Comic-Con

Video: Maintaining the 'Mystery'

2008-08-09T01:25:43Z

Twenty years ago, creator Joel Hodgson and executive producer Jim Mallon made mocking a bad movie into an art form with “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” Starting on public access television in Minnesota, “MST3K” became an instant cult hit. It garnered more attention on Comedy Central and Sci Fi, as well as inspiring a movie. Set on a floating satellite, Joel (and later former head writer Mike Nelson) and his robots mock schlocky movies. Although it went off the air in 1999, the program is still popular in certain circles, especially online. Speaking to TVWeek at Comic-Con 2008 in San Diego, Mr. Mallon said the reason for "MST3K's" continued popularity is partly the comedic staff, but also the accessibility of the show. “It was very intimate, very personal. You could look at it and see, ‘Oh, that robot is made out of a bowling pin, and those are ping-pong balls for eyes,” Mr. Mallon said. Twenty years later, the idea of the show is still alive, with Mr. Nelson forming RiffTrax, an audio riffing service, and Mr. Hodgson participating in “Cinematic Titanic,” direct-to-DVD films in the style of “MST3K.” Even though the two hosts worked on the show, fans have always wondered if Mr. Nelson and Mr. Hodgson would ever riff together on-screen, a notion Mr. Hodgson isn’t terribly interested in. “Don’t cross the streams,” writer Trace Beaulieu said. Click play to see more on Mr. Hodgson working with Mr. Nelson, and how a multiple-Emmy-nominated show with puppet robots gets started. Check out more Comic-Con related video here.

Video: A Different Kind of 'Venture'

2008-08-08T02:49:47Z

Adult Swim’s “The Venture Brothers” follows the globetrotting adventures of Dr. Venture and his two sons, Hank and Dean, all in a tongue-in-cheek parody of “Johnny Quest.” Slightly different from the rest of the Adult Swim stable, “The Venture Brothers,” in its third season, has a seasonlong story arc, raising the learning curve for new viewers. Creator Jackson Publick, speaking to TVWeek at the 2008 Comic-Con in San Diego, said serialized storytelling in animation increases the difficulty in writing, but he doesn’t see it as much of a stumbling block. “I think the continuity has really helped us establish a pretty hard-core fan base, just because cartoons don’t do that a lot,” he said. “It just has to stay funny, that’s the tricky part,” he added. Click play to see Mr. Publick’s views on the current state of animation, and his intention to jump the shark in season four with a baby. Check out other Comic-Con-related videos here.

Video: 'Hurl' Is Hitting Its Target at G4

2008-08-08T02:45:52Z

“Hurl” isn't throwing out stellar ratings numbers, but it's not in the toilet, either. Talking with TVWeek at Comic-Con in San Diego, G4 President Neal Tiles said the queasy game show is doing fair. “It’s not a runaway hit, and it’s not a total failure by any stretch. It’s right in the middle of the pack,” he said. He said G4 is pleased with the response to the show, and its premise is getting attention for the network and with young guys, G4’s target demographic. The jewel at G4 for that demo is “Attack of the Show.” Mr. Tiles said 50% of households watching the show have a male between the ages of 18-34, “which is extremely high for any show to receive.” Mr. Tiles also discusses G4’s coverage of Comic-Con and the Consumer Electronics Show, as well as his pick for the next mythical creature to get a strong creative push. Check out other videos from Comic-Con 2008 here.

