The Bad Influence Speaks

Dragon*Con 2012: Panels

BISis and I cut back some on the panels this year to reduce stress and line standing.

Celebrity Panels:

I think the celebrity panels get bigger and wilder every year at Dragon*Con. BISis and I started the con off with John Barrowman's 10 am Friday panel with Rob Levy and Kai Owen. He was a wild man who mooned everyone after being introduced. Then he spotted a guy dressed in a headdress and speedo part of the way through the panel and got him to come up and be hugged/groped. I didn't get any pictures since we were so far back, but I'll link a video of the panel (uploaded by cos2mwiz). It was too fantastic to miss.

 

 

I drug my sister to see the Friday Josh Gates Destination Truth panel. She doesn't watch the show, but loved the book when I lent it to her. He was as funny and charming as you'd think from watching the show. She actually drug me and AT to the Saturday panel. I think we would have gone to the Sunday one as well if we hadn't had Braves tickets. I don't have any pictures from either panel because the man does not sit still well enough, but I do have video from the Friday panel. It's uploaded in 6 parts. The first is embedded and the rest linked below.

  

Dragon*Con 2012: Destination Truth Friday Panel with Josh Gates part 2

Dragon*Con 2012: Destination Truth Friday Panel with Josh Gates part 3

Dragon*Con 2012: Destination Truth Friday Panel with Josh Gates part 4

Dragon*Con 2012: Destination Truth Friday Panel with Josh Gates part 5

Dragon*Con 2012: Destination Truth Friday Panel with Josh Gates part 6

 

 

We also managed to snag great seats for the Sunday Eureka panel. BISis got the time wrong and got us there early. We were 23 and 24 in line. This one I do have pictures from. Niall Matter, Tembi Lock, and Kevin Grazier were fairly silent. Colin Ferguson and Jaime Paglia stole the show and went on to prove that hung over panels are the funniest ones out there. I laughed so hard I cried through most of it.

 

Fan Panels:

This was a big year for me. Last year I was only on one panel. This year I was on three. It still feels weird to introduce myself as 'Maggie from badinfluencespeaks.com.'

The first panel was Celluloid Tales: The Year in Film on Friday with Matt Frasier, Ryan Guthrie, Alex Ware, and J.A. Steel (who is a producer).  We covered our thoughts on the movies that have come out so far including Brave, Hunger Games, Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man, and Dark Knight Rises, and briefly touched on upcoming movies (I'm really looking forward to Skyfall). J.A. is a producer and had some fascinating insight into the ins and outs of movie making.

Second panel was Eureka: No More Buttons For Fargo on Friday evening with Amanda Marron, Ryan Guthrie, Elizabeth Stacy, and Matt Frasier. I was much more active in this panel as we talked about our favorite moments from the show. I guess the fact that I can quote rather extinsively from it helps.

Third panel was on Saturday afternoon, Superheroes and Beach Blankets, with Henry Hanks,  Bill McIntire, Tom Morris, and Chris Snellgrove. We discussed the 3 superhero blockbusters of the summer, Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man, and Dark Knight Rises. Actually, Dragon*Con is the sole reason I saw DKR. I'm not much of a Batman fan, but I enjoyed the film. I'd love to see someone continue on where they left off. A audience member brought up the point that maybe [Robin was a code name so he'd know Bruce was all right and not actually his real name.]

I actually have a picture from this panel thanks to AT. My sister proved useless again this year at taking a picture of me on each panel. From left to right: Henry Hanks, Tom Morris (as Shrek), Bill McIntire (dragon hat), me, and Chris Snellgrove. (By the way, that Haven sign was a problem in every panel I sat on. It kept falling. I hope that isn't a bad omen for the show.)

Saturday Night Drive-In

I don't know who is chosing the creature features for this MST3000 style panel (I suspect Joe Crowe, the new head of the Sci-Fi Classics track). This year's movie, Mega-Python vs. Gateroid, might have topped Sharktopus from last year. Essentially it was Team Debbie Gibson vs. Team Tiffany. I'm Team Tiffany, by the way. It was truely and hysterically horrendous. I laughed myself silly. The production company also helped out by providing several DVDs to be raffled off. BISis won a copy of Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies. I can't wait to see it.

