How much is too much?

Based on common sense and experience, it’s not unreasonable to believe we have a pretty good grasp of what “too much” means. Between you, me and every other reader out there, we can attach a reasonable answer to the question in pretty short order.

Take common sense for example: We know when there is too much salt on our food, when it’s too cold to go outside without a jacket, when you’re too tired to concentrate on something. Pretty basic stuff.

On the flip side, the concept of “too much” is not so easy to discern when it comes to some of our television preferences … and especially so with our favorite shows.

Already in The Walking Dead‘s current season’s second half, there’s been a bevy of examples of excess. And many of them have elicited its fans’ displeasure. (This isn’t exactly news to anyone; the show has been doing so from its inception, a big part of its draw and watchability.)

Recent events have caused fans (read “angry villagers”) to wield their pitchforks and lit torches on a vocal little stroll down Main Street, U.S.A.

Too Much Immediacy

With the series leaving us last year mourning Beth’s untimely demise, the writers immediately offered an interesting episode (“What Happened And What’s Going On”) to start the second half of the season with yet another death, this time fan-favorite Tyreese. Coming so quickly on the heels of Beth’s exit, you could practically hear fans gnashing their teeth. Was this too much too soon? Are the writers that heartless? Do they get their rocks off pegging us with multiple deaths back-to-back, barely giving us time to breathe?

No, not at all. It was the perfect time. It kept things flowing and interesting and it keeps us on the edge of our seats. Not to mention it makes for good drama. And it’s not as if it hasn’t been done before — Dale and Shane were “offed” in consecutive episodes during season 2. The show’s Powers That Be aren’t setting any precedents.

But still … too much too soon? That’s what a lot of fans harped about on social media, blogs and other forums concerning Tyreese’s downfall. Just goes to show you can’t please everyone all of the time.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s those gut punches and their ramifications that keep the show’s comfortabilities at bay and our senses tuned. Me? I didn’t have a problem with it. It’s part of what The Walking Dead is. If you’re a fan, you come to expect the unexpected. So, no … it wasn’t too much.

Too Much Monotony

This is one of my pet peeves. And not about the show itself, but of the fans’ attitudes toward it.

To many, last week’s “Them” was filled with plodding and tiresome nothingness. Some of the things I read and heard? “Not much action.” “Boring.” “Little story.” “It’s as if the group was doing nothing but huffing it on down a highway aimlessly.”

And therein lies my peeve. Because there was so much more to the episode.

The group was fresh from a confrontation at Grady Memorial where they successfully won back Carol but lost Beth in the process. They were still reeling from Bob’s fate at the hands of the Terminans not to mention the ruckus of that particular house of horrors. And now? Tyreese is gone. The group, as a whole, is woefully affected on deeply personal levels, particularly so in the cases of Daryl, Maggie and Sasha whose feelings have been especially riven and rent raw as a result of the loss of their loved ones. But wait, there’s more: Throw in everyone’s depletion from lack of food and water and you have yourself a real party going on. Each person is spent to their cores. Does the situation cry for a splatter-fest fracas with the undead?

No. It calls for introspection and understanding of the characters, some healing of those frayed nerves, sometimes in the form of emotional outlet. In whatever form that outlet might take. And, again, that’s just what the writers gave us. They slowed the pace of the show for the greater part of an episode and, as an audience, got us to take a step backward and evaluate the position these emotionally crippled and physically exhausted folks are feeling.

It’s called character study. I applaud it. And I’m certain I’m in the minority.

Most fans want the action, the splatter, the danger … every single episode. And I get that to a degree. It’s all well and fine to get caught up in a show. I do it all the time. But in something like The Walking Dead there’s a whole lot more going on then just the blood and guts, which is my least favorite part. Getting to the heart of the characters and their interactions with others as well as the ramifications of their actions … that’s where the real meat and potatoes of the series is for me. As example, Rick’s introspection and decisions. Glenn’s lay-it-on-the-line common sense. Michonne’s rare, in-your-face sensibility. (We saw example of this big time in Sunday’s episode during her discussions with Rick.) Daryl’s seeming off-the-cuff outbursts which, when you dissect them, can often reveal more wisdom than knee-jerk reaction.

So is there too much monotony when an episode like “Them” comes along to slow down the pace? Hell no. It’s completely necessary to the story.

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Previously on The 100: What. The. Fudge. Critics can talk about Scandal, they can talk about The Walking Dead, or they can talk about a host of other much-hyped shows that provides shocking twists and turns, but for my money, The 100 has them all beat.

I was describing the show to a friend this summer, trying to explain how the show kept ramping up the action. I told her there was a big shocking moment at the end of the pilot that left audiences jaw-dropped. Then Clarke topped it at the end of episode two. Then Charlotte topped it once and then once again in the following episodes. There’s nothing like The 100 on television anywhere, and I’m damn glad the show is back.

I talked to the cast and crew at San Diego Comic-Con this summer, and I was particularly struck by something showrunner Jason Rothenberg said. The full quote is in the video below, but he basically didn’t think that the show deserved its reputation for killing off characters; other than Wells, none of the characters killed was portrayed as a regular character. Rothenberg implied that since the show received that reputation, they were going to attempt to live up to it in season two. Boys and girls, if that statement does not scare you, you are not paying close enough attention. There’s an influx of characters on the ground with the return of the Ark, the Mountain Men (People?) and more Grounders. More characters to track makes it considerably easier to chop off a couple here or there as the story allows.

The end of last season left most of our characters a scattered, battered, bloody mess, separated and in a heap of trouble. Clarke, Monty, Jasper and 45 others have found themselves in relative safety in the welcoming arms of the denizens of Mount Weather. It seems that some aspect of the American culture and government were saved from the holocaust, but are now trapped by the radiation their bodies were protected from. Mount Weather’s comforts – including power from Philpott Dam (which in reality is a three day walk from Mount Weather) – are too good to be true. Other than Clarke’s feeling of unease, it is impossible to pinpoint exactly what is off about Mount Weather, but something obviously isn’t right.