Video: ‘Robot Chicken’s’ Senreich on ‘Star Wars’

2008-08-07T20:28:02Z

“Robot Chicken” co-creator Matt Senreich doesn’t play with dolls. They’re action figures. Using stop-motion to produce lightning-fast sketches, Mr. Senreich (along with other “Chicken” creator Seth Green) lampoons pop culture, including video games, comic books and “Star Wars.” The duo created an entire episode devoted to the space epic, with the blessing of George Lucas. The special was successful enough to warrant a follow-up, which is currently in production, Mr. Senreich told TVWeek in an exclusive interview at Comic Con 2008. “We wanted to do something a little bit different, so we just started to focus on a through-line, and we focused on the bounty hunters a little bit and taking what their stories are behind the scenes and trying to figure out what that was,” he said. Click the play button to see Mr. Senreich talk about his favorite “Chicken” sketches, what kind of limitations affect stop-motion shows, and whether “Family Guy” was first out the door with a “Star Wars”-centric episode. For more exclusive video and news, visit TVWeek's Comic-Con page. (Editor: Baumann)

Video: Josh Schwartz Sneaks ‘Chuck’ Spoilers

2008-08-07T00:36:01Z

Josh Schwartz, executive producer of NBC’s “Chuck,” is spilling the beans on season two of the NBC show. In an exclusive interview at Comic-Con, Mr. Schwartz gives up three secrets about next season’s plot point—and there is a death involved. EXCLUSIVE VIDEO NBC is relying on “Chuck”—one of its few new success stories from last season—to help bolster a scripted lineup lead by “Heroes” and “The Office.” The network in the strike-shortened last season remained in fourth place in the ratings. “Chuck” will run Mondays at 8 p.m., opposite “Gossip Girl,” another brainchild of Mr. Schwartz. For more exclusive video and news, visit TVWeek's Comic-Con page. (Editor: Baumann)

Fox the Big Surprise at 'Lost' Panel

2008-07-26T22:07:02Z

This year’s “Lost” Comic Con panel offered up few secrets of the show’s fifth season, but there were some surprises, including a visit from actor Matthew Fox. Executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse fielded questions about the show’s extensive mythology from a packed 6,500-person audience. According to the two producers, viewers will see a different story progression in season five than in seasons past, which relied heavily on flashbacks and flash-forwards. They didn’t elaborate much on the progression, saying they wanted to do something different for the fifth year. Fans who asked questions received show-specific swag, including a T-shirt that read, "I Asked a Richard Alpert-related Question and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt," a season-one boxed set of "Heroes" (which Mr. Lindelof said was a better show than "Lost") and a massive jar of Dharma Initiative-branded ranch dressing. Speaking of the Initiative, a man calling himself Hans Von Egan announced a sponsorship of the panel, with Mr. Lindelof and Mr. Cuse sporting large "Dharma Initiative" cups. All of this led up to a "bootleg" video of a Dharma Initiative indoctrination video, as nothing has been shot for season five yet. Some other things discussed: --Vincent the dog will make a reappearance at some point in season five. --Mr. Cuse’s favorite episode is "The Constant," while Mr. Lindelof enjoyed the season-one finale the most. --The fifth season premiere will be similar to past season premieres, which dropped the viewer into the story without much explanation of time or setting.

Gilbert Returning to 'Big Bang'

2008-07-25T20:27:00Z

Sarah Gilbert is paying a return visit to "The Big Bang Theory." Chuck Lorre, co-creator of the CBS comedy, said Ms. Gilbert "will be in a bunch of episodes" during the show's upcoming season. He made the announcement at a Comic-Con panel to promote his Warner Bros. TV-produced series. Last season, Ms. Gilbert played a potential romantic foil for Leonard (Johnny Galecki). The appearance marked a reunion for the two actors, who played husband and wife on ABC's "Roseanne." Mr. Lorre spent several years writing for that show. For more on "The Big Bang Theory" panel at Comic-Con, click here.

