San Diego Comic-Con Day 2

Ok, take a seat, relax and enjoy as I walk you through (with every boring detail) the wonderful world of the Con...

There's something you have to understand about Comic-Con, or any Con for that matter. There are basically two parts of a Con. One part consists of the panels. Basically, you stand in line for about 2 hours for one room (one BIG room), making sure to get into line at least 3-4 hours before the panel you want to see (just in case), then you make your way into the room and STAY there. Luckily, they do not empty a room after each panel, so essentially you could stay in one room all day long and just keep watching panel after panel. That's pretty much what we did.

The other part of a Con are the Exhibition halls. This is where all the artists, the studios, and all the miscellaneous sellers hawk their goods. It's like a medieval marketplace, only with so many shiny toys and trinkets, for a moment you know what it feels like to be a dragon (yes, only if dragons REALLY existed) and you want nothing more than to gather up all the shiny and horde it away forever and ever. But I digress, where was I? Oh yeah, the exhibition halls, shiny things. Anyway, there is just SO much to look at, you just end up running into people every five seconds because you are looking anywhere but right in front of you. It's pretty much what I envision when I think about the Mad Hatter having a very big yard-sale. It's a madhouse, seriously. Not only that, but if you could walk around for hours, you'd get bags and bags full of FREE stuff and there's nothing more we Americans love more than FREE stuff. But free stuff often comes with a price, even though, you know, it's supposed to be free! There were multiple "free stuff" riots happening all the time and in every corner of the hall. Besides the infamous "Megan Fox" riot, the "Free New Moon Poster" riot was the worst. Luckily, I threw some elbows and got me a nice big'un. What? I like free stuff too!

You could spend hours upon hours in these cavernous halls and never get the chance to see everything. If you tried, you'd probably get lost and never see the light of day again. Unfortunately, I had little to no time for that fun adventure. I came to the conclusion that you have to pick which part of the Con you want to see more because four days is just not enough time to do both, the panels and the exhibition halls. If I ever go again, I would attend far less panels and spend more of my time walking around the exhibition hall with all the cool people (ie: the Storm Troopers, the Dharma Initiative Recruits and Batman). Another aspect of the halls, which I missed out on, were the autograph signings. But more on that later.

We decided to make our second day (Friday) the "Sleep In and Miss All the Good Film Panels" day. Which means I missed the WB film panel, which included The Box (with James Marsden and Cameron Diaz), Jonah Hex (with Josh Brolin and Megan Fox), Sherlock Holmes (with Robert Downey) and many others. Not to mention the 9 panel. In retrospect, it was a bad decision, but you just can't see everything and our beds wouldn't be denied. We also missed The Guild panel, The Prisoner panel (Jim Caviezel, yum!) and the Battlestar Galactica panel. A bunch of ouchies there. The main panels we were shooting for on Friday were the Bones and Dollhouse/Joss panels. The Bones panel started at 3pm, so we got in line around 1pm-ish. As per usual, we were in the room a hour later and just in time for the 24 panel. For my part, I am not a 24 fan. I've never watched the series, but I have seen a couple episodes here and there. However, I was excited about this panel, due to the attendance of Katee Sackoff (Battlestar Galactica) and Freddie Prinze Jr, not to mention, how can you not love Kiefer? It turned out to be a great panel. Here are some tidbits:

Favorite Moment:

Freddie (answering a question): Well, my wife and I...

Whole room explodes in yells and clapping. It's like an ocean of sound all around you. Freddie chuckles.

Freddie: Oh yeah, I forgot she was big here...

Whole room explodes again.

Scoop/Spoilers:

- This seasons' theme is: "Peace...but don't worry, we'll still blow things up".

- Jack Bauer is in a rare happy place. This won't last long.

- Also, something about someone trying to assassinate the President of the U.N. I think.

- Freddie Prinze's character is Junior Jack. He is also engaged to Katee Sackoff's character.

- Katee Sackoff's character knows more about computers than Chloe. Apparently Chloe's reactions to this are very funny. *shrug*

- There's a new CTU. It's pretty and...new. *shrug*

Kiefer was a great panelist and Katee looked beautiful. Mary Lynn Rajskub did not look happy to be there, but I hear that's just the way she looks. Apparently she's very funny, but all I saw were frowns. *Shrug*

The Bones panel held a bad surprise, but one we were getting used to. David Boreanaz wasn't able to make it, but he did send in a very funny, very long, rambling video to his Comic-Con fans. It was pretty entertaining and as usual, he looked good enough to eat. This panel turned out to be the smallest one we attended during the Con. It was only Emily Deschanel and Hart Hanson, the creator. Funnily enough, it was one of the most entertaining panels we saw. Emily was absolutely adorable. She was so funny and charming, I almost fell in love with her myself.