The finale and premiere have introduced a variety of game-changers, none of which are going to be as impactful as the landing of the Ark. Kane saving the boys was a hint of the safety that the returnees (can the show come up with a cool name for them stat?) represent, but Bellamy’s arrest proves that whatever trials they experienced on the Ark, they will likely never comprehend what the 100 experienced on the ground. The politics of the myriad groups now on the ground are going to play a major role in the story arcs this season, but none will be trickier than the reintegration of these two groups … if it is even possible.

One of the other things Rothenberg mentioned in our conversation was the possibility of learning more about Murphy, and how that might humanize him a little. He obviously was referring to his conversation with Raven in the drop-ship. Rothenberg was clear to say that Murphy wasn’t necessarily going to be redeemed, something I think is impossible. I don’t particularly care that he had a particularly good childhood; very few of the 100 did. Bellamy was hard on everyone early on for the right reasons without realizing it, but Murphy was a sociopath. It’s hard to embrace someone who urinates on someone who just wanted a water break. Raven wasn’t there for the worst of things. She might show a little mercy, but it is doubtful others will.

The return of the Ark, the mysteries of the Mountain Men, the savagery of the Grounders and the resolve of the 100; so much of what we learned last season will soon be disproven. Our heroes are going to face challenge after challenge that continues raise the levels of WTF in ways that the first season couldn’t even begin to prepare us for.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnrZ4Lzi4Qc

• I have seen the first three episodes of the season, so it is admittedly difficult to dance around what I already know. A smarter man would have stopped in between episodes, but I was too damn excited.
• One of the few truly “fun” things that The 100 gets to explore is the relationship between Jasper and Monty, and tonight’s cake/pie interchange is a great example.
• There were several WTF (and for the record, the F stands for “fudge”) moments, but Kane shooting Tristan through the head was the first of several times that got me off the couch.
• Speaking of which … how did a politician on a space station become such a great shot and a tactical leader?
• Some of the casting cross-over is due to where the show is filmed, but the show adds a Cylon tonight in Rekha Sharma (Kate Vernon appeared and was too-quickly killed last season) and will add another Battlestar vet next week.
• We’ll get more into Octavia and Lincoln next week, but I am really interested in where their story is going. Ricky Whittle was one of two recurring actors upgraded to regulars this year (Lindsey Morgan) and was extremely entertaining at SDCC – I’ll be sharing that video in a week or two.

The 100 was probably my favorite new show when I reviewed the 2013 pilots last summer. Nothing could have prepared me, however, for what was to come when the series got to Episode 3 (Or Episode 4 … or Episode 5; at some point I had to stop counting). Jason Rothenberg and his team are right up there with Shonda Rhimes’ Scandal in terms of telling a fast-paced, dark story that is less like a television show and more like — if you’ll forgive the cliche — a roller coaster ride (and a damn fine coaster, too. Not one of those kiddy-coasters, but one you lose your lunch just looking at from the bottom).

We sat down with the cast and crew at San Diego Comic-Con earlier this summer. They told us what they could about the upcoming season, which was unsurprisingly very little. Isaiah Washington was particularly obtuse (tongue-in-cheek … to an extent). If you had asked me this summer, I would have said that just by his appearance at the Con one could figure out his fate … but then I’m reminded of our conversation with Mark Guggenheim about how many episodes Caity Loitz was going to be in, and I start to hedge those bets.

Here is what we learned from our conversations:

Jason Rothenberg

• Rothenberg isn’t sure the show really earned the “Is Anyone Safe” reputation it received in the first season. “We didn’t really kill that many important characters … we killed Wells.” But the writers try to treat violence in a real way. Wounds are impactful, and characters don’t heal by the time the next episode comes around. “That said, this year? No one is safe. We got too much credit last year, so this year I need to earn it.”
• Managing what the writers and actors can say before an episode airs is tough. There’s a balance between needing to answer questions to media to help build hype and revealing too much. Rothenberg, “I know if I was a fan of the show and I read online, ‘Oh this guy’s going to live’ … I’d be like ‘eh, OK.’ I want to be surprised when I watch it.
• Murphy is a character whose backstory is going to be revealed a little this season. “We’re going to start to peel back the layers.” Rothenberg compares episode six that explained where Bellamy was coming from as something they are going to try to do with the most hated of The 100. “I feel like [Murphy] on some level was underserved as a character last year … There’s a reason why he is the way he is.”
• Rothenberg loves all of the characters, but particularly likes writing for Clarke, “Eliza is just so good, anything I write she shows me what it really means.”
• All of the characters are scattered. The survivors from the Ark have landed in different places; the original 100 – or what’s left of them – are separated. “One of the things that this season is about is figuring out ways to get the people back together. Reunions are a key storyline.” The adults from the Ark finding their children – and finding them changed – will be an important arc. Rothenberg stopped short of saying whether or not Clarke and Abbey will be reunited, but at least they’re on the same planet now.
• Rothenberg doesn’t think that they will ever show the story of the apocalypse on the planet, but is interested in showing how the people of the Ark came together. “It’s a big episode, where big = expensive, so I’m not really sure when it’s going to happen, but it’s something I’d like to do.”

 Eliza Taylor / Clarke Griffin

• Taylor “kinda knows where Clarke’s going,” but they’re only given scripts a couple of days in advance of shooting. Plus? The story is always changing.
• “Being able to play someone who is smart and strong and soulful is just fantastic.”
• Taylor has been focusing on her physicality this season, especially after watching last. “I’m a girly-girl really,” and that’s something that Clarke isn’t. There were scenes last year where she felt she put a little too much of that into play, and she doesn’t want to repeat it.
• She’s looking forward to the hypothetical reunion with her mother (she thinks it will happen, but again, she hasn’t read ahead). “There’s a lot of tension there, but also they’ve both changed so much individually, it will be interesting to see if they recognize one another.”
• When asked about whether Clarke will continue to evolve in the same direction we saw in Season One, Taylor was confident she would. “She’s on that path, there’s no turning back. She’s definitely blurring the lines,” doing those morally questionable things that being a leader forces her to take on.

