WormholeRiders

Hey Fringe and Fall Viewing Season Fans!

Around the world and here at WormholeRiders News Agency it is the time of the year to celebrate the return of our favorite television series for the fall viewing season. We began our Music News Series this week with a V Series tribute and will continue for each favored series that we report on. Here now  is a special music news series selection by The Fringe Movement for season three of Fringe!

The next offering in our Music News Series is designed to encourage you to participate to support Fringe on Twitter to ensure that each series like Fringe trends to demonstrate our support for the hard work by the studios which bring all of us outstanding entertainment!

In this case we ask that you support Twitter The Fringe Movement Team by tweeting LIVE on September 23, 2010 to coincide with the return of Fringe produced by Bad Robot Productions and the great teams at Warner Brothers and distributed on the wonderful FOX Networks around the world!

To participate please follow Naddycat, AnnaTorv Dot Com, FringeQHub, FRINGELive, KiraToTheRescue, Ocean5ouL, FringeInsider, Saharou, Xerophytes, and WR_Systems of WHR  of The Fringe Movement Team over the next few weeks to coordinate activities. Your support will help ensure that the creators of Fringe know of our ‘DJ Fallin in Love’ all over again for this fantastic series as it enters its third phenomenal season!

As an administrative member of The Fringe Movement on QHub, WormholeRiders News Agency hopes you have enjoyed the Music News Series tribute to season three of Fringe. and we look forward to a LIVE TWEET UP  with you and all our friends on September 23, 2010 when Fringe returns! Feel free to leave a comment here or by clicking the text links or my avatar to the right. Thank you for visiting!

Best Regards,

WR_Systems (Kenn)

Hey Comic-Con and Fringe Fans,

In addition to the reporting team here at WormholeRiders who were were honored with Red Carpet access granted by Warner Brothers Entertainment at  Comic-Con 2010, another great photographic team was at work while we prepared to slave away interviewing  Anna Torv, John Noble, Joshua Jackson, Blair Brown, and Jasika Nicole of the Fringe franchise. It was mighty tough work I’ll tell you! *snirk*

Actually it was tough work at Comic-Con even getting close to the Warner Brothers booth as the first photo below attests! But what fun was had by all the Fringe fans!

Of whom do we speak when we discuss great photographic teams? Well of course none other than the team of photographic wizards from Warner Brothers Entertainment themselves! Included below are exclusive Comic-Con images provided courtesy of our media contacts at Warner Brothers Entertainment!

The images provided below courtesy of Warner Brothers Entertainment feature the Comic-Con signing ceremonies by the Fringe stars, the gala festivities at the Warner Brothers booth in the exhibitors hall and several additional images from the wonderful Fringe panel.

Thank you Warner Brothers photographic team for sharing these fantastic images with WHR so we could bring them to the Fringe Fanatics, Errrrr I mean the dedicated fans of the Fringe franchise!

As always thank you for visiting WHR. Please feel free to leave a comment here or we hope we will see you “On The Other Side” on Twitter of the many alternate realities that are Fringe!

Simply click the WHR or my avatar and you will be in the alternate universe with BLivia, Peter, Alt-Astrid, Alt-Broyles, and who knows, we might find Nina Sharp’s arm or maybe even a surprise appearance by Gene the Cow (as pictured above) and Walternate from the Twitter-Alter-Verse as pictured above!

Best Regards,

WR_Systems (Kenn)

Hey Comic-Con and Fringe Fans,

The reporting team here at WormholeRiders were honored with Red Carpet access granted by Warner Brothers Entertainment during the recent festivities known as Comic-Con 2010. Our team comprised six (6) Senior Reporters, Editors and digital photographers including MeaganSue, Whovian99, SciFiFanGirl616, OffWorldTravelr and JNM999.

WHR Team members were quite fortunate to receive a lot of support from everyone at Comic-Con including the fans who you will see in future news articles!

We therefore sincerely thank the fantastic teams at both Comic-Con International and Warner Brother Entertainment for the opportunity to interview Anna Torv, John Noble, Joshua Jackson, Blair Brown, and Jasika Nicole of the Fringe franchise!

These individuals are not only extremely talented actors and actresses, they are all very nice people to chat with. Be forewarned that there are minor spoilers in the video embed below, so if you do not like spoilers please stop reading or watching the Fringe video embed now!

For those not familiar with a press room Red Carpet, it is a lot of fun, but is also a lot of work in a hectic and often noisy atmosphere. Access to the stars are granted on a time permitted basis. The time we spent with the cast of Fringe was absolutely fantastic and something we worked hard to be granted access to.

WHR had also hoped to interview Lance Reddick, but time ran out before Lance was able to get to the WHR news team area comprised of Whovian99 and I. We are hopeful to be able to interview Lance in the future and bring him here for you to enjoy. We do however include several images of Lance and the Fringe Panel as discussed next.

Additionally, during our fun filled stay in San Diego for Comic-Con 2010, as mentioned above, WHR digital photography expert JNM999 captured many images of the Fringe Panel conducted in the afternoon of Saturday July 24, 2010. WHR thanks to Jeremy for his outstanding work in our being able to include a treasure trove of digital still images from the Fringe Panel for your viewing pleasure. The Red Carpet Interviews and Fringe panel video are included below for your viewing pleasure. We hope that you enjoy them as much as we did in bringing them here for you.

Please feel free to leave a comment here or by visiting Whovian99, JNM999 or me on Twitter by clicking our avatars or text links. Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders and we look forward to seeing you on “The Other Side” when Fringe returns on FOX Networks on September 23, 2010!

Best Regards,

WR_Systems (Kenn)

Hey there Comic Con fans!

After preview night I had a feeling I had gotten myself into something massive.

I had no idea how right I was.

Yikes!

