Monday, April 4, 2011

Wondercon: Why did they have a V panel?

Hoping for the future

I brought this up in my other Blogger site: why did Wondercon decide to not feature Chuck, Smallville's final episodes or Supernatural on Sunday, but have panels on two shows that may not come back?

This is especially puzzling for V. ABC hasn't said if it will return in the fall or early 2012, just in time for the Mayan prophecy to kill us (and if they incorporate that with the Visitors, I'm out).

Despite this, executive producer Scot Rosenbaum was optimistic. Elizabeth Mitchell and Marc Singer were even more so. Singer, who was in the original 80s version, was added in the season finale a few weeks ago as the head of Project Aries, a group organized to fight Anna and her people after she blissed everyone on Earth. He was especially hopeful the show would return. He talked about joining the show as if he was returning to a place he had never been before. His role as the head of Aries isn't like Mike Donovan in the original, but close to it. He especially liked seeing Jane Badler again, even though this was just before Diana, her character, got killed by Anna.

Mitchell was also very excited about the new season because Erica would finally have more battles with the Visitors. Her character still doesn't know her son, Tyler, was killed by an evil clone of Lisa (Anna's daughter). Mitchell admitted she liked being a female protagonist..and that she once wished she could be Han Solo.

Rosenbaum also gave the clearest example of why the Visitors arrived: they want to kill the humans, of course, and take our DNA to spur their evolution. In fact, they've done this in other worlds. However, they've never had our type of DNA, including how to be human. It would have been better if that was revealed at the start of season 2. Maybe the story would have been easier to follow, and there would be stakes people could identify with. Sure, we have the hybrid who is Ryan's kid, but she seems to have embraced her alien side by killing him. That may show her human side won't affect her, but maybe it will when her body matures.

There also wasn't much mention of Morena Baccarin, whose chilling portrayal of Anna was one of the most popular parts of the show. They did mention that Baccarin developed a killer smile, literally, that is an important part of Anna.

The panel did fill the Esplanade, and the crowd was very enthusiastic. Still, it's not certain if that will convince ABC to give the show once more season. Rosenbaum sure had a lot of ideas he'd like to show, like bringing back Badler to show how Anna deposed her. If they did that, would we see the Visitors as they really are, rather than human form? Add the arrival of Project Aries, a Blissed Human Race willing to worship Anna above all, Lisa now stuck in the dungeon, and those major deaths, and you have enough for another year. Thing is, it would even be better if the 5th Column actually accomplished something.

If there is one more season, ABC will probably approve ten more episodes, with the assurance the humans finally make some headway, and win if they have enough time. It would also be competing against another alien invasion show, Falling Skies. That show also got big exposure at Wondercon, and those who went to that panel probably went to the V panel, too. The edge Falling Skies has is Steven Spielberg as executive producer.

Rosenbaum, Singer and Mitchell will soon see if their enthusiasm will be enough to get a third season, and make sure Anna's killer smile/smirk is wiped right off. Personally, I think it's more likely the network will turn its attention to a Christian version of Desperate Housewives rather than a war of the worlds.
If so, I'd like to see Singer and Mitchell in something. They have a lot to contribute as actors, and they should get something if ABC won't let the humans beat the aliens.

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