 Devon Bostick / Jasper Jordon

• Bostick is really excited to explore “the new world that is Mount Weather.” It sounds like the mystery that is this new locale – which Rothenberg assures us we will understand in the first moments of the season – will change the fabric of the world these characters live in.
• Bostick loves playing Jasper. He took to the character immediately when he read the pilot script, though he was shocked to see him die in the end. “He was the only guy having fun, just enjoying Earth for the first time … he’s goofy, but there’s a lot of heart to him.” But playing the transition is interesting. Jasper has PTSD from being speared, and has become a very different person. He’s running into battle, when he should probably just stay in camp.
• Jacktavia: Octavia slipped out of Jasper’s hands, which did challenge how Bostick approached the character. “She was a motivation to be doing the crazy things, because ‘she’s gonna dig it.’” It was a good beat to play, that despite Jasper’s affection, she was taking advantage of him. But now, “She’s a Grounder-pounder as they say around camp.” You can tell that Jasper’s sense of humor is very much born in Bostick’s.
• No one will say if Bellamy is alive or if Jaha is dead. Usually, you get a pretty good indication of such things by the show’s marketing in advance of the season; for example Isaiah Washington attended the Convention where Bob Morley did not. In this case, I’m not sure that’s a definitive clue.
• The interactions of the various factions on the ground will be a big part of the season. “The politics of the different societies; we’re going to explore how they all relate and who stands where,” teases Bostick, who was walking a tight line on what he could say and what he should not.
• That Mount Weather was a big part of the premiere and the finale was done intentionally. It was their goal originally, as the adults on the Ark told them that is where they could find safety. In the season finale, they learned just how wrong they really were. Bostick tells us, “We were wrong about the Grounders; now we’re wrong about the Mountain Men.”

 Lindsey Morgan / Raven Reyes

• “If you think Season One was nuts, Season Two is definitely … ‘Get Ready.’” The intensity jumps off from the first minute back.
• Morgan appreciates how well the writers are in tune with what the actors are doing and what they bring to their characters: “They can see what we shine in, and what’s our strengths as actors. They’re also very curious … they always try to stretch us and surprise us.” They pushed Raven a great deal last year, exploring her character beyond just a normal guest star (the character and Reyes’ work was rewarded with a promotion to the regular cast this season).
• While talking about the writing surprising her, someone asked if there was a moment in a first season script that surprised her. “Bellamy … I mean, where did that come from?!?” Where the producers will give warnings about major plot points – most specifically to an actor if their character is going to die in a script, they let her find out this particular character beat on her own. “I was just reading the script going, ‘Oh, this is good! This is … WHAT?’” Raven was always intended to die, but the writers kept pushing that death back. When Morgan read scene where Raven and Bellamy hook up, she figured that such a shocking, raw moment would be an interesting final beat before the character was supposed to die in the next episode.

 Marie Avgeropoulos / Octavia Blake

• Avgeropoulos was able to enjoy Comic-Con this year much more than last year for several reasons. She explained that it is easier to talk about a show people have seen – and become a fan of – than last year, where she felt like they were promising that the show was amazing. Plus, managing the Convention while on crutches, as she was forced to do last year, is much harder than you’d think.
• While social media has been a part of the show’s early success, she hadn’t really participated much before. “It’s the only place you can get a marriage proposal and a death threat in the same day.”
• “Season Two? It’s much darker and will push the envelope and show viewers even more than Season One.” She tells us that what we think is happening is the exact opposite from what is actually going on. We will obviously be meeting new characters, who “survived – or not – the effects of the radiation.”
• Avgeropoulos is comfortable with the character at this point, “It’s like when you turn the key in a car and put it into drive and it’ll just do its thing.”
• “I think Jasper is desperately trying to get out of the friend-zone.” But the Lincoln/Octavia story is more dynamic. She identifies with Lincoln for several reasons, and that the 100 had wrongly accused him was one of them, as she has familiarity with that. “Her only crime was that she was born.”
• Octavia is separated from the 100, both physically and emotionally. Her time with Lincoln will be difficult once they encounter other Grounders who won’t welcome her with open arms, and how the 100 react if and when they reunite will surprise her as well.

 Ricky Whittle / Lincoln

• “Season One was really like Disneyland [compared to this season.]” His hashtag for the season is apparently, #justgotdarker.
• In preparing for this season, Rothenberg and Whittle’s discussions have lead him to doing a great deal of reading and research on “something,” which he obviously couldn’t share. “The material I’ve been given, I feel very honored to be trusted with … I’m going to have to go there, I’m going to have to ‘go there.’”
• Whittle has put a great deal of time and energy into crafting his performance. You can tell he has embraced not just the assignments the producers gave him, but everything that role entails. He obviously (yeah, ladies … it’s obvious) spent time in the gym, but it goes beyond that. He works with a vocal coach to get his accent right. His work with an acting coach lead him to lobby the writers to give him less dialogue, as he thinks that’s how Lincoln would be. “I don’t want dialogue. Keep that mystique, keep him silent. He doesn’t need to answer you.”
• The one assignment he would share with us? Horse training. He’d ridden before, but wants to take it to a new level. The stunt coordinator owns his own ranch where he worked with Joseph Gatt and Dichen Lachman last season.

Isaiah Washington / Counselor Jaha

• Talking with Washington was an interesting experience, much different from how he was last year. The whole conversation was, I hope, just tongue-in-cheek … cheekiness. Just a couple of quotes (which were repeated often) will sum up the experience (and I’ve left most of the beginning of the conversation in the highlight clip above):
• “I’m a walking cliffhanger, and I can’t tell you a thing.”
• “No, I can’t talk about it.”
• “Can’t talk about that.”
• “It’s so disappointing, I feel like I’m letting everyone down. I ran my mouth non-stop last [year].”
• “Yeah … it’s gonna be intense.”
• “You will be in alignment with Jason Rothenberg’s decisions on Counselor Jaha’s fate.”

Let’s get something out-of-the-way right now so there’s zero confusion.

Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll warn you with a “Ready? Here we go” when I’m moving on to the spoilers. Fair enough?

I saw “No Sanctuary” — the season 5 premiere of The Walking Dead — a week or so ago. Thrilled to get an advanced screening of it, I viewed it twice. I relished in it.

For Dead fans, it’s been a long haul since “A,” the season four closer that aired back on March 30th leaving us wondering the fate of the group corralled in that box car by the residents of Terminus. (And don’t tell me that was a spoiler — I can’t imagine anyone not being up to date on the series.)

So … here are several thoughts on “No Sanctuary.” Ready? Here we go …

Know what would have been nice? Had we lost a character of substance. (Not the nicest sentiment, I agree. But losing someone would have made the premiere infinitely more interesting.) Doing so would have shot a “no one is safe” reminder going into the new season.)

Of course, like anyone fond of the series, I don’t really want to see any character get offed.

Still … I lean toward the idea of the show living on the edge rather than the cushy feel-good warm fuzzies the episode left us with detailing the reunion of everyone (with the exception of Beth) free of Terminus, whole and hale.

Don’t get me wrong: Carol’s “homecoming” and her touching re-acquaintance with Daryl was pleasant enough. Same with Rick and Carl’s realization Judith was in good hands and back in the fold.

But … it was too comfortable, too complacent, too convenient.

Lord knows the group has contended with its trials and tribulations. And most recently with the events at Terminus. I expected a lot more from the opener, though. The truth of the matter is I was mildly disappointed with it.

More than not, it was a lot of same old same old. Blazing firepower against devious enemies and relentless walkers, a timely rescue courtesy of Carol (contributing to Rick gainsaying his previous thoughts and actions toward her), lots of coincidental circumstances “just in the nick of time” avoiding the demise of some familiar faces (Glenn, Rick, more) and the tough luck happenstances of others with which we’re not so acquainted (the many Terminans).

However it may appear, I’m not quite that heartless. I have soft spots here and there for many of the group. I just hope the writers got some of those television tropes out of their systems for the time being. (They won’t. They sure did fill the opener with stuff that seemed more filler and fodder than anything else.) But they will continue to surprise us unexpectedly as in the past. Those are the times I relish most.

Carol’s diversion — blowing up the propane tank at Terminus — was nice. (I guess.) Seeing various events taking place at Terminus, Carol naturally saw a call for action. But … you see what I mean about things being a little too convenient? Convenient and somewhat cheese-fest? Though, in the grand scheme of things, her efforts did set up reestablishing herself back in Rick’s good graces. But that was “safe” story telling. I want something more jarring and innovative. I’ve seen enough walkers blasted and stabbed and mown down with round after round after round of ammunition.

One of the biggest puzzles of Terminus is still up in the air. Were they cannibals? Those bins stenciled with “Burn, Feed, Wash” — what were they all about? Were the Terminans actually processing corpses for their own consumption? Surely they knew of infection, maybe not. Maybe they knew that eating fresh kills didn’t make any difference so filet of biter was on the menu. Or were they simply accommodating any who strolled into Terminus as a gesture of welcome? “Hey buddy … you look famished. Care for some nice BBQ?” Lots of questions going on there which we may still never learn the answers.

Or … do we?

There were a few nifty moments during the hour. The “then” segments in the show revealed much about the Terminans. They used to be “good guys,” untarnished and still discerning, still decent. We learned Mary is Gareth’s mother. Gareth’s mother?!? Who was right at home a few episodes back, flipping slabs of meat behind the grill for Maggie and Glenn and Bob and the others?!? Yikes! While that was a nice little jewel from the writers, did it solidify in anyone’s mind the Terminans are out and out cannibals? Still, thoroughly enjoyable bookends to the episode. (Plus … we’re not quite finished with Terminus just yet. *cue drama button*)

Best of all, the writers left Beth’s fate from last season wide open. Not everything was tidied up with a neat, clean red bow. Something to look forward to.

The Walking Dead is back. Finally. For me, this was somewhat a low key, *meh* chapter to start a season. But I know it will improve going forward. Later in the week I will publish talks with some of the cast from this summer’s Comic-Con that will shed some light on what’s to come.

Stay tuned …

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Once you build a successful comic-book based series on a network that loves you, the natural thing to do is to build a spinoff. The Flash, along with “parent” show Arrow, represent much about what’s right on The CW these days. Grant Gustin is a perfect Barry Allen, and producers Geoff Johns, David Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg have surrounded him with an outstanding cast, including Broadway star Jesse L. Martin (Joe West), TV heavyweight Tom Cavanagh (Harrison Wells), newcomers like Danielle Panabaker (Caitlin Snow) and they have even brought in someone who knows what it’s like to be under the cowl in John Wesley Shipp (Henry Allen).

We sat down with these folks at San Diego Comic-Con this summer, and as the show is set to premiere next week, we share what they told us is coming up in season one:

Grant Gustin

You can tell that Gustin really likes Barry, “He’s just full of hope and optimism. He’s easily relatable.” He’s played so many characters that he wouldn’t want to be in the same room with (we’re looking at you, Sebastian Smythe) that it is refreshing to play someone who people like. He grew up a big (very big, says the tattoo he showed us) Superman fan, so he’s had to learn a lot about the character he now portrays. He’d originally thought about reading the entirety of the run of Flash books, until he saw just how many there were. The New 52 series seems to be similar to what they’re trying to do, and Gustin points to just how knowledgeable and accessible the producers have been in helping build the character grounded in the canon.

Gustin is looking forward to delving into some of the Flash’s extended powers, specifically time travel. They tease it a little in the Pilot, but he wants more. “I think it just presents a lot of fun storylines.”

John Wesley Shipp

Shipp hasn’t yet felt that moment of weirdness seeing someone else in the suit, but the following week was to be his first scene with Grant in the Flash costume. If that moment of “weirdness” was to happen, he expected it then. But his Flash was much different tonally then this Flash. “I can’t imagine Emmet Walsh killing Priscilla Pointer [the actors who played his parents], you know?”

