WormholeRiders

First off, let me just say forgive me for the length of time it’s been between the 2nd day and the 3rd. Due to some technical difficulties, I couldn’t get the post out until today. That being said, I want to dive right into the final day without any further wait!

We woke Sunday morning, and strolled towards the main room having bittersweet feelings. On one hand, it was another amazing day filled with talks, videos, photographs, autographs, and lots of laughter and good feelings. On the other hand, it was the final day of Vanctuary. Only a few short hours stood between us and the end of an amazing experience. As everyone shuffled into the main convention hall and took their seats, we were greeted by a video that got us psyched up for the beginning of the talks. I’m not sure how other conventions do it, but I always love how Gabit seems to rev us up with amazing images and songs surrounding Sanctuary. As the video died down, Chuck Campbell and Robert Lawrenson took the stage, and we settled in to listen.


First off, let me just say that Chuck Campbell is absolutely hilarious and quite a character. I felt like my sides were going to burst from laughing so hard along with everyone in the audience as he talked. And the repartee between Robert and Chuck was great. They were smooth, and collected, and they seemed to bounce energy off from one another, as they talked amongst themselves before the Q&As started

The fans asked a lot of great questions, and we learned some interesting things about the two guys. For instance, at first Robert was intimidated by the green screen. However, apparently Amanda told him to think of it like stage and he said that one piece of advice set it up perfectly, and he said he now embraces the green screen.

We also learned that Martin Wood (nicknamed apparently Major Wood during his times on SGA) brought in an ex-military training group to help the actors get training on how to properly use guns. Interestingly enough though, the way actors hold a gun on TV is not quite how you would think a person would hold a gun, because of camera angles. Apparently this was one of the trickier parts of learning the roles for the two guys. Another interesting point about Sanctuary is that a normal film will shoot about a maximum of 2 pages a day. Sanctuary apparently shoots a minimum of 8 pages a day! Both of the guys told us that it’s fast paced, but the best show they’ve worked on.

At the end of the panel, we broke out and went to our respective photograph and autograph sessions. Some people had bought at least one of each for each of the stars there, and some people only had a few, but one of the most amazing things to me was that all of the money benefited Sanctuary for Kids. So, while you were buying a memory of a quick moment with one of your favorite actors, directors, or writers, you were also giving money to a very worthwhile charity. Maybe I’ve been sheltered and haven’t really expanded too far out into the world of fandoms, but that to me is something that is so unique to Sanctuary.

After the sessions died down, we all filed back into the auditorium for a special presentation by Lee Wilson from Anthem. I wish I could share with you the video that he showed us, but unfortunately no cameras were allowed in the auditorium. Let me just say that we were shown a video that even people at Comic Con didn’t get a chance to see. Half-way through it I had goosebumps. Even as I write this today, as I saw some of the shots go from the final product to the green screen, and back to the final product, I’m getting goosebumps. If they ever do release it on the web, I’ll definitely point you guys in the right direction. But here’s saying that the first two episodes of Season 3 are going to blow your mind! Oh, and randomly, do you remember this scene in Sleepers from Season 2? That’s entirely green screen!

After Lee left the stage, Agam Darshi and Robin Dunne came up. Robin had the crowd giggling as he tried to imitate Lee’s sultry deep voice. At one point, he said “This is the Lee Wilson talk show.” And what got everyone laughing the hardest was the sound of Lee’s voice piping up over the crowd and saying “I’m right here you know!”

During the panel, we learned that Robin was completely taken out of his comfort zone during the “Kali-Dance“. Apparently he read the script, and really thought that it was a joke. (As we all know, there are a lot of practical jokers on the Sanctuary set, but none as legendary as Robin and Holden MacPhillips). So he ultimately assumed that they were just getting back at him for all the jokes he’d played on people. (In my interview I learned about an interesting practical joke that had to do with Nutella, but you’ll learn that soon when those come out!) However, as time went on, he realized it wasn’t a joke, and he had to actually do the dance and perform.

Agam said that she loved that day on set, and apparently people from all over Sanctuary, came out to see Robin shake his groove thing. Apparently it was funny for Agam to watch Robin, trying to keep up with the extras/dancers who actually knew what they were doing. But, enough about Season 2, here are some Season 3 spoilers straight from Agam’s mouth! In Season 3, Agam’s favorite episode is one where we get to see Kate Freelander’s first kiss *gasp!*, and the Adjustor comes back, and Kate gets to wear lots of spandex.

It seemed like Agam and Robin’s panel went by way too quickly. One fan asked about how they feel about the green screen, and both answered that it’s intimidating at first, mostly because you have to imagine things are there when they’re not. And Robin said when he saw what Lee and the Anthem team did, he couldn’t believe it. Even in his wildest imagination, the things he thought he was looking at were nothing compared to the things that the artistic genius of the Anthem team came up with. Another interesting question was around Robin and Agam playing the only “normals” on this show of abnormals.

When asked how they feel about that, Robin said that he likes that Will has this connection to the audience, and Agam said she loves it because the writer’s often take pity on the normals and give them really cool things to do. All in all, the panel was awesome, and Agam and Robin seemed to really enjoy answering all of our questions. At the end of the talk, we even did a collect “HOO-AH!” with Robin. Oh and did I mention, Robin Dunne dropped his pants? (I think the best part is the screen to Robin’s left.)

After Agam and Robin, we, the fans, shuffled out and went back to some more photograph and autograph sessions, vaguely realizing that the Christopher Heyerdahl and Amanda Tapping panel (which honestly I loved that we began and ended with Amanda) was the next and last panel. As we headed back into the auditorium for the final panel (grabbing some blue jello on our way in, made by some awesome fans), it was an interesting atmosphere. True, we were all a twitter and excited for what Amanda and Chris would talk about, and what kind of questions would be asked, but it was also a heavy-sad feeling that we were coming very close to the end. Thankfully, Amanda and Chris got up on the stage, and we all settled in. The chemistry between those two actors is awesome, both on screen and off.

Within the first couple of minutes, Amanda made reference to Helen kissing boys or girls in her past, which had quite a few of the people in the room cheering, and others giggling. And just to keep the giggling going, Chris demonstrated being Biggie and washing laundry. It got a lot of us thinking about what Biggie would actually look like, doing the laundry, and putting it up on the line.

