The way Daryl Hall and John Oates tell it, they met at Temple University by chance while fleeing a riot at the Adelphi Ballroom Battle of the Bands in 1967. They both ran to a service elevator when shots started getting fired. It was two years before they became a duo, and another three years before they recorded their first album, but that fateful meeting led to the formation of one of the best-selling duos of all time: Hall & Oates.
Thirty-five years ago, after the release of their first album, they opened for Harry Chapin at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. They went on to a successful career that spans several decades, with such a unique flavor that they continue to inspire and influence today’s new music. In May of 2008, thirty-five years and 60 million albums later, Hall & Oates returned to the stage at the Troubadour for the first time since that long-ago premiere. For two nights they performed to sold-out crowds and, fortunately for us, it was all captured by ten remote-controlled HD cameras by Blaze TV. Featuring their greatest hits like “Out of Touch”, “Maneater,” “Private Eyes,” “Rich Girl,” and “Kiss on My List,” it is now being offered to us by Shout! Factory in 3 formats: DVD, Blu-ray and a 2-CD/1-DVD combo.
Growing up with them playing on the radio, they were one of my favorite bands. I’ve always been attracted to lyric-driven music and Hall & Oates never let me down. I loved the way that they integrated emerging technology into their multi-cultural and multi-genre influenced music, creating not just songs but events. While many bands were trying to do something different to stand out from their contemporaries, Hall & Oates had a unique sound and style that seemed to be less a marketing ploy and more like a couple of guys unapologetically loving what they were doing and having a lot of fun with it. While I was a fan, I didn’t have all of their albums, so when I began listening to Live at the Troubadour I was surprised by how many songs I knew well. Without the added sound effects and electronic noises I enjoyed in many of the originals, this largely “unplugged” performance surpassed my expectations. The lyrics don’t get lost in the studio polish. Even songs that relied on the electronic sounds like “Out of Touch” transition extremely well in this laid-back “jam” session.
Perhaps it was the intensity of coming “full circle”, as Daryl Hall put it, that his vocals started out a bit reedy, but he quickly warmed up with the music and within moments of the first song his voice flowed smooth and rich like silk slipping through your fingers. I can’t really explain why the term “organic” keeps coming to mind, other than noting, perhaps, how warm and genuine the performance feels. Listening to it is pure pleasure. (I’ve had the double CD playing on repeat for three days now and still haven’t gotten my fill.) The folksy storytelling with jazzy and bluesy flavors kept my toes tapping and head bobbing as I sang along. They still look great, sound great, and seem to be enjoying themselves even more than the crowd, if that’s possible. Daryl’s Cheshire grin never seemed to leave his face as he played his keyboard and the audience masterfully. We even got to hear John perform his “Had I Known You Better Then.” The band played wonderfully and the vocal harmonies blended so well that the audience (and you, via camera) can’t help but be lulled into a sense of intimacy. I especially loved the 9 minute and 38 second long rendition of “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)”. It reminded me of some of the jamming in Sting’s Bring on the Night tour. If you liked Hall & Oates at all, you are going to love Live at the Troubadour.
The 2-CD/1-DVD combo includes the following songs:
CD Disc One:
1. Everything Your Heart Desires (Daryl Hall)
2. When the Morning Comes (Daryl Hall)
3. Family Man (Tim Cross/Rick Fenn/Mike Frye/Mike Oldfield/Morris Pert/Maggie Reilly)
4. Say It Isn’t So (Daryl Hall)
5. It’s Uncanny (Daryl Hall)
6. Had I Known You Better Then (John Oates)
7. She’s Gone (Daryl Hall/John Oates)
8. Getaway Car (Gary Haase/Billy Mann)
9. Cab Driver (Louis Brown/Alan Gorrie/Daryl Hall)
CD Disc Two:
1. One on One (Daryl Hall)
2. Sara Smile (Daryl Hall/John Oates)
3. Maneater (Sara Allen/Daryl Hall/John Oates)
4. Out of Touch (Daryl Hall/John Oates)
5. I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) (Sara Allen/Daryl Hall/John Oates)
6. Rich Girl (Daryl Hall)
7. Kiss on My List (Janna Allen/Daryl Hall)
8. You Make My Dreams (Sara Allen/Daryl Hall/John Oates)
9. Abandoned Luncheonette (Daryl Hall)
10. Private Eyes (Sara Allen/Janna Allen/Daryl Hall/Warren Pash)
DVD Performances:
1. Everything Your Heart Desires
2. When the Morning Comes
3. Family Man
4. Say It Isn’t So
5. It’s Uncanny
6. Had I Known You Better Then
7. She’s Gone
8. Getaway Car
9. Cab Driver
10. One on One
11. Sara Smile
12. Maneater
13. Out of Touch
14. I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)
15. Rich Girl
16. Kiss on My List
17. You Make My Dreams
18. Abandoned Luncheonette
19. Private Eyes
All New Interviews with Daryl & John Oates
As mentioned in earlier articles, this summer I had a chance to speak with Felicia Day and Sandeep Parikh at San Diego Comic-Con. I videotaped the interview but, due to technical difficulties, experienced delays in getting the interview online. While I was able to get the interview audio and photos uploaded, the video tape is still trapped in a dead camera. I’m embarrassed it took so long, but am proud to announce that I finally have a transcript of their hilarious interview. Without further delay, I present Felicia Day and Sandeep Parikh from July 27, 2008, at San Diego Comic-Con.
(ÜSFG) We are ÜberSciFiGeek with The Guild at San Diego Comic-Con.
(FD) Hi. I’m Felicia Day. I am the creator of The Guild, the web series, and I was also in Dr. Horrible.
(SP) Are you looking at her or the camera?
(FD) Her.
(SP) You’re looking at… okay. I’m Sandeep Parikh and I play Zaboo on The Guild, and I created my own web series for Comedy Central called The Legend of Neil.
(ÜSFG) How did you come up with the idea for The Guild?
(FD) I was a World of Warcraft addict, so for two years I played World of Warcraft obsessively. But I’ve always been a gamer so when I quit, because I thought it was kind of affecting my life in a bad way, I wanted to write something and use my time more creatively, and I thought it was an appropriate thing to write about, a group of gamers.
(ÜSFG) Can you tell us about how you cast The Guild, the process of deciding who would actually be in it?
(FD) Um.
(SP) My part was written for me.
(FD) Okay. Well, I was going to say that but now that he puts it like that it’s not as funny or —
(SP) Ah… nice.
(FD) — or complimentary.
(SP) Colored man is not funny. That’s nice.
(FD) In fact, Zaboo, it was like a recasting. I was desperate for somebody.
(SP laughing)
(FD) Yeah. I’m kidding. I did write the part for Sandeep and I wrote the part for Jeff, who plays Vork. They’re in my improv group. I’ve done improv with them for years and I always thought they were the funniest people I knew, so why not write parts for them. And the rest of the parts we cast. A friend of my, Helen Geier, who actually is a casting director, she works professionally in Bones —
(At this point, someone drags a metal chair across the concrete patio with such force that everyone cringes painfully)
(FD) That was like the loudest noise ever.
(SP) Ya think?
(FD) That was horrible. That was a horrendous noise.
(SP) Anything can happen at the Comic-Con.
(FD) Wow. Okay, so people need to pick their chairs up and move them. This is my Comic-Con lesson. ‘Cause my Mojito brain is not tolerating this. Anyway, um, you can cut all that out. Let’s see —
(ÜSFG) But that’s the stuff people like.
(SP) What were you saying? You were saying…
(FD) So basically my friend Helen helped me cast the rest of the parts.
(ÜSFG) How long did it take to get it up and running once you had your cast and were ready to go?