Thursday

I was up early but slow moving. Not a good start for the first full day of the convention. Not surprisingly, parking was hard to find. We went to five or six full parking lots before we found a space.. We almost missed getting into Hall H, the biggest panel room at the convention center. I think it holds over 6,500 people. When I finally DID make it in, I couldn’t believe how many people were there. It was standing room only for the entire day. I could feel the excitement. They don’t clear out the panel rooms and there was plenty I wanted to see in Hall H, so I decided to keep my seat and watch the panels there all day. It meant missing some panels in other rooms, but these are the decisions you have to make when going to a larger convention. It’s impossible to see and do everything.

Megamind was the first panel of the day. I didn’t know much about it aside from knowing it is another DreamWorks movie. I’m a huge DreamWorks fan so I had a feeling I’d love what I was about to see. Also, I was given 3-D glasses when I walked into the theater. Everyone was really excited when the MC came out and said we had a special guest. I was sitting a bit far from the stage but I saw a guy in blue paint and a funny costume come running out onto the stage. He said he’d brought donuts for everyone and wasn’t aware there’d be so many of us. I realized he was Will Ferrell badly dressed as Megamind. Ferrell stars as the villain in the DreamWorks movie. It’s their first superhero movie and from the 3-D clip I saw, it looks hilarious. Not only that but I definitely think I can bring both my nine and sixteen year old daughters to see it.

What is Megamind? Many people have asked. It’s DreamWorks’ first super hero movie. It stars Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill and Brad Pitt. After seeing the preview, in 3-D, I have to say it looks AWESOME! Basically it’s a “what if the bad guy wins” story. Tina Fey then joined Ferrell on the stage. She looked beautiful and was dressed nicely, no surprise there. Jonah Hill looked adorable in his blazer and pants. He was the last one on the panel. Well, that’s not totally true. They did bring Brad Pitt out—in cardboard cutout form. Megamind will be out in theaters this November. I can’t wait!

Tron was next. I have to say I have been geeking out over a new Tron movie. I did love the first one. To call this version a reboot is an understatement. As Jeff Bridges put it, the new movie makes the original look like an old black and white film. This is another 3-D movie that I cannot wait to see in the theater. The few minutes I saw have completely sold me on it. I love that Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner are both in the new version. Patton Oswalt was the moderator for this panel. I loved that the original creator of Tron, Steven Lisberger, was also a guest. It seems they have tried hard to keep the integrity of Tron in the movie but improve it so it fits in with this millennium instead of the last one.

It’s been 27 years since the first Tron was in theaters. Wow. That makes me feel old. I’m not going to lie. Starring in the movie are Michael Sheen and Olivia Wilde. After we saw the movie clip we were told if we were a good audience we’d get to be in the movie. They needed crowd noises. We were instructed to look at the screen and say exactly what was on the screen with the bouncing disk (get it, not a ball because it’s Tron) landed on the word. So… if you listen closely in the movie you may be able hear me yelling. We had to say things like, “Disk! Wars!” and “Rinz! Ler!” and “Dee! Rez!” Then they wanted foot stomping. It may not sound exciting but just trying doing that in a room full of 6,500 geeks and not get excited. I could not help myself. It was fun even if we’re not actually used in the movie.

Tron will be coming to theaters December 17, 2010.

Jack Sparrow interrupted our break in Hall H to tell us he was not looking for pirates to sail with him on a new Adventure. Apparently Disney will be releasing the fourth pirates movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, next May. Also, Gillermo del Toro came on stage to let us know about a new “Haunted Mansion” reboot. They won’t be calling Eddie Murphy for this one. Del Toro said it will be scary so be sure to bring your children. I’m a Haunted Mansion fan, I love the ride. I’ve grown up going on it. I really hope the reboot is an improvement over the last version.

During the break between panels, Pauly Shore walked in and signed autos for people. That was bizarre. Although, as I would later find out, not terribly bizarre. Guests have a habit of walking in on other panels and surprising the fans. That’s certainly a cool thing about Comic Con.

Next up was the “Salt” panel starring Angelina Jolie. She looked gorgeous as ever. I was impressed to learn that she did her own stunts for the movie. I saw the preview and I think the woman has no fear. If you’re an Angelina Jolie fan and/or an adrenaline nut you’ll probably want to check out this movie. It’s already in theaters.

I have to say the fan oddly dressed as Spider-man that went to the Q&A mic surprised us all by asking a serious question about stunts. What did he ask exactly? I can’t remember. I just know we were all so distracted from his outfit that we were laughing. All of us, that is, aside from Angelina Jolie. She listened and answered him. She was very respectful of the fans and gracious, too.

I’d never heard of Battle Los Angeles. I do like the whole “aliens invade earth and we have to fight them or die” type of movie. Like Independence Day or even Signs. Battle Los Angeles is this type of movie. It stars Michelle Rodriguez and Aaron Eckhart, is produced by Neal Moritz and will be out in theaters March 11, 2011.

I took a break from Comic Con because I was invited to take a tour of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln. How could I pass that up? Captain Mueller was kind enough to get us on board and show us as much of the carrier ship as we could handle in about two hours. I feel like I crawled all over every inch of that place.

I’m guessing that we only saw less than a sixth of it. We were very spoiled as we were allowed into the bridge. What amazed me is how high-tech it all is. Don’t mess with the Lincoln. With five thousand troops on board and people watching both the surface and the skies, not to mention all the fire power, you’ll regret starting a fight with that ship.

After such a long tour of climbing up and down stairs (hey! It’s a workout! You try it and then tell me it’s not!), we went for dinner on Coronado Island. Then I was done for the day. Even though Thursday was a crazy busy day I knew that Friday would make Thursday look like a cakewalk. I needed all the rest I could get. What I wondered as I went to bed was, “Will I survive Friday?”

Friday

Another early start. Up and out of the condo before 6:15 am. I’d spent part of the previous day running around one of the largest conventions in existence and the other part of the day running around one of the largest carrier vessels ever created. I really didn’t want to miss any panels, so I was up and ready to start the second busiest day of Comic Con. And according to TagHive on Twitter, I was already the top tweeter for the convention. I had my work cut out for me.