But, getting to some more meatier Season 3 spoilery stuff, Amanda told us about an idea she had and went to Damian Kindler and Martin Wood to discuss it, and they ran with it. Apparently, in the episode that Lee Wilson directs, called “For King and Country” (Episode 8), there is a moment of incredible intimacy between John Druitt (Christopher Heyerdahl) and Helen Magnus, and it all happens while Druitt is knocked out.

I know I can’t wait to see what that is, especially since it was Amanda’s original idea, and it’s been carried out to fruition. Moving on, a fan asked about Ashley, and whether or not Helen will have any more kids. Amanda immediately said that there will probably not be any more children for Helen, and then she went on to discuss Ashley, and the fact that she will not be coming back. Apparently they had discussed the options for Season 3, and how they could do it. She went on to say that Ashley died a heroic death, and to bring her back by some means of some scifi trick would be somewhat cheap, and I have to agree 100%.

Now, in the memorabilia room is one of Amanda’s Helen costumes, and a fan brought that up and asked about the period wear. Apparently nearly all of Helen’s costumes were made for her. Amanda said that as she puts on the clothing, it’s amazing how it changes your posture and the look on your face. You suddenly stand more upright. She said there are layers of bustle, to which Chris retold a great little quip about how he once said he liked her bustle, and she hadn’t yet put it on. This got everyone in the crowd laughing. We also, quickly learned that we will meet Nigel Griffin, who apparently also had an amazing wardrobe.

As Becky Preen walked up to the stage, and we all realized that the Chris and Amanda panel were finished, the crowd erupted in a collective sad sigh. As the gabit-events pros everyone passed out tissues to each other, Chris and Amanda waved goodbye and went to sit down, while Becky and Julia Hague from Gabit Events came up on the stage. Julia’s closing speech is notorious for making even the strongest person get teary eyed. And, as promised, her closing speech was eloquent, emotional, and left me with tears in my eyes.

After the speech by the two Gabit ladies, the Sanctuary for Kids team (Damian Kindler, Amanda Tapping, and Jill Bodie) came on stage. It was heartwarming to hear about how Sanctuary for Kids started. Apparently, back in the day, Jill had said to Damian that when he did make it in the industry, that he’d do something good for the world (ie, use his power for good). Then, Amanda and Jill got together, and the magic happened. Sanctuary for Kids started.

They spoke about the joy it brings them to see all the fans gathered there, and how we, as a collective, are a blessing to them, because they couldn’t do it without us. Well, I have to say this to the Sanctuary team. You are truly an inspiration, and I do hope that other shows take the challenge that Damian gave at Comic Con. I do hope that other shows see how one little show that went from web series to an international phenomenon, can use that power and that fanbase to generate hope for other people in the world. As the check was presented, Amanda, Jill, and Damian all made incredulous faces, and we the fans sat in our seats watching the number that was on the check come up slowly on the screens on either side. I was blown away when I saw the number $87,040.00 come up. Not to mention that Legends Memorabilia announced that a fan wanted to round that number up to $88K.

At the very end, Becky Preen summed up the entire experience with an amazing quote, that I still keep with me to this day. “Instead of Sanctuary coming home. We’ve come home to Sanctuary.” And with that, The Sanctuary Experience was over, and later we found out that that $88K had actually increased to over $90K. It’s an amazing feeling to be part of something so incredible. Thank you Sanctuary. Thank you Gabit. And thank you fans and readers!

Bring on TSE2!

Ash0283

I know I mentioned it before, but I have to mention it again. The Sanctuary Experience raised over $90K CAD for Sanctuary for Kids.

That being said, I can now delve deeper into Day 2 of The Sanctuary Experience.

As we filed somewhat sleepily into the main hall, we were greeted by the smiling lovely face of Becky, one of the G4 from Gabit Events, who played a video for us to get us revved up and ready for some Sanctuary action! As the cast and producers came onto the stage, we all clapped, and I know my heart started to pound in excitement about the fact that The Sanctuary Experience had officially begun. As Robin Dunne, Ryan Robbins and Christopher Heyerdahl exited the stage, we were left with the three producers, Amanda Tapping, Martin Wood, and Damian Kindler. They thanked us for joining them at The Sanctuary Experience, and then immediately fell into stride talking about the one thing that we all had in common, Sanctuary.

They were as passionate as their show as they had been the night before, and immediately we found out that they had hoped to do a 3D episode. It didn’t sound like they had yet, but that they were hoping to. In fact, there is someone working with them who had worked on Avatar. Can you imagine? A 3D Sanctuary episode? I can just imagine the wickedly amazing abnormals just leaping off the screen, and the enigmatic smile of Helen Magnus seeming to be even more mysterious as we’re dragged both giggling and gasping into the bowels of the Sanctuary network, and then left hanging from the turrets. But enough about the 3D aspect, let’s just all cross our fingers that it happens!

Onto more pressing matters, like their favorite episode thus far. No real shocker here, but everyone seems to be quite excited about the episode Breach. As I had spoken about in the Meet and Greet report, it had been originally conceived before Sanctuary even hit the screen, but back then, when Damian and Martin were driving up to Whistler and talking about different shows, they had called it “Mother of the year”. Which makes one wonder if it’s going to be about a motherly aspect, how can that happen without a daughter? (Please note, as you’ll find out in my last report, Ashley is more than likely not coming back this season, and Amanda gave a phenomenal reason why, but that’s for my last post, so you’ll have to check back soon). They didn’t tell us too much about Breach, but I did find out some juicy tidbits in an interview with Damian and Martin that will also be coming out soon. Let’s just say that for once, Breach will give the audience a bit of a leg-up over the rest of the Sanctuary network, and we’ll know things that only Helen Magnus knows.

One fan asked about the “Will Vision” and whether or not that makes Will a bit of an abnormal, and would there be more of it this season. Both Damian and Martin said that they had decided to pull-back a bit on the Will vision because while everyone else in the Sanctuary seems to have some kind of abnormality, they really wanted to focus on a “common guy” and let Will take that role on. However, they did say that as a forensic psych, Will sees things that a lot of people just overlook, and it’s not abnormal, but it makes him a bit more special than the average person. Hence why Magnus chose him.

Another fan asked a really silly question about what would be the answering service at the Sanctuary. At this point, Martin jumped up and ran down to where Christopher Heyerdahl was sitting, and handed him the mike. Within seconds we heard in true Biggie voice…

“City Morgue… Parts Division,” which got us all giggling. However, the best part was when he continued. “City Morgue… Parts Division… wait for it… Parts Speaking.”

