Comic-Con Roundtable Interviews: The Cast of Shadowhunters [Contributor: Jen]

(Photo credit: Freeform)

At Comic-Con this past week, I sat down with the cast of Shadowhunters to discuss the fan favorite ships and what's in store for the rest of season. So read on, fans, to get some of the exclusive scoop from the actors' mouths below!

CLARY AND JACE

Clary and Jace recently discovered they are not brother and sister, which opens the door to a romantic relationship again. However, there seems to be hesitation particularly on Clary's part. Dominic Sherwood has reassuring words for fans of Clace when asked if the relationship can be repaired. “Absolutely. Absolutely. One hundred percent. One hundred percent. And we're working on it. It's about finding its way to that.”

Sherwood and Katherine McNamara both say there is a monumental moment for their characters in episode 20, but they cannot reveal specifics. Sherwood says there parts of the scene in the Shadowhunters preview trailer, but “we're not going to tell you where.” McNamara calls the scene “brutal but amazing.”

ABOUT MALEC

We asked Harry Shum Jr. and Matthew Daddario why they think Malec is so relatable to fans. Shum said it was representation, but Daddario thought it went deeper than that.

"There's one thing about both the characters -- they put walls up. I think there are a lot of people who are hiding from themselves and are defined in that way, by putting those walls up. I think a lot of people act out a little bit like Magnus. Magnus is hiding in plain sight by putting on peacock feathers and distracting from the other things that cause misery. A lot of us do that."

Daddario continued, "And Alec is putting himself in this little bubble hiding from what he can't truly hide from, but he tries to as much as possible. I think people relate to that. Then when people find each other and bring those walls down, that's the dream. That's the ideal."

Shum concluded, "Being your true authentic self with each other."

Despite Luke being the linchpin of peace between the Downworlders and the Shadowhunters, Isaiah Mustafa promises "it all falls down like a house of cards. Luke realizes 'I can only do so much.'" Harry Shum Jr. and Matthew Daddario promise there will be a shift in relationships. And instead of giving out the advice, Luke will be getting some from a surprising source.

SIMON AND IZZY

Isabelle and Simon are an important relationship in the Shadowhunters books. The two characters haven't spent much time together in season two thus far, but that's all about to change. Emeraude Toubia promises, “Next episode is a lot of Sizzy moments. Simon helps our Izzy with a task.”

Things will get worse before they get better though, according to Alberto Rosende. “These next four episodes are a whirlwind of intensity.” Rosende did acknowledge that Sizzy in season three is a possibility. “The cool thing is just like any great relationship they build a foundation first and I think that's where Sizzy is at right now. It's building this foundation of friendship and help and trust. Maybe that will be good starting blocks before he eventually dives in.”

Rosende says Climon is over and he is interested to see Simon explore who he is without Clary and “find people to connect with on a level that maybe Clary couldn't” like his budding romance with Maia.

The executive producers Todd Slavkin, Darren Swimmer and Matt Hastings discuss the cinematic feel of Shadowhunters, the undeniable chemistry in the cast and the passionate fan base. Shadowhunters gives them the opportunity, particularly with the Downworlders, to examine racism and elitism. When asked to describe the rest of the season in three words Swimmer called it, “Big, bold and heartbreaking.” Slavkin said, "Feels, feels and more feels,” and Hastings teased, “Emotionally resonant and EPIC.”

So buckle up, Shadowhunters fans! The conclusion of season two sounds like it's going to be a thrilling ride!

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The Good, the Bad, and the Meh of #OnceTurns100

(Photo credit: ABC)

It’s hard to believe that Once Upon A Time has been around for 100 episodes already. We’ve traveled from modern New York to the Enchanted Forest, learned about curses upon curses, lost our memories, encountered wicked witches, ice queens, and a boy who wouldn’t grow up... and we’ve done it all on ABC! When Once Upon A Time first premiered, I was completely sold on the show. I had a sneaking suspicion that it would either rise spectacularly and audiences would embrace it, or it would fail and become one of the shows people made reference to whenever they talked about a good concept on paper but poor execution on screen. Helmed by many of the same people who created LOST, this is a show that has often felt convoluted (try and map out everyone’s family tree. Sheesh!), and occasionally downright poor in quality of writing and plotted arcs (everyone else was itching to be rid of Neverland, too, right? That wasn’t just me?).

