into her.

In order to amp up the scream factor in the bathroom, they announced right smack in the middle of the panel that John Lithgow would be playing the Trinity Killer in Season 5.  As he walked, the room erupted with cries of elation and surprise.  Lithgow looked stunned and happy at this warm response and was only too happy to share a few teasing tid-bits about his character, known as the Trinity Killer because he kills in sets of threes.  Lithgow also tantalized the audience with this tidbit:  “I could say 2 sentences and you would all run screaming from the room.”  He admitted that he mostly does a lot of lurking and stalking initially, but that he will become more heavily featured further into the season.

Other reveals were that returning guests will be Keith Carradine, who plays Agent Frank Lundy, which will throw a bit of a wrench into Deb’s love life; and David Ramsey, who plays Deb’s boyfriend Anton.

“Dexter” airs on Showtime on Sunday nights at 10:00 p.m.

John Lithgow and Jennifer Carpenter of "Dexter" - (c) Tiffany Vogt, 2009

Review of ‘Eureka’ – Ship Happens

Ghosts from the past offer some interesting questions

Just like the aptly named returning space ship, “The Columbus,” this episode explored hereto unknown territory: can a clone ever take the place of someone who was once loved?

Picking up right where last week’s episode left off, we discover that the space ship is not even alien. It is made in the good ole USA. Apparently, it is an unmanned prototype that was launched over 20 years ago which has finally returned home. To murky the waters even further, out steps Kim, or what looks like Kim, Henry’s deceased girlfriend. The one that fractured his mind and inspired him to manipulate time when she died.

In order to explain how this is even possible, we find out that the ship’s onboard computer acted out of self-preservation and turned to the one available resource it had when it became corrupted by a virus. It used a single viable cell to clone one of its creators, Kim. Thus, we meet “Kim 2.0″ — the computer-replicated version of Kim. The ship’s computer created her as a living, breathing computer to store data while it completed its mission exploring the universe.

However, the crux of the problem is quickly identified by Henry who sadly said, “It’s not my Kim. It seems like Kim, but it’s not Kim.”  For no one really knows what Kim 2.0 is. Is she merely a computer in a human body? Or is she a human being? Henry’s gut reaction was to get away from her as quickly as possible. He knew this was not the Kim that he had loved. It was but a shallow copy of Kim, and even Kim 2.0 herself admitted, “I’m what’s left.”

While Henry struggled with the idea of whether the love of his life could ever live again, the mystery of the week involved a macabre electrocution death of a scientist who specialized in electromagnetic physics. It is after Zane’s near-brush with death as he tried to examine Kim 2.0 that suspicion falls on Kim 2.0 as the culprit behind the lethal electrocutions and they begin to fear that Kim 2.0 is using people’s organic computers to cause an internal voltage spike in their own central nervous systems, which overloads and causes their brains to fry. So everyone is quickly put on drugs to suppress their brain’s neuro-electrical activity to prevent any further crispy-critter incidents.

Astoundingly, Carter saves the day when he surmises that it is not Kim 2.0 that is the problem, but instead it is the ship’s virus-infected computer. The one that originally created Kim 2.0. Because the ship’s computer is “organic,” it is interacting with the human brain, which acts like an organic computer and is spreading from person to person. Surprisingly, the only one who was not infected was Kim 2.0. Thus, it is surmised that Kim 2.0 has the anti-bodies needed to fight the virus. But then, when stumped by the fact that they will need a high volume fuel source to combat the virus, it is Carter who proposes using a plasma blast, like the one used to cushion the ship’s return landing. In response to everyone’s reactions of amazement to his unexpectedly scientific proposal, Carter exclaimed, “What?! I pay attention.” Apparently, after three years in Eureka, he has been paying attention!

Finally, after Kim 2.0 has been cleared and the virus eradicated, Henry took a deep breath and began to face the realization that, while Kim 2.0 was not “his Kim,” it is a living person that clearly has a lot to offer. Where that relationship goes in the future remains to be seen. But it certainly does tickle the brain with the possibilities of whether love can be reborn.

What Worked

It was a delightful dish of light comedy when Carter said, “so I DO have to worry about the zombie problem . . .” after hearing that the ship could potentially still control the people of Eureka if it felt like it needed to in order to protect itself.

Also very endearing was the scene where Allison broke the news to Carter that she was going to be having a baby girl and his reverent touching of her belly, quickly followed by Jack’s offer to help in anyway he could. Little did he ever envision that Allison did not want help with a baby project, but instead wanted him to sort, categorize, inventory and then return each and every item taken to make the ship’s impromptu landing pad. But despite this bubble-bursting assignment, he still did it with gung-ho enthusiasm.