That had the entire room roaring with laughter, not to mention the snorting and chortling taking place.
Though, we had another heavy dose of laughter when for some odd reason, Damian started speaking in, what he called his “C-3PO voice”. It was quite amusing to hear him speaking about rather serious topics in a voice that sounded like he had just inhaled a whole balloon.

On top of all this, we learned an interesting tidbit about Amanda’s different facial expressions. Apparently she has so many different looks, that they’ve started writing them on the scripts. “Deathglare #5” kept coming up quite a few times. Though, I can’t imagine Amanda with any kind of death glare. While I don’t believe in the stares, I can believe that this lady can do her own stunts, and we were proven right on this accord as Amanda herself answered a question about stunts, and stated that she does nearly all of her own stunts.

One of the last questions of the panel was one that was quite deep and near to my heart. It was around the move between webisodes to television and how that has changed the overall feel of Sanctuary. Damian gave a lot of great tips to remain positive regardless of what “Hollywood” is telling you, and Martin acknowledged that the tv series did get a bit diluted in ways they didn’t want to, but that’s just the nature of the game. While, they all acknowledged that there was a definite give and take between what the networks want, and what they want to show, Damian summed up the whole idea with a great statement.

“Don’t sum up your passions by other people’s reactions.” In other words, if you want to do something, do it, don’t let what other people think or say stop you from persuing your dreams.

When the hour was up, it was sad to wave goodbye to the three of them, but they left us with such excitement for the 3rd season of Sanctuary. Also, I’d like to thank Gabit for having the three of them up first, because it really set up the whole Sanctuary Experience.

During the photograph and autograph sessions (all proceeds of which went to Sanctuary for Kids), we were privy to an amazing 2-man acoustic show with Damian and Ryan Robbins. I’ll tell you one thing, Ryan has an absolutely amazing and heartfelt voice. You not only could hear the songs, but you could feel them. It takes a true artist to be able to pour emotions into lyrics, and he definitely did that. Of course, it’s not truly a Damian/Ryan show without a few giggles, and there were enough to keep us smilling. If you ever get a chance to hear that duet, I highly recommend it.

As we filed back into the panel room, we got to see an awesome video, prepared by the Gabit folks that seemed to rev us up and get us über excited for Agam Darshi and Ryan Robbins who portray Kate Freelander and Henry Foss respectively. As we’ve learned from Twitter, RyRo seems to have a knack for nicknames, and lovingly called Agam, “Darsh Vader”. That little bit of humor threw us into the talk with the two actors. It’s amazing how a little bit of insider knowledge can make everyone feel like we’re just sitting around with old friends, shooting the breeze.

Did anyone know that Agam tried to kill Ryan with an icepick? I sure didn’t. Ok, so she didn’t try, and it was completely by accident, but Ryan told us all about a wonderful story about how somehow an ice pick ended up in his sternum. Mind you, I think one of the funnier parts of the story was that when Agam went to tweet about it, she had to go back and check to make sure that she had in fact written “sternum” and not “scrotum”.

When we jumped into fan questions, one fan asked about Agam’s preference for hot chocolate or wine. The giggles from the fans and sly look from Agam told most of us fans who weren’t in the know that it probably had to do with something other than drinks. The answer was quite intriguing.

“Henry is like hot chocolate…” Agam said. “And Will is like…” “Drunk?” Ryan interjected. “Wine,” Agam continued. That strange little quip from Ryan had everyone cracking up in the audience.

Another fan asked about doing their own stunts. Agam said that it was challenging at first, but now she loves it, and Ryan loves doing his own stunts… especially when he had to land on top of Agam. He then showed this by holding up his hand as if he were reading from a script and said “And Henry lands on top of Kate,” Ryan said. “Look, Damian said it.” The interaction was adorable as Agam rolled her eyes and all of us chuckled along.

As the Q&A continued we learned about the audition process for Agam (3 auditions). We also learned that “Sanctuary is the best job I’ve ever had,” from Ryan who has popped up in quite a few different scifi shows on tv. And we also learned that Agam said it was a breath of fresh air that she wasn’t asked to play the stereotypical role, just because she’s an ethnic actress. To wrap it all up, when asked what they would be at a Sanctuary Halloween party, Ryan said that Henry would probably be Kermit the Frog. That one little tidbit again left the audience roaring with laughter. And finally, for all you Henry/Kate shippers out there, Agam said that she really thinks that Kate would rather go for an abnormal guy (or girl!).

Again, it was tough to say goodbye to Agam and Ryan at the end of their talk, but we had to in order to get ready for the auction. Oh, and just because, you need to know, this is what Ryan looks like with cleavage apparently.

Before the auction, the Gabit folks had created two videos about the different charities that Sanctuary for Kids has helped in the past, and hopes to continue to help with the money raised at the event. After the videos were over, Amanda came onto the stage with tears in her eyes, and thanked us ahead of time for whatever we could contribute during the auction. After she spoke, the rest of the gang filtered onto the stage and reiterated the same idea. All of our favorite friends were there, Amanda Tapping, Martin Wood, Damian Kindler, Ryan Robbins,  Christopher Heyerdahl, and Robert Lawrenson. They had quite a few awesome things up for auction such as the nubbins that traveled the world with the fans, an actual green screen nubbin, a Sanctuary script with Martin’s director notes written in it, Chris’ jacket from Twilight, a 15 minute phone discussion with Richard Dean Anderson, Sam Carter’s white lab jacket, and so many other awesome things.

Things went fast, and high. I don’t think hardly anything auctioned off for less than $500, and quite a few things over $1000 (including both of the nubbins that traveled the world), and a couple at $2000 CAD! During the auction, the Sanctuary gang ran around the room, joking around with fans who were bidding, and showing off all the wonderful objects, some of which got some extra loving from the cast members (Chris licked both a nubbin and a knife!) And in order to have some of the prices go up higher clothes came off! Ryan took his shirt off, Chris took off his shirt, and Martin dropped his drawers beneath a beautifully made blanket.

At the end of the auction we found out that we had raised over 30K in that night alone, to which Amanda very passionately freaked out about. We found out that she had hoped to maybe raise 25K for the entire weekend. In one night, in about 2 and half hours, we beat what she had hoped for.