Of all the things on the agenda for Friday, I was most looking forward to the Tweet House party that night. We realized that while parking near the U. S. S. Midway was a good idea it meant a very long walk to the convention center. Luckily we found a rickshaw for hire! So we hopped in and our driver got us to the convention in record time. Plus, he was kind of cute.

Today we would spend the majority of the day in Ballroom 20. I think it’s the second largest panel room. The Stargate Universe panel was up first. I noticed that Louis Ferriera’s name was not up on the table but Alaina Huffman’s name was. Although I was sad about missing Ferriera, I was excited to see Huffman again. She’s absolutely a wonder-person.

The guests were Alaina Huffman, Ming Na, Robert Carlyle and last but certainly not least, David Blue. The moderator was none other than Robert Cooper. I could not wait for this panel to begin. Finally, Mr. Cooper introduced the guests and the fun began. Ming Na cracked us all up by petting her iPhone and calling it her iPrecious.

David Blue said that nerds need love too. As a nerd I could not agree more. I think nerds may even need more love than non-nerd people. The news that surprised many people is Eli finally gets love. Apparently he winds up involved with a Lucian Alliance woman. I’m hoping Eli is treated well.

Alaina Huffman was asked how she can play a character who seems the complete opposite of her. I have to agree. TJ is very serious and even sad. In contrast, Huffman is bubbly, happy and fun to be around. Huffman explained that she lives in the moment. She also said that “work is a relax” for her. She juggles three kids, a husband and a brother at home. She is one busy woman. Ming Na had us all applaud Huffman for being able to handle all those responsibilities. There is no doubt that this cast greatly appreciates and respects one another.

Robert Carlyle directs an episode in the next part of season two. It will be called “Pathogen.” I also here we will get to see the bridge, finally, of the Destiny. And emotions are escalated. It sounds like season two is just getting started.

The biggest news of the entire panel is that David Hewlett and Robert Picardo will be making guest appearances on Stargate Universe as a crossover type episode with Stargate Atlantis. I’ve mentioned I’m a squirrel. For those of you who haven’t heard me shout that from the rooftops, being a squirrel means I’m a fan of David Hewlett’s. I have missed Rodney so much! That should be a fantastic episode. And honestly, I’ve missed Woolsey, too. It will be great to see both of them.

All too soon the SGU panel was over. Next up was Caprica. I’ll be honest. I don’t watch Caprica. Nothing against it. I just watch way too much television (if there is such a thing) and cannot watch everything. Although I’d really like too. Anyway, the Caprica panel was cool. I think it’s the first James Marsters panel I’ve seen. I was excited about that because I’m a fan of his since I saw him play Spike on Buffy.

The cast says to expect great things for the next season of the show. Alessandra Torresani says that you won’t expect what’s happening. Sounds like there is definite girl power to be seen. Marsters made a joke about being on Buffy and how maybe, just maybe he’d seen tough girls fight. He said he can actually identify with his character, Barnabas Greeley, but thinks he carries things too far. And Alessandra says that she has to show most of her character’s emotions through her eyes which is tough to do. Sasha Roiz also stars on the show and was at the panel. Caprica sounds like a complicated, thought provoking show.

Bazinga! I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was UBER excited about the Big Bang Theory panel. I’ve been watching this show since the pilot and have been hooked ever since. In fact, I’m in major withdrawal without new episodes to watch each week. I knew that something was different about this panel because they brought out instruments like a cello, accordion and an acoustic guitar. I’d never seen that before and couldn’t figure out what they were up to. Not even when they handed us all lyrics to the theme song for the show. It’s performed by a band I love, The Bare Naked Ladies. The panel was being introduced and we were asked if we liked the theme song. Of course everyone in the room is agreeing when all of a sudden the Bare Naked Ladies were introduced! They jumped out on stage literally just feet in front of me and started playing the theme song. I could NOT believe my eyes. Fortunately we had cameras with us. I have pictures to remind myself it did happen.

We got to sing along with one of my favorite bands to a theme song to one of my favorite shows. Does life get any better than this? It does! Because then they brought out almost the entire cast of the show. All the big names were there, Penny, Sheldon, Wolowitz, Raj and Leonard (Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, and Johnny Galecki respectively). Not only that, Wil Wheaton was the moderator. Wheaton plays an evil version of himself on the show. It was a fantastic panel.

I was surprised when Wheaton said he believes Cuoco is the geekiest one on the set. I’m still not sure if that’s true or not. Although she’s a massive Harry Potter fan and was the first one on the set to have a Kindle, she didn’t know who Wheaton is when she was told he would be guest starring on the show.

A fan wanted to know if there would be any chance of The Big Bang Theory going to Comic Con. The producers gave one of the best answers, “We’re an indoor cat.” They said they are so used to filming on sets and in controlled environments that they would not be sure how to attempt filming at Comic Con. That’s too bad, though. It would be a funny episode, I’m sure, if they could figure out how to be an outside cat.

Expect to see the evil Wil Wheaton appearing at some point. I’m looking forward to that. I think Wheaton has brought something extra geeky and special to the show. For any Star Trek/Big Bang Theory fans out there I’m sure you know what I mean.

Then the cast treated us to a live performance of “Soft Kitty.” Although at first Parsons complained when the request was made, saying it’s only for when you’re sick. Mayim Bialik is also expected to appear in the upcoming season. All too soon, the panel was over. I was actually sad. It was the first Big Bang Theory fix I’d had in weeks. Now I have to wait for the new episodes beginning this September.

I decided to take a break from panels and go check out the Exhibitor Hall again. I did some shopping and more window shopping. Then I was hungry. I decided to try out Café Diem. I’d heard it was pretty cool and also had good food. The thought of sitting down at a restaurant a bit away from the crowd sounded very appealing, too.