Favorite Moment:

When Emily and Hart decided they should spread over the huge panel table and Hart went to the end and Emily to the middle, with the panel moderator on the other side. It was hilarious. Then they thought it was too awkward and moved back to their original positions.

Scoop/Spoilers:

- There MIGHT be a Booth/Bones kiss in the premiere episode. It was scripted, but they won't say whether it was actually shot.

- The premiere opens 2 weeks after Booth wakes up in the hospital and there is still awkwardness between the two. Bones has left the country, on a dig or something, in order to avoid Booth for awhile.

- Questions about the non-sex scene and it's impact upon Booth's psyche will be at least touched upon in the early episodes.

After Bones came one of the few panels I was REALLY looking forward to, Dollhouse and Joss Whedon. Joss just strolls out on stage, not announcing himself at all and with no panel moderator. Seriously, this man needs no moderator. He's good, just as he is. Anyway, he circles the stage a little, letting the crowd rile itself up and boy did it ever! After a couple moments, he welcomed us and set us up for the screening of the "lost" Dollhouse episode, "Epitaph One", that we were about to see. We watched it, and even though I often heard Katie beside me, whispering that she had no idea what was going on, it was a great episode and I really enjoyed it. After the screening, Joss came back out and introduced Eliza Dusku and she joined him on stage. What followed was a study on the charm and wit of one of mine most beloved show-creators. Eliza was nice and laid back but her presence was completely shadowed by Joss himself, who couldn't say one thing without the audience either laughing, clapping or hollering or all three. He was everything I believe he would be and more. He was entirely gracious toward us for being there and supporting him for all these years, completely humble and completely wonderful. He talked Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible and his projects with Dark Horse, including Buffy Season 8. Eventually, Eliza commented that she had Twittered (it's a verb now!) some of her friends and they wanted to come out on stage. A minute later, Fran Kranz and Dichen Lachman, two other Dollhouse cast members, walked onstage and finished up the panel with Joss and Eliza.

Favorite Moment:

When a fan came up to the microphone and said/asked: "You killed Penny, you bastard! Why do you keep killing my favorite characters"?! Joss just laughed and said evilly, "Because I love making you suffer"!

Scoop/Spoilers:

- "Epitaph One" is an futuristic episode. I forget the exact date, but basically, it's where our character MIGHT end up one day. Next season and any consecutive seasons, will all work towards that future, with our characters either following the path to that future, or changing the future that we saw in the episode. It's a mystery how they got there and its a mystery how it all ends too. Both sides are open-ended as of now.

The Dollhouse panel was the last for the day and ended around 7pm-ish. Here's where we get to the horror of the exhibition hall. For the first time, I dragged both the girls down to the hall, which closed at 8pm. We had an hour to walk around, which is equivalent to about one second, in Con World. It turned out, for Katie and Tina, even one second was too much. The crowds were horrible. You couldn't walk one foot without brushing up against someone else. I could tell immediately that Tina and Katie were not happy to be there. We could get nowhere near the WB or Fox booths (the WB booth was giving away free Chuck bags and the girls were NOT going to wait in that line). The thing about the hall is, you can't think straight. It's like being in a hurricane of colors, sounds, objects, people and I am not talking about the middle, calm part of a hurricane. I'm talking the windy, electric, flying side parts. So, I didn't even think that the reason people were standing around the Fox booth was that Joss and Eliza were expected there for autograph signing. Yeah, DUH! Smack myself on the forehead for that one! By the time we figured it out, there was a mass of people surrounding the booth and only 30 minutes before the hall closed. Tina and Katie dragged me out, much to my tearful dismay. If I regret anything from this trip (besides the Bryan Fuller incident), it was not getting to meet Joss Whedon when he was only 20 feet from me.

We left the Con and headed to dinner and there concluded our second day at Comic-Con.

Day 3 and 4, coming soon!

San Diego Comic-Con 2009 - Day 1

It wasn't exactly surprising to discover that spending four, whirlwind days at the San Diego Comic-Con is very similar to spending four days in a highly geekified Disneyland. Honestly, I know this for a fact, considering I also went to Disneyland a couple days after Comic-Con. One surrounds you with eye-rolling fairyland creatures (and the poor people who must be burning up in those costumes!) and the other surrounds you with eye-popping Nerdonia peoples (and the poor gals in those tight, black-leather costumes!). In both places you spend way too much time in long lines and yet both places make it their duty to entertain you as much as possible while you cool your jets with others of your kind (ie: see unexpected arrival of Pirate Band in Comic-Con line and elaborate set designs for Disneyland rides).