Just as heart-warming was Jo bringing Zane his favorite foods while he was laid-up in the medical unit, demonstrating the depth of her feelings for him. That combined with their cute exchange at the end, was adorable. Jo asking Zane: “How are you feeling?” and Zane cautiously responding, “You tell me — any sparks?” followed up with Jo’s knowing smile: “No, just the good kind” and sealed it with a kiss.

What Didn’t Work

Kim 2.0′s willingness to sacrifice herself to save everyone else, while noble, was not logical. Her computer-rationale, “I might be a serious threat. Terminate me,” was a bit of a stretch. For after emphasizing that Kim 2.0 was created out of the ship’s onboard computer’s need for self-preservation, it is hard to believe that she would not be similarly programmed and would voluntarily act to be terminated to protect others.

Also, not following logically was Carter agreeing to go on a star-gazing date with Tess Fontana right after declaring to Allison, “I’m your guy!” Maybe Carter meant that he was Allison’s guy for any work she needed done, but Tess had clearly seen the look on his face when he was talking about Allison in last week’s episode and knew that he had feelings for her. Thus, it felt very wrong for Carter to tell Tess, “everyone needs a hand to hold,” and then taking her hand when Tess offered hers.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

“Ship Happens” was written by Charlie Craig and directed by Chris Fisher. “Eureka” stars Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Joe Morton, Jordan Hinson, Erica Cerra, Neil Grayston, Chris Gauthier and Niall Matter. “Eureka” airs Fridays on Syfy.

“Defining Sci-Fi: A Nice Girl Makes Her Case”

“Defining Sci-Fi: Is it Genre, Fantasy or Something Else Entirely?”

Because I watch so much television, I am frequently asked what kinds of shows I watch.  This question usually perplexes me as it is nearly impossible to classify the kinds of shows I watch under one label.  But in the interest of being succinct, I usually just respond:  sci-fi shows.  For, after all, the “sci-fi” label does cover a multitude of types of TV shows.

However, when looking up the definition of “science fiction,” I found that it can be defined as:

“Fiction dealing principally with the impact of actual or imagined science on society or individuals, or having a scientific factor as an essential orienting component.” (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary)

“A literary or cinematic genre in which fantasy, typically based on speculative scientific discoveries or developments, environmental changes, space travel, or life on other planets, forms part of the plot or background.” (American Heritage Dictionary)

“Science fiction is a broad genre of fiction that often involves speculations on current or future science or technology.  Science fiction can also be synonymous with the broader definition of speculative fiction, which includes:  fantasy, horror, and related genres.  Science fiction is largely based on writing entertainingly and rationally about alternate possibilities in settings that are contrary to known reality.” (Wikipedia)

Thus, upon further research, I found that the very question of “what is sci-fi?” has confounded much more intelligent and articulate minds than mine.  “Science fiction includes such a wide range of themes and subgenres that it is notoriously difficult to define.  This is a list of definitions that have been offered by authors, editors, critics and fans over the years since science fiction became clearly separate from other genres.”  (Wikipedia)  (See Wikipedia’s category on “Definitions of Science Fiction” for a more detailed analysis.)

So with this much confusion as to what is science-fiction, I feel pretty comfortable in saying that nearly everything I watch on TV is science-fiction in some form or another.

To help you identify what category shows that you may watch fall into, I have compiled a list of sci-fi shows of 2009 broken down by category as follows:

(1) Classic sci-fi (involves: future science, the future, time travel, space travel, space-western, space-opera, alternate reality, alternate history, space-military, apocalyptic)

“Battlestar Galactica” (space-opera, space travel, future science, the future)
“Caprica” (space-opera, space travel, future science, the future)
“Day One” (apocalyptic)
“Doctor Who” (time travel, space travel)
“Dollhouse” (future science)
“Eureka” (future science, time travel, alternate reality)
“Flash Forward” (the future, time travel)
“Fringe” (future science, alternate reality)
“Kyle XY” (future science)
“Life on Mars” (the future, alternate reality)
“Lost” (future science, time travel)
“My Own Worst Enemy” (future science)
“Stargate SG1” (future science, time travel, space travel, space-military)
“Stargate: Atlantis” (future science, time travel, space travel, space-military)
“Stargate: Universe” (future science, time travel, space travel, space-military)
“Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles” (time travel, future science, apocalyptic)
“Torchwood” (future science, time travel, space travel)
“V” (space travel, future science)
“Virtuality” (space travel, the future)
“Warehouse 13” (future science, space travel)

(2) Fantasy (lost world, sword and sorcery, mystical, theological, past life)

“Drop Dead Diva” (theological, past life)
“Eastwick” (mystical)
“Eli Stone” (theological)
“Ghost Whisperer” (theological, past life)
“Kings” (theological)
“Legend of the Seeker” (lost world)
“Past Life” (theological, past life)
“Primeval” (lost world)
“Pushing Daisies” (theological, mystical)
“Reaper” (theological, mystical)
“Sanctuary” (lost world)
“Saving Grace” (theological)
“Survivors” (lost world)