As if the day hadn’t already been jam packed, after the auction, we went back to our perspective hotels, hostels, and motels and got ourselves all gussied up in some amazingly elaborate abnormal costumes. There was a leprechaun, a valkyrie, Kali, Einstein, Medusa, Rainbow makers, an angel, and so many other amazing costumes. Hey, there was even a Henry Foss and a Declan there! Or rather, there was a Ryan and a Robert. They came by for a bit at the beginning of the dance and chatted with people, and bopped a bit on the sidelines. All in all an amazing day, but one that left me entirely EXHAUSTED!

I’ll leave you with this one last fun photo: Bobblehead Amanda.

Thank you for reading. Come back soon for the final installment, the last day of the Sanctuary Experience. It has information from Lee Wilson and some amazing special effects shown (can’t show you what we saw, but can tell you what we heard), Q&A’s with Robin and Agam, and Amanda and Chris, and Chuck and Robert, and the final presentation of the check to Sanctuary 4 Kids.

Ash0283

The Sanctuary Experience is the first time that GABIT events ever put on an event in Vancouver, and with 10 different guests. While they have made a name for themselves in London, with only one guest — Amanda Tapping — quite a few fans knew that they would not disappoint. In particular, this fan was so excited to be going, for several reasons: Getting to see friends I hadn’t seen in quite some time, learning interesting tidbits about the upcoming Season 3 of Sanctuary, getting to interact with the cast and crew of the show, and of course, help Sanctuary for Kids raise money throughout the entire Con. In fact, the total money raised throughout the con surpassed an incredible $90,500 CAD!


The entire event lasted from Friday evening to Sunday evening. This report will cover each of the different days separately.

Within a few moments of entering the hall, we were greeted by the Gabit folks all of whom were wearing outfits that made all of us Sanctuary fans reminisce about Kali parts 1 and 2. After being given a bindi, I felt as if I was really truly integrating into the Sanctuary Experience. We mingled, we talked, we had a couple of drinks, and then the Sanctuary team arrived. (Well, Damian Kindler arrived a few moments later, sporting his motorcycle helmet and gear)

After a short intro into what the Sanctuary Experience meant to each of the actors and producers, they started mingling around the tables. First off, Producer and Director, Martin Wood stopped by our table. We asked him what his favorite episode so far in Season 3 was, and he answered ecstatically “Breach!” While talking with Martin, we discovered that it will be episode 5 in Season 3 of Sanctuary, and is an epic battle between Dr. Helen Magnus and a new character played by Ian Tracey. In fact, the episode has been such a long time coming, that Damian and Martin had conceived this episode before Season 1 even aired. When he left, our table was a buzz with excitement over the prospect that this episode was going to knock our socks off apparently.

Next up was Robin Dunne, who stopped by the table. With a smile, he asked us where we were all from, and after explaining that we had people at our table from the four corners of the world, we asked him what his favorite episodes so far for Season 3 were. He told us to watch out for the arcs between episode 5 and 6, which basically changes the entire course of the series. He also explained how the first episode, Kali 3, is extremely big for Will. One can only imagine how the Sanctuary gang was going to get us away from Big Bertha, and into the arcs that will change how we see the series.

Next up was Lee Wilson, who is the visual effects supervisor from Anthem Visual Effects. We found out that Lee directed episode 8 this upcoming season, entitled For King and Country, which focuses on the 5, and possibly… wait for it… the “6″! He joked around with us for a bit about how he had thought that they would be asking him to direct a more visual-effects filled episode, but found out that it was in fact much more drama filled, and plot-driven. He said it’s mostly set in Victorian England. I don’t know about you fans, but I know that we, at our table, got very excited when he talked about this episode. We also found out that his favorite shot out of all of the elements that he’s worked on was in Season 2, when they did the pull back on Ashley Magnus, and the other warriors that The Cabal had made. I have to agree that that shot was visually stunning.

When Lee left, everyone talked amongst themselves, and you could just feel the excitement bubbling up for Season 3. Within an hour of being there, we had found out that two episodes (Breach and For King and Country) sounded absolutely amazing. Ryan came to our table next, but didn’t give too much away about the season, although he did say that we were in for a treat. He was closely followed by Agam Darshi . While they didn’t tell us too much about Season 3, because time was starting to run out quickly, both of them seemed extremely excited about attending The Sanctuary Experience. In fact, it was Agam’s very first convention!

After Agam left, Amanda Tapping walked up to our table, and knelt down in between me and a friend, and in her exceptionally bubbly way, was able to have everyone chattering away within moments. She thanked us all for coming and supporting Sanctuary and Sanctuary for Kids. She seemed genuinely excited about the upcoming season, but didn’t give too much away that evening. After clinking wine glasses with her, she flashed her signature smile and walked onto the next table.

The next one to show up at our table was Chuck Campbell, who you may know as “The two faced guy” but who we also learned is also a stand in for a lot of the actors on the show, and is a full time employee within the Sanctuary team. Chuck was a breath of fresh air, and made me giggle more than I had in a very long time. When we said that the trailer for Season 3 looked amazing, he jokingly added little tidbits of information about the different scenes, such as on the call sheet, Ian Tracey’s character doesn’t have a name, but was referred to as “Jekyll and Hyde”! This juicy little tidbit made all of us at the table breath in a collected gasp.

Last, but certainly not least was Robert Lawrenson who let us know that Declan will indeed be back in the Sanctuary. (This fan girl let out a silent squee when he told us that). In fact, he’s in 3 of the first 10 episodes, so we won’t have to wait too long to get a dose of Declan! We also learned that this was Robert’s first convention! So many firsts at the first ever Sanctuary Experience!

Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we weren’t able to talk with Christopher Heyerdahl or Damian Kindler during the meet and greet. However, during a rendition of the Kali dance put on by the Gabit folks, we were privy to some awesome dancing skills from Chris. 

Our surprise for the evening was a great showing of the spectacular dancing skills of the Gabit team. As soon as the Kali song came on, the entire room started cheering, and then the reason for why each of the ladies from Gabit was sporting a Kali-inspired sari. I was thoroughly impressed, and I’m pretty sure every fan there, plus all those from the Sanctuary team were also equally impressed!

Unfortunately the Meet and Greet had to come to an end, and while The Sanctuary Experience had only just begun, as we filed out of the hall, and into the night, we knew that this weekend was going to be amazing.