All in all (and if it weren't for walking up Sunset Blvd in massively painful heels last Friday night), this trip to California smelled suspiciously of childhood - right down to me staring in total awe and adoration at Craig Ferguson, much like I once stared adoringly at JTT's photograph in Teen Beat magazine.

However, underneath the childlike fantasy-facade of Comic-Con, there is a very adult, very passionate understanding of why we were there. This place wasn't filled with 150, 000 flimsy fangirls, twittering about how dreamy and sexy Robert Pattinson is (there were only about 7,000 of those), or nonsensical fanboys, dreaming of videogame violence and Michael Bay films (those only took up about 40% of their thoughts - and that's mostly due to the in-your-face, sizzling Megan Fox). No, I can honestly claim that Comic-Con attendees were friendly, charming and extremely intelligent - if a little eccentric in their own right. You'll not find another group more in-tuned to the world of pop culture entertainment than the group you'd find at Comic-Con. These people - nerds, wanna-be nerds, ashamed-to-admit-your-a-nerd nerds - not only love beyond words their nerd-attachments (whether that be comic books, comic book movies, sci-fi television shows or just the actors that personify their favorite characters), they have spent thousands of hours on researching and enjoying every little aspect about them, making them all literal experts on multiple types media and their creators, across the whole vast spectrum of pop culture. Needless to say, it was a pretty intense atmosphere, especially in the Exhibition Halls. But more on that later.

Enough small talk. Let's get to the dirty details...

Day 1

We didn't arrive at the Con until around 2-3pm, having thoroughly enjoyed the breezy and beautiful weather while walking to the convention center. We grabbed our badges (line-less, woohoo!) and immediately got in line for the Evolution of Fantasy panel, with panalist Pat Rothfuss ("The Name of the Wind") and other fantasy authors. Once Tina and Katie realized the panelists was focused more on bashing Harry Potter and Twilight than discussing them, we had to sneak out early before a small riot began. Note to panel authors: You cannot compare your novels, which are vastly more complicated, to young adult books such as HP and Twilight. They don't even dwell in the same solar system. Personally, I enjoy the highly-complicated, epic-battle fantasies as much as I enjoy the more diluted, YA fantasies. There is no need for badmouthing - it's not two sides of the same war. Anyhow, we snuck out of the panel and hit the line for the Legend of the Seeker panel. It was at this time that I realized my camera was dead. A cute, young jock (a jock! At a Con! Full of wonders indeed!) took my mind off the sad realization that I wouldn't get any pictures that day while we waited in line.

Legend of the Seeker scoop: Charisma Carpenter, of Buffy and Angel fame, will guest star in the second season premiere as a Mord Sith! She looks uber-cool! Also, they plan to focus the second season on the main quest from the second book in the series, "The Stone of Tears".

At least they are sticking to the correct timeline, even though they veer off the course the book sets the majority of the time. I'm not complaining. It's a great, really fun show. The main stars, Craig Horner and Bridget Regan, couldn't make it (they were in New Zealand filming), but they sent in a cute video saying hi to the fans. Bruce Spence, who plays Zedd, was there, along with the author of the series, Terry Goodkind and some other showrunners. Overall, a pretty fun panel - even if Terry Goodkind did came off as a bit of a creepster.

Since we didn't have another panel until 9:30pm, we walked to the Gaslamp (Gaslight?) district, across from the convention center, and got some dinner. The streets were incredibly crowded and it wasn't even dinner time yet. We found a cute Mexican restaurant that had reprinted their menus to reflect a superhero theme. It was too cute.

After dinner, I had an 8pm meet and greet with Michael Ausiello from Entertainment magazine at the Hard Rock Hotel, poolside. I was really excited, since I'm a big fan of his column. It turned out harder than I had imagined to get the chance to talk to him, since he was surrounded by adoring fans the whole time. I dropped my butt on a comfortable mattress-like thing next to the pool and waited my turn like a good little Southern girl. Before I knew what was happening, one of his helpers (?), who was a little TOO helpful, had me up (along with the nice girl I had befriended) and shoved into Michael's circle of fans. Yet, even here I didn't get the chance to talk to him. I pulled my classic move of shoving someone else in front of me in order to avoid any undue attention and I slipped away to the opposite side of the pool, still close to him, but in no mood to test my meager conversational skills against those of his other, more eager fans. That changed when a familiar looking, handsome guy walked into Michael's little circle, hugged him and said he was leaving. I walked over to get a better look and to see if I could recognize him. By way of the Aushole grapevine, I made my discovery - it was Bryan Fuller! Now, I'm sure most of you have no idea who that is, but I certainly did and if I ever had the courage to go up to someone and sincerely tell them that I absolutely LOVED their work, it was with Bryan Fuller. Alas, it was not to be. While I was pumping myself up to go speak to him, he slipped out into the crowd and I missed him. Ah, well. Story of my life.