'Wizard's First Rule' Changes Name

2008-07-25T00:55:05Z

ABC's syndication unit has retitled its upcoming adventure series "Wizard's First Rule" to "Legend of the Seeker," the producers announced today at Comic-Con. The reason: The old title reflected one book in the series of books upon which the show is based. "Legend of the Seeker" marks ABC Studios' first foray into broadcast syndication. The first-run, one-hour weekly series has been sold into 95% of U.S. markets. Disney-ABC Domestic Television also announced that actors Bruce Spence, Jay Laga'aia and Craig Parker will join the cast, which is led by Craig Horner and Bridget Regan. (Editor: Baumann)

Travel Snarls Delay Comic-Con Hordes

2008-07-24T21:30:54Z

The traffic gods have conspired to keep Hollywood away from Comic-Con 2008, which kicked off today at the San Diego Convention Center. A fiery wreck this morning on southbound Interstate 5 caused traffic to back up for 20 miles, according to the Associated Press. The highway is the main route from Los Angeles to the convention center. One NBC executive said it took her five hours to travel the couple of miles from her hotel to the Con. Celebrities scheduled to attend early-morning panels Thursday either missed their events or arrived late. Ian McShane, star of NBC’s new drama “Kings,” sent text messages to his 10 a.m. panel. Executive producer Michael Green read the profanity-spiked missives aloud to the crowd, which responded with waves of laughter. Traffic also forced “Knight Rider” executive producer Gary Scott Thompson to vamp during his 11:45 session with fans. Mr. Thompson and series regular Paul Campbell kept fans engaged, with Mr. Thompson at one point answering questions in character as the missing actors. All of the cast ultimately made it to the session, as did executive producer Dave Bartis. Executive producer Doug Liman missed the panel completely, however. The freeways weren’t the only cause of traffic headaches for inbound Hollywood types trying to get to the Con. Some attendees traveling by train were delayed for several hours Wednesday after a reported suicide on the railroad tracks. As for the freeway incident, the AP said a Vons grocery truck burst into flames around 5:09 a.m. Thursday, sparking a four-acre brush fire near Camp Pendleton.

Comic-Con Unveils TV-Laden Lineup

2008-07-15T01:40:59Z

San Diego’s Comic-Con International, the annual comic-book melee that’s becoming increasingly important to TV networks seeking younger, ardent fans and Internet buzz, has posted its full schedule online. The programming lineup for the July 24-27 event includes 120 TV-related panels, discussions and screenings for current shows and new series. Among the series making their return to Comic-Con after buzzworthy convention premieres are NBC’s “Heroes” and “Chuck,” ABC’s “Pushing Daisies” and “Lost” and Fox’s “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.” The convention also will host previews and Q&As with the stars and creators/producers of upcoming series “Dollhouse,” “Kings,” “True Blood,” “Life on Mars,” “Virtuality” and “My Own Worst Enemy.” “Dollhouse” creator Joss Whedon will pull double duty at the Con with a screening and panel for his Internet musical “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.” For the first time, the convention will include programming on preview night, July 23. Two screenings of J.J. Abrams’ Fox drama “Fringe” will be held that night, in addition to a trailer screening and Q&A on Saturday moderated by TelevisionWeek’s Deputy Editor and Columnist Josef Adalian. Many TV studios and networks, including Warner Bros., NBC Universal, Sci Fi Channel and Cartoon Network, will have booths set up on the convention hall floor that will feature giveaways, autograph signings and memorabilia. Also, G4 will offer six hours over two nights of live coverage from the show floor. (Updated with G4 information)

TV Geeks Out at Comic-Con

2008-06-30T05:01:49Z

The TV industry’s takeover of Comic-Con could reach a critical mass next month. Over the last decade, television has crept more and more into the annual sci-fi and comics convention, which this year runs July 24-27. Following the lead of the movie business, networks and studios have been using the San Diego event to crank up the hype for genre shows such as “Lost” and “Battlestar Galactica.”

Best Con Ever Participants at last year's Comic Con in San Diego show their support for highly anticipated presentations, including "Star Wars" and "Transformers."