But when this series is at its best, it focuses not on the extraordinary, magical things happening around it but on its nuanced, layered, and complex heroes. Because everyone on this show falls somewhere in the “hero” or “villain” — some even transitioning from one to become another. What the ABC hit show does, however, is present the idea of heroes and villains as more complex than just strictly “good and evil.” It allows the fictional characters we have grown up knowing and loving — people like Snow White, Prince Charming, the Evil Queen, Robin Hood, Belle, Ariel, Mulan, Red Riding Hood, etc. — and presents them as infinitely complex. Once Upon A Time, when it’s great, changes the way we think about stories and about fairytales, in particular.

Because of the Oscar buzz that would surely drown out anything not related to golden statues next week, ABC released the 100th episode of Once Upon A Time to the press. Having watched it, my general feeling is that this is a very quiet episode, though not underwhelming. I like quiet episodes that focus on character development rather than flashy theatrics. It’s unexpected though — on a show that features so many grand, big, crazy stories — for the show to spend this milestone rather calmly.

To prepare you for the midseason premiere of “Souls of the Departed,” I thought I would tease some of the best, worst, and “meh” moments from this episode. Keep in mind that I won’t be giving any plot spoilers away, and I’ll try to keep everything vague enough that you all can still enjoy the episode!

(Photo credit: ABC)

THE GOOD

Regina Mills, our sweet queen.

For an episode featuring a trip to the underworld, one might assume the main plot would involve Hook. And while the heroes are certainly intent on finding him, the majority of this episode is heavily devoted to Regina Mills. Lana Parilla has two scenes, in particular, that are extremely emotional. She knocks both completely out of the park, and it’s a nice contrast because she’s also portraying the flashback Evil Queen to such joyful malevolence in this episode. If you walk away from “Souls of the Departed” and still don’t feel anything toward Regina Mills’ fantastic arc, I’m not sure anything will convince you.

A new title card!...

... Sort of. The typical Once Upon A Time blue is replaced with red instead.

Welcome to the underworld! Please enjoy your stay.

The underworld is going to look awfully familiar for more than one reason. On a practical level, it’s is filled of souls who have unfinished business. And, as Regina points out early on in this episode, you can bet that some of that unfinished business involves some of our heroes in some way, shape, or form. (Don’t forget that a lot of these souls are there because of our heroes in the first place.)

Hades’ appearance (played excellently by Greg Germann) is really welcome, and fans of mythology will appreciate an array of aspects in the underworld, including some very colorful rivers. Additionally, Germann’s clearly having a blast playing a live-action version of the god of the undead.

Also, you might get to meet a character who I assume is from mythology we haven’t seen yet toward the episode’s end. ... Or maybe we met her already and I just don’t remember. There have been 100 episodes, after all. Either way, I believe I know who she’s supposed to be and I’m welcoming the inclusion of more mythology into this fairytale-centered show.

We’re going on a quest!

“Operation Firebird” is a new mission that Henry names (probably the first well-named mission of his in my opinion), and it’s not just a mission about Hook. Our heroes have all found a kind of purpose in the underworld, with Regina Mills leading the charge in a very significant way.

Speaking of Henry, he gets to witness an extremely emotional moment of Regina’s that spearheads this quest.

Tick, tock, goes the clock.

Pay attention to a clock in this episode. Hades thinks it’s important, and he’ll tell you why at the end of the episode too.

Holy wardrobe and jewelry, Batman.

Once Upon A Time always does an amazing job in the costuming department, and this episode is no exception. The flashbacks of the Evil Queen’s wardrobe feature two REALLY beautiful ensembles, complete with some stinkin’ awesome jewelry to match.

The Queen’s fantastic wardrobe is only matched by an equally fantastic tiered birthday cake you’ll see. It should go without saying that I now want cake.

It’s like Doctor Who all over again.

I want to remain as tight-lipped as possible about the tiny bit of Hook/Emma there is in this episode, but the only thought I had while watching a scene was: “Doomsday.” If you’re a Whovian, you might feel shades of the same when you watch.

Well, it IS almost Easter, so...

Look for some fun Easter eggs in this episode! Some of them are pointed out by the writers in dialogue, and some aren’t as much. Since this episode was a bit low-key for the 100th, the writers found a nice way of paying homage to its history by bringing back some elements from the show’s past.

(Photo credit: ABC)

THE BAD

“Special” effects.

Though the lighting and directing of this episode was pretty great, some of the special effects just really didn’t work and were laughably bad. There’s a scene with Cora, in particular, where I spent a good deal of time trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the effect.

“That was a lot of information to get in thirty seconds.”