You can tell that Shipp is still disappointed that his show was cancelled after just one season. “Although for a one season show, it has had an incredible life … but how often do you get to come back?” He called it an extraordinary opportunity for healing.

When asked about watching the evolution of superhero properties in popular culture since 1990, Shipp talked about how audiences are more informed, “It’s a smarter sensibility … so we can address the fact that The Flash is about speed and needs to be aerodynamic.” But he kids that the landscape is saturated with comic shows and movies now. He joked with our table that we were too young to remember it used to be all about westerns, and lately it’s CSI and Law & Order.

Shipp is taken by Grant Gustin. “He’s really sincere … he’s very real.”

Shipp says he doesn’t want the character to be “Dawson’s dad thirteen years later.” Obviously prison has changed Henry, but he thinks that it is more important to demonstrate that impact in a nuanced way, “If you don’t [see how prison changed him] that’s my bad, that’s my failure.” One of the most difficult things he experienced in prison was that no one – save Barry – believed him, including specifically Joe West, his neighbor and friend … and the man who raised Barry in Henry’s absence. That’s a reunion I’m looking forward to seeing.

Shipp points to the audience’s thirst for darker shows like Constantine and The Walking Dead as to why there’s been difficulty getting another Flash property off the ground. And while this The Flash tends to be a little darker in some areas – specifically in the Allen family backstory – it is still very much rooted in the tone of the comics. Gustin’s sense of comedy: running into himself, tripping over his feet balanced with his power, demonstrates an everyman quality that is endearing.

Tom Cavanaugh

Cavanaugh was asked about what research he might have done with folks who are wheelchair-bound. He dodged the question specific to The Flash, but talked about the work he did for a little-seen independent film called Sublime. After that, he said, working in a motorized wheelchair was a big improvement. He said that the differences in the two wheelchairs were symbolic of the differences of working on a big-budget production like the show, and a much tighter-budgeted small film.

Cavanaugh was attracted to the different layers the characters portrayed, especially Harrison Wells. You could tell too, that he was a bit taken aback by fast-paced storytelling that occurs in the first nine episodes. If there is anything that The CW should get credit for, it is helping to usher in shows that tell stories at a breakneck speed, and it looks like The Flash is going to be one of them. “Things that you might want to keep in your quiver, they’re firing those things off in a hurry.”

Cavanaugh thought he had a pretty good understanding of The Flash’s stories from the comic books, but after taking the role, he realized he was a neophyte. But producers Kriesberg and Geoff Johns have been incredibly helpful, informative and – almost more importantly – welcoming to someone who wants to learn the canon.

Danielle Panabaker

Panabaker is excited to be a part of a superhero franchise with a preexisting fan base, “It’s so cool! It’s so great because people are excited about The Flash.” Playing Caitlin Snow, who brings a lot to the table, is a big part of that. “It’s great to have a really smart woman on board who also brings that emotional, sensitive perspective.” Snow is fresh from the trauma of losing her fiancé in the accident, so has that drive to keep Barry safe. That trauma has also made her much more serious than she was pre-accident (a side of her we will get to see in flashbacks early in the season).

It doesn’t look like Caitlin is being set up as an immediate love interest for Barry, but there’s a triangle dynamic that might develop with the two of them and Iris. “Barry has always pined for Iris but he can’t have her, so he’s got to figure out what’s next? The sad scientist over here?”

Andrew Kreisberg

Kreisberg was taken by one of the decisions that Smallville made early on, showing how Clark had trouble adjusting to his powers. There is something to be said too about having too much power and becoming god-like. “We’re going to try and keep [his powers] – at least early on – as limited as we can.” But there is definitely a desire (as is apparent in the Pilot) to eventually get to some of the Flash’s more dynamic powers like phasing through matter and (gasp!) time travel. Expect a Smallville-esque difficulty in learning to contain those powers.

There was a conscious decision early on on Arrow to ground the stories in reality as much as possible (thus the mirakuru storyline). The Flash, however, represents an ability to go a step farther and open the world up a bit. Berlanti came up with the idea of the particle accelerator as a way of “building” a group of super-humans all tied to the same event. “The thing that will keep it like Arrow is the way in which people view these impossible, miraculous things,” explains Kreisberg. “We’ll never have a show, especially early on, where people are just like, ‘oh yeah … guy’s flying.’”

Kreisberg doesn’t see a lot of competition between Arrow and The Flash and the other new DC Comics properties coming to television this season. “One of the things that DC did really well this year is for all of the shows they’re doing, they are so completely different. Even Arrow and Flash are two very different shows; one is a grounded, crime, revenge, Shakespearian drama and Flash is more blue skies, superpowers.” Their approach is that they are only in competition with themselves to make quality television. But a “rising tide lifts all ships,” and he’s looking forward to seeing Gotham and iZombie.

Ah, Paris. It’s been about a decade since I visited the City of Lights during my junior year of college. With its alluring architecture, decadent foods, plethora of historical sites I’d always dreamed about in books, and dizzying array of lights, my heart was easily stolen like countless other hearts before mine. Little did I know what was sinisterly lurking just beneath its streets – an impressive catacombs network hosting the remains of somewhere between 6 and 7 million people. I’d never thought about it before, but this is an enticing setting for a horror movie. Kudos to Universal Pictures and the filmmakers of As Above/So Below for coming up with such a fresh, brilliant concept.

As Above/So Below features the most impressive movie poster artwork I’ve seen in a while. Perhaps you’ve noticed it while driving or walking by your local movie theater. You can’t exactly miss a crimson poster with a picture of an upside-down Eiffel Tower surrounded by skulls. It’s a very striking visual and it made me want to see this movie even though it didn’t star any big names and I knew next-to-nothing about its writers, director, etc. And while some critics out there aren’t raving about it, I’m glad I saw it.

As Above/So Below is like a mash-up of Indiana Jones and The Blair Witch Project. That’s perhaps the best way I can describe it. The story revolves around a young archaeologist’s quest to locate the fabled philosopher’s stone, continuing the work of her late father. The movie is done like a mock documentary with narrative and the shaky hand-held camera style made popular by The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield. If you’re not a fan of the shaky cam style or are in any way claustrophobic, this is probably not the best movie for you to see on the big screen. Fair warning: it made my roommate dizzy and nauseous, but I was fine.