(FD) You know, it takes a while to get a show — and it was just me and my two producers getting it, self funding it, getting everybody together, ya know, getting more patience, but once you decide to do something —
(SP) It was pretty quick, I thought.
(FD) Yeah, I —
(SP) It felt like you had the script out and then…
(FD) I had the script done, we did a couple rewrites, but once we decided to do it and I started rewriting it to be a web series, it was only a couple months.
(ÜSFG) Did you ever imagine that it would have as many viewers as it has had?
(FD) No, it’s been crazy. I mean, honestly, I didn’t really think of an end result. I just wanted to make it. The idea of making it, just the fact that I was able to make it was like a privilege. I don’t know, it just seemed like an insurmountable task to try to film something I wrote but, really, when you decide to do something, I don’t know, it just kind of fell in place. And the fact that it’s been so well received by fans is clearly not anticipatable. Is that a word?
(SP and ÜSFG) It is now.
(ÜSFG) We’ll put it in The Guild lexicon.
(FD) Okay, good. Thank you.
(ÜSFG) So, kind of along that same line, this labor of love, are the The Guild cast and crew finally getting paid or is it still just a labor of love?
(FD) Well, for the last two episodes we were able to pay the cast, or some of the cast at least, for their work because of donations.
(SP) Wooooo!
(FD) We got some, yes, and with the DVD sales we’re back paying everybody, so we have a budget, and so as soon as we pay for the expenses for the DVD and we, the cast, is next, and maybe sometime I’ll get something but, you know, for me it’s all about compensating the people who worked really hard for free on my show.
(ÜSFG) Now that the first season has wrapped up and we do have our DVD, what can we expect for Season 2?
(FD) You can expect more of the Codex/Zaboo… well, the Codex/Zaboo Saga really is not complete.
(SP) No, of course not.
(FD) So I think that we —
(SP) I will not quit!
(FD) He will not. I mean, let’s be honest, his character is not a quitter, so — but, you know, we don’t want to rehash the whole same beat. And I think we’re going to learn a little more about the characters we don’t know much about because it’s a large cast and it’s hard in a pilot situation to really establish all the characters and where they’re coming from so, ya know. And I want to keep it funny. That’d be good. Keep a balance between the gaming and the non-gaming, which is a challenge because, you know, especially with Dr. Horrible, we have a huge influx of maybe not-as-gamerish fans, which is cool for me because it means, ya know, I can bounce back and forth between the gaming and the non-gaming storylines, so I’m excited about it.
(SP) Basically, we don’t want to spoil anything —
(ÜSFG) Right.
(SP) — but there will be tons of making out.
(ÜSFG) Oooh…
(FD) No.
(SP) No, that’s not true.
(FD) With you, actually, it’s interesting, because Vork and Zaboo have this sexual tension.
(SP) Oh, you are giving that out. Ah. Yeah.
(FD) Vork and Zaboo have this sexual tension —
(SP) — and they just start making out.
(FD) Nobody wants to see that.
(SP) And then all your views drop. You get negative views.
(FD) They’re like, yeah, give me my view back!
(SP) Yeah, they somehow get an anti-view.
(FD) Not to insult you or Jeff. Well, much.
(ÜSFG) Like in a real guild, will characters quit and new ones join as the series progresses?
(FD) Um, well, like I said, for the sec– I mean, yeah, down the line, but for the second season I think it’s really about re-establishing the characters and really solidifying their personalities and taking them that one more step before we — I mean, because there are already six characters, so before I throw in a bunch of new characters I want to make sure that we know our main cast really, really well.
(SP) There’s so much to explore. Like Blades — I mean, I feel like you haven’t seen the tip of the iceberg with all these guys.
(FD) With everybody, with really even Codex. With everybody. And also, real life is always on the periphery for these people, like Zaboo’s mom kind of represented the real life aspect but, also, every single season is going to have that dynamic to it. There’s always, like, a struggle between the real life and fantasy life that they live and then the relationships that they have. You know, there will obviously be guest cast and who knows who might get killed off if they make me mad.
(SP) She always looks right at me whenever she talks about killing off characters. So weird.
(FD) You’re the only character that’s ever here, so, I mean…
(ÜSFG) With Codex being the priest in game, do you see her filling the same role in real life as healer of the group as they face those real world challenges?
(FD) I like the way you think. Yes, definitely Codex is the healer in game and she is the healer out of the game, and she’s the kind of person who always puts other people’s needs before hers because she maybe too afraid to confront her own problems. So, it’s a great way to avoid — of avoidance. And, yeah, I think she’s a nurturing personality and I think she does that with whatever aspect of her life we’re examining.
(ÜSFG) What other projects do you guys have planned for this year other then Season 2?
(SP) Well, I directed a… I just, ah… you want me to plug it right now?
(ÜSFG) Plug! Plug!
(SP) Is it time? Is it time?
(FD) Plug! Plug! Plug! Plug! Plug!
(SP) Oh, I made a Comedy Central web series called The Legend of Neil. It’s on Atom.com and Felicia… (holds up promo post card) these are her panties.
Sandeep Shows Off Felicia's Panties
(FD) It’s true. I’m in episode three, I’m a fairy, and it’s very cool.
(SP) She plays a fairy. It’s about a guy who gets sucked into Zelda and has to fight his way out. Like, a regular Joe Schmo, beer-guzzling dude, and he gets sucked into the game and encounters all the characters and creatures, and they are much realer then you think.
(FD) It’s really funny, and I’m in the third episode, and I’m a fairy, and I’m a — see, it is really cool, because I’m a tiny fairy!
(SP) Yeah, we turned her into a seven inch tall fairy —
(FD) It’s very exciting.
(SP) — which was fun to do.
(FD) It’s a little racy.
(SP) It’s a little racy. It’s a little more South Parky then I would say The Guild is.
(FD)The Guild is layered, has complexer characters, and then is hilariously funny, while yours is, you know… has the shtick.
(SP) Wow.
(FD) I’m just totally kidding here.
(SP) Wow.
(FD) It is really funny.
(ÜSFG) But it will have a built in audience because a lot more people have been exposed to Zelda than have been exposed to The Guild and World of Warcraft.
(FD) That’s true, and a lot of people, like —
(SP) That’s true. I think there will be. We were actually talking about this last night — well, we weren’t, but my friends and I were talking about this last night — and it really actually does touch upon, like, two different markets and I hope that ultimately there will be a lot of crossover.
(FD) But I think it’s the same —
(SP) This is more kind of like, people who love South Park, like the frat boys…
(FD) It’s a little more frat boy, but at the same time it’s, like — I was talking to somebody about it at the Browncoat booth — the Buffy fans aren’t necessarily gamers.
(SP) Right.
(FD) But, it’s like a, ya know, a —
(SP & FD) Venn diagram.
Felicia and Sandeep Illustrate a Venn Diagram of How Fan Bases Overlap
(SP) See, here’s our Venn diagram —
(FD) — and then there is… you know, everybody’s touching —
(SP) — and then —
(FD) — it shows it’s not that far to go from one…
(SP laughs and continues moving his fingers to cover her hands)
(FD) You know, I’ve had enough.
(ÜSFG) All right. Were there any artists, panels, guests here this weekend that you guys were just dying to see, had a chance to see, or…
(FD) There were other things going on besides my signing?
(SP) Right.
(FD) Because I literally didn’t see anything. I mean, all day… I mean, literally.
(SP) I didn’t see anything.
(FD) I have not walked around.
(SP) I didn’t have to do half as much as you did, ’cause I wasn’t in Dr. Horrible —
(FD) That’s true.