At the very end, as everyone was leaving, Michael was still engulfed by eager scoop addicts, so I walked by him, touching him lightly on the arm and said, "It was nice semi-meeting you". He looked up, surprised and asked, "Did I meet you"? I said "kind of", and then he shook my hand and thanked me for coming. I thanked him for having us and then headed back to the convention center to meet back up with Tina and Katie for our last panel of the night...

The last panel was a screening of a Halloween movie called "Trick 'r Treat", directed by Michael Dougherty. What really drew us to the panel was the fact that Anna Paquin (True Blood) and Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica and Dollhouse) were supposed to join the panel. We're big fans of both, so we though we could endure the horror film in order to see them. The end result was good and bad. It turns out that both didn't show (it was Anna's birthday and we got to call her and sing Happy Birthday to her voicemail), which was upsetting, but the film was actually pretty good and Brian Cox joined Dougherty on the panel, and I really like Brian Cox. He has a nice voice... What? He does!

So, that concluded our first day at Comic-Con. We missed the mass teenage hysteria that was the New Moon panel but we couldn't say we were sorry about that. I probably would have smacked Kristen Stewart over the head if I saw her, so it was probably better that we stayed away. There's no need for a cat fight during Comic-Con. There's already too much female eye-candy walking around in little outfits for the geek fanboy mind to deal with. There's no need to overload them.

Lessons learned: Always try your hardest to say what you need to say to your famous heroes and never eat Mexican before meeting said heroes. It was a hard lesson to learn...

Day 2, 3, and 4 coming soon!

San Diego Comic-Con

So, tomorrow I embark on the largest and most commercial Geek Right of Passage of this age; San Diego Comic-Con. The way will be treacherous, oh yes, but the journey will be worth it's weight in airfare, hotel costs and more importantly, the cost of my dignity. Tomorrow will see my ritual partners (Tina and Katie) and I as we push and shove our way through screeching tween fangirls (the New Moon panel is tomorrow), lost first-timers (that'd be us!) and throngs of the not-so-elusive Geek Fanboy (in his most natural habitat). This yearly nerd ritual, one that will forever cement our places in Nerdodia (a welcoming and exciting country situated next door to Buffonia), is an life-changing event that any serious nerd must eventually partake in. Since its my first time (I do hope they'll be gentle), I'm not exactly sure what to expect besides grand superhero costumes and fleeting glimpses of my favorite geek celebrities, but my expectations are high.

I will offer up a nice, long blog post documenting the experience once I return (that'd be the week of August 3rd) but until then, I will be tweeting (@bufyluver5) pictures and uploading them to Facebook as well.

Until then, Viva Comic-Con!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I am not sure I could ever properly review this film and do it justice at the same time and I'm awfully tempted to just link to all the other glowing reviews and leave it at that. However, if I am anything, it's good and opinionated and I will have my voice be heard, especially considering how dear to me these books and films have become. I am pretty biased due to that very fact and also by the many tons of immensely positive reviews I read even before seeing the film yesterday at 7pm EST (one of the special few that got to see it even before the midnight show crazies creeped out of their Hogwart-shaped holes to stand in 3 hour long lines for the perfectly placed seat. I'm not judging, that would have been me also). Yet I believe most of the reviewers are biased towards this film in some way, so I suppose it's a moot point.

With five Harry Potter movies already under our Gryffindor-colored belts, it' s hard to believe that we can still step into a theater, eyes-wide and bodies trembling with barely controlled excitement, and are able to watch another film with new and open expectation. But that's exactly what I did and even my crappy deduction skills told me that I wasn't the only one buzzing and smiling like an idiot with renewed Potter passion. Now one might wonder, if one was not a fan, why the "renewed" feeling after watching so many of these films already? Well, because each Potter movie is an island in and of itself and if any of them proved that fact, the Half-Blood Prince did. It's easy to see the difference between the first two kiddie films and the rest of the series, but even with Yates again behind the wheel, Half-Blood Prince still felt like a completely different film than Order of the Phoenix. Before seeing the movie, I read that Yates had really stepped up with this film, showing unusual confidence in the product he was making and even to the barely-trained eye, that confidence could be seen in every scene. While you are watching, you may not know exactly what it is that you are seeing, what it is that you are feeling, but I can tell you right now it is the boldness and assurance of a great director, screenwriter and cinematographer (Bruno Delbonnel, he who made beautiful Amelie and Across the Universe). Yates was so bold in fact, so assured that the rich story J.K. Rowling presented us with could produce a great movie by itself, that the special effects were minimal and barely noticeable this time around (a very large and satisfying change from the gross spectacle that was Goblet of Fire).

