Making difficult decisions the week before Comic Con

So the programming schedule is of course out, complete with the autographs and films schedules. It took a while, but I have picked out all my must-sees. This was not an easy task, I tell you! There is, if you will pardon the expression, so much to do, and so little time. Nevertheless, here are my highlights-to-be, what I expected, what I was pleasantly surprised by, what I wont have time for, and (gasp) what – or, should I say, whom – I was severely disappointed to not see on the schedule:

Although this will actually be my first trip to the Con, (shhhh, that doesn’t make me any less of a fangirl!) there were a bunch of things I had expected to find on the program. Even not having been before, I am familiar enough with the goings on at SDCC, plus I’ve jealously drooled over media coverage in previous years (a thank you, YouTube), then I’ve also made sure to be hip to the rumours since I bought my pass in February. So things I was expecting include panels on all the current on-air sci-fi tv programs: Heroes, Fringe, True Blood, Smallville, Supernatural, etc. I also knew to expect a lot of programming content based around my idol, Mr Joss Whedon. To that end, there will be a special screening of the unaired 13th episode of Dollhouse, which I have been super psyched about since I finished watching season one. Also, I was previously aware of the very popular weekend closer, the Buffy musical epi, Once More, With Feeling. I’m looking forward to dancing in the aisles with my dry cleaning! And, of course, I suspected I might also see lots and lots of programming having to do with comics

One thing I did not expect to see, however, was a special presentation of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-Long Blog! I knew they had shown it at last year’s Con, but I wasn’t aware it was so loved that they’d bring it back again. I cannot tell you how happy this makes me; the California Browncoats surely do know what the fans like best! Wondering if we’ll catch a glimpse of TheRealNPH; that would so make my life! Other little surprises include a look at the upcoming film, The Hobbit – for whatever reason, I was not expecting it?! Fail on my part. Then there’s a really cool panel discussing Quantum Quest, which, if you haven’t heard, is set to be a mind blowing film featuring 3D/CGI/real imagery taken from from actual frickin space missions, and voiced over by some of the most awesomest people EVER! (I’m not excited about this at all, if you can’t tell.) Uhhh, where was I… oh yeah, more surprises like Seth Green chatting about Robot Chicken, heart heart heart! My boss thinks I should marry him, and then we will have the nerdiest kids ever. I’m cool with that. And theeennn, an academic discussion on the anthropological themes in Star Trek, where I suspect I might also be able to meet a potential future husband. And finally, the best surprise of all, the cast and crew of  The Big Bang Theory! I don’t even know how to adequately express how blown away I was to see that on the schedule. I will be in the same room as Sheldon Cooper!!! *eeeeeks!* <3

Sadly, Comic Con is only 4 days long. Well, actually it’s 5 days long if you’re cool like me and get to go to Wednesday’s Preview Night, but I digress… With such a limit on time, there were bound to be conflicts in the schedule, and so I will be forced to pass some things by. This time. One of the bigger hurts caused by such timing issues is missing out on Summit Entertainment’s sneak peeks at Astro Boy and New Moon. Astro Boy is such a flash back to my early, early childhood, and New Moon is, well, hot boys! Unfortunately, it cuts too close to Robot Chicken, and I heart Seth Green way more than any of those Twilight guys. Less upsetting, but nonetheless mildly sad face inducing, is having to miss out on the Archies Comics: Archie Marries Veronica panel. I haven’t really read Archie much since I was probably 13 or so, but this business of him proposing to Veronica is pretty huge. And upsetting. Poor Betty. But the panel starts too close to the ending of The Hobbit, so I’ll hafta let it go. Probably for the best, I’m pretty mad at Archie Andrews right now. I would also really have loved to attend Futurama’s Life or Death live decision making extraordinaire, if only to scowl at the dude from Fox because I am still angry about the Sarah Connor Chronicles debacle (though I haven’t given up hope yet, and neither have my friends over at savethescc.com), but it just isn’t in the cards. The Futurama event conflicts with the previously mentioned Quantum Quest, and I can’t have that!

The MAJOR Disappointment:

There was just the one, but I can’t even stress how MAJOR it is! The Supernatural Screening and Q&A seems to be lacking two names. Where are the stars of the show?! Ok, Bobby and Castiel (yum!) are there… but wtf, Sam and Dean?! I had to stare at the little blurb for a full two or three minutes, checking and rechecking. But, nope! No Jensen. No Jared. As my favourite still-running tv show, I won’t lie, of all the potentially exciting memories-to-be, I was MOST looking forward to seeing my boys. Alas, I can only hope that their names are not there because they are unconfirmed and the powers that be at Comic Con have decided it is better to leave them off than to have to severley disappoint and possibly anger fans AT the Con. This does not help the hole in my heart RIGHT NOW though. If I wasn’t so blessedly excited to see the guys from The Big Bang Theory on the programming schedule, I might actually be crying right now. *wipes a single, stray tear*