Unless you’re a seasoned Once Upon A Time vet and remember every little detail about this show, you might feel a tad lost during this episode. Even with my knowledge of the series, having watched from the beginning, I found myself being tripped up by plot points that originated four years ago, especially in regards to Regina’s backstory. While the re-introduction of characters we haven’t seen in a while was good and a fun nod to the show’s history, from a writing standpoint, it didn’t work for me and left me pausing multiple times as I tried to remember what had happened years prior.

My advice? Definitely watch the midseason finale before this one for a refresher course, and try to read up on some of Regina’s past again before you watch the episode.

Rumple is still as Rumple as ever.

In case you’ve forgotten the reason everyone is in the underworld to begin with, this episode reminds you. There’s a “lost” Rumple/Belle scene (which made me roll my eyes because of the show insisting that Belle’s completely naïve, but that’s neither here nor there), and Rumple spends pretty much the entirety of the episode reminding us all that he’s only in the underworld for one reason — because he’s being blackmailed to be there by Emma.

(Photo credit: ABC)

THE MEH

A... “reunion” of sorts.

The opening scene of the episode features a character we haven’t seen in a while. The dialogue — while seemingly poignant — just feels like it’s cycling a hamster wheel. It didn’t really click for me and, though emotional, felt a bit off for some reason. I’m really not sure what the episode was trying to do with the scene, but I’ll let you guys be the judge of it.

In addition, there are at least five or six other past characters brought back in “Souls of the Departed.” And though most of them worked in some way, a few of them I could have definitely done without.

Double, double, toil and trouble.

A character meets their double which causes some problems for another character. It’s supposed to be impactful, but it’s really just kind of boring.

As red as a Taylor Swift album.

This episode is going to be messy for people who like to make GIFs. Though there’s some really cool red lighting throughout a lot of the episode, it also doesn’t really work in certain scenes and moments and feels like someone shot the episode with a shoddy Instagram filter on it.

Never fear though — not all scenes in the episode has tinges of red to them.

Ensemble? What ensemble?

Don’t get me wrong — I absolutely LOVE the fact that this episode was Regina-centric because Lana Parilla knocked it out of the park. However, it did seem rather odd that for a series built on Emma Swan (and plot being driven by her motivation to rescue Hook), the episode was pretty Emma-lite. Additionally, most of the other characters including Snow, Charming, Henry, and Robin Hood were relegated to background (or flashbacks, in the case of Snow).

DIAGLOGUE TEASES

“If this were a dream, there would be talking donuts or something.”

“What can I get you? Do you like gingerbread or children?”

“This was a terrible idea.”

“You okay?” “I just hope he is.”

Check out the 100th episode of Once Upon A Time when it debuts on March 6. In the meantime, let me know your thoughts about the season so far and what you hope for the back half of this year!

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In Which Jenn Goes to MegaCon! (Part 2)

You can locate the first part of my MegaCon coverage here.

Sunday

Seriously, these two were AMAZING.

MegaCon drew to a close on Sunday afternoon, with not nearly as many people in the convention center as Saturday. Laura and I arrived at the convention relatively early that morning, as I was headed to a Firefly panel at 11 AM and she was off to her photo op afternoon with David Ramsey and Karen Gillan. When we split up, I was determined to get a decent seat at the Firefly panel and also take as many pictures Sunday as I possibly could on the floor of the amazing cosplayers. I got a lot of great shots and was so excited to see all the creativity displayed. Also impressive about conventions: girls (and some guys) who wear heels and heavy make-up and big costumes around for eight hours every day? You all are my heroes. Seriously.

I arrived at the Firefly panel early, found a seat, and immediately bonded with the girl behind me who was wearing a Karen Hallion t-shirt, too. (As an aside, you should totally check out her designs. They're amazing.) Also behind me a few rows was an amazing War Doctor cosplay. It was his first convention ever and he came because of his daughter and his daughter's fiance encouraging him to. I seriously did a double-take because I thought it really WAS John Hurt behind me!

John Hurt... I mean, super nice cosplayer!

The Firefly panel kicked off with audience questions and honestly, I laughed harder at this panel than I think I have laughed at anything that weekend. For starters, Alan Tudyk came out while the sizzle reel was airing and sat in the front row, intently watching the screen. It was hilarious. At the panel were: Alan Tudyk (Wash), Summer Glau (River Tam), and Adam Baldwin (Jayne). A special guest also appeared at the panel -- Nathan Fillion's head printed out and cut out. It sat on the table and was absolutely perfect.

The panelists!