Thank you for reading, and please keep an eye out for the remainder of my writeups about The Sanctuary Experience for both Saturday and Sunday, which will be coming shortly.

Oh, and let me just leave you with this one image…

Please note. Pictures were taken by @Ash0283 @Paganx and @Grandsovereign at The Sanctuary Experience.

Ash0283

Hi Charity Fans!

As you may be aware this weekend is The Sanctuary Experience also known as Vanctuary! The TSE convention being held in Vancouver British Columbia this weekend to the delight of Sanctuary fans the world over!

Our reporter Ash0283 is on-site due to courtesy from the wonderful Julia Hague and her team at GABIT Events and Ms. Carole Appleby of the Sanctuary media relations department.

Their team does outstanding work and it has been our honor to be associated with and meet them recently at Comic-Con.We are even more honored to lend our support to Sanctuary For Kids!

WHR will have detailed reports for you about the event in general and the fantastic Sanctuary For Kids charity auction at The Sanctuary Experience in the coming days ahead from Ash all due to the courtesy of the great people at GABIT, Sanctuary and of course Dr. Helen Magnus herself, the lovely and extraordinarily talented Ms. Amanda Tapping.

What not everyone may know is that one of the primary purposes of The Sanctuary Experience event is to raise money for a extremely worthwhile charity; Sanctuary For Kids! For those attending whom are donating their time and monies to make the event a success, our team also ask that you visit Sanctuary For Kids and make a donation to support the worlds most precious resource, our children.

We know things are tough for many due to the world-wide economic situation, however we here at WormholeRiders News Agency respectfully ask that if you have the wherewithal, please click the Sanctuary For Kids links or image and make a donation to help the children.

Thank you for your consideration is making a donation to Sanctuary For Kids!

Best Regards,

WR_Systems (Kenn)

Hello Vanctuary Fans!

NB: Please note that the legend stated in my previous review will henceforth apply to all reviews >8D.

Okies…we can all agree that Jonathan Young is downright BRILLIANT 8D. He entered the cast of Sanctuary mid-season One with pomp, flair and an attitude to match, which has added such a deliciously sophisticated spice via his character of Nikola Tesla, antagonising in a most irritatingly satisfying way! In a manner of speaking, Jonathan Young, as Nikola Tesla, sort of punctuates the dynamic of the Five, nothing is EVER dull when he’s lurking, as he stirs up the relationships between its’ members. And really, let’s face it, besides his obvious genius he’s quite simply a hormonal teenager with an outstanding talent for egocentric preening 8D. In spite of, or maybe BECAUSE of, his irritating ego, we Sanctuary-obsessors have fallen hopelessly in love with Tesla’s sophisticated quirkiness, his blunt quips and dry wit. His self aggrandizement is almost as endearing as it is annoying. Maybe that’s the reason why Helen Magnus still puts up with him after all these decades!

Episode 10 of Sanctuary Season 2 provides a WONDERFUL analogy for Tesla’s striking characteristics, and the personal drive that impassions him in his work. ‘Sleepers’ showcases a vivid, even COOL, illustration of what Nikola Tesla is all about, every nuance of his, every propensity that drives this brilliant abnormal. Besides its’ overwhelming coolness as an episode, it is a turning-point for the character in his relationship with the abnormal world. We were first introduced to this member of The Five in Episode 7 of Season 1, where we also discovered the secret of his work, a devious, nostalgic one, carried out in complete covertness. Having gone into hiding sometime during the 1940’s (which Magnus covered up with a well placed memorial service), he was given ample opportunity to work on his resurrection project. The fact that Magnus did not question the nature of the work that he was carrying out speaks volumes for her faith in him, if not her trust (I don’t think anyone would go THAT far 8D). Helen Magnus knew that whilst he was in hiding, he was carrying on a project dear to his heart, but did not question its nature, and lost touch with him for over 50 years.

In the episode ‘The Five’, in Season One, we learned of the unique enhancement, for lack of a better word, of Tesla’s natural abilities and genetic makeup. The rare and precious Sanguine Vampiris blood, as sourced by the resourceful Helen Magnus, brought out extraordinary and unexpected dormant genetic traits in the arrogant genius, whilst bringing out various other phenomenal traits in Magnus, Druitt, Watson and Griffin. Since this discovery, Nikola’s primary desire has been to discover more about the origins of his abnormality, the secret truth of his ancestors, and resurrect what was once the most powerful race in human history. Over time, Tesla’s passion for this mission has escalated into a growing obsession. In ‘The Five’ the lengths to which he was prepared to go were revealed to us, a violent confrontation with each of his oldest friends really didn’t help with their trust factor 8D.

He proclaimed his love for Helen, following up this declaration with a violent exposing of his secret project, and the threatening of her life.  I wonder if despite his manic obsession, he really would have allowed his pawns to harm Dr. Magnus? In Druitt’s case, the threat was sort of understandable, considering the continuing tension between them. Tesla’s behaviour is more like that of a hormonal teenage boy, as observed by Helen in Revelations; “Really, I’m surrounded by adolescents!” 8D. Despite his apparent hankering after Helen’s affections, which he knows can never be returned because of the impassioned John Druitt, Tesla’s life ambition and obsession is the resurrection of the race of his ancestors, the “greatest abnormals ever to walk the Earth”. Whilst in hiding, due to Helen Magnus’ blessing, he worked diligently and devotedly to reawakening, or even introducing, the Vampire gene into human DNA. We saw his first prototypes in ‘The Five’, with his creation of the vicious, if “dumb as tree stumps” vampires before Helen’s very eyes. He demanded her help (after confronting Druitt) to help him in completing his project, but of course the insightful Dr. Magnus refused. Since it was the first time Helen had met him since his disappearance, the intensity of his obsession evidently shocked her.

In this episode of Season Two, “Sleepers” we’re privy to the further story of Nikola Tesla’s efforts in his egomaniacal, albeit genius, scheme. We realise that his first prototypes weren’t quite sufficient in his grand plan, and in view of his obsessive determination, we sort of take for granted that he wasn’t going to let the setback stop his efforts. We haven’t seen Nikola since the traumatic events in ‘End of Nights; Part 2’, so this episode is a bit of an eye opener as to his activities since his brilliant and, FOR ONCE, helpful efforts at the beginning of Season 2 8D. The discovery of his progress is somewhat of an accident for Magnus and her team.