(SP) — and I didn’t get to see, like, anything else, so I couldn’t even imagine…
(FD) I didn’t get to do anything, at all. But it was — I mean, you know what, but this afternoon maybe I’ll get, like, two hours of walking around buying stuff but it’s… yeah. I mean, I’m not complaining, because it’s great to have something to show fans and interact with them. But it has been, like, sad that I couldn’t go to some panels, but I did — while I was signing, one of the Browncoat people brought down Jacqueline Carey, the author who writes the Kushiel’s Dart and all those series. I’m a huge fan and I… you know, sometimes fans meet you and they’re really nervous, and I’m like, “Why are you nervous? I’m just a person.” But I got so nervous when I met her, I was a blithering idiot. So, uh, now I understand that.
(SP) It’s so funny.
(FD) It is funny how you geek out over certain people. Like, I can meet somebody hugely famous and I’m like, “Oh, okay.” But when you’re surprised with somebody whom you admire, and you just really…
(SP) Right. Well, it was the same when, the first time I met Joss. Like, I never really met him before and I am a huge Firefly fan, and I was on the set of Dr. Horrible and I just kinda — my girlfriend worked on it, helped out on the set. She helped with props and stuff like that. I walked on the set and everybody was like, “Oh, Zaboo,” because they had heard of the show from you. And I was like “Oh, cool” and they were about to start shooting and then someone was like, “Oh, Zaboo!” And I kinda, like, I couldn’t really see them, and I was like, “Don’t mess up the shoot to say hi to Zaboo.” But then Leah, my girlfriend, leans over and she’s like, “That’s Joss Whedon.” I was like, “Oh, I’m a–”
(FD) And then you get sweaty —
(SP) Yeah, I was like —
(FD) — and you’re like, “Uh… I don’t know what to say to you right now. I’m really nervous.”
(SP) But, no, he was totally cool because… because he liked The Guild and was a fan of what we’ve done, it was really easy to engage him and have, like, a normal conversation with him.
(FD) Really?
(SP) I thought.
(FD) Well, I’m still a geek. I get, like, trembling. I mean, not around Joss… not that he’s not trembling worthy.
(SP) He’s super cool, though.
(FD) Yeah.
(SP) He’s super down-to-earth, which I thought was…
(FD) Well, that’s why his fans are so loyal, I think. ‘Cause he’s just awesome.
(SP) Right.
(FD) And relatable.
(SP) Well, I got to meet Wil Wheaton, which I was very excited about. I know you’re, like, super friends with him, but I love him.
(FD) Yeah. I’m not super friends.
(SP) Well, whatever.
(FD) I mean, I’m not… This is going on the Internet and he’s going to be like, “Hello, Felicia, we’re not super friends.”
(SP) He’d really say that?
(FD laughing)
(SP) He would, like, go out of his way to say that specific…?
(FD) Well, you know, it’s the same thing. I don’t like overstepping myself or being braggy.
(SP) Okay. Well, but you guys are friends.
(FD) We’re acquaintances.
(SP) You’re acquaintances.
(FD) Bordering on friendship.
(SP) Well, you guys were talking to each other, and I hadn’t met him, and I was excited to meet him, so I got to meet him at the con and that was exciting for me.
(FD) Yeah.
(SP) Because I’m a huge Star Trek: Next Generation nerd.
(ÜSFG) Are you guys getting recognized in public now?
(SP) Yeah.
(FD) Yeah, a lot. I mean, especially in this concentrated area. It’s crazy. I mean, I can’t walk a couple feet. It’s cool because it’s the indie side that recognizes us more —
(SP) Totally.
(FD) — and then it’s like when you’re in the corporate side people are like, “Oh, it’s the Aston Martin from James Bond.” But we’re in the comic side and, like, the graphic artist side, and the Browncoats side. It’s like, we get recognized a lot more. Which is cool. I mean, like, I’m an indie girl.
(SP) I think people, like, think they know you more, too —
(FD) Yeah.
(SP) — so they’re like, “Hey, how’s it going?” They, like, come to you like they’re your friends. It’s, like, disarming.
(FD) It’s not… it’s less… it’s almost like, yeah, it’s less fannish. It’s more like, “Hey, how is it? I follow your Twitter.”
(SP) Yeah.
(FD) Or my Facebook.
(SP) Yeah. It’s cool.
(FD) Yeah, I like that.
(ÜSFG) One last question.
(FD) Okay.
(ÜSFG) Worst case scenario, one day the Internet crashes and it never comes back. (both gasp) What would you do?
(FD) I don’t even know why you would do that to me.
(SP) Ooooh! Why? Why… what is this…
(ÜSFG) Well, you know, all of the Terminator hype.
(ÜSFG) Apocalyptic scenario.
(FD) I don’t even want to go there. I mean, it’s so traumatic. I just got my iPhone. I’m connected 24/7. I don’t know why you would even try to rob me of my passions.
(ÜSFG) I’m sorry!
(FD) Um, I would just be reading fantasy novels like I do anyway.
(SP) Yep, pretty much. That’s… yeah, I’d be reading fantasy novels. I’m a dork.
(ÜSFG) Is there anything else that you want to say about The Guild, Legend of Neil, anything that you did this weekend?
(FD) Uh, no… I just want to — I guess I would say “Thank you” to the fans because, I mean, Dr. Horrible doesn’t have PR people. You know, The Guild doesn’t have PR people. This is all grass roots stuff and it’s, like, really revolutionizing the Internet and how people get their entertainment, and I think it’s a turn for the good.
(SP) Right.
(FD) And I love the fact that they made it, all of it, as big as it is. So, thank you! Thank you!
(ÜSFG) Well, I want to thank you for talking to us today.
(FD) No problem.
(ÜSFG) We’re really looking forward to The Guild. We’re looking forward to The Legend of Neil, and we’re really excited at how big Dr. Horrible has been and look forward to hopefully a return of Penny in our own idea of…
(SP) Woo hoo!
(FD) That would be great!
(ÜSFG) …spinning off.
(FD) That would be great!
(ÜSFG) Thank you so much —
(FD) Thank you, Raven.
(ÜSFG) — I hope you guys have a great time at the rest of Comic-Con.
Every fall new shows come on the air and we are left wondering, “Is anything worth watching?” Most seasons, I’d have to say “No”, but this year has had some surprises. It used to be that shows would air new episodes during the fall and spring and then play repeats during the holidays and summer. Anyone who had missed a show might find themselves thumbing through channels late in season one or season two and fall in love, allowing those viewers to plan around watching the show and getting caught up on the repeats and excitedly ready for the new episodes.
The trend nowadays though is to air a show for 3 or 4 episodes, put it on hiatus for a month and play another 2 episodes, and then cancel the show before it’s even found an audience. This sure doesn’t help the networks draw viewers or help the viewers decide what to make time for, especially when most of what they do discover runs the risk of sudden death. Hopefully this will help steer you to a few new (or newer) shows that deserve a following. From the really good to the just good fun, here are a few shows I’d recommend you check out if you haven’t already.
Fringe
I’ve already commented on and will continue to rave about Fringe. I think it is the best new show on television. It’s the only show that consistently keeps me guessing with the plots without being so convoluted that I feel the writers are making it up as they go along. The characters are richly layered and enjoyable. The actors are well understated in their performances, which lends credibility to the characters, even John Noble as Walter, who could easily try to take it over the top and maybe get away with it but it would not be such a treat to watch.
Anna Torv doesn’t have the typical Hollywood blonde appearance. As Agent Olivia Dunham, she is beautiful, but not stunningly so, and they’ve played down her beauty by the way they dress her. While her business attire is very classy and looks great on her, they seem to be sending the message that Olivia has no idea just how beautiful she is, and she dresses work-sensible with little attention to aesthetics. She’s the kind of intelligent and attractive woman you can see in any number of professional jobs so she doesn’t come off as the typical glamorous beauty studio execs put in a show to sell it to the young male audience. She’s believable as an intuitive and driven woman who won’t be satisfied until she has her answers — all of them.