Here are some things we learned at the Firefly panel:

• Alan Tudyk literally gave every single person who asked a question something signed -- either a comic, a pack of gum (he started running out of things), shirts, etc. Some lucky person got Nathan Fillion's head signed, which was fantastic. "Here, come get some sh*t," was his refrain every time the panel finished answering a question. It was great.
• "Who are you gonna give Nathan away to?" "CBS."
• Though the panelists were asked questions about Firefly, they were also asked about their other projects. Summer Glau was asked about her role in The Sarah Connor Chronicles. A fan essentially said that Summer was extremely believable as a robot, stoic and very precise. She said that she actually was able to play the character because she found a way to relate to her and to her experiences.
• What was really cool, too, to learn about Summer Glau was that she began her career in dance and she still feels like that's how she really connects to her roles and the characters that she plays. The idea of movement was really compelling to her and I thought it was really cool to learn that she still considers that such a huge part of her life and of her acting.
• When asked how the actors deal with directors who view their characters differently than they do, as actors, Adam Baldwin said: "You always have to be a problem-solver, not a complainer." I thought that was great advice for pretty much everything in life. The actors agreed and noted that if you have problems with the way a scene is going or the direction, you need to not complain about it but propose alternate solutions.
• Out of all the things the cast is surprised about that have become iconic from Firefly, Adam Baldwin is most surprised that the Jayne hat took off as much as it did.
• Someone asked Summer Glau a question related to Arrow. They wondered whether her training from Firefly and Terminator aided her in her role on Arrow. She noted that they did and that she was excited to read the script and be able to do stuntwork.
• The final question that a fan asked was: "What question do you most want to be asked at panels?" For that question, she received a signed comic book by the entire cast of Firefly and Joss Wedon. She started crying, understandably, and it was a perfect way to end the panel.

After the panel ended, I headed downstairs to the floor to locate Laura and meander through the stalls. There, I had the chance to catch up with a lot of cool cosplayers, including the following people:

Oh no big deal -- just a casual run-in with the mother of dragons.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!"

An awesome Bob's Burgers cosplay group. They were adorable.

Okay, this guy really committed to the Gilderoy Lockhart cosplay. But I suppose you would have to be, really.

Hospital Beth Greene from The Walking Dead. Awww.

SO MANY DOCTORS!

Oh hello there, Arsenal.

LEGENDS OF THE HIDDEN TEMPLE. This made me SO unbelievably happy.

While Laura and I meandered around the convention, I realized one of my favorite things about conventions -- groups of friends who dress up together, but are in different fandoms. I ran into a group of cosplayers consisting of a Tenth Doctor, a Captain Jack Harkness... and a Bellatrix Lestrange. It was wonderful. Laura had texted me while I was meandering and noted that Danielle Panabaker and Robbie Amell had virtually nonexistent lines at their booths. In fact, for $20, you could get a selfie with Robbie. Obviously, this was a must for me and Laura and we sidled up to the booth to meet him.

Robbie Amell is super nice. Like, genuinely and truly nice. I thought he was a lot taller than me but actually he wasn't (and that's what surprised me most of all, I think). Laura and I told him that thanks to his panel the night before, he became one of our favorite people. We then told him: "You're our new favorite Amell. Don't tell Stephen." And Robbie replied, gleefully, with: "Oh, I WILL." We then complimented the success of The Flash and talked about how we both loved it. We snapped our photos and were gone.

Those Amell genes though, let me tell you.

After our photo, we headed back upstairs toward the giant ballroom where our final panel of the weekend would be held: the second Doctor Who panel featuring just Karen Gillan and Alex Kingston. I had the opportunity to actually ask Alex and Karen a question (and got cheers for a mention of Selfie -- Karen's delighted little clap at that and the cheers for Arrow for Alex were adorable and thank you Laura, for filming it!) at this panel which was really cool. They're awesome ladies, truly. Here's what else we learned at the panel:

Lovely, talented, hilarious, well-rounded ladies!