(3) Horror (gothic, ghost, monster, occult, slasher, survival, supernatural)

“Being Human” (monster)
“Dexter” (slasher, monster)
“Medium” (occult)
“Supernatural” (ghost, monster, occult, supernatural)
“True Blood” (monster, supernatural)
“Vampire Diaries” (monster, supernatural)

(4) Comic (superhero, superhuman)

“Chuck” (superhuman)
“Heroes” (superhuman)
“Human Target” (superhuman)
“Smallville” (superhero)
“The Listener” (superhuman)

As you can see from the above list, there are really quite a few ways to define what is “science fiction” or what constitutes a sci-fi show – particularly, as we frequently tend to lump anything outside of our current known existence as “sci-fi” for the lack of a better or easier way to describe it.

It really is startling to realize that so much of what is on television can fit into the sci-fi category.  For even “Desperate Housewives” could be considered a member of the sci-fi family simply because of the voice-over narration which is done in each episode by a dead person.  (Though I imagine that is Marc Cherry’s worst nightmare to have his beloved show called “science fiction.”)

Despite the proliferation of TV shows crossing over into the sci-fi genre, there are still some distinct categories that do not mingle with the sci-fi realm, such as medical dramas, cop shows, soap operas, games shows, reality shows, family drama, sitcoms, and teenage angst.  But it still feels that there are so many modern shows that offer some kind of sci-fi element.

So the next time someone asks you which kinds of television shows you watch, think carefully.  You just might be watching more sci-fi than you know!

Related article:

LINK: http://nicegirlstv.com/2009/08/14/defining-sci-fi-is-it-genre-fantasy-or-something-else-entirely/

Review of “District 9″

"District 9"

This article may contain spoilers.

After a solid year of wondering what the heck those “For Humans Only” signs (the ones with a large red circle with a slash through it and a bug inside) were referring to that were cropping-up on bus benches around Los Angeles, the movie itself finally opened this weekend. Having heard a strong positive buzz from friends and critics alike, my expectations were high — especially since the Rotten Tomatoes website had given the film an impressive 97% score, which is reserved for only the best of films.

Having been forewarned about the hordes of fanboys that had been lined up outside theaters everywhere, I got my tickets online and met my friends for the first showing at a massive L.A. theater — and to our utter surprise, the first showing was sold out! It was 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday and there was not an empty seat in the theater. It was as surprising, as it was shocking. After all, who gets up before 9:00 a.m. in L.A.?!

So with all this build up, I was feeling anxious with suspense as the film began.

“District 9” started off documentary-style introducing the arrival of an alien space-craft and the ensuing puzzlement after it selected Johannesburg as its point of contact and then just hovered there without any sign of life for months. Eventually, being the good Samaritans that we are, the people of Earth broke into the spaceship, rounded up all the aliens inside and then plunked them down in a tent-city just beneath the ship.

Flash-forward to the present, 20 years later, and that is where they are to this day. The aliens (called “Prawns”) are living in absolute squalor in the same exact tent-city (aka: District 9). Two decades later and no one knows what to do with the displaced aliens, which look like giant walking insects and make these unintelligible clicking sounds. But somehow the South African government has figured out how to communicate with them. Whether the Prawns actually understand human language is dubious, but they certainly respond to the threat of violence and will backaway from confrontations with those armed with guns and weaponry.

Our hero is the hapless government agent (working for a shadowy organization called MNU) assigned to oversee the relocation of the Prawns out of District 9, which is actually within Johannesburg city limits, to a location well outside of city limits. To say that the Prawns are resistant to the idea of being relocated is putting it mildly.

For those of us who acutely remember the televised atrocities of apartheid in South Africa in the 1980′s and early ’90′s, this segment of the film is harsh to watch. Watching the MNU go door-to-door in District 9 to collect signatures from the Prawns declaring their “willingness” to relocate fully invokes flashbacks of the violent apartheid enforcement in South Africa.

So the first hour of the “District 9″ is jarring and revolting to watch. You don’t like any of the characters, as the humans are unsympathetic and cruel, and the alien Prawns are disgusting and brutish. You will begin to wonder why you are even watching this film.

Then something begins to happen. The hapless government inspector (brilliantly portrayed by newcomer Sharlto Copley) is exposed to a virus which begins to transform him into one of the Prawns. Seeing how both humans and Prawns react to his agonizingly slow transformation is eye-opening and sickening. The humans want to exploit him and the Prawns do not want to get involved.

For the humans have long coveted the advanced alien weaponry, but cannot use it since it is biologically programmed to respond only to the Prawns.

So our ludicrous and bumbling government inspector, Wikus, becomes the most sought after man on the planet. The Nigerian warlords who set up shop inside District 9 want him, as does the MNU officials. It is a tug-of-war over which one will find him and use his body parts for their own nefarious and self-serving needs first.