Despite the global ramifications hanging in the balance, ‘Sleepers’ just seems too much of a fun ride to be taken too seriously in the greater story arc of Season Two. The overwhelming grooviness of the episode, the overhanging irony, the downright hilarity and the dry wit bouncing to and fro like a pinball machine all make us view the entire show as a delightful comic relief in what is otherwise a weighty and darker second season. It’s not really until the very end of this entertaining tale that we are more or less brought back to Earth with a sober thud, as we see a rare moment of brief grief and panic in the brilliant Vampire, as he seeks solace in the rock-solid presence of one of his oldest friends and colleagues, and also in her wine cellar.

The panic in his eyes as he realises all that he has worked for is virtually null with his ‘de-vamping’ (*COUGH* O.o) and the sudden and unexpected discovery of a latent skill…it is a rare, and very touching moment for both the character, and the actor (please see the credits for further enlightenment)…and slightly rocks the ending of the show with a tragic but hopeful touch. It leaves the viewers with a a gently pulsating glow of fresh beginnings and new, exciting things to come.

It could be supposed that over the heavy story arc weaving throughout this season, ‘Sleepers’ could be seen as a stand-alone episode, although it definitely has it’s place, albeit a small one, in the arc for the brilliant character development and insight into Nikola Tesla, and all with whom he associates with.

On a personal note, I find it a little hard to admit when an episode is strictly ‘stand-alone’, it may well be stand-alone within the greater plot arc, but it almost always contains absolutely priceless background and insight into certain characters. In the long term, it simply makes the greater arc fuller and weightier because we understand and appreciate on many more levels. Here’s an analogy: If you ever studied biology at school, it’s like studying the basic structure of a plant, it’s functions and growth, but to fully understand it we must look through a microscope to perceive the structure and functions of its’ very cells. So, it’s not so much diverting or pausing the story to take a breather, as diving even deeper into it, and usually on a much more personal level.

As we move through this fantastic episode, it’s a great chance to gain insight and understanding into the technical aspects of Nikola Tesla’s work. Of course initially we don’t realise that he is directly responsible, but we nevertheless discover key points, beginning in the very first scene.  The perplexing factor is not so much the death of Trust-Fund-baby-come-recovering-drug-addict Chad Spencer, but the disappearance of his body, without any trace whatsoever.  The subsequent footage showing the dead man strangling his own friend (also a Trust Fund sapling), is nothing short of baffling, but isn’t that what scifi is about… explaining the impossible? 8D.

After the LOVELY little homage to San Diego Comic Con 8D the shrewd Magnus and her team trace the young rehab patients back to their clinic, a prestigious health spa, aptly named ‘La Casa de la Nueva Vida’ (The House of New Life) on some sunny, cheap tourist beach in Mexico. Magnus and Will make their way to the elusive clinic and all mystery is blown wide open as they discover that the devious ‘Dr. Baumschlager’ is none other than the brilliant, the arrogant, the infuriatingly irritating Nikola Tesla.

As Magnus and Will arrive in the cheaply exotic area of Mexico, Helen herself already has a sense of foreboding as to the truth of the mysterious demises. It’s all uncovered as she comes face to face with the elusive ‘Dr Baumschlager’, none other than her arrogant genius friend. Upon meeting the annoying Doctor, Will closes his eyes in frustration and leaves Helen to dig deeper, and chastise the little precocious boy that is Nikola Tesla.

The vampire himself has no reason to be disappointed, it seems he wasn’t hiding from the shrewd and insightful eyes of Helen Magnus, (they’ve known each other too long for that), more that he might develop his grand research in the peace and quiet of a hermit, aw heck and why not some sun and girls to go with it? 8D. The true collateral damage of his dear project is all too soon dawned on him, as Helen figuratively slaps him upside of the head and demands to know the extent of his work. Much in the attitude of a mother reprimanding and interrogating an errant adolescent after a wild night out on the town “Come on, out with it, I want to hear you say the words!”

As Tesla confesses the true nature of his research, pretty much the whole situation is self-explanatory, and Tesla follows the Sanctuary colleagues back to Old City to both assist in undoing the mess, and no doubt also to revel in the success of his own handiwork >8D.

Meeting the Trust Fund ‘babies’ for the first time is just plainly awesome for the audience. Arguably, the round, liquid black pupils are the coolest visual effect in scifi to date 8D, it sort of makes one want to go down to the closest goth/Specsavers shop and buy the largest, blackest contact lenses you can find >8D.

The relationship between Nikola Tesla and Helen Magnus is delicious to watch in its’ pendulum fluctuations. It swings from being one of colleagues, working towards a common goal, to that of a chastising mother and teenage son, between that of a lustful adolescent and the self-respecting scientist. Most of these flips are driven by Tesla, himself being the egocentric, witty genius that he is. He has no cause to feel guilty, the repercussions of his actions rarely concern him in their far-reaching consequences, unless, as we saw in ‘End of Nights’, the very fate of human-abnormal relations hangs in the balance. Even then, it could be argued that his motives were purely of self-interest, out of his age-long vendetta with the Cabal, and their responsibility for not only driving him into decades hiding, but for the very downfall of ‘his ancestors’, ‘the greatest abnormals ever to walk this Earth’.

This humorous callousness allows him to play his friends as a game of Texas Hold ‘Em. He enjoys manipulating, enjoys being in control as much as Helen Magnus does, although for completely different reasons. He sort of tries to take on the role of puppet-master, although given the nature of his work it rarely works out in his favour for any lengthy period of time. Like a child trying to control the ball game, he pulls strings, gets the participants in his little game all riled up and spitting in frustration at him (it’s all very amusing you see 8D), but inevitably, either the ball gets too big, or the ‘adults’ take over. In ‘Revelations Pt 2’ and ‘End of Nights’ we saw him at his scientific best, a true member of the team, despite his grumbling and self-martyrdom, as he struggled and sought to find a solution to help Helen Magnus and her team. Compared to what we had previously experienced of the Great Tesla, it was a beautiful breath of air, and a rare insight into another side to the ego-centric and witty brilliance in the character that we have come to love.