There have been some complaints about the blatant focus on the relationships in this film, instead of a more complete focus on the conflict against Voldemort. It was certainly something that I noticed while watching, but at the same time, I believe it important to show the audience what they are about to lose, to show how things are now, so that in the next two films, we can remember with bittersweet knowledge the things that our characters have lost; the security of Hogwarts, the kind and strong guidance of a mentor and friend, the stable comfort of close friends always by your side. Among other things, this film was a gateway film, one that transitions the audience (and the characters) from the safety and comfort of what we (they) know into a new and different world for the next couple films. In one of the first scenes, in the Great Hall, I was overcome with a feeling of "goodbye", as if the filmmakers were delicately weening us off the sanctuary that Hogwarts had become to us. "Get ready", the scene said to me, "get ready for a BIG, BAD change". It was a setup and I absolutely love how they clearly showed the transformation, with the oblivious students making-out in dark hallways, as the camera pans over to Draco, alone and scared in those same hallways - but for a far more dark purpose. Hogwarts (by means of Draco, mainly) reflected the dark changes going on in the rest of the world and by the end, Hogwarts greatest loss would portray the launch of that world, with Harry and his friends, into total darkness.

Ok, a bit heavy I admit. *shrug* What's a fan to do?

So, obviously I too believe this was the best Potter yet, but there is no way for them to escape without some critique, so with the help of my friend and fellow Potter fanatic, Rhiannon, let's discuss some of the readers problems with the adaptation, ramblin' style and just the way I like it:

1. WHY did they burn the burrow down? In fact WHY was that scene in there at all...the running through the wheat? Just a chance to see more Helena Bonham Carter screeching?

- This I do not know. In all honestly, I haven't read Half-Blood Prince since it was first released, so I don't really remember all the details. I'm sure the purpose could be linked to needing a couple more "action" sequences, as they really did stick to the relationships in the film more so than direct, in-your-face violence. For whatever reason, I thought the scene was amazing; tense and beautiful and Ginny running after Harry, bullet-fast into the fire without a second thought, broke my heart. For me, it totally worked.

2. Lupin and Tonks struggling relationship? And where were Bill and Fleur? Is his vampire bite not important? Will there be a wedding next movie in the burned down burrow??

- As with all the other films, they can't fit in everything. Bill and Charlie have been very absent in all the previous films, so it makes sense to keep them in the background for this one in order to make room for other, more important characters. If I had to guess, I would say we may never get a wedding scene in the last films, but who knows? As for the burned Burrow, I'm sure they will fix that right up. It is a magical world, after all; little wand swish here, little wand swish there and all's back to being Leaning Tower of Burrow-y. As for Lupin and Tonks, I had nearly forgotten about their relationship and seeing how it ends, I would have been happy to forget all about it, honestly. Still, I enjoyed seeing them together, even as I knew it might have been a bit confusing for a non-reader. But again, it gave my heart a little ache, knowing the sadness in store for them. But, you can never have enough Lupin screen-time. He's totally awesome.

3. WHERE WAS THE HOGWARTS BATTLE? That was my favorite part of the book. I was very sad to see it left out.

- I wholeheartedly agree. Where WAS that battle? What, are we supposed to believe that the Death Eaters would go through all that trouble, place their trust in the hands of a young, cowardly boy, just to make sure Dumbledore was killed, shatter some glass in the Great Hall and then head out the door? I don't think so. Not to mention, where were all the teachers while this was happening? This would have caused (and did, in the books) a nice uproar and I'm telling you right now, not one student or teacher would stand to have them kill their Headmaster, degrade their school and just walk out without a fight. No way, mister. Plus, it really was a great scene in the book. I would have liked to have seen it too.

4. I needed a Dumbledore funeral. The white marble tomb, the whole works. I don't think the end was as somber and respectful as it could have been!

- Heard that, Rhiannon. The end was rather abrupt and all I can hope for is that maybe Yates decided to hold off on the funeral until the next movie, but I'm not holding my breath. It would have been a beautiful, heartbreaking scene and I was half-way glad I didn't HAVE to see it. I was already weeping quietly, no reason to call more attention to myself with an outright bawling fit. Still, as Rhiannon claims, respect must be paid and more than a couple witchlights in the dark. Dumbledore's death tore that world apart - it barely had an effect in the movie.