Along the way, Wikus meets up with a Prawn, Christopher Johnson, who has a secret. Christopher has been hiding a spaceship under his tent and slowly collecting discarded alien-fuel in order to get it working long enough to transport he and his son back to the mothership and then get the hell away from Earth.

So Wikus and Christopher begrudgingly team-up to reclaim the confiscated alien-fuel, as Christopher has promised to help convert Wikus back to human-form if he helps steal it back.

And so our unlikely team of heroes emerges. They embark on their suicide-mission and a number of impressive bomb-blasts and exploding bodies later, they secure the canister with the alien fuel and make their getaway.

Alas, even with the aid of vastly superior alien-technology and weaponry, their escape falls apart. It is in the midst of their last stand that their true respect and understanding of each other begins.

Despite the play on the phrase “Christ of Johannesburg,” Christopher is not martyred and Wikus does not die needlessly. No, their fates are left with an uncertain victory. The ambiguous ending leaves you wondering if the producers knew they were going to be making a sequel all along.

Thus, you want to cheer at the end of the film, but somehow it feels a bit somber after everything you just went through. You weren’t the one hunted and tortured, but it was an exhausting and tense journey. “District 9″ is an excellent film. It is thought-provoking, gripping and displays some of the most astounding imagery seen on the cinematic screen. But it is not an easy film to watch. It is brutal, gory, disgusting and appalling. Even its tender moments and interwoven humor does not dispel the lingering feeling of a bad taste in your mouth. So you will not cheer. It deserves cheers. It has a good ending. It just doesn’t quite take the viewer to the cheering place.

Watch and see for yourself.

Review of ‘Warehouse 13′ – Burnout

Buried secrets are revealed through teamwork … including a mummified secret service agent

In typical “Warehouse 13” fashion, this week’s episode opened with Myka and Pete good-naturedly bickering about their job. Myka had been bemoaning the fact that she wanted to take a few days off to get away from the Warehouse, and in response, Pete noted that she was looking a bit rundown and tired. Just when Myka is about to retort to his unthoughtful comments about how she looked, Artie interrupted to inform them about their latest assignment. Exactly on queue, Pete grumbled, “I thought we were going to get a break,” and just that quickly they were thrust into their next big, nasty adventure — there has been a gas leak and fire at a local police station. Yep, not exactly screaming “artifact” is it? That’s what Myka and Pete thought too. But, after discovering the gas explosion had revealed a hidden room with a mummified former Secret Service agent handcuffed to a pipe, that got everyone’s attention – particularly when it was discovered he had a Tesla gun. For whoever the dead guy was, he had been a Warehouse agent. This was one of their own; and it was suddenly personal and imperative to find out what had really happened.

But before the mystery could be unraveled, there were more dead bodies piling up faster than they could count. Everywhere they turned, there were burnt-to-a-crisp bodies, which appeared to have been microwaved or electrocuted. Initially, Artie speculated it could be the handy work of a “Babylonian Battery,” but that idea was quickly dismissed after discovering that all the victims were gang members and the head of the local gang task force had gone into hiding. After locating the elusive missing police officer, Myka and Pete found exactly what they did not really want to find: a glowing spider-like device affixed to the poor guy’s back, which, much to their dismay, allowed him to shoot bolts of electricity.

The only good news about this artifact was that Artie quickly identified it as “The Spine,” a parasitic device that acts as a weapon, feeding off of a host’s natural electrical impulses and aggression, thereby turning the person into the ultimate killing machine. However, the one decidedly negative caveat was the warning that came with it, “The Spine requires a lifetime commitment.” This is to be taken literally, as the Spine would not disengage from the host until the host’s energy was completely depleted, meaning, the person was dead.

Fortunately, like all evil devices, there was a way to turn it off. Along with the curse, came the cryptic instruction that the Hand of God could destroy it. It took a few minutes pause to reflect on this enigmatic solution, but thinking that a thunderbolt could be construed as the Hand of God, they decided to try to electrocute the device.

In solving the sub-mystery of who was the unknown Warehouse agent that was found handcuffed in the hidden room, Pete and Myka had discovered that the agent, Jack Seacord, had an amore (lover), Rebecca Sinclair. It was Rebecca who ultimately rose to the occasion when Myka could not bear electrocuting Pete in order to disable the device. Thus, Rebecca calmly and efficiently took up the challenge and hardwired the Spine to receive a burst of electrical energy. For Rebecca had previously astutely observed that Pete would “take a bullet” – sacrifice himself — to save everyone else, Thankfully, this was not necessary, as the sacrifice that Jack Seacord had made was not required of Pete. It was not Pete’s fate to die sealed in a room, hand-cuffed to a pipe while he slowly expired in the Spine’s deadly grasp.