I never watched Dawson’s Creek so I have no previous conception of Joshua Jackson to be broken. As Peter Bishop, he’s the right balance of seething sarcasm and charming wit. He seems to try to come off as untouchable, unmoving and apathetic, but then an expression suddenly crosses his face and you see the walls come down, revealing an unguarded pathos that leaves you wondering where the game ends and man begins. Phillip Broyles as Agent Lance Reddick tends to glower in every scene. He ranges from being intimidating to conspiratorial without a whole lot more in between. We haven’t seen much of an opening or range in him yet but, as Olivia stated to him recently, “We don’t know each other well enough for you to say something like that to me.” I plan on sticking around to find out just how well they do get to know each other.
Fringe airs on Fox on Tuesday nights at 9/8 central. The entire series is currently available online at fox.com, so if you have missed it you can catch up now.
Pushing Daisies
This is Season 2, technically, but Season 1 was cut off by the writers strike, so let’s call it Season 1.5. If this was last fall, I’d be saying this is the best new show of the season but, alas, with a handful of episodes already on the air before this season’s premiere I can’t rightfully give it that title. I can, however, still call it amazing, wonderful, funny, entertaining, surprising, charming, unique, well written, well acted and absolutely endearing. Pushing Daisies is a brilliant show. It was the only new series I watched last season and the only season premiere I was anticipating this fall. In a TV wasteland filled with rehashed reality-based cops and over-sexed doctors, this is a refreshing treat.
The ensemble cast is a delight to see each week and the storytelling is a gem! One of my biggest peeves in series television is how predictable the plots are. It’s truly a pleasure to be able to enjoy a show and be genuinely surprised with the story twists. When I first began watching it, I was hooked right away. Pushing Daisies is a fairy tale-like fantasy with romance, murder and mystery. It tells the story of the Pie Maker, Ned (played adorably by Lee Pace), who has a gift for bringing dead things back to life with a touch. That may sound amazing at first thought, but imagine trying to eat a cheeseburger or some fried chicken when anything dead that touches you comes back to life. One touch brings the dead back to life, a second touch makes it dead forever, but after having a few meals wander off his plate, I’m sure vegetarianism suddenly sounded like a wonderful idea.
Ned runs a pie shop called “The Pie Hole” where he creates the most luscious, fruity desserts you will ever have the pleasure to savor. Olive Snook (the incredible Kristin Chenoweth) is his employee, who goes unnoticed by Ned as she pines over him. Enter detective Emerson Cod (Chi McBride), who sees Ned’s “gift” as a cash cow. What better way to solve a murder then to ask the victim, “Who killed you?” Everything is going fine for Ned and Emerson until a case brings Ned face-to-casket with the love of his life, Charlotte “Chuck” Charles (Anna Friel), his long lost, childhood friend. Unable to help himself because he’s so happy to have her back in his life, he refuses to touch her again, and suddenly the living dead girl is added to the mix.
While there is an ongoing storyline, each episode stands well alone. With the help of a narrator, we are escorted along the stories from week to week, so it’s safe to tune in now without feeling too lost. I’m not sure why ABC keeps playing two episodes and then taking it off for two weeks before playing the next two, but I fear they are sabotaging the best show on their network. It hasn’t been renewed for a third season yet, so hopefully they will actually play the episodes every week so people can start watching it again.
You can tune in to ABC on Wednesdays at 8/7 central or catch the full episodes on abc.com.
Sanctuary
I’ve been following Sanctuary since I first saw an interview with Stargate SG-1‘s Amanda Tapping on YouTube. She mentioned a new series she was producing directly to the Internet so I looked it up and discovered the rattling gates on the website, sanctuaryforall.com. The eerie music and wind-blown creaking gates were as intriguing as the idea of a fully virtual set. I checked back every few days and, finally, one day there was a tiny little link that said, “join the team”. The following week I received an email inviting me to beta test the site, and thus began my submersion in the world of Sanctuary. Part of the draw for me was my disillusionment with the way networks treat their sci-fi and fantasy viewers. Our shows are always the first to get yanked. The idea of cutting out the middle man and going directly to us, the loyal viewers, was exactly the revolution I was looking for.
When the SCI FI Channel opted to make it into a television series, I immediately had reservations. How would their touch affect our beloved show? Did this mean the revolution was over and we as a subculture had lost again? My trust in the series creators — Damien Kindler, Amanda Tapping and Martin Wood — kept me loyal, but when the series premiered in October I had mixed feelings. There was a fair mixture of scenes from the original web series and new footage in the expanded plot, and over the first 4 episodes I struggled with it, because every time I seemed to buy into the re-envisioning, they’d throw in an old scene and suddenly my mind was snapped back and I had the sense that everything was wrong. “That’s not the way it happened,” I thought to myself. Still, I really loved the concept and the people involved in the project, so I held on to my hope and kept viewing. I’m really glad I did.
Now that the original web series footage and stories have come and gone, I find it much easier to get caught up in the plot. While I was able to see some of the plot turns coming, I have to admit that they are getting better with each episode. I now really want to know what happens next. I now feel like the changes are an improvement. I’ve finally been able to separate the web series and the TV series and can truly enjoy the show. Anyone who never saw the wepisodes won’t have the same problems I had getting attached to the series.
Inspired by the works of classic science fiction and fantasy, and graphic novels such as The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, Damien Kindler’s Sanctuary tells the story of Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping), a Victorian-era scientist who has devoted her life to tracking down rare, exotic and often mythological creatures and abnormals (people and creatures who have, through genetic mutations, become something other than “human” as we know it). She is assisted by her daughter Ashley (the incredibly talented Emilie Ullerup, who stole our hearts as Kaitlin in jPod last year), her tech guy Henry (the adorable Ryan Robbins) and her new protégé Will (Robin Dunne). Will is new to the environment, to the world that he never imagined was real. As he becomes submerged in this new world, so do we. The series is shot in Vancouver, so a lot of familiar faces keep dropping in, including other Stargate alum like the amazing Christopher Heyerdahl, who juggles roles here as he does on Stargate Atlantis.
If you are a fan of classic authors like Jules Verne, H. Rider Haggard, H.G. Wells and Edgar Rice Burroughs, you may not just like this series, but love it.
True to its original simultaneous international release, it is being shown worldwide, so check your local stations if you are outside of the U.S. and request it if no one is showing it yet. For those of you in the U.S., you can catch it on the SCI FI Channel on Friday nights at 10/9 central or on scifi.com.
Legend of the Seeker
Harken back to the glory days of syndicated science fiction and fantasy television. With shows like Highlander, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena: Warrior Princess, The Adventures of Sinbad, Time Trax and many others, the 90s was a virtual smorgasbord for adventure-hungry geeks everywhere. With the success of films like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, fantasy is making a comeback, and it’s very refreshing to see. Legend of the Seeker, brought to us from the same team who brought us Hercules and Xena, is based on the Sword of Truth series of books by Terry Goodkind. There have been some pretty harsh reactions from fans of the books, as can be expected with any show based on a novel, but, overall, it’s higher quality and less campy than the previous endeavors of the New Zealand team. While plot deviations will always be a zone of contention with fans, so far my only quibble is how cheery everyone is. They are on a grand adventure together and there are some heavy moments, but the overall cheer level is higher than I would expect from people who are in constant mortal danger. Still, I’m enjoying it for what it is: a light-hearted fantasy saga that doesn’t take itself too seriously and aims to entertain, not make history. Hopefully it will have the legs to walk on for at least a few years.