Café Diem was a lot of fun. Syfy seemed to go all out transforming the place into the restaurant on Eureka. Even the menus were all Syfy foods. I rested my tired feet and filled my empty belly. It was a much needed break from all the crazy chaos of the convention. I was done eating and doing some writing when someone caught my eye. I looked over and had to laugh to myself. There was a guy walking around who looked just like Eureka’s Sheriff Carter. The fabulous and talented Colin Ferguson. But I knew it wasn’t him. I mean, if I were him would I show up at Café Diem? Well, actually that is something I would do. Then I realized a girl with a remarkable resemblance to Zoe Carter, the sheriff’s daughter, was standing next to him. Finally it dawned on me: I was looking at THE Colin Ferguson and THE Jordan Hinson! How crazy is that?!

I had to run over and introduce myself. They were very gracious and allowed me to take a picture with both of them. I have to say that both Ferguson and Hinson are wonderful people. Plus Hinson is even more adorable in person, as if that’s possible.

I went back and sat down and just as I did so in walked Sasha Roiz and Alessandra Of Caprica! While Alessandra was busy getting her picture taken in the Syfy picture machine, I asked Sasha if I could have a picture with him. He generously agreed. As you can see from the picture he’s a very short man. And I told him so. I think I confused him at first but then he laughed and said that somehow he looks so tall on camera but is actually very short in person. I’m guessing he comes in at just under 6’ 6”. Small fry.

Next up was the Tweet House party aboard the U.S.S. Midway. I know, I know, TWO carrier ships in the same number of days. I was a lucky girl. I wanted to arrive at the party on time because rumor had it none other than William Shatner would be landing a helicopter on the ship. Wasn’t I bummed to find out that Shatner landed almost an hour before the party started. However, he did stay and talk a bit. So that was good.

There was also a Pixar panel and a couple of bands played including Heavy Young Heathens. I was exhausted at this point. So it was time to call it a night. After all, the biggest day, Saturday, was still ahead of me. I had been warned that it would make the other days so far pale in comparison.

Saturday

I was surprised I woke up for my alarm. And I hurt all over. I was so tempted to sleep in and miss half the day. Comic Con is like running a marathon. Or so I would guess. I’ve never actually run a marathon. I felt like I had, though. Or that I’d been hit by a truck. However there were places to go and people to gawk at! I got up and forced myself to get dressed and ready for the day.

To be honest there was one word that kept me motivated: Chuck! First up was the Chuck panel. I’m a huge Chuck fan, haven’t missed an episode yet, and could not wait for the panel. I’d been told that Jeffster actually performed at last year’s Comic Con. We were told to expect something different. Some of us speculated if someone different would be performing. I was hoping that wasn’t the case, I did want to see Jeffster live.

Turns out there was a Jeffster video done to Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance. Naturally it was hilarious! As we’re watching the video and laughing, I start hearing people cheering. I look away from the video screen and see Jeffster on stage! They were dancing for us! EPIC!

They danced for a bit and had the entire crowd laughing. Then the entire cast of Chuck came out! I mean basically EVERYONE I would consider a major or somewhat important character. Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Sarah Lancaster, Adam Baldwin, Joshua Gomez, Ryan McPartlin, Mark Christopher Lawrence joined Vik Sahay and Scott Krinsky on stage. And that wasn’t all! After they all danced for us they threw “Nerd” tee shirts out into the audience. Thanks to the great arm on Jeremy, I am now the proud own of a “Nerd” shirt thrown by non other than Chuck himself! Woohoo! I’ll wear it with major geek pride. I mean nerd pride.

They certainly gave us some spoilers. Such as who will be playing Chuck’s mother, will Jeffster return and what guest stars we can expect to see on the show. The answers are Linda Hamilton, yes and the Old Spice Guy, Isaiah Mustafa respectively. The next season of Chuck is going to be everything I’ve come to love in the show and more. I will certainly be tuning in to watch.

Family Guy followed the Chuck panel. What I will remember most is how Seth MacFarlane sang as the voice of Stewie while we watched a video of it, live. That was pretty amazing. I don’t think he made a single mistake. Singing is hard enough, but add to that singing in another character’s voice live in front of 4,500 people AND timing it right so it’s in sync with a video is nothing less than fantastic. I kept looking back and forth from the video to MacFarlane. It was very weird — and also extremely cool.

I was about to watch the Cleveland panel when I got a phone call. It was time for my Robert Cooper interview and I had to leave the convention center and find the hotel where the Stargate Universe cast was. I practically ran with all my stuff and made it there fairly quickly. The rest of the Wormholeriders team was there, too, accept for Rigel, aka SciFiFanGirl616. We would be interviewing Cooper, Ming Na, Robert Carlyle and David Blue. My interview with Cooper was first.

Actually, this was my first ever interview. Was I nervous? No. Not at all. Am I lying right now? Oh heck yeah! I was so nervous. However I was also excited to be the one interviewing Cooper. He is a pillar in the Stargate franchise and someone I personally think is wonderful. He’s had a hand in some of my all-time favorite Stargate episodes and has worked on all three shows. The news that he is taking a step back from Stargate is sad. You can see the interview here: (http://wormholeriders.com/blog/?p=16706)

I thought the interview went fairly well since I didn’t lose consciousness, cry, or run away. And thankfully, neither did Mr. Cooper. I do want to thank Robert Cooper for his time and for allowing me to interview him. Also, thank you Syfy and MGM Studios. It was such an honor.

I was wandering the hotel and happened to run into some of the cast from Warehouse 13. I could not believe my luck! I got to hug Saul Rubinek as well as Eddie McClintock. I also got to talk to Allison Scagliotti. Seriously good times. If you don’t know, I happen to cover Warehouse 13. If you don’t watch the show, why not? It’s a fun show! What are you waiting for?

I had to go back to the convention center because I had press room access for the series “V.” I am a fan of the show and had the pleasure of interviewing both Morris Chestnut (Ryan) and Laura Vandervoort (Lisa). Both lovely and talented actors. It sounds like there are some very cool things in store for us “V” fans in the upcoming season. Why am I getting the feeling that I’m going to have way too many shows to watch in the coming months? Stay tuned to the Wormholeriders site for my interviews with Chestnut and Vandervoort.