 

 

Dragon*Con 2012 posts:
Overview
Gadgeteers Showcase
Costumes

Eureka: Double Take

Season 5, Episode 12

 

Holly, Andy, Jo and Henry's doubles start the work of converting the town and placing the real residents into the matrix. Only Allison, Fargo, Parrish and Zane are free to help.

Fargo: What?! Do you know how many millions of dollars those things cost? Man, girlfriends are expensive.

 

Fargo: Tell me about it. My resurrected girlfriend is the Manchurian Candidate.

 

Parrish: How did you know that it wasn't me?
Zane: The real you wouldn't trust me.

 

Parrish: You dematerialized me.
Zane: Yeah, what happened to nonlethal weapons?
Parrish: That one's a work in progress.

 

Parrish: I taste like chicken.

 

Kevin: You mean he's a clone? Sweet! Can we keep him?
Allison: This is Jack's evil twin not a puppy.

 

Zane: That's the nicest thing you've ever said to anyone actually.

 

Fargo: I knew night vision mode would come in handy.

 

Jack: I've got to kick my ass.

Comments:
○I wonder how far they would have taken this storyline if the show hadn't have been cancelled. I'm assuming they would have found a way to save the town, but now it will end with it's closing.
○Lets take a look at all the genre references in this episode. It seems like they were trying to cram as much as they can in (not that I'm knocking that).
     ○ Manchurian Candidate
     ○Aliens = queen on LV426 popping out eggs
     ○Blade Runner = replicants
     ○Invasion of the Body Snatchers = pod people
     ○Gamer = meat puppets
     ○Star Wars = frozen in carbonite
     ○Star Trek: TNG = Resistance is futile.
I'm sure there were others I missed. Drop a comment below with any additions you have. And remember, next Monday is the final episode of Eureka.

Eureka Quotes Main Page

Eureka: Mirror, Mirror

Season 5, Episode 11

 

Henry obsesses with what other timeline Henry may have done while Holly has her first new day as an official person again.

Zane: Agh, how much paperwork does it take to bring someone back to life?

 

Jack: Stupid integrity.

 

Jack: So what do your figure? Going to blow something up of get covered in goo?
Jo: Why are you so pessimistic?
Jack: Really?
Jo: Right. I think I'm going to go with goo.
Jack: I'll go with explosion.

 

Jack: I cleared my whole morning for damage control.
Jo: Me too.
Jack: Coffee.
Jo: Sure

 

Henry: Do not try to absolve me by using some technicality of quantum physics.

 

Jack: I mean, I know the people at GD can be petty, and careless, and negligent, true, and homicidal, and I, uh, what was I saying?

 

Jo: Zane, I need you.
Zane: Right here in the hall? Why you naughty, little minx, you.

 

Jack: But, fantastically, they are calling it Farmageddon.

 

Fargo. Clicker. Who says you're not sciency?
Jack: Almost everyone.

Eureka Quotes Main Page

Eureka: The Honeymooners

Season 5, Episode 10

Jack and Allison try to escape from town for their honeymoon, but things just don't go as planned after they find a file left by Sheriff Cobb from his investigation of the spy ring. In the lab, Zane, Grace and Henry try to create a new body for Holly.

Jack: Oh, I don't need high tech. I'm old school.

 

Jack: No! No A.I. furniture.

 

Holly: This body is super bendy.
Fargo: Yeah, I can see that.

 

Vincent: I am the eyes and ears of this town.
Jo: And mouth apparently.

Comments:
1) Instead of writing a 4th (5th?) comment on Allison, I'm just going to roll my eyes and snarl a little.
2) I like the intent behind Jack's choice of honeymoon locations. He wants the two of them to create something as part of their new life together. He's nesting. It's not a good read on Allison's personality though. She really is more of a room service and luxury person.
3) I think that's the first HeLa reference I've seen on TV before. Henrietta Lacks cervical cells were used (without her permission, mind you) to propagate the first cells grown in a culture which were crucial for the development of most vaccines and many medical treatments. I believe that almost all cell cultures available today come from HeLa cells. You can find the book on Amazon: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot or at your local library.
4) Sleeping Beauty anyone? Holly doesn't wake until a touch from Fargo.
5) Jack, why are you approaching Holly like she's a rabid dog? If someone is wary and freaking out, that probably isn't the best approach. It's a little patronizing as well.