Legend of the Seeker tells the story of Richard Cypher (Craig Horner), a simple Westland farm boy. A respected and well liked member of the community, a hunter and tracker, he discovers he isn’t who he thought he was when the magical Confessor Kahlan Amnell (Bridget Regan) arrives from the Midlands in search of the powerful wizard Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander (Bruce Spence). Zed was entrusted with hiding and protecting The Seeker, a child of prophecy who would save their land and people from the ruthless Darken Rahl (Craig Parker). After discovering the truth of his birth, he sets out with Zed and Kahlan to discover his heritage and save his people.
You can use the Legend of the Seeker website, legendoftheseeker.com, to look up your local listings and find out when it airs in your neck of the woods.
I first read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever by Stephen R. Donaldson when I was a youth. I was so enraptured by the story that I drew the cover of The Wounded Land on my bedroom wall with colored pencils. When I read an announcement online that the book publisher of the Thomas Covenant series had signed a movie deal, I was dumbstruck. The Unbeliever in a film? I was very excited, imagining that now, with the success of films like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, not only are wider audiences ready for fantasy adventures, but the special effects may live up to the author’s visions. Now is the perfect time for films like Thomas Covenant and Xanth to be made into films. (Sadly, the movie options for Thomas Covenant expired and, as of yet, have not been renewed.) The more I thought about it, the more I realized that while the warm fuzzy feelings associated with the book remained, the details of his journey were no longer well defined in my memory. I thought the best way to fix that would be to read the series again. I am so glad that I have. From the moment I picked up the first book, Lord Foul’s Bane, I have been unable to quit reading them, sometimes for hours at a time. I’m getting so much more out of the books now, seeing it and feeling it differently as an adult than I did when I was young.
Thomas Covenant, author, husband and father, loses everything when he becomes a leper. What started as a bruise on his right hand soon becomes an infection that leads to the amputation of the two outer fingers on his hand. His idyllic life on Haven Farm Ranch comes abruptly to an end when his panic-stricken wife Joan runs away with their young son Roger and files for divorce. Ostracized by his community and losing his identity, he’s still trying and failing to come to terms with his new reality when, after a strange encounter with a homeless man, he finds himself pulled into another reality. This new place, called “The Land” by its inhabitants, sees his newly scarred deformity and the white gold wedding band he couldn’t bring himself to remove as a sign, a fulfillment of prophecy. They believe him to be the second coming of Berek Half-hand, a hero from long ago whose return was foretold. As he finds himself forced to push forward on a journey to deliver a message from the evil-incarnate Lord Foul to the peace loving High Lords of the Land, he struggles with his inadequacies, impotence, ineffectiveness and helplessness, while others repeatedly thrust the mantle of “savior” upon him.
To accept the Land as real goes against everything a leper is taught to survive. How can he, a leper, a helpless and hopeless creature, be anything special? They call him the White Gold Wielder. He calls himself Unbeliever. How can he believe? He’s someone to be pitied, someone to be feared. He’s horrible and wonderful. He’s a hero and he’s a villain. He is everything and nothing.
Stephen R. Donaldson has created such a rich and vivid world full of layered history and complex cultures. It’s beautiful and horrible. It’s as compelling as it is appalling, and the journey that Covenant goes on explores everyone’s feelings of ineffectiveness, of hopelessness, of feeling responsible for everything that is wrong in the world and yet feeling like a helpless victim of it at the same time. Filled with violence (and a rape in the first book), Donaldson doesn’t flinch as he drags his characters through Hell and back for a second go around. What amazes me more than the vivid world he’s created is the fact that he can make the reader feel empathy for someone as pitiful as Covenant. What many people may not see, and would criticize about the books because of it, is that every single one of us has within in us the capacity to do horrible things. Covenant does. We grovel in our helplessness, we blame others for our failures, we blame ourselves for things we could not possibly have controlled. We hate ourselves and deny ourselves and cause people to suffer because of our own lack of faith in anything. Covenant does all these things and more. He’s an antihero and a paradox.
Reading The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant is not easy. You will be offended, angered and hurt, but you will find yourself conflicted and moved to tears for someone who is all too much like ourselves at our worst and at our best.
The Thomas Covenant series was first published in 1977, with The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant being published in 1983. In 2004, Covenant returned to the Land with The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, two volumes of which have not been published yet.
The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever
Book 1: Lord Foul’s Bane (1977)
Book 2: The Illearth War (1978)
Book 3: The Power That Preserves (1979)
The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
Book 1: The Wounded Land (1980)
Book 2: The One Tree (1982)
Book 3: White Gold Wielder (1983)
The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
Book 1: The Runes of the Earth (2004)
Book 2: Fatal Revenant (2007)
Book 3: Against All Things Ending (2010)
Book 4: The Last Dark (2013)
Felicia Day and Sandeep Parikh at San Diego Comic-Con 2008
I had a chance to sit down with Felicia Day and Sandeep Parikh of The Guild on the final morning of this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, and was thrilled to have the chance to speak with them. They were both extremely funny and easygoing as they interacted and jibed with me and each other. The interview was videotaped with the intent to put it on ÜberSciFiGeek, and because of the noise at the convention a voice recorder was also kept running. Thankfully, someone was taking photos as well. I say thankfully because, the day I was getting ready to transfer the video to my computer for editing, my camera died… after inserting the tape. Presently, the interview is still locked away within the belly of my very dead Panasonic video camera. The audio of the interview has already been posted here in MP3 format, and now we finally have some photos to share! If you are a fan of Felicia and Sandeep, you will love this collection of over 100 photos of them.
A special thanks to Squeak for getting up early and tagging along to take the photos. You’re a life saver!
Every time a new show launches, we try to find ways to describe it within the framework of shows we already know. With Fringe there were lots of reviews comparing it to The X-Files because of the unexplained cases and underlying conspiracy theory (referred to as “The Pattern”). Hopefully X-Philes (X-Files devotees) who tune in for Fringe won’t be too disappointed that the similarities end there… at least for now. It’s more of a character-driven crime drama along the lines of Crossing Jordan than a paranormal thriller. As far as conspiracies go, they are keeping us guessing. Who should she trust? Who’s good, who’s evil? Who’s involved? Under these circumstances, who is “truthful” would be a very wrong question to ask. The very nature of their work requires deception.
While it’s hard to define Agent Olivia Dunham (played by Australian actress Anna Torv), I can very clearly say she is no Agent Scully. We see a lack of Scully-ish skepticism in the first episode when longtime mad scientist and mental hospital patient Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) suggests some drug-induced experimental procedure and she dives at the chance to take it (no pun intended; okay, well, maybe a little). Olivia is likeable, competent, smart, quick, and lacking the dark past normally built into a lead — at least, it appears that way. Her demons are introduced to us after we meet her, thus getting us, as viewers, invested in her finding resolutions.
The “Mad Scientist” Walter is immensely entertaining. Every time he speaks I see Vincent Price cast as H. G. Well’s Dr. Moreau, cutting and splicing together flesh to create his visions of a new world, operating with a different moral compass than the rest of us. He’s horrifying and fascinating in a Hannibal Lecter kind of way, and the moment you laugh at something he says, you catch yourself, conflicted over whether or not you should allow yourself to like him. He’s a bad man, right?
As he unwillingly babysits his father, Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) reminds me of Charlie Babbit from Rain Man with a dash of Will Zimmerman from the Web series Sanctuary. Mystery surrounds him just as surely as trouble does. This genius is seething with angst, sarcasm, and cynicism, all perhaps formed by the knowledge from childhood that his father was a monster. Now he’s learning just what kind of a monster his father truly is. Is it better or worse than he dreamed?
There is a great supporting cast of characters (Agents Astrid Farnsworth and Phillip Broyles, Nina Sharp, and John Scott) but above all, I must confess that I love Agent Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo)! I have always enjoyed deadpan humor and he delivers such an understated performance that every time he speaks, I like him even more. He’s a gem and I hope we see more of him. He seems to be the only person in Olivia’s life who is who he is with no illusions or deceptions.
