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Heather and Heather at SDCC 2016 at the SyFy Magicians party.

The last week or so in Southern California, the heat has been scorching, over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, high humidity and relatively uncomfortable outdoors. Which means, it is a great time to catch up on some great television.

It used to be that summer was all “guilty pleasure” tv. In the past, summer had been referred to as the “dumping ground” for television.  It was a time when networks would either air re-runs, or “dump” a show that they felt was something that was a “hard sell” to both audiences and advertisers. However, in the last 5 years or so, with the rise of premium cable and streaming services, and a push by all mediums to produce original content, summer is no longer the barren desert wasteland it once was.

As we head into the week of San Diego Comic Con (July 19-22nd) I have been watching and re-watching some of my favorite shows, here’s a little “tv primer”:

Claws on TNT–  I love this show, Niecy Nash is the brilliant (and wonderfully dramatic) anchor to this wacky, weird and wonderful show about a group of women who run a nail salon while getting entangled in the mafia dealings of Palmetto, Florida.  It is such a great show about strong women struggling to keep their bond of sisterhood stronger than the world of drugs, sex and violence that surrounds (and threatens to drown) them. This show is set in a colorful, off-the-wall world that is sexy, seedy, and unapologetic. The cast is so fun, but Carrie Preston is one of my favorites.

Glow on Netflix– This show just brings me so much joy. I just finished Season 2, it is very binge-able, most episodes are right around 30 minutes. The 80’s music, hair and costumes are so fantastic, and the cast is awesome. The pacing and balance between dramatic and comedic is perfect, and it so wonderfully celebrates female empowerment and sisterhood, and doesn’t shy away from the complexities of female relationships.

The Magicians on SyFy– This show is seriously one of my favorite things being done in the fantasy genre. The ensemble cast is so great, and they get a great roster of guest stars. This last season(season 3) stand-outs were Marlee Matlin and Candis Cayne.

The Good Place on NBC– One of the smartest and snarkiest shows on tv, now is the time to catch up on this amazing series before it comes back for season 3 on NBC this fall. Come for the writing, and stay for the fantastic cast. Ted Danson (just nominated for an Emmy!)  is an “otherworldly” being who has constructed a “perfect” afterlife for humans like Eleanor (Kristen Bell) to dwell in for eternity. However Eleanor (as we see) was not a good person in her life on earth and realizes she has ended up in the Good Place by clerical error. Comedy ensues. This show is a brilliant and hilarious study in ethics, social conforms, and what truly makes us human.

The biggest summer celebration of television (and everything pop-culture) is San Diego Comic Con, with reunions of TV shows past, sneak peeks at upcoming shows, and celebrations of current television. There are giant displays that are replicas of sets and characters for photo ops, immersive role-playing fan experiences, meet-and-greet with cast and crew. It is a tv fan’s paradise (especially a fan of sci-fi, fantasy driven and superhero genres), and I am so excited to be going for a few days next week. There is (as usual) an insane amount of panels and activities to cover in the 4 days, but I’d thought I’d highlight a few TV centric things I’m looking forward to:

  1. Current shows panels– The ultimate reward for a loyal fandom is to bring the cast in for a panel at Comic-Con. Most times these panels include a sneak peek into the next season (often times they have begun shooting it) or a blooper reel from last season and a Q&A w/ the cast. There are so many, it’s impossible to go to them all, but here are some standouts:

Thursday, July 19th– Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Brooklyn Nine-nine, Better Call Saul

Friday, July 20th– The Walking Dead, The Venture Brothers, Archer, Preacher, Bob’s Burgers, Star Trek:Discovery

Saturday, July 21st– Black Lightning, The Good Place, The Orville, The Magicians, The Gifted, Man in High Castle, Family Guy, Arrow and The Flash

Sunday, July 22nd– Supernatural and Riverdale

  1. New Show peeks– SDCC is where studios love to give audiences a first look and gage reaction- this can really build (or kill) momentum for a new series. A few I’m interested in:

Tell Me a Story on CBS All Access– A reimagining of the world’s most beloved fairy tales as dark and twisted psychological thrillers in modern-day New York City. Executive producer Kevin Williamson and stars Paul Wesley and James Wolk.

Castle Rock on Hulu – of J. J. Abrams and Stephen King’s psychological-horror series w/ Sissy Spacek, Melanie Lynskey and Bill Skaarsgard (yep, Pennywise from It). Listen to an interview Heather Brooker did with the assistant director on MIH podcast!

Nightflyers on SyFy- A space-thriller from George R.R. Martin (Game of Thrones in space? Yesssss!

  1. Interactive exhibits– Studios go for broke with displays and exhibits, the visuals are big and bright, and fan-interaction is at a premium.  Every year, these experiences get bigger and better. FX will be doing “FXhibition” featuring Legion, American Horror Story, Mayans M.C. and Archer. We will literally be stepping into The Good Place from NBC, getting caught in the espionage with Jack Ryan for Amazon, go camping with Adult Swim, and visit the town of Castle Rock for Hulu.
  2. Celebrating the off-camera professionals. The world of television lives and breathes with everyone behind the camera. There are panels that cover every aspect of TV production, from pitching your project, locations scouting, costume design, marketing your project. If you have any interest in creating and producing your own content, there are wonderful opportunities to learn and make contacts with working professionals (and experts in their field) at Comic-con.
  3. Parties, celebrities and Meet-ups! The social aspect of Comic-Con is all around, with networks like Warner Brothers and NBC sponsoring parties and cocktail hours, Entertainment Weekly, IMDB and SYFY hosting social soirees that offer up the potential to see (and maybe chat with) celebrities from your favorite shows, or network with professionals and fellow fans.

As a television addict, I am looking forward to spending a few days completely immersed in a giant celebration of on-screen story-telling and fandom. San Diego Comic-Con is one week away, and we are getting super excited for the wonderful wild and wacky trip that is “The Con”.  Follow me on Instagram at @hnharper8 to see what we find!