What Worked

This was perhaps the first episode in which Pete and Myka appeared to be working together as a flawless team. One good example was, when in the alley, they stood back to back looking for the Spine which had to be nearby and in need of a new host. But then, in a moment of unconscious chivalry, Pete pushed Myka out of harm’s way and allowed the Spine to attach itself to him. His self-sacrifice broke the illusion of teamanship, yet still reminded us that they would do anything for each other – even if it meant dying for the other.

It was also cool to see how the Warehouse kept hermetically sealed Jack Seacord’s room and perfectly preserved his personal effects after his disappearance in 1962. To imagine that, if you too one day disappeared, some device could capture your life and hold it in a well-preserved “snow globe” was astounding. Is there anything the Warehouse cannot do?!

Then at the end, it was also a nice gestured by Artie to magnanimously offer, “We could always use another pair of hands.” But as Rebecca wisely noted, “This place has not changed very much, it hates to let go.” So it was with even more parting sweet sorrow that Artie softly told Rebecca, “There might be one last thing you might be interested in,” and then showed her Jack’s room, which included the ring Jack had saved. Myka then gently reminded Rebecca, “I guess Jack chose you over the Warehouse after all.”

But it is Rebecca’s final words of warning to Myka that echo still in our ears, “Get out of here while there is still time. This place is like the Spine – it will eat you up.”

What Didn’t Work

It seemed inconceivable that Myka suddenly was too emotionally involved to connect Pete to the generator in order to try to dislodge or destroy the Spine. If anything, Myka has been rigidly by-the-book in protecting others and for her to not take the necessary action and act squeamish over her partner did not feel like the Myka we have been getting to know. It would have been more fitting for her to have given one glance of regret, but then still pulled the lever. She has been a tough, resourceful character up until this point. It would be nice to see a return to those sterling qualities – rather than allow her to continue down the path of being weak in the face of difficult decisions.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

“Burnout” was written by Matthew Federman and Stephen Scaia; directed by Constantine Makris. “Warehouse 13″ stars Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek, Genelle Williams and Allison Scagliotti. “Warehouse 13″ airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Syfy.

“A Nice Girl’s Guide to Navigating Comic-Con (2009)”

As a follow-up to my earlier article “A Nice Girl’s Guide to Fan Conventions,” I thought I should write a few tips on how to plan for and survive Comic-Con, the annual sci-fi/fantasy convention in San Diego.

This year, Comic-Con takes place over a five-day period: Wednesday, July 22nd through Sunday, July 26th – that is if you managed to buy a 4-day pass, which includes Preview Night.

Held once again at the massive San Diego Convention Center, which is located right next to the glorious San Diego Harbor, the convention center spans nearly 3 football fields in length and offers up a treasure trove of activities, all of which must be carefully and meticulously planned.

First, by now, any attendee should have purchased either the 4-day pass or their day-tickets. If you were thinking you could still get tickets to attend Comic-Con, you are plum out of luck as this year’s convention sold out in early February – well over 6 months before the event. Thus, any procrastinators are simply stuck without tickets. (If you missed out this year, I recommend that you get your tickets August 1st, right after this year’s Comic-Con concludes, for Comic-Con 2010 so you do not find yourself in the same predicament.)

Second, another thing that should have been taken care of by now is your hotel reservation. There are still a few hotel rooms available, but those are at hotels over 5 miles from the convention center and they are NOT on the free shuttle routes. Thus, if you have your tickets (aka: day passes) and still need to secure lodging, do so immediately and be prepared to get up early so that you can drive to the convention center or one of the nearby parking lots so you do not get stuck in the daily gridlock which begins at 8:00 a.m. each day. (Go to the Comic-Con website and click on the “Hotel” link to make reservations.)

So, if you have tickets and accommodations, then it is only a matter of counting down the days to Comic-Con — and with that thought in mind, the following is a list of tips on how to prepare for such a monumental event:

(1) TRAVEL TIME TO SAN DIEGO. Whether by plane, train or automobile, be sure to give yourself plenty of travel time to travel to San Diego. With well over 125,000 people making the annual trek, you are sure to run into a few en route — and be prepared for the unexpected. Having encountered everything from a train fatality, traffic accidents and fog delays at airports, I can testify that you need to budget into your travel schedule extra time so that you do not miss the one panel or event that you are dying to see.

(2) GETTING TO CONVENTION CENTER. The same is true of each day you plan to attend the convention. You must allow for extra time to arrive at the convention center as even taking the free shuttles, taxis and trains is not a guarantee that you will not hit traffic and get stuck anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours just trying to traverse the final 5-6 blocks to the convention center. If you are staying at a hotel within walking distance, walking is highly recommended in order to avoid the grid-lock – so pack your comfy walking shoes!