Eureka Quotes Main Page

Eureka: Smarter Carter

Season 5, Episode 9

 

Allison's brilliant brother, Marcus, is in town to check up on her new husband and Kevin schemes to make Jack look smarter. Meanwhile Zane, Jo and Henry try to hide the fact they are helping Holly gain a body from Fargo. Dondre Whitfield guest stars.

Jack: Well, nothing says lifelong commitment like government oversight.

 

Jo: Oh, so you are officially joining the mad scientist union.

 

Jo: Hey, how was the unconventional weapons convention?
Parrish: If I see another diversionary demonstration, I'm going to flash bang myself.

 

Allison: He slipped you a smart mickey.

 

Jack: Allison, for the first time I fit in. I don't want to go back to being the dumb old sheriff.
Allison: Jack, the dumb old sheriff is the man I married.

 

Holly: Doug, if I'm not happy with what I am, how can you be?

 

Andy: Are the straps really necessary? It's not like I'm going to subdue you and head back to the smart house at my first chance....Right. Carry on.

Comments:
1) This episode focuses on an area that is a major theme for the series. Smart causes chaos that can only be solved by Everyman. Throughout Eureka, the really intelligent people tend to commit some particularly heinous dickery and are the cause of all the catastrophic situations. (This was my random epiphany while rewatching this episode to get quotes.) It feels simplistic. Every person is capable of dickery and chaos; every person is capable of saving the day. Hell, there's a great example of smart=/=mean in the cast. Wil Wheaton is an intelligent, kind man who happens to be known for the saying, "Don't be a dick."
2) And for this episode's harping on Allison, her saying, "Jack, the dumb old sheriff is the man I married," wasn't my favorite choice of words. She could have said, "You're not the man I fell in love with," or something similar. "Dumb old sheriff," even as just repeating his words, demonstrates that is how she (and everyone else) thinks of him and he has internalized that over the years. Eureka, not for those without massive, adamantium egos.

Eureka Quotes Main Page

Eureka: In Too Deep

Season 5, Episode 8

 

Jack surprises Allison in an effort to get her to choose a date for the wedding and Fargo is reluctant to leave holographic Holly which leaves Jo alone at GD to deal with Feinman Day.

Jack: So a bunch of science nerds playing pranks on each other? What could go wrong?

 

Allison: One moment alone. Is that so much to ask?

 

Jack: If you think that I spend my day comparing computer world Jo to you, that's your issue, not mine.

 

Jack: Really? One think works down here and it's got to be him?

 

Jack: Come on! What's the point of an airlock of it's not air tight?

Comments:
1) Chesus on a mother truckin cracker, Allison. Let it go already. They were fictional characters in a virtual world created by a psychologist that hates you. It wasn't real. Everyone else has moved on from this, you need to as well. Also, I don't see how this relationship is "sacred to you" when you keep treating it like that and won't tell your family or set a date for the wedding. Damn, I hate this character at this point. Carter deserves better.
2) Erica Cerra looks amazing in the catsuit.
I'm trying to clean up my language some here. This might get weird.

Eureka Quotes Main Page

Eureka: Ex Machina

Season 5, Episode 7

 

The DoD shows up during Holly's memorial service to install new security protocols and take away the Matrix machine. Will Fargo and Zane get everyone to believe them that Holly still exists in the machine in time to save her?

Jack: Wow, I'll pretend I know what that means.

 

Jack: I'm moving your balls with my mind.
Henry: There must be a better way to say that, but yes.

 

Jo: Zane, you rebuilt a dangerous piece of technology so Fargo could have a...cyber girlfriend?

 

Zane: If we don't stop it that explosion will level the top three floors of GD.
Jack: I vote we stop it.

Comments:
1) Henry is indulging in quite a bit of schadenfreude these past few episodes since Grace left. As much as I like schadenfreude, it's a little creepy.
2) Is it just me or has the writing of the female characters drastically changed this season? Allison is an shrill, insecure harpy. Jo is all flittery (except when she got pissed at being given an order). Holly is even off. What's up with that?

Eureka Quotes Main Page

Eureka: Worst Case Scenario

Season 5, Episode 6

 

Eureka's disaster scenario exercise might have gone fine, if the computer hadn't been damaged after the exercise in a possible act of sabotage. Zane helps Fargo reach out to Holly in the Matrix. Felicia Day guest stars.

Jack: It's a bad time for premature evacuation.