But this year, the definition of what makes for a Comic-Con-worthy project is expanding—in a big way. There’s not one whit of mythology or a single bit of gadgetry in the CBS comedy “The Big Bang Theory.” But that’s not stopping Warner Bros. TV from bringing the show’s cast of science geeks to the Con (as veterans of the convention call the event). Likewise, while you’d expect 20th Century Fox TV to make a big push on behalf of Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse”—it’s from the man who made “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” after all—the studio also is hoping to fill up ballrooms with panel discussions with the casts of “Prison Break,” “24” and “Bones.” And NBC Universal’s studio arm, Universal Media Studios, is assembling the writers—yes, the writers—of “The Office” for a July 26 Comic-Con panel. Lisa Gregorian, executive VP of worldwide marketing for Warner Bros. Television Group, said the Con has moved beyond its sci-fi roots. “For us, it’s about shows and properties that resonate with a strong fan community,” she said. “It’s more about the fan mentality than the product itself.” Twentieth Century Fox TV Chairman Gary Newman agreed, arguing that studios might just be “evolving the brand of Comic-Con.” “We’re bringing shows that have cult followings as opposed to just genre programs,” he said, adding that the studio is “anticipating an enormous response” for shows such as “Bones.” (It helps that the forensic drama series stars David Boreanaz, beloved by the geek set for his roles on Mr. Whedon’s “Buffy” and “Angel.”) David Glanzer, Comic-Con director of marketing and public relations, doesn’t see any problem with more television shows making the Con rounds, as art appreciation is just as important as the genre at the Con. He pointed to the Con’s hosting of director Frank Capra all the way back in 1971 as an example of its broader aspirations, even in its early years. Mr. Glanzer credited TV types for talking and interacting with fans as opposed to just marketing to them, as the film world often does. Giving fans backstage access or behind-the-scenes material is one of the more important things for a successful showing at Comic-Con, he added. “The studio or network that can capitalize on that walks away with the most Internet chatter,” he said. TV executives have become almost obsessive in their love of Comic-Con, believing the convention can help make or break a show. Mr. Newman, for example, believes his studio’s fall 2007 NBC drama “Journeyman” was hurt by not having a major presence at last summer’s Con. It’s one of the reasons 20th is more than doubling its presence at the show this year. Ms. Gregorian said the Con is key in spreading word of mouth on a show, something more important than ever at a time in which the mainstream media is being overtaken by bloggers as crucial hype engines. “Comic-Con really helps you find that core fan base that could potentially become your evangelists for a show,” she said. “With social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace, that one fan can now impact a lot of people. And if you have thousands of people, it can become very significant.” Besides the scope of Comic-Con, the show continues to explode in size. The Con’s first edition in 1970 drew 300 people. Last year, it attracted 125,000. This is the first year that on-site tickets will not be sold for the show, since organizers fear the demand will be too great on the San Diego Convention Center. Knowing there may be more demand than it has room for, Mr. Glanzer said, Comic-Con International scaled back its advertising efforts this year to only local ads. The biggest problem for TV fans attending Comic-Con could be deciding between the slew of small-screen events planned for the four-day event. Dates and times of various panels are being kept under wraps until early July, but with so many shows headed south, conflicts are inevitable. Among the major studio TV highlights: --Warner Bros. Television will present panels for seven shows: “Chuck,” “Fringe,” “Pushing Daisies,” “Smallville,” “Supernatural,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” and “The Big Bang Theory.” The studio is planning two on-site screenings of the “Fringe” pilot, as well as two off-site screenings at the UA Horton Plaza Theater. It will continue its tradition of handing out free tote bags at its massive booth on the floor of the convention, and its animation division will hold a major bash on July 25 --In addition to “Dollhouse,” “Prison Break” “Bones” and “24,” the 20th contingent will include “Life on Mars” and animated half-hours “Family Guy,” “The Simpsons,” “American Dad” and “Futurama.” Cast members and writers from most of the shows will sign autographs at the studio’s 600-square-foot booth, which it will share with several other News Corp. divisions. The studio also will be selling original art from its animated series and giving away a premium item (details are still under wraps). --Universal Media Studios will begin its Con push on July 24 with a screening of new drama “Kings” and a Q&A with the show’s cast and producers. The same day, it will offer a panel on its revival of “Knight Rider.” In addition to the “Office” panel, which will be moderated by series star Rainn Wilson, the studio’s July 26 schedule includes one of the Con’s most-anticipated events: A panel previewing the third season of “Heroes.” NBC Universal said Sci Fi shows “Battlestar Galactica,” “Eureka,” “Ghost Hunters” and “Stargate Atlantis” will have cast panels at Comic-Con. “Galactica” and “Eureka” also will have a large presence at the Sci Fi booth, with giveaways and a large ice cream truck giving out free treats to promote “Eureka’s” third-season premiere at the end of July. --ABC Studios will supplement its big “Lost” event with panels for “Ghost Whisperer,” “Kyle XY” and “Wizard’s First Rule.” It’s also co-presenting the “Life on Mars” panel. (Andrew Krukowski contributed to this report). (1:45 p.m.: Added NBC Universal plans)