(3) CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES. Speaking of shoes and other apparel, what one wears can be vitally important. Given the amount of walking (whether to and from the convention center, or just within the convention center itself), wearing your comfortable tennis shoes or walking shoes is a must. This is not a time to be concerned about vanity. And along the same lines, temperatures can vary widely both inside and outside the convention center. Thus, it is recommended that you dress in layers to accommodate the extreme weather fluctuations as you can be hit by a sudden summer rain drizzle, pea-soup fog, or even arctic air-conditioning inside the convention center — or even worse yet, it could be clear, sunny and 105 degrees outside and you forgot a hat and sunscreen. And within 5 minutes you’ll find yourself with a lobster-red sunburn and on the verge of heat-stroke. So make sure to think about your wardrobe and dress carefully. Also, it may seem silly to grab a light jacket each day before heading to the ‘con, but if you have ever been stuck in Hall H or any of the ballrooms for over 3-4 hours at a stretch, you know how insanely cold those rooms can get. So tennis shoes, light jacket, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and other appropriate clothing are strongly suggested.

(3) CARRYING BAG & ESSENTIALS. Another key essential is a large carrying bag. Each day you will not only need the appropriate clothing and weather accessories, but you will also need a few survival essentials, such as: bottled water, snacks, cell phone, camera, extra camera batteries, and medical aids (these include: (a) Tylenol/Advil for both headaches and sore muscles from the noisy crowds and long hours of standing, (b) allergy medication, (c) stomach antacids for all the fast-food and food-on-the-go you will consume, and (d) band aids for the blisters that will plague you whether you brought comfy shoes or not). Also in this bag will go the necessary maps and paperwork to navigate through the crowds to find the panels or vendor booths that you are seeking and any goodies that you find in the convention hall. (Note of caution: do not succumb to the lure of picking up every “freebie” you can get your hands on as it will only weigh you down and will make it hard to find the items in your bag that you really need in a pinch – such as, you will want to keep your camera ready at all times as you never know who you might run across!)

(4) SCHEDULING. Finally, besides being aware of crowds, traffic, time-delays, unpredictable weather and temperatures, the most important thing to keep in mind is strategic scheduling. Comic-Con offers over 300 different panels and activities over the five days and it can be both hair-raising and mind-boggling to figure out how to navigate it all. So, when the final Comic-Con schedule gets posted online sometime around July 13th, you will want to print-out each day and then start highlighting everything you are interested in attending or checking-out. Then you will have to distill down into a cheat sheet the panels you want to attend. It is only once you have compiled a cheat sheet that you will begin to see if there are any time conflicts or over-lapping panels. There is a fine art to creating a cheat sheet into a manageable timeline of activities. I do not recommend that you automatically cross-off or remove any conflicting panels, as it is always a good idea to have a back-up plan in case one or more of the panels you had planned to attend ends up being booked to capacity and you cannot get into the room and/or panel. So it is wise to have an A-Plan, a B-Plan and even a C-Plan so that you do not freak-out if a panel or guest gets canceled, or 10,000 people show up for a 1,000 seat room and you are stuck outside praying someone will leave so you can get in the room of your choice. I also suggest that you allow extra time between panels so that you can navigate through the crowds from one panel to another and have time to (a) grab food, (b) use the restroom, or (c) wait in line to get in the room and find seats. If you do not allow built-in time in your schedule, you will be very agitated and frustrated to find that you are missing out on something you were dying to see. Time management is absolutely essential. So develop a flexible plan and keep an eye on it. Better yet, keep a printed copy of your cheat sheet (aka: itinerary) with you at all times.

(5) MONEY. Last, but not least, be sure to plan your budget accordingly regarding the costs of attending Comic-Con. Frequently and unexpectedly, it costs more than you might anticipate. It is a good idea to budget an extra $100-$200 for unanticipated costs, such as: parking fees, cab fare, munchies, memorabilia or other odds and ends.

So with these few tips, I hope that you will feel a bit more enlightened and prepared for how to approach Comic-Con and not be caught off-guard by the time constraints, weather, and other unpleasant surprises. Comic-Con can be a glorious, heady time of non-stop fun events with a little forethought — then you can sit back and enjoy the ride!

Related article:

LINK: http://nicegirlstv.com/2009/07/10/the-nice-girls-guide-to-comic-con/

(c) Tiffany Vogt, 2009

“A Nice Girl’s Guide to Fan Conventions” (2009)

 

Quite frequently I get asked the question: How does one find out about fan events?  Sometimes people ask out of mild curiosity and other times it is because someone has a genuine interest in what kinds of fan events there are.  As an active fan, I make a point of going to as many conventions, panels, screenings and Q&A events I can squish into my busy schedule.  But, as any fan can tell you, there is no one place to find out about fan events.  It is a strictly a hit or miss kind of thing.  Over the years, I have met other fans who share information about websites and events that they know and occasionally I get lucky and stumble across an announcement for one.  But it can be frustrating thing to be a fan and simply not know where to find information about fan events.