5. There were two things i really wanted to hear: "Dumbledore's man through and through" and "I'm not worried, Harry, I'm with you." The movie didn't convey how special their relationship was.

- Again, I agree. It's always going to be a disappointment when you watch a favorite book adapted to film and I think it's a good idea to walk in the theater having accepted that. I doubt there would have been anyway to find the time to accurately develop the Harry/Dumbledore relationship. It seems the filmmakers decided to focus more on the relationships that would be important to Harry in the final films than to go more in-depth with a doomed character.

So, there are the low-points, as written by review's co-host, Rhiannon. Excellent points, all.

To end on a high note, we can't forget to touch upon the superb acting in this film. Tom Felton (Draco) especially performed magnificently, breaking my poor heart every time he was onscreen. He, and all the others, really proved themselves as great actors in this film. They have really gotten to know their characters, inside and out, and have grown with them. Shout-out to Alan Rickman, who couldn't be more Snape-like if God had made him that way and shout-out to Jim Broadbent, who's portrayal of Slughorn has ignited the Internet with non-stop exclamations of total brilliance. You did us proud.

So, what did you think? Love it? Or are you, even as we speak, creating the first "Hate It" facebook fan page?

Summer Television

People say summer is for pool parties and for lazy days at the park. They say it's for late nights at the local bar and late mornings sleeping far past your alarm. People say summer is for romance. I distinctly remember a quite excellent episode of Roswell (yeah, remember THAT show?) called "Heat Wave", where the passion and intensity of the New Mexico summer sun was transferred to Roswell's overly-hormonal teenage citizens, both human and human-alien hybrids alike, and where fans of the show finally got all those steamy, sweaty love scenes they had been looking forward to since the beginning of the show.

So, summer is for romance, huh? Summer is for pool, park and parties? Well, I beg to differ! I say summer is and can be, for television. Oh, I know, I know. Your DVR is woefully empty, indistinguishable Late Night shows burning a hole through your screen, just sitting there day after day, unappealing and unwatched. But perhaps that is because you aren't looking in the right places. Perhaps it's because you just aren't trying hard enough to find those secretly and surprisingly entertaining summer shows. No worries, my fellow tv-fantics, I'm here to show you the way. Here's my extremely riveting, extremely precise Summer Must Watch list:

True Blood on HBO

Ok, this is a no-brainer, obviously. I honestly didn't believe it was possible for Alan Ball to producer a better season than Season 1 of True Blood, but I certainly have no problem being wrong in this instance. Season 2 of True Blood has been rock 'em-sock 'em so far and I've only heard great things about the rest of the season. There is enough eye-candy in this show to fill a whole candy shop and if I ever feel the need to be romantic, there's no other place I need look. If you are looking for horror, adventure, romance or even some exciting orgies, True Blood is the show for you.

Merlin on NBC

There couldn't be a more adverse show to True Blood than Merlin, but though they offer completely different kinds of entertainment, they both offer good entertainment. Merlin offers a bit more...wholesome outlook on life and adventure than True Blood. This show is decidedly young adult and has even been accused of being strictly meant for children's eyes alone, which means I must be all child, since I find this show both charming and engaging. Colin Morgan, who plays Merlin, is beyond adorable and plays the character smiling, with all his charms and faults in the forefront. It's one of the more unique takes on King Arthur's story, with Merlin as a secret magic-user, his head full of destiny and good deeds, with Guenevere ("Gwen") as a handmaid to Morgana, and with Arthur (played by the typically handsome Bradley James) as a self-centered bully who is slowly learning to force himself out of from under his father's stern hand. And the one familiar face? That would be Anthony Stewart Head (Giles!!) as King Uther Pendragon. If nothing else could attract me to this show, he certainly would.

10 Thing I Hate About You on ABC Family

When in doubt, always consult ew.com or Watch with Kristin to determine whether a new show is worth your eye-time. If they are into it, or even on the bench, it's worth giving it a try because, hey, it's summer and there's not a lot else on, might as well. Those were my exact thoughts when I tried out the 10 Things premiere on Tuesday night. I wasn't expecting much and maybe that's why I found it so good, but I think it was more the witty, fast-paced writing and the surprisingly decent acting that really called it. Or it could have been Ethan Peck's totally intense, totally swoon-worthy stare. Yeah it was a little cheesy, a little over-the-top, but it worked for the show and I don't regret one moment of his scorching gaze. Lindsey Shaw's Kat is funny, tough and impressive and a genuine pleasure to watch onscreen. I know it sounds hokey, but my vote is that it's worth giving a try, if you like that sorta thing.