 

Zane: I like role playing as much as the next guy, but I have real work to do.

 

Jack: I did what now?
Jo: Okay, playing dumb just makes it worse.
Jack: Playing dumb? I am dumb. I have no idea what you're talking about.

 

Zane: That's kind of ominous.
Jo: Tell me about it.

 

Andy: I imagine time crawls by when you're sinking to your doom.

 

Andy: Excuse me while I whip this out.

 

Jack: It's not like the Computer of Gratuitous Ruin can fire a foreign country's missile at us, right?

 

Fargo: As your boss, I'd rather maintain your plausible deniability.

Comments:
1) Yeah, I don't like Allison. I realize she's still freaked out after the virtual life, but trying to ruin a long standing friendship because she's feeling insecure is not okay. At this point, I think Jack deserves better than her.
2) I don't understand the guy getting short with Jack when he said ADA could be told to "turn it down." So what if it's a computer? It can still be instructed to do that.
3) Holly seemed different. She hadn't been alone (consciously) for very long, but she was clingy and whiny. She just didn't feel like the same character. Is there something going on with all the female characters on this series in the final season? Jo is the only one who hasn't had major personality changes. It feels like the writers are doing a disservice to all the strong women they created. I adore and respect the writers for this show and is just out of step with what they've done here previously.

Eureka Quotes Main Page

 

Eureka: Jack of All Trades

Season 5, Episode 5

 

Warren returns to evaluate the Astraeus crew but a body switching glitch derails the process. Wallace Shawn guest stars.

Carter: Wow. Nice shades Ponch.

Fargo/Carter: Holy socks. We swapped bodies.

 

Carter/Fargo: Is this my joking face? No. This is not my face at all.

 

Carter/Fargo: What did you braniacs do this time?

 

Zane/Carter: Wow these wrinkles are deep. He's going to have cheeks like a basset hound.

 

Zane/Carter: And Carter slipped into me. There's got to be a better way to say that.

 

Carter/Zane: Don't push me, Six Pack, or I'll pound another bacon cheese scone.

 

Zane/Carter: Do I look all right? I'm hideous. I'm half scarecrow, half Andy Griffiths.

 

Jo: You're the one that kissed me with Carter's mouth.

Comments:
Some of the quotes may be a little confusing. The actual character's name is first and the body they happen to be inhabiting is second. For example, Zane/Carter means Zane said it while in Carter's body.
1) Poor Jackey, no shades for you. Why would they give everyone else eye protection and not Jack? Irresponsible scientists. No wonder Eureka has so many accidents.
2) I really do not care for the evolution (or really devolution) of Allison. She started the series  as a strong and confident woman who has now become anxious, unsure, and frankly, screechy. It's such a shame. I just don't like her anymore.
3) Henry was so very amused this episode. It was a nice change of pace. You don't normally see the character display that much of a sense of humor in serious situations.
4) Niall Matter does Carter well. Great use of all the mannerisms and speech patterns.
Spoiler thought: [ I think that when the matrix was shut down part of the way through the reboot while Jack was the only one connected Holly's consciousness shifted into his brain. So I think we'll still have her, but juxtaposed with Jack. ]

Eureka Quotes Main Page

 

 

Eureka: Friendly Fire

Season 5, Episode 4

 

The Astraeus crew tries to return to normal now that they're back in reality, but are running into problems dealing with their coworkers. An incident between Zane and Parrish in the lab releases a fire fighting firefly that goes after heat sources in town.

Allison: Try living with your boyfriend's matrix girlfriend.

 

Jo: Cheating the stages of grief?

 

Jack: But the remotes will work when we get them outside GD, right?
Parrish: Theoretically.
Jack: I hate that word.

 

Jack: You realize I have no idea what that means, right?

 

Fargo: Maybe we should just bow down to our new fireball overlords while we still can. Maybe they'll spare us.

Comments:
1) The bereavement lab is titles "furries?"
2) For the first 55 minutes of the episode, I really wasn't thrilled with the way Allison kept taking her anxiety and insecurity out on Jo. I know she had a lot to cope with in the virtual world believing that Jack and Jo were together, but she could have tried dealing with it instead of ostracizing Jo.
3) Poor Fargo, but like Parrish said, cheaters never win. You can't shortchange dealing with grief. Even in Eureka there are no magic pills.

Eureka Quotes Main Page