The movie begins with Scarlett (Perdita Weeks) looking for clues in Iran as to the whereabouts of the stone. For those of you unfamiliar with the legend, or those of you who somehow missed the plot of the first Harry Potter, the philosopher’s stone is said to be made of an alchemical substance that is capable of turning base metals like lead into gold. It’s also believed to be an elixir of life, allowing whoever holds it possible healing powers and immortality. Not a bad treasure to seek if you’re a thrill-seeker who’s fluent in four languages and two dead ones. Next, she makes her way to Paris to visit the home of infamous alchemist Nicolas Flamel, who is said to have uncovered the secret of the philosopher’s stone in the 14th-15th century. Ultimately, her quest leads her to believe that the stone may be buried in the catacombs below Paris, so she recruits a crew to assist her in her search. And that’s when things quickly go awry.

I enjoy a good horror or psychological thriller movie. I think As Above/So Below could be categorized as fitting both genres. The characters are placed in situations that will make you cringe. They’re forced to climb over human bones, spelunk down the blackest of holes and furrow their way through some of the narrowest tunnels I’ve ever seen. It’s a good thing they were all in shape! Aside from the physical perils they find themselves faced with, it also becomes a dangerous, frightening descent into the human psyche, as each of them is forced to confront personal demons that have been haunting them for years.

The terror, madness and extreme danger build to a crescendo at a dizzyingly fast, fun pace (fun if you enjoy that sort of thing … I personally revel in all things horror and supernatural-related so I was quite in my element here) through the Gates of Hell (who knew that was actually just below the catacombs?). However, once the characters are finally pushed so far over the brink, it feels like the filmmakers took them so far out they weren’t quite sure how to reel them back in. The final 15-20 minutes is a confusing blur of activity that leaves you sitting there at the end like, “huh, so this is how the movie ended?” What a shame. Up until that, I was thoroughly enjoying myself. I loved hearing the crowd nervously laugh and make comments to the characters on the screen – that’s the biggest part of the fun and spirit of seeing a horror movie in the theater. When I overheard a guy telling his friend afterward, “That ending could have been a helluva lot better,” I couldn’t have agreed more.

As Above/So Below was original, fast-paced and engaging. I was hooked fairly quickly on, wanting to know the secrets of the catacombs and the philosopher’s stone. I liked the characters and the hinted romance between Scarlett and George (Ben Feldman, who was ironically also in Cloverfield). The French actors were also very good – specifically, Francois Civil as Papillon (their catacombs guide) and Cosme Castro as La Taupe, who will scare the shit out of you. I think we can all easily relate to the fears of Benji the cameraman (Edwin Hodge, who was also in The Purge). The shaky camera angles make you feel like you are actually a part of their adventure in a way that Indiana Jones never did, and for this, I applaud the experience as a whole. For a person with an interest in history, mythology and horror, it was an excellent mix. It’s a good way to usher in the upcoming Halloween season. My only disappointment was with the ending and feeling like it wasn’t fully thought through, but I guess most movies aren’t perfect.

The only thing you really need to know about the title and the philosophy behind this movie is this: “That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracle of the One Thing. Thus, whatever happens on any level of reality (physical, emotional or mental) also happens on every other level.” If you can wrap your head around the logic of that maxim, you might also enjoy this movie.

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Combined, the first three days of San Diego Comic-Con – including preview night – rarely add up to the crammed schedule that is Saturday. If you’re a movie lover – and willing to camp out at least 15 hours in advance (according to my Twitter research on the last person I could find who got in and was sharing) – then Hall H is usually filled with awesomeness from Marvel, Warner Bros. and some of the other studio heavyweights. For those of us covering TV, Saturday is generally as easily congested as many of the shows that have just started production wait until the weekend to make the trip.

For Team CliqueClack, that meant a fun 12 hours hopping from Press Room to Press Room, chatting about the upcoming seasons and new projects with actors and creators. As late as a night as Saturday generally becomes, we’ve held off until Sunday evening to include the half-day or so we spent at the Convention in one post. Here are the highlights:

• While I spent a lot of time at NerdHQ this weekend (more on that to come) Michael attended his first Conversations for a Cause panel featuring the cast of The Walking Dead.
• I spent the first part of day with what we could call Team Berlanti at SDCC: The casts and crew of The CW’s The Flash and Arrow. One thing that particularly stood out was how much Stephen Amell was excited for The Flash in general and Grant Gustin experiencing his first SDCC as the fastest man alive (see that hat?).
• My schedule did a bit of a backflip, but it allowed for an opportunity I didn’t think I was going to get at this Con, talking to the cast and crew of the show I’m probably most looking forward to this calendar year, Starz’ Outlander. This was great because I’m a big fan of the show and am really looking forward to the series, but also because it was the first time I’d ever sat down with Ronald D. Moore … and I even found a way to ask a (relevant to Outlander) question about Battlestar Galatica, which is the series that was in the impetus that lead to me writing about television in the first place.

• First a NerdHQ panel, then a press room with The Walking Dead … it was a zombie kind of day for Michael. The cast was pretty secretive – sadly, though understandably, a theme this year with everyone we spoke too – up to and including running across the room to check in with a producer with what they could and could not say.
• My last press room of the day was for SyFy’s upcoming event mini-series Ascension. This was one of those odd experience where we knew very little about the series, set for six episodes in November. Fortuately the cast didn’t have to be entirely obtuse … they had just finished filming the first episode the day before!
• One of the highlights of the trip historically has been the NBC New Media party, and while the party isn’t what it once was – though considering NBC’s decreasing presence at the Con it is understandable – Michael and I did get to spend a couple of minutes with Grimm’s Reggie Lee, who has been an incredible friend to this website for several years now (Though it seems that our editor Keith McDuffee has been much more generous with the homemade honey his household produces with Mr. Lee than he’s been with the rest of us).