Warehouse 13 on SyFy

There's been a lot of marketing for this show and the very Librarian-esque concept caught my attention enough to DVR it on Tuesday night (how awesome is it to make "DVR" a verb?). Again, why not? After watching it's 2-hour premiere last night, I've decided that it has potential, to be risen to or not, we'll just have to see, but that if it were the Fall season, it would be far down my list of television shows to watch. Still, it held my attention for the full 2 hours and it will certainly help kill lazy summer time in a semi-interesting manner. If you've got nothing else to watch, give it a try.

Mental on Hulu

This also started out as a mere curiosity look-see. I haven't even made the effort to DVR it, I've just been watching it every week on Hulu. It's a total Mentalist rip-off, and I do love that show enough to be slightly offended, but like Warehouse 13, it's interesting enough each week to hold my attention. The main character, played by Chris Vance, is off the books and a bit off his rocker as well and though he isn't Simon Baker charming, he gets the job done. Surprisingly, it's his totally bizarre cases that claim the most attention, along with the scandalous and totally hot affair one of his co-workers is having with another young, hot doctor. Hey, we all need some scandal in our lives.

Saving Grace on TNT

This really is a great show, even with it's flaws. It's a little late in the season to be stepping in, but I still recommend it. Grace is one of television's best and most layered female characters. She's totally unpredictable, which is oftentimes reflected in the storytelling of the show. This Tuesday's episode was particularly gripping, seeing as we were given a clearer look into the mythology of the angels. Not to mention Ham's fear of birds is totally irrational and insane enough to have me rolling through most of the scenes. I won't spoil anything for you, but it's definitely one of the better summer shows out there. Check it out!

Coming Soon

Leverage - Season 2 starts on July 15th and though I really hate to hawk my own shows, Leverage really is my number one TNT show right now. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with my love for Christian Kane (yummmmm), it also has to do with basic aspects of the show. It's fun, fast, witty, and even emotional at times. It will be one of your best summer shows, I GUAR-AN-TEE.

Dark Blue - Season 1 starts on July 15th, following Leverage, I believe. Now, I've seen the pilot and it's so-so. Cop shows are never my cup of tea, no matter how you spin it, so I'm only mildly interested in catching this show. However, I hear through the TNT grapevine that the second episode is all kinds of awesome, so maybe it'll turn out better than merely so-so. If you are into cop shows with a twist, I suggest giving it a try.

Entourage - Great show. 'Nough said.

So, that's all folks. Besides a couple BBC series via Netflix (Robin Hood is amazing, go 'Flix it now!), that's my Summer TV List. Check 'em out at your own pleasure. As Boromir once sadly lied, "I care not".

How To Meet and Woo a Nerdy Girl

It was really a toss-up whether or not to post this blog from Park Bench. On the one hand, it could make me look awesomely bad in the eyes of my many, interchangeable boy crushes, seeing as I fit in almost every one of these Nerd Girl categories perfectly. On the other hand, I'm also proud to be this type of girl. Nerds are totally in right now. What, you don't believe me? What was that you said? You like your girls stick thin, self-possessed and dumb as a lamppost? Well, in that case, I challenge you to a bet. Using Park Bench's incredibly accurate list of tips below, go pick up a Nerdy Girl and just try to come back here and tell me you didn't end up having the time of your life. Go ahead. Off with you!

How to Meet and Woo a Nerdy Girl

Recently, I’ve noticed a lot of folks coming to The Park Bench after Googling “how do I meet a nerdy girl?” Hopefully, this is not the manifestation of some creepy new human trafficking trend but instead is the result of more people wanting to find and date the nerdy woman of their dreams. With that in mind, I offer the following tips:

Tip #1: Know where to look.

The number one thing to know about nerdy girls -- they're probably not going to be doing body shots at the local sports bar on a Friday night. If they're out partying, it's over a micro-brewed pale ale in the quiet corner of their local hole-in-the-wall watering hole. Other good places to spot nerdy women: libraries, bookstores, used bookstores, any other place with books you can think of, comic book stores, knitting stores, craft stores, sitting in the park...reading a book, the local cat fanciers convention, at a midnight showing of "Alien" or in their living rooms, watching "Firefly" again.

Tip #2: It helps to look like this guy:

On the other hand, it helps to look like this guy too:

You're pretty much good either way.

Tip #3: Read lots of books.