After the “V” press room I was free! I had survived Saturday! HORRAY! I was happy but so exhausted. And starving. I think aside from half a yogurt at like five in the morning I’d eaten a cookie. So on the way back to my in-laws condo we got sushi. Delicious, filling sushi. And then I pretty much crashed. I had to get up early yet again for Sunday. I did not want to miss the Smallville and Supernatural panels.

Sunday

I was up bright and early again. Even before the sun. I seemed to be making a painful habit out of it. However it was for a worthy cause. I was excited about the Smallville panel. Good thing I was up early because literally thousands of other Comic Con attendees were excited about the Smallville panel too. I was able to get in line and eventually, after a two hour wait, get a seat inside the room. It wasn’t the first row but I didn’t care. I was in the room!

First I want to congratulate Smallville for holding the title now as the longest running science fiction show. As a steadfast Stargate fan this is a sad moment for me; I’ll be honest. Smallville has now passed up Stargate SG-1. However, I congratulate Smallville. Science fiction shows are starting to finally have the longevity they deserve. However, the tenth and final season of Smallville looks astounding. I think this show is going out with a bang. In a good way. As they said at the panel they are throwing everything including the kitchen sink into the final season. They showed us the sneak peak and I have to say it looks like a very meaty season. Even Clark’s father, Jonathan, will be back. And, the question most Superman fans have been waiting for: Will Kal-El fly? We were told that we know how the comic book turns out. So that’s a yes. Finally we get to see him fly!

Supernatural: My final panel of Comic Con. I’ve been a fan of this show since the pilot. This show seems to be that cat with nine lives. I’m told this is the final season of Supernatural, however I am pretty sure I’ve heard that in past seasons. Still, the upcoming season looks very interesting. What are fans to expect? Weekly monsters returns, the brothers still work on their relationship, Cass may have a Russian accent (ok not really) and no more kissing for Bobby. When asked how Sam will get out of Hell, Jared Padalecki said he wasn’t sure but maybe he gets out with practice. He was alluding to the fact that this isn’t Sam’s first trip to Hell. In fact, Dean and their father have been to Hell. Trips to Hell, and getting out, seem to be a family trait.

When asked if Chuck, the prophet, was actually God, the panel would not give an answer. Apparently the writers want each person to interpret who God is on their own. So for all you fans out there thinking Chuck is really God, well, keep thinking that. It’s your prerogative.

Gag reels can either be hilarious or lame. I had never seen a Supernatural gag reel before and I have to say I have been missing out. We were shown a sneak peak of the gag reel and I literally laughed so hard I cried. Of course, with fantastic premier episode music and a hilarious performance of Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” to rule ALL “Eye of the Tiger” performances, I should have known the gag reel would be epic. Even if you’re not a Supernatural fan you should check it out. I have a feeling it will win you over. Supernatural’s final (as far as we know) season seems to keep that snarkastic sense of humor that gives the show it’s edge over other horror type shows.

Sadly the gag reel and Supernatural panel had to come to an end. I had just one last thing to do before my Comic Con experience was over: interview the Scooby Doo people.

I’ve been a Scooby Doo fan literally my whole life. Not only did I grow up watching the show, I grew up with Great Danes. When we bought our house I turned my oldest daughter’s bedroom, playroom and bathroom into Scooby rooms. I painted the characters on the walls and decorated with whatever Scooby knick-knacks I could find. To say I was excited about interview the people making the newest Scooby incarnation was an understatement. I was thrilled!

I had the pleasure of interviewing Matthew Lillard, the voice of Shaggy, supervising producers Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone, producer Mitch Watson, and art director Dan Krall. My interviews will be up on Wormholeriders soon. I will say that I loved speaking with these people and picking their brain about one of my favorite shows. They certainly have me excited about Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated airing Mondays at 7pm on Cartoon Network. Many of these talented people have worked on classic shows like Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain and Freakazoid! Need I say more.

And with the last of my interviews, my work was done at Comic Con. As I walked away from the convention center I realized, happily, that I had survived! Yay! I also knew I’d need about a week of sleep when I finally made it back home. Unfortunately, I had an early flight back home the next morning. One more painfully early wake up call for me. I could sleep on the plane though. And I did.

Fellow Fringe fans,

Well, this was it: the final part of the two-part Fringe finale which felt, in many ways, rather more like a movie than an extended episode of a television show. In many ways this episode was the culmination of the last two seasons: we see the payoff in the way a number of threads which were started as far back as the pilot are woven together to bring a measure of closure to certain plotlines. And of course, in true Fringe fashion, for every answer we receive ever more questions arise.

There were any number of things which I loved about this episode, many of which I will enumerate after the recap, but there were a couple things which particularly impressed me. One of which, visually speaking, was the panoramas of the Other Side: they offer a particularly intriguing juxtaposition to our side, from the bronze Statue of Liberty to the misplaced Transamerica Pyramid.

The Other Side

Stylistically speaking, I quite enjoyed the way the story unfolded, although in this episode there was less jumping between the two Fringe teams given that our team has crossed over and there was a fair bit of establishment of the Other Side in part 1. As much as I enjoy seeing the team together, I often find that some of the most poignant scenes we have seen so far occur when the characters are split off into subgroups: most notably in this episode, certain scenes between Walter and Bell, and between Olivia and Peter.

Recap

Over There: Part 2 picked up pretty much right where Over There: Part 1 left off: Peter is going to meet with Walternate, Olivia has met up with Bell and they are trying to find Walter who has been shot, all the while the alternate Fringe division is trying to find our team.