• Someone asked a question about whether or not Alex and Karen abide by the "five second rule" of eating things that have dropped off the floor. Karen took this opportunity to mention that she has eaten a hotdog that was left in a nightclub before. True story.
• A fan asked if Alex and Karen could only take one album with them on a desert island, which would they choose? Alex decided upon Carmina Burana. Karen was really torn but probably would choose something by Elvis.
• If Karen could be in any movie in the present or the past that she wasn't in, she would choose Jumanji because she absolutely loved that movie growing up.
• Karen had the chance to talk a bit about what it was like to film the goodbyes on Doctor Who, and noted that filming the graveyard scene was really emotional because Matt Smith was sitting on a gravestone while they weren't filming, listening to "Close to You" by The Carpenters.
• When a little girl stepped up to the mic, she asked what Alex and Karen's catchphrases were. (She wanted them to say their ones from the show.) Karen asked: "In life?" And the little girl hilariously replied: "NOOOOOOO." After that, Alex mimicked her River catchphrases and Karen admitted that Amy doesn't really have a catchphrase but if she did, it would probably just be her yelling: "DOCTOR!" (She then requested the Internet to splice together a video of every time she did that on the show. Get on it, YouTubers!)
• One of the weirdest things the ladies have ever had to do on Doctor Who was pretend to fly/fall around in the TARDIS. They both said that since the set is obviously not really moving, you have to pretend it is and they both always felt really silly while doing it. Additionally, Karen talked about filming her falling scenes with Arthur Darvill upside down. Apparently, all the blood vessels burst in her face because she was hanging upside down for so long so she had little dots all over.
• A question was asked about Karen being on the new The Flash/Arrow spin-off since Arthur Darvill was on there, and the moderator replied: "I'm assuming they'll rename it Doctor Arrow" in reference to how many of the Doctor Who cast members are on Arrow/the spin-off.
• Karen excitedly noted that she would love to visit the spin-off since Arthur is on it and told Alex that she should join, considering she's already on Arrow. They could even drag John Barrowman along, too. Karen then also revealed that Arthur is taking karate lessons for the spin-off.
• An audience member asked about whether Matt Smith was a good kisser, which caused the following conversation to occur between Karen and Alex: "You kissed Matt." "You kissed him too." "You kissed him MORE!"
• Alex and Karen talked about how they each memorize scripts which was really fascinating. Alex uses a lot of mnemonic devices to help and also likes to be in certain places -- she'll remember a line because she'll remember reading it in her living room or by a window. Karen records herself reading the other lines in her scripts and fills in the blanks.
• Someone asked a question about Selfie to Karen, and the woman said that she would love to return to comedy. She really loved working on the show because they shot on the same lot that they shot Friends on and Karen grew up on American sitcoms.
• When asked about what lessons Alex and Karen have taken away from Doctor Who, both replied: "Don't blink." More seriously, Alex added that the real lesson she learned was: "Make sure you're always there for your friends."

Favorite ladies are a favorite.

And that was it for MegaCon 2015! Laura and I had a blast and we really loved being able to attend an array of panels and meet a lot of fun, interesting people. I stand by the fact that conventions are the best place to bond with complete strangers because everyone there is so lovely and they all adore the same things you do. All in all, I had such a fun time in my hometown and am excited to do it again next year. :)

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In Which Jenn Goes to MegaCon! (Part 1)

I went to my first convention last year as press and it was a small convention hosted at the Orlando Orange County Convention Center, called LeakyCon (now renamed GeekyCon). That convention was a blast. I had the opportunity to interview an amazing cast of the web series Emma Approved. I got to listen to hilarious panels featuring young adult authors John Green, Maureen Johnson, Gayle Foreman, and Rainbow Rowell, among others. I got to listen to creative teams like Starkid and women like Amber Benson speak at panels. I had the chance to meet up with two of my Twitter friends. It was wonderful and it was a wonderful introduction to what conventions are supposed to be about -- a sense of community, of shared interest, of shared fandoms.

So when the opportunity arose for me to apply for MegaCon as press, I leapt at the chance and was approved. Last weekend, the convention (the second-largest convention in the entire United States right behind San Diego Comic Con, can you believe that?) was held at the Orange County Convention Center. My friend and Just About Write contributor Laura Schinner flew in for the convention and we had the opportunity to hang out together, meet some amazing people, listen to some stellar panels, and walk away from the weekend with a hug from our new favorite Amell.

If you're ready, let's take a journey through my weekend!

* I'm breaking this up into two parts to make it easier to read/follow/I don't exceed a posting limit. ;)

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In Which Jenn Goes to LeakyCon (Let's Geek Out!)

I’ve never gone to a convention before. I know, this may surprise you given my tendency to talk about fandom every and any chance that I get. When I heard that LeakyCon would be coming to Orlando for 2014, I knew that I had to attend it, if only to get the full and immersive “con experience.” What I discovered at the end of this convention was this: I love conventions. I love places that gather together hundreds or thousands of individuals. These are individuals from all across the country and the world. These are people who are all ages, ranging from teenagers to parents, ethnicities, religions, and personalities. And these are people who have one thing in common: they care about things deeply, personally, and passionately.