Here’s the brutal truth: the nerd girl of your dreams is a brainiac. She’s going to know a lot of stuff about a lot of stuff. You’re going to need to study up -- none of that sitting at the coffee shop with an unread copy of “The Waste Land” in your hand, trying to impress the shallow ladies. Your nerd girl will check to make sure that the spine on the book is cracked and cracked good. She likely also will ask you to compare “The Waste Land” to “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” If you have to resort to Cliff's Notes, do it surreptitiously. It’s like getting a butt implant – the nerd girls will know you’re faking it.

Tip #4: Don’t slack off on your video game skills.

One of the prime perks of dating a nerdy woman is that she will not yell at you for playing video games rather than, say, going shoe shopping with her. In fact, she likely will sit down next to you and pick up a controller. Here’s the thing though: she’s probably good at whatever game you’re playing so you better be good at it too. Whether it’s Mario Kart or Tiger Woods Golf or the bloody carnage of Grand Theft Auto, she will show no mercy. Practice, practice, practice!

Tip #5: Listen to NPR.

Nerd girls like to stay up to date on their current events…and they like to do it with the dulcet, sometimes somnolent tones of NPR broadcasters. Beware, though, of the onset of NPR depression which stems from listening to so much news and sad stories about flooding in Nova Scotia or the inequities facing migrant workers that you become convinced the world is doomed and there’s no use leaving your house in the morning. This will put a damper on your dating. However, this prevalent disease also will give you an out if you've had to slack off on your NPR duties – just say, “I had to take an NPR break. Sometimes it makes me sad.” This serves two purposes: it gets you off the hook AND it makes you look sensitive. Bonus!

Tip #6: Be interesting.

Whereas a lot of ladies want you to be rich, nerdy women just want you to be interesting. Do you have a comic book collection that spans decades and rests in a vault somewhere untouched by human hands? That’s kinda cool. Are you learning how to do animation so you can one day post the adventures of a hobo cat online? That’s kinda cool too. Maybe you build houses for the poor on weekends or spend an afternoon teaching creative writing to high school kids? Awesome and more awesome. It doesn't matter what you do, just do it well.

Tip #7: Know your pop culture references.

Know the complete works of the Nerd Holy Trinity: Joss Whedon, J.J. Abrams and Peter Jackson. Know that Nathan Fillion will always be on your girl’s “freebie” list. When she goes to church and thanks God that Robert Downey Jr. survived the 1980s so he could play Iron Man, say “Amen” right alongside her. And for the love of all that is sacred and holy, do not EVER get “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” confused: one has Wookiees, one has Shatner, it’s not that hard.

Tip #8: Compliment her by saying, “You remind me so much of Liz Lemon.”

This is truly the highest form of flattery for just about any nerdy woman. Liz Lemon is our patron saint. Her inability to wear high heels, keep food off her face or refrain from making penis jokes while holding a tower made of Legos in her hands makes us reflect fondly on our own quirks. We love her…and you should too.

Tip #9: Embrace her collectibles.

That is not a euphemism for something pervy. It’s just a fact. When you walk into her apartment for the first time and notice a glass cabinet filled with a miniature TARDIS, a sombrero-wearing Giles, a 17-inch Han Solo and a two-foot long replica of the Enterprise NCC-1701-D, do not say, “What the hell is all this stuff?” Instead say, “What the hell? Why don’t you have MORE of this stuff? And may I mail order something for you?”

Tip #10: Be willing to go to conventions.

It’s just a thing we do. Relax and embrace it…and know that nine times out of ten, you’ll catch a glimpse of some nubile young woman dressed as a Princess Leia slave girl. It’s what the universe does to reward patience of our significant others.

Tip #11: Know what to do in a zombie attack.

We've been practicing for this one for a long time. We don't want to have to leave you behind.

Well, that about covers it. Congratulations on taking your first steps on the road to nerd girl nirvana. Know that you have selected the finest kind of woman possible. Way to go, champ!


Thanks for representing, Park Bench!
*This is my new favorite blog*

Buffy vs. Edward

See now, this video works for so many people. It works for people who love Buffy, for people who love staring at Robert Pattinson, for Twi-haters and most importantly, for Twilight fans with a good sense of humor. The only sort of people this video doesn't work for are those girls who just can't stand the thought of a stake being thrust, cruelly and without pity, into Edward's shining, white chest. Get over it girls! I'm pretty sure this is EXACTLY what would happen if Buffy met up with Edward. She likes her vampires bad - not moody and swoony (though, it can be argued that both Angel and Spike had their moody and swoony stints every now and then).

Whoever made this video - I tip my hat to you. It's just plain brilliant.



Thanks to HGE for the video!