• We finished the night by attending the premiere screening of Prelude to Axanar, a Kickstarer-funded teaser/prequel to an upcoming Star Trek based fan film. The short had a surprising solid cast including Richard Hatch (Starbuck plays a Klingon!), the always lovely Kate Vernon and Gary Graham, though it was Tony Todd who stole the show. The first of two campaigns to fund the main film is underway and is at 84% as of this writing.
• Sunday is always a little melancholy as the week comes to an end. Michael and I had a quick breakfast at our new favorite spot The Broken Yolk with our good buddy Tom Gardiner from Three if By Space.
• At that point, Team CliqueClack went our separate ways. Michael headed to the Convention Center with his two daughters in tow. I spent most of my Sunday at NerdHQ, catching panels for Wil Wheaton & Felicia Day and Stephen Amell. I also experienced my first Nathan Fillion (with Alan Tudyk joining in) “Auction my crap” Panel. If you want to see just how much money those two can raise by signing things they brought with them, you have to check out this video (Especially watch the first two items auctioned … when the final bid came in – out of nowhere – it set a tone for just how generous people would have to be).
• The final press room I had on my docket didn’t work out particularly well due to a variety of scheduling snafus; sadly we’re at the mercy of the insane timeline the talent has to follow while they are in town (and the unfortunate chaos that those press rooms can be).

It’s hard not to look back at SDCC 2014 as a success. While it was the first year I’ve attended without our Editor Keith McDuffee, Mr. Noble and I still managed to have a productive – and fun – couple of days. The highs were high (Ron Moore, a picture on the Iron Throne, Reggie Lee) and the lows were low (San Diego isn’t supposed to be that humid, and it actually rained. Twice!). Team CliqueClack acquired a great deal of content that we’ll be sharing with you over the coming months. And it’s already time to start thinking about what SDCC 2015 might look like.

Comic-Con is what you make of it.

And, being the event comes but once a year for a brief portion of a week, it’s best you hit the floor with all thrusters at full when you descend on San Diego.

Plans in place, I did just that Friday …

• My day started with a tradition I maintain every year at Comic-Con, a visit to the San Diego Blood Bank for my annual donation. With my partner in crime Ivey in tow, we made the short trek to do our thing. Lo and behold, the same gentleman who poked and prodded me last year — Ramon — drew from me once again. I think the two of us are becoming “a thing” …
• I got the opportunity to do quite a few interviews Friday, all of which will be posted in some form or another in the coming week. Included in those Q&As were a comic property (Eric Powell of the popular comic The Goon), a couple television show press rooms (Falling Skies which had to be cut short due to scheduling conflicts and The Walking Dead) and something new I wanted I sought out to learn more about, God Is Disappointed In You by writer Mark Russell and Shannon Wheeler of Too Much Coffee Man fame.
• Ivey sat down with the cast from Dominion, or putting it another way: Ivey sat down with Giles and Charles Widmore … and David from Kings and Doreah from Game of Thrones.
• I caught an extended look at iZombie in one of the spacious meeting rooms, something I thought might be packed to the gills. To my surprise, I was able to walk right in, unlike Thursday with the Toy Story That Time Forgot. (That panel was stuffed to capacity. You win some, you lose some.)
• In a stark contrast to last year’s The 100 press room, Ivey said series star Isaiah Washington was comically tight-lipped about what is coming up for his character on the show this year … but in all honesty, his being in attendance is a spoiler in and of itself.
• Do I have to mention there was a gaggle of photos taken and the Con floor traversed in search of personalities and old friends? Naturally.

Busy as the day was, there were still evening parties to attend.

• En route to the Warner Bros. fest, I bumped into a crowd of luchadores (Mexican wrestlers) going the opposite direction. Every year we hook up at some bar or restaurant in San Diego’s Gaslamp to enjoy pitchers of cerveza and offer photo opportunities to any passersby. (The kicker is the fact these guys are real luchadores from Tijuana. I’m the token gringo of the bunch who they’ve welcomed with open arms as a brother.) I told them I would seek them out a bit later in the evening.
• The Warner Bros. party Ivey and I attended was located at a spacious, open air rooftop of The Hard Rock. This shindig boasted more talent than you could shake a stick at. Talent from The 100, Mike Tyson Mysteries (including Iron Mike himself), The Vampire Diaries, iZombie The Flash, Arrow, Person Of Interest, Gotham, The Originals and The Following mingled about. There could very well have been more but, with a list like that, it was dizzying enough keeping track.
• Post party, Ivey headed back to the hotel while I went on the hunt for my wrestling brothers. I was unsuccessful … but I did wind up at an after-Eisner Awards festival with full of talent and fellow writers.
• Missed opportunity of the evening was The Last Ship party on the USS Midway. Wouldn’t it have been cool to have been rubbing elbows on an aircraft carrier? A wish for another time.
• Of a few things Ivey was involved in, he realized a dream this year which was unfulfilled in 2013: A photo opportunity on Game Of Thrones very own Iron Throne. Geek nirvana for certain.
• Additionally, he commandeered some pretty cool GoT swag — exclusive T-shirts HBO distributed at their Survive the Realm Experience. Artist Robert Ball, of GoT/HBO’s “Beautiful Death” series earlier this year, was the creator with a different piece debuting each day of The Con. Pretty cool swag if I do say so myself.

Saturday? Look out: We’re comin’ to getcha …

Zachary Levi’s NerdHQ has become a staple of the San Diego Comic-Con since premiering in 2011. One of my favorite parts of what NerdHQ brings to the table is their “Conversations for a Cause” series. The most popular panels at the Convention Center are held in massive caves of rooms, but at NerdHQ, they are much more intimate affairs. And while they are ticketed events, the entirety of the proceeds go to Operation Smile, a Virginia-based (yeah!) charity that does incredible work.

The Conversations are always put together at the last-minute, as the NerdHQ team has to wait until after the official SDCC schedule is announced to confirm their offerings. This year, though, it seems that the schedule is taking longer to put together. 2013’s first announcements were on the Monday nine days in advance of the Con, but NerdHQ still hasn’t been able to make their list official.