Fox Sends Shows, Stars to Comic-Con

2008-06-27T18:50:04Z

Twentieth Century Fox Television is getting its geek on. The studio has decided to dramatically expand its presence at Comic-Con, bringing a whopping nine properties to next month’s annual fan festival in San Diego. In addition, for the first time, the TV powerhouse will have its own booth on the floor of the San Diego Convention Center, taking over the space previously used by sister film company Fox Atomic. Other News Corp. units will also have a presence at the booth. The expansion by 20th is the latest example of TV studios invading Comic-Con, which is now considered a must-attend for marketing executives looking to hype shows with even the slightest geek appeal. Among TV studios, Warner Bros. Television has long been the 800-pound gorilla of Comic-Con, and it’s expected to have a massive presence at this year’s convention, with seven shows and a Warner Bros. corporate booth. But 20th has upped the ante by having its stars appear on nine panels. In addition, while no-brainers such as Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse” will be at Comic-Con for 20th, the studio is bringing down less obvious choices such as “Prison Break” and “Bones.” After taking five shows to the convention last summer, “We realized the tremendous impact you can have with Comic-Con,” said 20th Century Fox TV Chairman Gary Newman. “The fanatics who come to an event like this really propel your awareness and hopefully boost the have-to-have qualities in these properties. They become ‘must-see,’ and it starts with word of mouth.” Mr. Newman said he learned a hard lesson last year when the 20th-produced NBC drama “Journeyman” — which had elements of time travel — failed to break through with a mass audience. The fact that the show had no major presence at Comic-Con didn’t help. “NBC took care of the shows they owned, like ‘Heroes’ and ‘Bionic Woman,’” Mr. Newman said. “We realized that if we’re going to use Comic-Con to benefit our business, it was going to have to be a studio” initiative. Joining “Dollhouse,” “Prison Break” and “Bones” in the 20th contingent will be “24,” “Life on Mars” and animated half-hours “Family Guy,” “The Simpsons,” “American Dad” and “Futurama.” Cast members and writers from most of the shows will sign autographs at the studio’s 600-square-foot booth. The studio also will be selling original art from its animated series and giving away a premium item (details are still under wraps). Mr. Newman said Comic-Con represents a “big financial investment” for 20th, but one that is needed in an age in which TV studios must have a more intimate relationship with viewers. Rather than just distributing shows to networks, “Our customers and clients have become the consumers themselves, as opposed to the networks or the trade press,” he said. “They’re the ones going to iTunes, buying the DVDs, streaming on Hulu or buying the T-shirts. Any opportunity to build the relationship with the consumer, we take.” As for specific 20th talent planning to attend Comic-Con, numerous writers and producers are expected, including: — Kiefer Sutherland and Carlos Bernard will be on hand for “24.” — Seth MacFarlane, Seth Green and Alec Sulkin will represent “Family Guy” and “American Dad.” — Eliza Dushku will hype “Dollhouse,” along with Mr. Whedon. — Most of the “Bones” cast, including stars Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz, will attend. — From “The Simpsons” and “Futurama,” look for Matt Groening, Al Jean, David X. Cohen, Katey Sagal and Billy West. — Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell and Sarah Wayne Callies will bang the drum for “Prison Break.”