Seeing a ghost

Olivia and Bell’s search for Walter leads them to the hospital in which he is being treated; this is also when Olivia learns that the alternate Fringe Division answers to Walternate as he is the Secretary of Defense. Her level of incredulity is quite amusing. After ascertaining that Walter is indeed in that hospital, Olivia and Bell split up: Olivia goes to find Walter, and Bell attempts to waylay Alt-Liv and Charlie – watching Bell (played by Leonard Nimoy) try to distract the agents by rambling about the technology which he has built for them is a favourite scene of mine. Olivia tracks down Walter and they meet back up with Bell. Alt-Liv gets quite the shock when, after realizing that Walter has escaped, she views the security camera footage only to see herself and a different version of Walter Bishop.

“It was much worse here: the laws of physics were turned into mere suggestions” – Walternate

In their first protracted conversation, at least to which we have been privy, Walternate explains to Peter that the reason that things are so bad on their side is due to the events Walter set in motion when he stole Peter all those years ago. Walternate explains that Peter can help them heal their world by using the machine and that he needs Peter’s help because of his understanding of our side’s technology: apparently we have made advances which they have not which would be helpful in understanding the Machine. (Keep in mind that we know that the Machine will harm Peter, and destroy our world.) Alt-Liv interrupts their conversation when she comes to question the Secretary about their doubles and Walternate tells her that she must never trust the “monsters”.  Walternate also seems rather interested in the fact that Peter knows “Agent Dunham”.

Alt-Liv takes Peter to the apartment which Walternate has had set up for him and they have a rather interesting discussion about the differences between the two sides and between Alt-Liv and Olivia. Meanwhile, Bell, Walter, and Olivia discuss their options and come to an agreement about the course of action they must take: Olivia will go to find Peter, Walter and Bell will go to Walternate’s old lab to get the technology which they need to cross back over to our side.

The Blight

On the way to the lab Walter sees some of the effects of his actions first-hand when he witnesses “the Blight” which the shape-shifters have talked about and Bell tells him that it is his fault. While in the lab the two old friends begin to touch on some of the issues between them: Walter confronts Bell about being responsible for some of the deficits he now experiences resulting from having parts of his brain removed, but before they can resolve anything the discussion is tabled in order to get to work. They find the device to reopen the crack from when they crossed over, but Bell says to leave the power source to him.

Faceoff

Olivia lets herself into Alt-Liv’s apartment to ask for her help. A few differences between the two Olivias become apparent: unlike Olivia, Alt-Liv’s mother is still alive but her sister died during childbirth. When Olivia explains that she needs to find Peter because he is in danger, Alt-Liv assumes that they are a couple. Alt-Liv manages to get the drop on Olivia and the two of them fight; Olivia narrowly wins and dyes her hair to impersonate Alt-Liv. Alt-Charlie shows up and the two of them go to Peter’s apartment.

“Bringing me back was never about fixing this universe – it was about destroying yours” – Peter

Peter figures out that the Machine requires an organic interface and that he is the only one who can operate it. Olivia and Alt-Charlie meet up with Peter who clues into the fact that it is our Olivia when she tells him about the Parchment which was given to his father by an Observer and then takes out Alt-Charlie. After listening to Olivia, Peter realizes that Walternate lied to him: it was never about healing their world, but rather about destroying Olivia’s. Olivia and Peter finally discuss the fact that she knew he wasn’t from her world yet said nothing. Olivia tells Peter that he doesn’t belong on this side, he belongs on her side and that he has to come back because he belongs with her.

Infiltration Achieved

The alternate Fringe Division tracks our team by tracking Olivia since she is using Alt-Olivia’s identification. After a rather tense reunion, Peter and Walter go into the Opera House (where our team crossed over to the Other Side) to set up the doorway and Bell and Olivia try to hold off the alternate division. Bell tells Walter that he himself will provide the power for the others to cross over since he is so molecularly unstable from crossing over so many times. When our team crosses over it is revealed that during the brief time Bell was knocked out during the fighting, the alternate agents managed to capture Olivia: it was Alt-Liv who crossed back over with Peter and Walter, not our Olivia. The episode ends with our Olivia locked up, a captive of Walternate.

Thoughts and Impressions

I really do think that this was one of the best finales I watched this season – and I’m not just saying that because I love the show. There was enough payoff that it felt as though the story arcs leading up to the episode panned out, yet at the same time there were more than enough questions introduced to carry us into season 3. And that’s not even counting the fact that our Olivia is still stranded on the Other Side and our team has been infiltrated.

The Observer

As always the Observers present quite the conundrum. For instance, why was “our” Observer September on the Other Side? (You can clearly see him in the picture above). Something about which I am quite curious is if there are indeed more than one of each Observer given that it seems as though they instead travel between universes, which begs the question of how they do so seemingly unharmed. Or perhaps it is constant travel between universes that is to blame for their physiological differences. One of the reasons I think there might only be one of each is that they talk as though they experience events in both universes: the conversation we observed in Peter, wherein they discussed the fact that September had made a mistake by distracting Walternate before he found a cure for Peter, seems to be the basis for some of the conversations we have seen between September and Walter on our side. Or is it that the Observers, each iteration of them, somehow communicate with one another; that is, perhaps the Observers in our universe can easily exchange information with their alternate counterparts.

Another curiousity which the Observers introduce is the Manuscript depicting the Machine. For some reason the parchment not only contains sketches of the Machine, but it also has genetic coding; also, the copy which September gives to Olivia in Over There part 1, seems to have almost been translated from a copy which Walternate possesses. But what I find the most curious is that Walternate tells Peter that the machine is “very old tech”, so who built it in the first place? Usually the only time we see the Observers acting directly to affect events is when they are correcting a mistake, so I wonder if they were somehow involved in the building of the device. We know that the Observers have technology that is rather unlike anything we have – we have seen numerous examples of it in use – and I have always wondered from where they got it; perhaps there is another universe from which the Observers originate.

Desperate

One thing which struck me in particular in this episode, in both episodes actually, was how our Olivia continues to display a rather uncharacteristic level of desperation (I discussed this in my review for Over There part 1, but everything reached a pinnacle in part 2). Olivia seemed younger, almost, than usual, especially when juxtaposed with Alt-Olivia. It is as if the façade she usually keeps up of hard-ass agent, which we normally only see dropped around Rachel and Ella, has been decimated by the recent events, not the least of which is Peter’s return to the Other Side. I think the reason she seems younger is that she seems much more vulnerable.