If I were to describe what it is like to be a part of a fandom, those are the words I would use, quite frankly. People who love and are invested in fandom are people who forge deeper connections with literature, television, music, and movies than average people. And though these individuals – these teenagers or young adults or adults – may feel like they are alone in their struggles and challenges and everyday lives, fandom is what they feel connected to. When people attend LeakyCon or any convention, it’s not just because they’re excited to see their favorite authors or actors. It’s partially because of that, but it’s because fandom makes people feel like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves – that they’re not alone. The feeling of isolation is terrifying and consuming. But the feelings of love and acceptance and equality are so much more powerful than the darkness.

Though I attended LeakyCon as press, I was able to see and feel those feelings – that love and warmth and complete and utter joy, as Dylan Saunders noted – that filled every crevice and corner of the Orange County Convention Center. It was beautiful and it was special and it was OURS. So, if you’ll indulge me, I would like to tell you all about what I experienced this weekend through panels and special events! Let’s geek out together. :)

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Halloween on Valentine's Day? THAT'S October 19th! (Community's Return)

Well, folks, it has been officially announced that Community will return to our lives and small screens on February 7th, 2013 at 8PM.

I know what you're thinking.

You're thinking: "But... wait. That means the Halloween episode will air on Valentine's Day."

Yup.

You're thinking: "But... wait. February 7th is a Thursday. That means we're replacing 30 Rock, right? And that means we'll be back in our old time slot, facing the same competition we have for the last three years."

Yup.

And you're also probably thinking: "But... wait. Thirteen episodes would take us into May, without any breaks. And the middle or end of May if we DID take weeks off. So that means we're not getting a back nine."

Yup.

I am excited for Community to return, of course. Don't get me wrong -- I don't mean, by those previous statements, to undermine my excitement for the show's imminent (well, in a few months' time) return. I am quire looking forward to all of the hyped episodes that have been written and produced and will finally be able to be seen.

If NBC's desire is to beat the fans of this show down until they are no longer excited or anticipating the return of their favorite comedy, then they will have to work a lot harder to bring that goal to fruition. Community fans are resilient and determined, albeit small. We don't sit back and let things happen to our show without first having a say in it. Or a foot. Or a felt goatee. 

8PM on Thursdays is a battle -- it's like, a Hunger Games-style battle for viewers -- and it's one we have fought for the past three years. But even in its hostility, that timeslot still feels like home to me. It would feel strange, I think, for Community to air at any other time (but, you know, not on any other network... TBS, feel free to jump in and pick up more of the show, please!). 

(And really, in that vein, we saw how Scrubs managed to survive in spite of it being dropped by NBC and then picked up by ABC for an eighth season. So it IS possible.)

Regardless, the-little-show-that-could is as resilient as its fanbase, and I encourage everyone to be supportive of our show but not (and PLEASE hear me out on this) negative toward other shows. It's really irksome to me when I read about how people badmouth and belittle other television shows. I may not like Whitney, but it's for content reasons and not because the show returned to the air sooner than our show did. And I may not care about Fringe, but that doesn't mean I sit around and pray that the show gets cancelled either. I don't want other shows to suffer just because OURS had to.

Dearest Community fans: you KNOW how hard you have fought for this show. Some of you have literally taken to the streets in an attempt to save it. We have made every effort under the sun known to keep this show alive and keep it on NBC's radar. So why would you sit and badmouth upcoming shows, hoping that they get cancelled in a vindictive effort to return our show to the air sooner? 

Again -- please just think about, for a moment, if fans of other television shows vocally did that to US. Just because our show suffers in the ratings does not give us a right to slander other shows before they air, no matter how terrible they may or may not be. And that's part of the point -- we don't KNOW what they will be like when they air nor, frankly, can we convince NBC to cancel shows by refusing to watch them or badmouthing them via social media outlets (Lord knows a lot of people tried that with Whitney). I know you all would not let Twitter or Facebook or any other place on the Internet hear the end of it if WE were being attacked by another fanbase, so please... don't do that to others. Especially other fanbases that don't even exist yet. Who knows -- we may even be friends with them. :)

That being said, I still encourage you all to find constructive and helpful ways to benefit the fandom. Still try to get your friends to watch the show. We have PLENTY of time for lots of friends/family members/co-workers, etc. to get caught up before the new season airs. Spread the word about the show, regardless of the fact that it is (99% likely) its last season. TWEET KIND THINGS to the cast members, writers, and crew. The latter two don't get told enough how awesome they are. If you're so inclined, find nice ways to thank them, much like we recently did with the "It's Not a Pen, It's An Award" awards.