Fringe is better then I expected. I usually only give a new show two episodes to win me over, but I made up my mind by the end of the first episode that this is going to stay on my short list of new shows to watch. J.J. Abrams has delivered a layered and intriguing world to us (giving me hope that the new Star Trek movie will be one of the best). It is very well done and has tried to establish a unique visual appearance, which I believe it succeeds in. It’s definitely a visual feast, from the sets and backgrounds to visual emotional responses on the characters’ faces. The story is well-written with a nice balance of suspense and humor, without going overboard. They have laid the foundation for what could be a successful long-running show. The performances are even keel, and tuning in for the first episode felt more like tuning in later in the season. With many shows, the actors are still feeling out who their characters are for much of the first season, but this cast seemed to wear their characters like a favorite old shirt.
On a personal note, it was nice to finally understand why, at San Diego Comic-Con, on our way to see the X-Files movie downtown, we were handed sneak peak tickets by a group of people minding a herd of cattle in a parking lot. If we hadn’t already bought tickets online, we would have been whisked off to a secret location to see the sneak peek premiere of Fringe. Honestly, I think we all would have enjoyed it more.
Vincent Caso has had a stellar beginning to his acting career. After attending a school for the Arts, he decided at age 13 to become an actor. He quickly landed a role in the Jeremy Coon (Napoleon Dynamite) film American Fork, and soon after was chosen for the role of Bladezz in Felicia Day‘s The Guild. The Guild went on to become an Internet phenomenon, garnering praise and fan support from around the world, especially with MMORPG players. I had a brief opportunity to meet Vince at the California Browncoats booth at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con, where he spent a whirlwind of a weekend signing autographs and meeting fans. We only spoke for a few moments but he was a very friendly, polite, and kind young man… and TALL! Due to schedule changes I was unable to catch the entire cast together, but Vince was wonderful enough to answer some questions for us recently.
ÜberSciFiGeek (ÜSFG) Are you like your character, Bladezz, in any way?
Vincent Caso (VC) Not much. I’m sure there are one or two personality traits that we share. But I’m afraid that most of our similarities are purely physical.
(ÜSFG) Which character from The Guild do you identify with the most?
(VC) I’d have to say that I’m actually a wacky combination of Vork, Zaboo, and my own character. Though not exactly in that order. I’ve got some of the wackiness that Zaboo’s got, but sans the creepiness. And I’ve got some of the more formal aspects of Vork, but not quite as hardcore as him. And I’ve got a little bit of the personality of Bladezz, but sans the jerkiness (I’d like to think so, at least).
(ÜSFG) What is it like being the youngest cast member?
(VC) Haha, good question. The rest of the cast likes to poke fun sometimes, but it’s been all pretty cool. We joke about it occasionally (you’ll see a few playful jibes during the cast interviews in our Season 1 DVD), but they definitely don’t talk down to me or consider me just the “kid they’re working with”. They totally make me feel like one of the family.
(ÜSFG) Your first film was American Fork. What was it like working on that film?
(VC) It was a blast. Being my first official acting experience, it was all very new to me. But I learned a lot, got to know some wicked people, got to spend a month in the rather pleasant Salt Lake City, Utah, and generally had a good time.
(ÜSFG) What were the differences in production and feel on the set for American Fork and The Guild?
(VC)The Guild is all very casual, without being unprofessional. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere and really makes you feel at home. Nothing feels strict or uptight, it’s all very cool. And American Fork was much the same way. Of course there was a little more hustle-and-bustle due to the fact that it was a movie, we had more deadlines, some location constraints, some re-shoots, etc, but it was also a pretty chill experience. I’ve just been very fortunate to be a part of projects that have really cool people working on them, there’s never anyone who I have a beef with. And that makes a big difference in how fun and easy it is to work on a given set.
(ÜSFG) Do you have any other projects you are working on right now?
(VC) Not at the moment, but keep an eye out!
(ÜSFG) You also do card tricks and slight of hand. Is it a hobby or have you considered magic as a career?
(VC) At one time I had considered it to be my main focus, but it eventually just turned into a hobby. Of which I have several. It has sort of joined hands with hobbies like writing, martial arts, swing dancing, and rollerskating. (Didn’t see that one coming, did ya?)
(ÜSFG) What do you think of the response you’ve gotten from the success of The Guild?
(VC) I’m loving it! I was really blown away by what this all turned into. I mean, I knew it was a funny and cool show, but I just never thought that it might have become this when I signed on.
(ÜSFG) Are you getting recognized in public yet? Are there any “rabid fans” or funny stories yet?
(VC) It’s happened a few times, grocery stores, gyms, an In-N-Out, on the street, etc. No funny stories yet, though.
(ÜSFG) What did you think of San Diego Comic-Con? Was there anything or anyone there you were looking forward to seeing?
(VC) It was very fun, I loved the whole trip. Unfortunately I wasn’t aware of all the cool Q-and-A’s, screenings, and whatnot until like the last day, so I largely missed out.
(ÜSFG) I saw online that someone asked about Bladezz’ photos and you said they were taken for the show. Do you have any pictures from your actual portfolio you can share with your fans?
(VC) Well I don’t have a modeling portfolio or anything, but I’ve got a number of headshots. I don’t think any of my new ones are posted online yet, but I’ll look into getting some on my IMDb.
(ÜSFG) Have you started playing WoW again or are you still bored with it?
(VC) I quit cold turkey and never looked back, heh.
(ÜSFG) Is there an interview question you’ve never been asked about The Guild, but wish was asked?
(VC) I’ve never put much thought into that, I’ll have to get back to you when I think of something. 🙂
(ÜSFG) Anything else you want to share with the fans?
(VC) You dudes rock! And as corny as it may sound, we wouldn’t have much of a show without you. Keep on tuning in, we’ve got plenty of hilarious twists to await you in… Season 2. 😉 That’s all for now, guys!
Thank you, Vince, for taking the time to answer some of our questions!
Season 2 of The Guild is in preproduction, and is due to begin filming in the next few weeks. In the meantime, you can re-watch Season 1 of The Guild online at watchtheguild.com, or purchase the Season 1 DVD and other merchandise in The Guild‘s online store.
Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles was the highest rated new show last season and this season looks to be even bigger and better. As the terminator, Cameron, Summer Glau truly won the audience over, even those who didn’t want a Sarah Conner without Linda Hamilton. In much the way Arnold Schwarzenegger won over fans in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Summer’s Cameron is both the action and the humor of the show. Watching her move is like watching music come to life: it flows and captivates you, pulling you in and along with it. Unlike Season 1, which was cut short to eight episodes by the writers’ strike, it will be a full 22 episodes this season. Additional cast members (Shirley Manson of Garbage) have been added and a main cast member will die!
During the San Diego Comic-Con panel, the producer dropped the bomb that someone would die, something that the cast did not know yet. Suddenly everyone was pleading, “Please not me! I promise to remember my lines!”
Here’s my theory: I think either Sarah Conner or Agent Ellison will die. Why, you ask?
Theory one: During the discussion of Season 2, Richard Jones was talking about the writers asking him questions about the book of Revelations because he was always reading his Bible on the set when he wasn’t in a scene. The whole “apocalypse” theme of Revelations is going to play a big role in this season as a man of faith (Agent Ellison) begins to question his beliefs as he witnesses the rise of the machines — are they a fulfillment of prophesy or was the Bible wrong? How do the terminators fit into Revelations? Richard, while speaking about it, mentioned that he is a very faithful, strong Christian and how thrilled he was that the writers were asking him so many questions. He also mentioned how he prayed for his castmates and crew and how much he loved his job. That could make people uncomfortable, and after milking him for apocalyptical knowledge and faith-based point of view of the end of the world, they might want him gone to make things easier on the set for those who do not share the same beliefs and may feel he’s too vocal for their comfort.