Alt-Liv seems much less haunted by her past than does our Olivia; although, given that Olivia’s traumas started when she was 3 years old, you can’t really blame her. I also wonder if Alt-Liv’s mother ever married Olivia’s stepfather: if not, it would have spared Rachel and Alt-Liv an abusive father and Alt-Liv would not have shot him at the age of 9.

“But in the end, you have to come back because you belong with me” – Olivia to Peter

Ever since Jacksonville when we first saw that The Powers that Be (abbreviated to TPTB, fan-speak for those producers and writers who determine everything show-related) might be leaning towards actually starting some sort of romantic relationship between Peter and Olivia I have been rather undecided: I was never entirely sure where I stood with them as a couple. If you want to read what I had to say on that issue, you can check out these two reviews: here and here. But after watching this episode I think my worries were unfounded. It was never that I didn’t think it was plausible, but rather that with the dynamics of the team, particularly between Walter, Peter, and Olivia, I wasn’t sure that their relationship needed to change.

If I may digress a little bit, one thing in particular which I noticed this past season, not just with Fringe but with most of the shows I watch, is that the “will-they/won’t-they” issue between characters has gotten rather old. I mean, it almost always happens to a certain extent, and I understand why it is often drawn out. But at the same time it feels as though in trying to beat the cliché (if you’d even call it that) of having two lead characters get together, most shows fall into a rut of sorts, and that has become the cliché. I think that TPTB on Fringe rather neatly sidestepped that whole issue without it feeling contrived: for one thing, it is rather obvious that even once Olivia returns to our side, there is no way that things could pick up right where they left off given that Olivia will be having to deal with her captivity and who knows what else will be introduced.

I myself actually liked that that particular scene between Peter and Olivia was rather understated: it wasn’t really a centerpiece of the episode, even though it contains some rather huge character development. It actually quite surprised me in that I wasn’t expecting it to happen so soon, if at all. I think it is tempting to draw things out for as long as possible at times, but I have noticed that with Fringe TPTB are very good at moving things along at a pretty good pace without making it feel rushed.

“But, you did cross universes twice to save my life. So that’s gotta count for something, right?” – Peter

I was also a bit surprised to see Peter and Walter beginning the roads to reconciliation: I had hoped that they would start to mend bridges soon, but I feared it would be drawn out even more. Their final scene together (with Peter telling Walter that he’s trying to see things from Walter’s point of view, but he can’t yet) makes me wonder how much of the story Peter knows. I would hope that Walter has told him what happened 20 years ago, but it also doesn’t quite sound like Peter has the whole story. I really do look forward to seeing how this dynamic progresses. Before Peter found out the truth their relationship was the best it had ever been, yet we always knew it was tainted by the fact that Walter had the secret about Peter; however, now that everything is out in the open, I can’t wait to see how they go about rebuilding their relationship.

I also find it interesting to consider the dichotomy between the two Walters: one a broken man who has lost memories and 17 years of his life, the other, for all intents and purposes, a general helping lead his country. And yet it is our Walter who seems to actually appreciate his son – even though Peter is not his biological son. You would expect Walternate to be more thankful for having his son back, but it seems all he wants him for is to work the Machine. I find it so neat that even though John Noble plays both Walter and Walternate, they are so very, very different – so much so that it is almost easy to forget that they actually are played by the same actor (physical similarities notwithstanding).

Scheming

Something I sometimes worry about with Fringe is that I read too much into a scene or moment. In this case, though, I don’t think I am: I found Walternate’s reaction to the fact that Peter knows Alt-Olivia, or rather, that he is familiar with “Agent Dunham”, to be incredibly telling. I think that this is when he began to devise the plan to send Alt-Liv to infiltrate their side given that she could slip into a trusted role. One reason I think this is the case is that I doubt Alt-Liv would be ready to pull off such a mission at last minute, and the alternate team’s reaction to the orders which they received in their communications devices did not seem to surprise them at all. This makes me wonder if Alt-Liv’s questions to Peter when she dropped him off were less simple curiousity about her doppelganger and more reconnaissance for a potential mission.

I suspect that Walternate, or someone very similar, was who Walter feared he was on the path to becoming, thus prompting the bouts of neurosurgery. When Bell told Walter near the end of the episode that the surgery was at Walter’s request, Walter seemed quite taken aback, justifiably. But what begs the question is whether Walter indeed would have actually become what he feared. I argue that the fact that he had the foresight to actually comprehend that he was becoming something he could not tolerate would in fact distinguish him from Walternate. But at the same time, when Newton reconnected Walter’s brain bits in Grey Matters, we caught a glimpse at a very different Walter Bishop – Walter as he was before. And that Walter was not at all dissimilar to Walternate, at least superficially.

“We’ve accomplished a lot together, Walter; but she may be our greatest achievement” – William Bell

One of the most intriguing aspects of the Other Side is that it affords us license to ask the question “what if?” and to really examine the consequences of the smallest action. For example, whoever’s choice it was that led to the car accident that killed the alternate William Bell, it seems to have had quite the ripple effect. Obviously Massive Dynamic does not exist on the other side, even though Bell has ended up working with Walternate in order to gather intelligence, it is hardly the same. I suspect that Massive Dynamic is likely the reason for the fact that “we” have made some scientific advances which the Other Side has not – as Walternate discusses when he is talking to Peter. Not to mention the fact that we have yet to meet the alternate Nina Sharp who, if she met the Bishops through Bell, would never have had any reason to meet Walternate. I also think that Bell’s absence was the reason that Walternate couldn’t perfect the technology to cross over: when Bell and Walter go to the Harvard Lab, Bell describes how Walternate never managed to get the technology working, whereas Walter did – I can’t help but think that this was due to Bell’s influence. Another big difference: without William Bell, there would have been no Cortexiphan trials on the Other Side given that, as Walter states, they were Bell’s idea in the first place.