This afternoon, however, some of that schedule was posted on the website for Brown Paper Tickets, the vendor that handles the ticketing for the panels. As of this posting, that schedule was pulled down, but we were able to capture it in the meantime. All of this data is obviously unconfirmed at this point, and is likely to change. Also, if the messaging was to believed, it looks like tickets will likely go on sale this Sunday.

Levi and David Coleman said on the SDConCast Thursday evening that they would be adding more panels after the first release (they also confirmed that Nathan Fillion would be back, even though he’s not listed bellow). They also say the schedule is pretty full, which again indicates that this list is incomplete.

Thursday July 24th

9:00 AM – Zach Levi

12:00 PM – Into the Storm (Sarah Wayne Callies, Matt Walsh, Max Deacon, Nathan Kress, Jon Reep, Kyle Davis, Steven Quale)

(Updated) 1:30 PM – Craig Ferguson & Josh Robert Thompson

Friday July 25th

11:00 AM – Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Seth Green, Matthew Senreich, John Harvatine IV, Eric Towner, Tom Root)

12:00 PM – Garfunkel & Oats (Riki Lindhome, Kate Micucci)

1:15 PM – Let’s Be Cops (Damon Wayans Jr, Nina Dobrev, Rob Riggle, Keegan-Michael Key)

4:00 PM – Evangeline Lilly

Saturday July 26th

10:00 AM – The Walking Dead (Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Danai Gurira, Lauren Cohan)

12:00 PM – The Intruders (John Simm, Mira Sorvino, Glen Morgan)

3:00 PM – Resurrection (Omar Epps, Frances Fisher, Kurtwood Smith, Devin Kelley, Aaron Zelman, Tara Butters, Michele Fazekas)

Sunday July 27th

12:00 PM – The Thrilling Adventure Hour (Ben Blacker, Ben Acker, Marc Evan Jackson, Hal Lublin, Mark Gagliardi, Craig Cackowski, Janet Varney, Molly Quinn, Paul Sabourin, Storm DiCostanza)

1:15 PM – Joss Whedon

I was fooled.

The wool was pulled over my eyes. I was deceived. Snowed. Flimflammed. And when it comes right down to it, I have no one to blame but myself.

It began with The Walking Dead “Dead, White And Blue” marathon over the 4th of July weekend. The marathon was nice, diversionary white background noise tuned on in the background. Occasionally I’d plop on the couch in the cool of the house to take in part or all of an episode. No harm in that, I figured.

I’d seen enough chapters of the show, multiple times over and reviewed them. I’m familiar enough with all of them to hold my own in an in-depth discussion should one ever come ’round. So it was nothing more than a guilty pleasure to revisit an episode here and there or a favorite scene when it popped up. Adding to some of the hype was a recent article I read about the music used throughout the show, tunes which have become fan favorites or which punctuated characters or situations. That, too, was another nice little aside between various chores and duties and I took note of the music a bit more closely as a few of the mentioned tunes played out during the broadcast.

I even learned a thing or two, things I’d either forgotten completely or additional pieces of information I could tuck away as little asides: Lizzie’s dangerous prison monkey business in leading a walker down a walkway with Hershel’s subsequent rescue of her when things got out of hand. (There were tons of references throughout the show when it came to her delusions about the undead. I’d completely forgotten this particular one.) The revelation of the Governor’s surname, courtesy of his adviser Milton. (It’s “Blake” if you didn’t know, the same as in the comic series.) Hershel’s bit parts and sage advice, all adding legacy to his character throughout his time on the show. Little tidbits here and there that make The Walking Dead all the more enjoyable.

But there was a downside to the marathon. And it wasn’t the lure of untold hours of slothful, unproductive, eyes-glazed-over watching of rerun after rerun after rerun.

No. It was the incessant call of Chris Hardwick, host of Talking Dead, TWD‘s companion talk show. Over and over again Chris promised me — and millions of my closest friends — exclusive information about AMC’s post-apocalyptic show, along with a not-to-be-missed sneak preview of the upcoming season 5 premiere debuting in October. All I had to do was tune in to Talking Dead at 9:00 p.m.

At each commercial interruption, he teased viewers with little mini-interviews of TWD‘s actors and producers. Just as incessantly he promoted that sneak peek non-stop. I could feel his words wriggling into my brain on a mission to assert mind control over me so I was powerless to do anything but tune in for the 9:00 p.m. exclusive. His words were Kryptonite, oh so potent, wearing me ever more defenseless, eroding away any resolve I might have once had. “Special! Exclusive! Huge! Necessary! Must-See!” These were the exclamations he threw around to get me and everyone else watching to stayed tuned. In the end I’m sure Chris all but commanded me to be there.

And I was there. For the entire hour. Even though I knew for a fact that tease wouldn’t come until the very end, almost sixty minutes in.

And let me tell you something: I’m not proud of the fact I was worn down to a nub of my former self mentally, coerced into submission by an affront of relentless promotion to witness what no man had seen before:

Man, do I feel like a sucker.

Look: I don’t have anything against Chris Hardwick. But Talking Dead — while it was interesting in the very beginning — has become a blowhard promotional tool with zero substance. It used to be fun, it used to feel fresh. There was a time, during season 2 of The Walking Dead (which was the premiere season of Talking Dead) when it had an exciting behind-the-scenes vibe you used to look forward to. No longer. I stopped watching it after its second season because it became old and unwatchable. It turned into senseless hype and unsatisfying emptiness, a joke of its former self. When the likes of Kevin Smith and Todd McFarlane and Sarah Silverman (!) come on to talk about The Walking Dead (Why? Why? Why?), I could give a rat’s ass. Inexplicably, Jack Osbourne (!) and Marilyn Manson (!!!) were on one airing of last year’s program. What the hell was that about?!?

I have rules. Lots of them. Common rules, life rules, common sense rules. I like to think I learn from them. And I do … many times. One of those rules?

“You don’t learn from your successes. You learn from your mistakes.”

Let’s hope I learned something from this one.

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