Theory two: An innocent fan stumbled upon a sore spot with the crew — he asked if we would get to see more sexy Lena Headey in tank top scenes, since Sarah Conner was famous for her tanks. Lena, with a glance at the director, hesitantly commented that “actors don’t belong in makeup chairs” and the director leaned into the mic and said, “you’ve stumbled into a family squabble” and changed the subject. Lena is famous for her tattoos. She has them all over her arms and back. She had them when she was hired for the position and apparently doesn’t like spending three or more hours in a chair getting makeup applied to her tats to cover them up. While they hired her with tattoos in place already, there seems to have been a dispute at some point over the tattoos and neither party was willing to comment on the details of it. The question now is, has the tension on the set about her tattoos become a big enough issue to kill her off? With Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and the events in Terminator: TSCC, we know that at some point Sarah died of cancer in the original timeline that has been altered by the events of TSCC. Will they take advantage of this “canon” event to get rid of her because they can’t resolve their “family squabble”, will she submit to the chair willingly to avoid the permanent death of her character, or will they begin writing her tattoos into the story as they have with castmate Brian Austin Green?
This is all speculation, but when the word “death” came up at Comic-Con, these were the two biggest targets that I saw on the panel, if only because they seemed to be ripples in an otherwise fairly calm pool. Also, Lena wasn’t “feeling the love” from fans’ underwhelming response to her. I felt that when she came out and the applause was not as loud as for the others, but no one received louder applause then Summer Glau. Linda Hamilton’s name was banned from the discussion, a suggestion that the biggest negative feedback from the fans is “not liking” Terminator without Linda Hamilton (but to be fair, the name “River Tam” was banned as well, even though a fan broke that rule by addressing Summer as River).
I know there has been some expression of dislike towards Lena Headey’s Sarah Conner, even within my circles. I didn’t expect to like her, not because I don’t like Lena but because of Linda Hamilton being the face of Sarah Conner for more then two decades, but, on the contrary, I have enjoyed Lena’s roles and unexpectedly warmed up to her interpretation of Sarah quicker then I expected to. Honestly, I didn’t plan on giving Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles more then four episodes to grab me. There have been too many cheesy sci-fi shows tossed together to get the geek fan base to switch networks, and hopefully latch on to other non-sci-fi shows while there, before quickly axing the show, but Fox surprised us with a strong showing and surprisingly well-produced show. Not only did they win me over, it’s the one show my entire family sits together to watch every week, and the newly released Season 1 DVD box set is now a part of our vast DVD library.
If you missed out on Season 1 of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, you can watch the recaps or full episodes on the official Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles website or pick up the DVD. Tune in on Monday, September 8th to catch the Season 2 premiere on the Fox network.
At San Diego Comic-Con last month, some of the panels and events I was able to attend included Stan Lee, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Sanctuary, Stargate Worlds, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate: Continuum, Wendy Pini, Ben 10, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Emily the Strange. Of all the lines I stood in, and the excited crowds I huddled with, though, none outnumbered or had longer waits than the big screen premiere of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.
The screening was scheduled to begin at 10:45 PM on Friday, and by 4:30 PM there were already lines wrapping like a figure eight through the con halls and out onto the balcony steps. After a very, very long wait, and two additional screenings (without the cast) being added to the lineup earlier in the night, I was fortunate to be able to get into that amazing show. Everyone in attendance laughed together, cheered together, and sang together. The standing ovation at the end just went on and on as Joss Whedon and the cast made their bows to the audience.
The huge success of both The Guild and Dr. Horrible kept Felicia Day extremely busy all weekend (she and the rest of The Guild cast hung out at the California Browncoats booth) but she and her The Guild costar Sandeep Parikh took the time to sit with me and talk about The Guild, The Legend of Neil, and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. I’d like to send a special thank-you out to Vincent Caso (Bladezz in The Guild) for coming over to say hello as well! Due to technical difficulties, we don’t have the video yet, but fortunately we had a digital audio recorder going. Eventually, we’ll have the video available, as well as photos from the interview. In the meantime, you can listen to the interview online or download it here: Felicia Day and Sandeep Parikh at Comic-Con 2008.
In the wee hours of the morning Wednesday night, the news hit GateWorld: Stargate Atlantis will end this season. The collective outcry of fans began to pour out all over the Internet. “Nooooooo! Not again!” Time and time again, it seems that the best shows on television are dying young and in their prime. Fans already have a love-hate relationship with Sci Fi Channel and its parent company NBC because non-sci-fi content such as wrestling and poorly made “creature features” keep filling up time slots once occupied by very high-quality, well-written and well-acted science fiction shows. Somewhere along the way, the network seems to have forgotten that their name is “Sci Fi”. Just tossing a scaly mutated creature into a cheesy low budget horror flick does not make a sci-fi show. Big special effects do not replace good writing and acting. So here the fans are, once again feeling betrayed and suspiciously eyeing every other show they tune in to, wondering how long before the axe falls for them as well.
Fortunately, Stargate has already proved its staying power with the fans. With the success of direct-to-DVD films Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum, a Stargate Atlantis film has already been discussed and now green-lighted. Brad Wright and Joseph Mallozzi were quick to comfort the fans with statements, and more information just keeps coming. A third Stargate series has been in the works for a few years now and, by making the move from television to DVD, the departure of Atlantis clears the way for Stargate Universe to be made. By 2009, we should be seeing Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis films direct-to-DVD, the Stargate Worlds MMORPG online, and Stargate Universein production for Sci Fi Channel.
There’s no question that people love Stargate and that the fans are fiercely loyal. The question is how many fans are going to watch Universe after having SG-1 and Atlantis taken away in moves that seemed to be about money, not fans or ratings? A quick look at fan comments shows a huge negative response, with many claiming to wash their hands of the “Franchise” altogether. For many fans, it’s hard to reconcile the mixed feelings of hope and betrayal. It’s surprising, though, how negative and vehement the responses have been so far, with very few “silver lining” comments.
While producers seem to be trying to mend fences between fans and network, the decision to change the format of Atlantis is being called “mutual”. If events play out the way they did when Stargate SG-1 was “not renewed”, then Sci Fi Channel can look to lose even more viewers as fans boycott the network altogether by downloading their favorite shows directly from iTunes or Amazon Unbox to financially support the shows, rather then tuning in to the network which takes a bigger cut of the profits. The last boycott saw a huge number of fans writing letters to Sci Fi Channel’s sponsors explaining that their product was also being boycotted because of their association with the network.
Once again, this just goes to show that the fans, especially science fiction fans, are ready for a new format, a new delivery system. When Sanctuary launched on the Internet last summer, it may not have gone the way the creators had hoped — there were too many bugs in the system at that point; even they acknowledge they were naive about what they planned to do and how they planned to do it — but they definitely had the right idea, and many kudos are deserved for their valiant efforts to achieve their goal: Deliver content directly to the customer.
Joss Whedon proved it can be done with the HUGE success of Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog this summer. The viral success of shows like Felicia Day’s The Guild, Kim Evey’s Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show, and Sandeep Parikh’s The Legend of Neil just go to prove the point. These have all been fan-driven shows. There are no marketing campaigns, no big network or sponsor backing. They are promoted by positive word of mouth from the viewers. The creators care about what they are doing and the fans do, too, even financially supporting the production of The Guild. Felicia Day financed the first four episodes of The Guild herself, but soon after putting up a PayPal donation button on the website, she had the funding needed to finish season one. Now, the Season One DVD sales are helping to fund the upcoming second season.