I have always wondered about Bell and Walter’s attachment, if that’s the right word, to Olivia: it seems as though she was always their favourite in the Cortexiphan trials, and Bell was quite familiar with her when he pulled her over to the Other Side the first time. Walter’s relationship with Olivia is a bit easier to understand given that they have now been working together for a couple years and since returning to Jacksonville, the two of them have shared the burden of Walter’s secret. And then there are the moments such as in this episode when Bell claims that Olivia is, of everything they have accomplished – including crossing universes – Olivia is their achievement.

“Connections that I used to be able to make so easily, and they just..they just dangle. Just outside of my reach” – Walter to Bell

In some ways this episode was bittersweet given that we found out several months ago that Leonard Nimoy was retiring, and thus many guessed that William Bell would be making his last appearance. Part of the reason this was so bittersweet is that it was the first time we got to see Bell and Walter together, and it is likely the last. Though in a show with (presumably) multiple alternate universes, never say never. But I digress. I found that the more I saw of the two together, the more I wanted to see more of them. It really was fascinating to see the dynamics between the two old friends, particularly since Walter knows that Bell is, somehow, responsible for his current state. The culmination of this tension in the scene between the two at Harvard Lab was rather heart wrenching as Walter finally confronts Bell for his involvement. It is not only Walter’s side, but also Bell’s which makes this scene so compelling.

Bell’s reaction is even more obvious when you watch the episode knowing that Bell acted in accordance with Walter’s wishes, but even the first time around it is apparent. I can only imagine the history between those two and so it must have already been a difficult decision for Bell to make, even though Walter wanted the surgery, let alone the fact that Walter now blames Bell for everything.

“Walter, I will be the power… That should be enough to get you home” – William Bell

The last moments between Bell and Walter are made even more poignant by the fact that these two friends have finally reconciled, only for one to sacrifice themselves. I find myself hoping that this scene will serve a dual purpose of showing Alt-Liv that perhaps Walternate was wrong: the people from their side are not “monsters” after all. I can’t imagine that she could see the kind of sacrifice Bell is willing to give, and the goodbye between the two friends, as something monstrous. Olivia has been more than willing to disobey orders if it means doing the right thing, and I am curious to see if Alt-Liv will waver in her convictions at all when she is faced with the very human people on our side. That being said, it strikes me that the alternate Fringe Division is much more militaristic than on our side, so it is likely that Alt-Liv is used to obeying orders without question.

There were one or two things which bothered me a bit, though I’m sure it’s mostly just me nit-picking. First off, when Alt-Liv impersonates Olivia at the end she was initially wearing different clothes than our Olivia was. I suppose it’s possible that there was enough time between the explosion and when Alt-Liv woke Bell for her to change her clothes to what Olivia was wearing, but that struck me as a little bit unlikely. The thing that really got me was that no one thought to check that everyone was who they thought they were. That is, when Olivia first reunites with Walter at the hospital he had the forethought to make sure it was really her before he agreed to go with her. I suppose we can’t really blame Peter and Walter for not checking since they had no way of knowing that Bell had been knocked out. Bell, on the other hand, should have checked that Olivia was really her – especially since they were surrounded by the alternate Fringe Division, Alt-Liv included, and he had lost consciousness.

“You taught me: there are as many atoms in the human body as there are stars in the sky” – William Bell to Walter

My only real disappointments about this episode were that we didn’t see more of the alternate world’s Elizabeth Bishop (played by Orla Brady) who I really hope we see more of next season; and that we haven’t seen more of Alt-Astrid (played by Jasika Nicole). It is clear that there is something off about her, but the question is what? Given the regimented and almost mechanical way Alt-Astrid addressed Alt-Broyles I wonder if she has some sort of cybernetic implant facilitating better interfacing with technology. We know our Astrid is good with computers and linguistics, so perhaps those natural aptitudes have been augmented in Alt-Astrid.

To be honest I will be rather disappointed if someone on “our” team doesn’t notice right quick that Alt-Liv isn’t their Olivia. As good an agent as I’m sure Alt-Liv is, I really don’t think there is any way she can pull off a full impersonation of Olivia given the small amount of information she actually has on her. Then there’s the fact that Alt-Liv literally walks and talks quite differently from Olivia. On the one hand, Ella and Rachel were around before Olivia crossed over and so perhaps they will be the ones to notice that something is off. However, Peter certainly has reason enough to be paying fairly close attention to Olivia, even more so than usual, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he figured it out. Especially after Peter’s speech to Alt-Liv when he told her about Olivia, I imagine that he knows her better than one might think. Given the fact that Fringe is often wonderfully unpredictable, our team will probably discover Alt-Liv’s true identity under some entirely different circumstances.

One last thing I wanted to briefly mention is that I think I pegged the relationship between Alt-Charlie and Alt-Liv incorrectly in my review for part 1. We didn’t really have any reason to suspect that they were closer than just colleagues, but I wanted to mention it anyway. I thought that the conversation between our Olivia and Alt-Charlie in the SUV on the way to Peter showed us another facet of their relationship given that it mirrored almost word-for-word a conversation our Charlie and Olivia had in the pilot episode, and the fact that he calls her “Livvy”. After talking it over with my friend and fellow Fringie Sahar (check out her Fringe reviews here), I definitely think that they weren’t as close as Charlie and Olivia given that he was her confident and partner, but I still think they are closer than simply colleagues. I think it will be interesting to see how the more militaristic feel of the alternate Fringe Division changes the dynamics between the almost-familiar characters.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how blown away I am by the fact that all the cast members can so believably pull off portraying their alternate universe counterparts. It never ceases to amaze me to watch them, particularly John Noble and Anna Torv, switch between their different personas.

If you ever want to chat Fringe, science, or anything at all, please feel free to email me at the link below, or follow the link in the picture to my Twitter page.
NaddyCat

As always, thanks for reading!

Nadine