And, as always, remember that we are ALL in this together (and please, no one start singing anything from High School Musical because... it's already stuck in my head) and since these are very likely our last thirteen episodes, let's make the time leading up to them count, eh? :)

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The Darkest Timeline Sees The Light (#Darkest401)

How do you really quantify the passion of a group of fans? Recently, Vulture released an article outlining the top twenty-five most passionate fan bases. The frontrunners ranged from artists like Lady Gaga, to movie and book phenomenon Harry Potter, and to television shows like Game of Thrones and Community. Fan power and enthusiasm is often measured in ratings in the television world. An elusive unicorn named Nielsen judges how successful and, conversely, unsuccessful a show is by how many households equipped with a Nielsen box watch.

“But Jennifer,” you might say, “I don’t know of anyone that has a Nielsen box. In fact, I don’t think I know of anyone who knows what a Nielsen box actually LOOKS like.”

To which I reply: “Exactly.”

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Six Seasons and a Movie Art Show

"Six Seasons and a Movie Art Show"

Some of you  may be surprised -- this isn't my usual venture (we don't, after all, have any new episodes to review and we won't be covering "Modern Warfare" until Friday), but I was kindly contacted by Mark Batalla of PixelDrip Gallery, asking if I would like to cover the Community-themed "Six Seasons and a Movie" art show. 

(Of course, I said that I would love to!)

Last week, PixelDrip Gallery posted a press release on their website which hosts all of the details of this fabulous venture. For those of you who are unfamiliar with what this is all about, the "Six Seasons and a Movie" art show consists of about 130 artists from all around the world who have dedicated art, in some way, shape, or form, to the television show Community. What's unique about this particular art venture is that it doesn't just host typical art pieces (canvas work, framed pieces, etc.), but extends its artistic reach to dioramas, toys, dolls, and even videos. PixelDrip Gallery prides itself on incorporating traditional art and new-age digital artwork together to showcase to the community. And truly, we live in an era where talented artists are no longer confined to "traditional" mediums such as paint and canvas, but where creativity bleeds into our computer monitors, video cameras, and keyboards. As someone who is friends with both traditional and non-traditional artists, I am amazed at how different and yet fundamentally similar these people are.

And what is wonderful to note, in particular, about the Six Seasons and a Movie art show is that its artistic participants are not merely limited to fans of the show, but to those who have worked on it as well. Rob Schrab and Megan Ganz (among others) will also have their work featured at the show. So not only will fans of the show have the chance to view and discuss the artwork that fellow Human Beings have created, but they will also get the chance to view the work of those who have had an active role in creating the show. I think that one of the most brilliant things about Community as a television show is the relationship that the creators, producers, actors, and writers have with their audience. There is honestly no other show on television where all parties are so tightly  bonded together. Therefore, it is touching to see those who have worked on the show appreciate their fans and for the fans to, in turn, utilize their gifts and talents to give back to the show.

In addition to the plethora of artwork that will be at the show, attendees also have the opportunity to participate in raffles, a costume contest, and a trivia contest throughout the weekend that the show will run. Speaking of that weekend, here are all of the official details for the show:

Where: Monk Space, which is located at 4414 West 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90004.

When: June 23-24, 2012. The exhibit will be open from 11am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Cost: Admission is FREE to the public. There are plenty of markets and restaurants nearby where you can purchase food. Additionally, a food truck will be present outside of Monk Space during the hours of the exhibit.

If you live in California and are tempted to check out the art show, or even if you just want to fly to Los Angeles for the weekend (if you have that kind of money), I highly recommend that you do so. This event promises to be a wonderful collaboration of artists, and also a fun experience for Community fans to gather together and celebrate a show that they care about and one that cares about them so much.

Check out a sneak peek of one of the artists from the show -- Yasmin Liang -- and be sure to keep your eyes out for more information posted soon! And a special thanks to Mark Batalla for providing me with all of this information!

#sixseasonsandamovie

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New NBC Fall 2012 Schedule (Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes)

This afternoon, NBC announced their new fall line-up for 2012. Here is an excerpt from a New York Times blog:

The other scheduling move that may raise some eyebrows is the attempt to open Fridays to comedy. NBC is shuffling two marginally rated sit-coms, “Community” and “Whitney,” to the ratings wasteland of Fridays, counting on the fact that fans of those shows, especially “Community,” largely watch them on delayed basis anyway.