Seeing his toned-down, more sober side, it drew us, as an audience, even closer to understanding and bonding with this melodramatic character. As with any personage, be it on T.V, film, movies, stage, or written, one of the key elements to holding the audience captive and allowing us to develop a rapport with the character, is to keep us on our toes, swaying us this way and that, letting the unexpected happen…allowing us to see the many facets of the person that makes them so relatable, or at least magnetic. We don’t have to like a character to find them interesting either. In Tesla’s case, it’s simply side-splittingly funny, to watch his foiled attempts at global domination, his brilliant wit, and his fallible genius and as  we delve deeper into the plot of ‘Sleepers’. To be perfectly frank, it’s really such a delicious exercise in basking in the dry wit and foiled brilliance of our favourite Vampire (HANDS DOWN!). There is a also a touch of poignancy in the episode, adding a slightly darker lining to what is otherwise a fun ride, and this poignancy gives the episode the perfect amount of weight to make it a memorable and touching anecdote in this second season.

Nikola Tesla’s guinea pigs (for lack of a better analogy) are nothing more than pawns in his Grand Plan. Unfortunately for the doctor, he completely underestimated his pawns’ self-awareness, resolve and intelligence. It is utterly devastating for him, as it turns out their aspirations for the resurrection of Sanguine Vampiris are almost more determined and motivated as his own. It’s simply downright FANTASTIC to watch the ongoing exchanges between Nikola and the young Trust Fund brats, almost like watching a person arguing with a 134-year-younger version of himself! One can fully picture the young, wealthy, dependent and brilliant Nikola Tesla, fresh out of college, walking through the world as its’ Master, usurping dominance and revelling in a ‘peering down the nose’ view of ‘commoners’. These kinds of people are always convinced that they are superior, confident in their own precocity and intelligence; they exercise this sense of dominance over every project they undertake. Age and experience are irrelevant! Fortunately, in Nikola’s case, these annoying traits are paired with an adorably dry sense of humour 8D.

It’s comical watching Tesla move through the plot of this episode, becoming more and more entangled in his own web, himself becoming frustrated with these precocious, wealthy kids, finally experiencing a taste of his own medicine, a sample of the angst and resentment he causes his own colleagues 8D. Not sure if he actually realises it, but he suffers from it nevertheless.

There is definitely some cold, calculating callousness that is going hand in hand with the young ‘prototype’ Vampires’ desire for power, it may either be a side effect of the Vampiric trait, or it could well have been that cold selfishness that often emanates from those who have had everything in life. Such people are often perceived to have a cold, brittle shell about them, impervious to human sympathy or emotion, which we see not only in the relatively coldly regarded death of Steve, but also in the mere fact that Chad Spencer simply paces coolly through the episode, shooting his friends frigidly, and gloating with them over their instant successes. The cool pacedness of their actions almost make it seem as if they have no goal in sight, they’re simply along for the ride, although we later discover otherwise when Nikola Tesla comes face to face with his ‘protégées’.

Besides the obvious exposing of Tesla and his work in the episode ‘Sleepers’, by association, though also in their own right, we very much see a further development and understanding of those around him; particularly, in Magnus, the rest of the Sanctuary team, and in their relationships with the exasperating Nikola. Aside from the interesting and amusing ebb and flow of Helen and Nikola’s relationship, the energy and communication between her protégées and the Vampire are quite something when take a moment to think about it.

Let’s take a look at Will for instance. In the very first scene, back on the exotic Mexican coast in his and Helen’s discovery of the irritatingly predictable Nikola, Will almost hangs back in some tentativeness. It’s almost like a child looking on while the ‘adults’ are talking, definitely something Nikola would gloat over, and yet Dr. Zimmermans’ own special abilities and specialist knowledge and experience press him to take some firm authoritative ground where it suits. After listening for some time to the chastising going on between the two age-old friends, it’s almost as if Will can’t NOT say something when it calls to him, and he bursts into the conversation to input his own train of thought with the line “We’re talking about vampire blood here, it’s not cold medication”.

For all Tesla’s superiority complex (PARTICULARLY over Helen Magnus’ protégée, whom he dubbed with some scoffing amusement in ‘Revelations’), he himself is very much the immature young brat in this circle of professionals, though he definitely has much weight of years and experience behind him. Will, in terms of age, may very well be a baby by comparison, but he definitely makes up for it in emotional maturity…something which Nikola seems to lack entirely 8D. Both of them are brilliant and reading into the human mind, though very much from a different approach. Nikola tends to use his years of experience and blunt irony to get straight to the pin-prick of a person’s motives, while Will uses his psycho-analytical skills and EXTRAORDINARY instinct to decipher and unravel the mysteries of either human or abnormal phenomena.

Although Will often hangs back as an underling in awe of the presence of The Five, which we especially saw in ‘Revelations’ upon meeting Druitt and James Watson, he very much holds his own ground and even impresses the older and more experience with his observation and incredible instinct. His own predecessor, James Watson, was particularly impressed with his budding qualities, and I wonder if we will see Dr. Zimmerman step in to play Watson’s role in The Five’s adventures. Let’s not jump to conclusions, because as we all know, in Scifi, NOBODY DIES }>8D.

We even see an interesting relationship between Kate Freelander and Nikola Tesla budding to develop in the episode ‘Sleepers’. Though they only meet briefly in this particular show, their separate actions, leading up to the confrontation, give some precursor to the potential growth of the relationship. Let’s ideate on Kate for a minute here. After her intense initiation in ‘Penance’ we are seeing more and more of Kate fitting and settling into her work at the Sanctuary with a comfortable and confident ease. Her pride in her work and her devotion to Magnus gives her a hugely respectable place in the team, and on occasion when she is required, she falls into place by Magnus side as a respectful colleague, and sometimes, as a student. We see her strengthened, and often FIERCE determination to defend hers and Magnus’ honour, such as in her interrogation of Laura.

Hers and Magnus’ relationship is definitely relaxing into it’s own rhythms, as we see in their ninja-like approach to the Trust Fund penthouse, and even the brief “Are you kidding? I invented it!” exchange between them speaks volumes for their comfortable association.

Kate’s responding smile is open and almost gratified in her expectation of the wise and accomplished woman inventing some of the coolest of moves. I’m just going to jump in here and say WELL AS IF WE’RE SURPRISED….Helen Magnus is, and always will be, the ultimate in kick-butt heroines, who look good in leather and are more intelligent and insightful than anyone WE’VE ever imagined 8D. BUT…I digress, and as we finally see the younger and emotionally immature Kate come face to face with the older and equally emotionally immature Nikola, the sparking chemistry between them is delicious….and totally giggle-worthy 8D. Nikola Tesla’s throw-away comment “Young people nowadays” and Kate’s indignant reaction is nothing but a prologue for what could potentially be a SPICY association 8D.