So in hope of providing a cheat-sheet to help pinpoint events fans might be interested in, here’s a list of websites that I recommend for anyone wishing to enter the fan-realm and see what it is all about:

CREATION ENTERTAINMENT: One of the biggest convention planners is Creation Entertainment, who hosts a multitude of fan events throughout the year in a whole array of cities.  I highly recommend this kind of convention as celebrities are very accessible and for fairly reasonable prices you can get autographs and pictures with the celebrity of your choice, and sometimes you can even get special opportunities to mingle with the celebs at a breakfast or dessert event.

Currently, Creation is hosting a series of conventions for the movie “Twilight” (called Twi-Tours).  Creation also regularly hosts conventions for such classic sci-fi shows as “Star Trek” and “Stargate,” as well as fan favorites like: “Supernatural” and “Firefly.”  Their annual Grand Slam SCI-FI Convention is also another particular favorite.

COMIC-CON: This is another major convention which is held annually in San Diego, but there are also smaller versions held in the San Francisco/Bay Area each year called Wonder-Con and APE.  The San Diego Comic-Con is a must-attend event for anyone who is interested in sci-fi/fantasy films, TV shows, books, comics and anime.   However, while these are extraordinary events with cool panels and great Q&A opportunities, it is not always possible to get photos with celebrities or autographs due to the sheer size of these conventions.  So do not plan to attend a convention like these with hopes of meeting your favorite star.

Just last year alone, the convention featured panels on:  “LOST,” “Heroes,” “Smallville,” “Supernatural,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Fringe,” “Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles,”  “Torchwood,” “Doctor Who,” “Primeval,” “True Blood,” “Dexter,” “24,” “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-Long Blog,” “Dollhouse,” “Stargate,” “Chuck,” “Pushing Daisies,” and a wide array of films ranging from “Twilight” to “Star Trek.”

PALEY CENTER:  The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills also hosts an annual two week event called the Paley Festival which showcases television shows that deserve special recognition.  Additionally, throughout the year, both the Beverly Hills Paley Center and its sister-center in New York host special screening and Q&A events.  But, as a heads-up, in order to be alerted to their frequent panels and events, it is best to become a member and get on an email list as seating can be limited.  Thus, it is a good idea to know in advance if there is an event/panel you might be interested in attending.

This year’s Paley Festival featured panels on shows like: “The Mentalist,” “Desperate Housewives,” “90210,” “True Blood,” “Dollhouse,” “Fringe,” and “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog.”

LA TIMES: Every year in the months preceding a significant awards ceremony, like the Emmys or the Oscars, the LA Times likes to host special screenings so that voting members can see the TV shows or films up for awards, and get a chance to talk to some of the stars and creative-talent behind it.  Fortunately, it appears that these events are now being opened up to the general public and for those who sign-up and get there early, you too can get a FREE seat for one of these events.

The LA Times is currently hosting screenings for TV shows such as: “In Plain Sight,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “The Shield,” “Rescue Me,” “The Cleaner, and “Sons of Anarchy.”

OTHER CONVENTIONS AND EVENTS:  The above represent just a fraction of all the events, screenings and conventions available for fans, so I have compiled a list of other fun and significant events worth checking out:

• Wizard-Con
• Dragon-Con
• Gallifrey One
• Starfury
• Texas Frightmare
• TorchSong
• Labyrinth Masquerade
• Emerald-Con
• New York Comic-Con

Again, these are not the totality of events, but rather a starting place on where to go to get started on one’s journey as a fan in mingling both with celebs and other fans alike.  The entire experience can be rewarding and exhilarating.  So come and get involved in the fun!

Related article:

LINK: http://nicegirlstv.com/2009/06/05/the-nice-girls-guide-to-fan-conventions/

‘Burn Notice’ at Comic-Con 2009

“‘Burn Notice’ At Comic Con: It IS A Sci-Fi Show”

On the heels of the electrifying panel, Entertainment Weekly’s Wonder Women, next up in Ballroom 20 was the “Burn Notice” panel moderated by Michael Shanks (”Stargate SG-1″).

After the fans recovered from their elation upon discovering Michael Shanks, who played both Victor on “Burn Notice” and Daniel on “Stargate SG-1″, would be moderating the panel, things only got more outrageous with Bruce Campbell stealing the spotlight at every opportunity.

First up, there was a short video introduction by Jeffrey Donovan, who plays Michael Weston,  providing spy tips for Comic-Con attendees, such as:  if you have 2 panels you want to attend that are at the same time, how to create a delay tactic with technical difficulties.  But he concluded with a final warning that this technique should not be employed on a panel where a spy was presenting as both sabotage and sneaking out of a spy’s panel could be potentially hazardous.