Can Stargate Universe overcome the negative association with a network that constantly alienates its core audience? Is there a better way to deliver what they want to produce with minimal involvement and control from the likes of Sci Fi Channel? What can Stargate producers learn from Joss Whedon and Felicia Day that will help keep the fans happy and involved and Stargate alive? Maybe it’s not the perfect solution yet, as there aren’t any huge $4,000,000 special effects scenes in Dr. Horrible or The Guild, but the concept is still valid and will be a virtual gold mine for funds and fans once someone figures out how to use existing or newly emerging technology to produce a show that’s well-written, well-acted and well-delivered to the fans.
As a continuation of fun community events that they have been hosting this year, on August 30th the Tampa Bay Rays are welcoming Amanda Tapping, Damian Kindler and Robin Dunne of the new Sci Fi Channel series Sanctuary to Tropicana Field. Amanda, Damian and Robin will be signing autographs and meeting with fans from 2:00-3:00 PM. Anyone interested in meeting them can line up near the escalators at Gate 1 as soon as the front gates open at 1:50 PM. After the signing, Amanda, Damian and Robin will also be throwing out the first pitch of the game around 3:50 PM. After the game, the band We the Kings will be performing a concert, but first the Rays’ very own Rusty will be talking to Amanda, Damian and Robin about the upcoming season of Sanctuary.
Sanctuary was the first high definition science fiction series to be produced directly for the Web, and premiered at Sanctuaryforall.com in May of 2007. It was created by Damian Kindler, who is best known for his work on the long-running series Stargate SG-1, and he partnered with other Stargate alums, actress Amanda Tapping (Samantha Carter on Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate: The Ark of Truth, Stargate: Continuum) and director Martin Wood (Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate: Continuum), to bring his dream to life. Filmed entirely with live actors on a greenscreen set with RED digital HD cameras (think Sin City and 300), the show has virtual backgrounds so that any setting imaginable can be used. The original run of 8 wepisodes garnered so much attention, and so many awards, with its rich visual effects and compelling storytelling that it quickly caught the eye of studio executives and was picked up by Sci Fi Channel. The 2-hour pilot of Sanctuary will premiere on Sci Fi Channel on Friday, October 3, 2008 at 9:00 PM.
Tickets to the game can be purchased online at raysbaseball.com, by phone at 1-888-FAN-RAYS (1-888-326-7297) or at the Tropicana Field Box Office. Box office hours are 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Saturdays, and noon to 4:00 PM on Sundays. On game days, the box office opens at 9:00 AM and remains open until 30 minutes after the game. Tickets can also be purchased at the Rays Tampa Office located at Park Tower, 400 North Tampa Street, or at the International Plaza and Bay Street Ticketmaster in Tampa, Florida.
For the most up-to-date and accurate information about the Rays, including their upcoming games and community events, please visit their website, raysbaseball.com.
Felicia Day as Penny in "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog"
Multi-talented actress Felicia Day was already recognizable for her work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer before she created the smash hit Internet series, The Guild. Now, she’s teamed up with Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly) to present another Internet event, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. She’s costarring along with Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Desperate Housewives) and Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother, Harold & Kumar, Starship Troopers) in this Whedon family project that will be premiering exclusively on the Internet beginning Tuesday, July 15th. Felicia took some time out of her very busy schedule to answer a few questions about Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.
ÜberSciFiGeek (ÜSFG) How did you get involved in the Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog project?
Felicia Day (FD) I had seen Joss on the strike lines a few times and he had mentioned the idea of a supervillain musical to me, perhaps made for the Internet. I thought that was the coolest idea I’d ever heard, A few months later he emailed me and it said, “Can you sing?” You can imagine I was a little taken aback, it’s not a question you hear every day!
(ÜSFG) With a name like Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, one of the first questions that come to mind is, “Does Felicia sing?”
(FD) Yes! I did musical theatre all my life, mostly as a dancer but I had singing parts as well. I moved around a lot so theatre kind of kept my childhood together. Throughout college I took lessons from a professor at UT Austin, Jess Walters.
(ÜSFG) Did you enjoy singing in Dr. Horrible? Have you been in any sort of musical production before, and would you like to be in more of them?
(FD) OMG, singing in Horrible was fun and intimidating! Neil’s voice is amazing, so singing opposite him was nerve-wracking, but as soon as we were done, I wanted to do more! I did a LOT of musicals as a teen and again during college, like Into the Woods and Fantasticks, Oklahoma, you name it. Since moving to LA I’ve had a few jobs singing, a part in Warm Springs, a few plays. It’s not my career but I do enjoy it and would love to do more of it in the future!
(ÜSFG) Was Dr. Horrible always conceived of as a musical, or did that come about only when Joss Whedon learned that you, Neil Patrick Harris, and Nathan Fillion have singing voices?
(FD) I can’t speak for him, but I know when he floated the idea on the strike line to me, it was always connected to the word “musical”. Joss has an amazing passion for music and musicals. His knowledge in the area blows me away. I love the idea of Joss, Jed, Zach and Maurissa getting together and writing this amazing script together and creating songs together, what a cool process!
(ÜSFG) Having worked with Joss Whedon on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, what was it like working with him again? How was it different and how was it similar?
(FD) The Dr. Horrible set was a lot more informal than being on a professional TV set. There was a sense from everyone this was driven by passion and enthusiasm rather than being a “job”. It felt way more like indie productions I’ve done. Of course the quality of production and the expertise of the cast and crew was equal to being on Buffy, because Joss attracts the best at what they do. There were stunt people on both sets : )
(ÜSFG) Captain Hammer has an online comic — will Penny also have an online exclusive? With your background as a gamer, perhaps a mini online game?
(FD) I don’t know anything about that end of it, but that would be cool! Float that idea out there! To be honest I don’t know if Penny is a gamer. I would think she’s more of a knitter or a baker.
(ÜSFG) You’ve produced a lot of Internet content now. How is it different as an actor and/or producer for the Internet than it is for television or film?
(FD) It’s night and day. When you have a huge professional set and 50 people working on it, everyone does only their job, and they do it at the height of their expertise. Internet content is much more blurry as far as those lines go. One day you’ll be producer, the next an actor, the next craft service. It’s necessary because there’s no money to pay people with most the time. But the great thing is you don’t have layers of people to interfere with your vision as a creator, and I think more and more, professionals will discover that to be an attractive area to play in.
(ÜSFG) If Dr. Horrible does well, is another film or related project planned?
(FD) You would have to ask Joss. I would love to play Penny again, in whatever capacity!
(ÜSFG) Your character, Penny, isn’t a superhero or supervillain like Captain Hammer and Dr. Horrible, but if you had to choose a superpower to have in your real life, what would it be and why?
(FD) Gosh, that’s hard. I think invisibility. I like to eavesdrop. I used to only play rogues in games so I could sneak in and steal things from the NPCs : ) I don’t do that in real life, btw.
(ÜSFG) Penny falls for Captain Hammer, at least initially. Who would you, as yourself, get a crush on — Dr. Horrible or Captain Hammer?
(FD) I’d have to say Dr. Horrible. He’s definitely the wounded type, and I would love to try to heal that in him. Hammer is hot, but I don’t go for guys who like to look at themselves in the mirror a lot ; )
The best way you can help us say thank-you to Felicia is to help spread the word! You can learn more about Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog at drhorrible.com. Act one of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog will be premiering online on Tuesday, July 15th. Act two will go up on Thursday, July 17th. Act three will go up on Saturday, July 19th. All three acts will be online until midnight on Sunday, July 20th. Also, if you are planning on attending San Diego Comic-Con, stop by the Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog panel on Friday. Felicia and the rest of the cast of The Guild will also be at the California Browncoats booth signing copies of The Guild DVDs throughout the event. Stop by and say hello!