Oh and also, this particular scene is just deliciously funny in every way, but especially in the biting relations between the coolly feminine Helen and her hormonal and shameless friend. I think most of us burst out at LEAST a snort of laughter, if not a tirade of giggles at the spicy exchange between them in the scene.

“You know, I’ve often wondered what this moment would be like, me…you tied up…it’s a shame you brought the children”

“Nikola, focus!”

In a way, it mirrored their conversation at the beginning of the episode, although probably with some more adult overtones 8D. Like Helen said, she’s surrounded by adolescents 8D. The most Sanctuary-crazed of us, I can say without a doubt, probably include it in our list of favourite Sanctuary quotes, if not, favourite quotes of all time! We simply MUST bask in the genius wit of the writing of Jonathan Young’s lines, and even more in his tight-lipped delivery of them. I don’t think anybody could pull off such a brilliantly ironic manner of speech as deliciously as J-Yo can! But where would his snaps of wit be without Magnus to coolly rein him in and figuratively slap him upside of the head with a loving but firm hand?

Given the very nature of the overall plot arc, and the protagonists we love so much, it’s a direct contrast to what we’ve experienced so far. Our heaviest driving personalities (by the way, I’m mainly referring to the members of The Five here) give us the weight of their tens of decades of life experience, their scope and vision of the world is so much larger and all-encompassing.

They understand much of the very core of human nature, and not only human, but those creatures living on the fringe of what we perceive of the ‘normal’ world.

They’ve witnessed the passing of many loved ones, the knowledge these mountainous characters have gained over a century and a half is invaluable, and was not attained without a tragic cost. Not only the members of The Five, but the younger members of The Sanctuary network are all acutely aware of the global importance and the far-reaching consequences of their work…entire civilisations are hinged on their savvy and their finesse.

Within the Sanctuary Network, it’s not only the intellectual understanding that is valued, but also the life experience, as in the case of Kate and Will, the instinctual understanding of human nature, its’ seediness, its’ virtues, as well as the ability to think on one’s feet.

Holding the spoiled Vampire terrors up against the constant underlying force of the Five is like comparing Lady Gaga to Fauré’s Requiem. The young, wealthy, spoon-fed drop-outs all have no scope of the implications of what they hope to achieve. Considering their breeding, they’ve not had any life-experience, no wakeup call to violently shake them into the reality of the world they live in. These young brats simply get caught up in the fresh high they’re enjoying; they’re very much in it for the joyride. First designer drugs, then vampirism…it’s all the same, it’s a wicked high, a careless joyride, though this new phase definitely seems to have some attractive long-term rewards! They arrogantly exploit the decades of questionable work put forth by Tesla, and as Nikola so delicately (and memorably!) accused of his test subjects “You’ve turned a symphony into Rock and Roll…..FRENCH-CANADIAN Rock and Roll!” 8D.

As far as the young vampires themselves go, their group dynamic is pretty typical of any middle-classed, adrenaline junkie, young adults, comfortable in their own popularity, prepared to risk the lives of those ‘beneath them’ in order to promote themselves.

Take Chad for example, the first ‘accident’. Good-looking, way too cool for his own good, the girls trail after him, his friends are equally as arrogant yet they acknowledge him as their crowning glory. He is the pusher, the ring-leader, in a sense the ‘alpha-male’ 8D. Darrin, his closest sidekick, is almost as a young Tesla would have been. A cold genius, detached, dangerous in these very qualities, and Nikola cannot believe his ears at the news of his dropping out of pre-Med ‘because the parties were lame’.

Despite Chad’s cool demeanour and determination, it is perhaps Darrin who, in his quiet, brilliant genius, would have been the most dangerous element in their little global domination project! No doubt Tesla would be more than a little disgruntled by his obvious intellect anyway >8D.

The girls of the clique are pretty much just the faithful followers, Laura perhaps a little higher in the echelons because of her relationship with Chad, but the reality of their endeavour hits a little hard when she accidently sucks Steve to death XD. Steve is the red-shirt…the guy who wants to be in the clique, whom they lead by the nose and dupe with their attractive promises, whose destiny is to merely become their pawn, but ultimately becomes the unfortunate mishap.

This tenth episode of Season Two of Sanctuary is especially interesting in terms of filming locations. Almost the entire show is external, on location, and very VERY little of it is filmed within the Sanctuary set. From the initial woodlands setting (which was filmed just around the corner from the studio), we briefly visit Magnus’ office within the Sanctuary, also Will’s office is briefly touched upon, before we are whisked away into town to watch the antics of our precocious Vampires, an exotically cheap location on the coast of Mexico, and the contemporary penthouse, Trust Fund HQ.

It gives this particular episode a peculiar edge, a fresh view on the world in what has otherwise been a tensely emotional season. It also serves to give ‘Sleepers’ an overhanging ‘hip’ feel, much of it is set downtown, we see designer shopping strips,  a luxurious penthouse suite splashed with monochromatic modern decor. It’s a very ‘young episode’ in terms of style, the characters driving the plot are young adults, carried away with their own precociousness, and their haunts are edgy, exciting, extremely fashionable and hip from beginning to end.

As a whole, this AWESOME tenth episode of our favourite show (come on…admit it…ADMIT IT 8D) has been an incredibly exciting and fun Ferris-wheel ride. At first glance, it seemed to be nothing more than an excuse for a cool and hip episode, with wow-factor, but on a second take I don’t think we can deny that ‘Sleepers’ has not only be a giggle and snort from beginning to end, but also has been very a very thought-provoking show, not only for we the viewers, but for many of the characters, especially Nikola Tesla, and also to a certain extent, Dr. Helen Magnus.

Their final interaction is merely a short scene, but the quiet exchange between them says volumes for the sober strength of their relationship, which stand despite all of Nikola’s infuriatingly hilarious propensities. It’s almost as if, despite the tens of decades of irritatingly arrogant selfish projects, Tesla values the friendship of his closest colleagues just as much, or at least acknowledges his dependence on them, and seeks solace in their comfortable familiarity.

BRING ON EPISODE ELEVEN!! Another FABULOUS production from this groundbreaking show! 8D Thanks for reading, and DO feel free to post feedback, as well as your own perceptions of the episode! Spinning ideas makes it all the more enjoyable for everyone 8D.

JandyraCJM