In the fall, Community will no longer be on Thursday nights in the comedy block -- it will, instead, move to 8:30 on Friday nights, following Whitney. So what does this mean? At this point in time, I am torn between believing this is a good decision and a poor one. There are really two thoughts running through my mind right now, so I'll break them down here:

• The move from Thursday nights to Fridays is a good one for a few reasons. The largest, and perhaps most important is that Community will no longer be competing with The Big Bang Theory and American Idol for ratings. Consistently on Thursdays, we have been squashed beneath these two shows in terms of viewership. It would always be impossible for us to receive decent ratings when the 8PM Thursday night television slot is dominated by Jim Parsons and Ryan Seacrest. So, a move to Fridays would ensure that Community does not have to fight to retain its small, but devoted audience. The second thing about the move that is beneficial is that we have a lead in. In spite of my displeasure for Whitney as a comedy -- and for her, as a person -- the comedy has done better ratings-wise than we have. In spite of the fact that Community is more of a critically-acclaimed show (or at least beloved by television reviewers where Whitney is not), its numbers have never been strong. If the show has a lead-in, there is a potential to increase viewers and ratings from those who will merely keep the television on after Whitney.

• There is, of course, a downside to this move. Personally, I think it's universally known that Friday nights are where shows are sent to die off or fizzle out. Now, this isn't entirely the case -- take, for example, the announcement today that CBS is renewing CSI:NY (a show that was moved to Friday nights) and cancelling CSI:Miami. Shows DO have the potential to thrive in a Friday night time-slot. The concern that I have is that NBC is aware that the viewership of Community falls mainly in the more... youthful side of the spectrum. Grimm is a show that I know has been somewhat "successful" on Friday nights, but the demographic for the show seems to be wider than that of Community. Whether or not that is statistically true, I do not know. What I DO know is that I am a 23-year old college graduate who can be a homebody. But I also enjoy having Friday nights to spend with my college-age and 20-something friends. And a majority of the people who watch this show are probably the same way -- a move to Fridays where ratings weren't a concern because of lack of competition would be moot if, in part, current viewers were lost. I consistently make time on Thursday nights to watch Community because it is Thursdays -- what else am I going to do? I have work the next morning. But Friday nights? Friday nights viewers have a vast majority of options -- clubs, friends, movies, dinners, dates, etc. without the major concern of scheduling their lives around television. And perhaps this is NBC's way of determining whether or not the fans of Community DO watch more on Hulu, nbc.com, etc. than they do live. The second concern associated with this move is the recruitment of new viewers, which seems unlikely to occur. I have friends who watch The Big Bang Theory on Thursday nights and are very devoted to it. However, if I were to try and introduce them to Community, it would be futile since it is on Fridays and they enjoy going out with friends, spending time with their fiances, etc.

So I am torn between this decision being good for the show, or ultimately just a gentle way for NBC to put it to sleep. Given the news of a potential departure (or at least a step back from the show) of Dan Harmon as the showrunner, it seems evident that Community is going through some changes. Whether or not these turn out to better or hinder the show is yet to be seen, but you can bet that I will do my absolute best to continue to stick around consistently on Friday nights. 

And now let's discuss what this means for you all -- for readers of the blog-review. As you are well-aware, I usually post the reviews on Friday mornings (at work, oops). The benefit of the show's move is that I won't have to stay up late in order to write them and post them in the morning. So hooray for a silver lining. ;) Instead, what will likely happen is that I'll watch the episode on Friday nights, do my thorough re-watch and then post the review sometime on Saturday mornings. At least it'll be a nice kick-start to your weekend (I hope!)

As always, whatever happens with this show aside, I cannot thank all of you enough for being such wonderful fans. But it's more than that -- I have to thank a lot of you for being wonderful friends. Community, much like its plot, has brought together an unlikely group of people and chang(ed) them from being passive viewers to active fans, friends, and Human Beings. Whether this season is our last, whether Dan Harmon returns or not, just know that I am thankful for each and every one of you and will be forever altered by your presence in my life. :)

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HAPPINESS ALL AROUND!

In case you haven't heard the wonderful news yet today, it's been officially announced that Community will be returning to NBC on Thursday, March 15th at 8 P.M.!

Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this blog throughout the hiatus. You all have been such a blast to write for, and I can't wait to do our last few reviews before some all-new episodes!

I'll see you here though this coming Friday when I review "Beginner Pottery"!

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