Then the panelists were introduced:  Matt Nix (creator/writer), Alfredo Barrios Jr. (writer), Bruce Campbell  (“Sam”), Seth Peterson (“Nate”), Ben Shenkman (“Tom Strickler”), Jay Karnes (“Brennan”).

Starting with an easy question, Matt Nix tried to explain that there is no big mystery behind Michael and Nate’s dad and, to burst the bubble of the uber-fans, he clarified that their dad is NOT a super-spy as has been speculated.  He emphasized further by stating, “Michael’s father did not burn him” and that “Burn Notice” is NOT “Alias.”  He tried to explain that he only incorporated the family aspect of Michael’s story to help explain where Michael came from.  He believes that Michael’s dysfunctional and challenging family life is what helped him gain necessary skills to be a spy, like paranoia.  He feels it is Michael’s “dark core” that makes him interesting.

Upon hearing the first person to yell, “I love you!” Bruce Campbell told that person to come up to the stage and he whipped out his wallet and gave the guy some cash.  When more fans quickly began yelling out their declarations of love too, Bruce told everyone to “behave!” and said that was it, he was not giving out any more money.  Then  he proceeded to give out cash two more times — once more to the very same guy who proclaimed his love for him earlier after he asked the question about when Sam was going to have a chance to kick some butt, opposed to always being beat-up.  It was a good question, but it was to Bruce’s chagrin that it turned out to be the same kiss-up fan from earlier, and due to the bright stage lights he could not see the guy and ended up giving him some more money.  The third time was to a young girl and she had asked him such a good question (she had asked Matt Nix if Bruce was helping write all the funny lines in the show) that he felt compelled to offer her some cash too.  So don’t let it be said that Bruce Campbell it not a generous guy!

Then to make sure he had the fans in a complete laughing frenzy, in response to one girl’s question about if the mojito was Sam’s drink of choice, what would be his, Bruce responded, “I would order a room and your naked body.”  That highly risqué quip nearly got him a date that night!

Trying to get the panel back on track, Matt Nix was asked what was the most challenging part in creating villains each week, and he said that it was hard making the villains as “smart and funny as Michael is” and that he was just really grateful that he had actors who were “smart and funny” who could pull off the villain roles so successfully.

With that nice segue, the other panelists were invited to comment on their characters and what they bring to the show.

Jay Karnes, who plays Brennan, initially said that he would prefer to “spend our time asking Bruce questions” otherwise it “feels like punching a rock star at a concert.”  But conceding that Bruce could not answer all the questions, he said that what he thought made Brennan such a good villain was the fact that he “does not believe anything Michael tells him and always knows that [he is] being played.”

Ben Shenkman, who plays Strickler, stated that his character’s strength came from being able to do what Michael can do:  he can talk people into doing things which are actually against their best interest.  Strickler is just a smooth talker.

As he is not a villain on the show, Seth Peterson, who plays Nate Weston, Michael’s brother, said that to date his character has only really changed with respect to facial hair, which was even given a line in an episode where Michael said, “what happened to the ferret on your face?”  He did state that would like to appear more on the show, as perhaps a spy-in-training under Sam’s tutelage.

In response to a fan’s question about if the writers put things in the show to see if the fans catch them, Matt Nix and Alfredo Barrios Jr. responded that they do.  They frequently use the casts or writer’s family names as villains or restaurants.  For example, they have had villains called Anwar, Campbell and Matheson (after Tim Matheson who directs episodes on their show), and they named Tom Stickler after one of the co-founder partners for the Endeavor talent agency.

To get everyone back on their feet again, Bruce Campbell responded to the question of “where you offered a role in Drag Me To Hell?” with “no, I was not offered a role in Drag Me To Hell, and Sam [Raimi] will pay for that in Spiderman 4, 5, and 6!”

And just when you thought it could not get more hilarious, Bruce nearly stole the panel with his break-down on how “Burn Notice” is a show that belongs at Comic-Con.  He stated it was because the show has horror, sci-fi and fantasy elements:  the horror is connected to his character’s name “Sam Axe” (like an ax used in horror movies); the sci-fi is tied to all the aliens that Miami has; and the fantasy element is his character’s ability too sleep with an endless string of rich women.  That explanation and tie-in was PRICELESS.

Clearly, this panel was about Bruce Campbell and his multitude of zealous fans.  But it provided many comedic moments and levity for everyone and gave us the sense that everyone was having a great time — both the fans and the panelist who were eating up all the high energy and warm response.  Bruce Campbell — the man, the myth and the legend lives — at Comic-Con!

Related article:

LINK: http://nicegirlstv.com/2009/08/06/burn-notice-at-comic-con-it-is-a-sci-fi-show/

Bruce Campbell of 'Burn Notice' at Comic-Con - (c) Tiffany Vogt, 2009