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Way back in 2002, Joss Whedon and comic book writer Jeph Loeb got together to try to pitch a Buffy: The Vampire Slayer animated series to several Hollywood companies. Obviously, it never materialized, but the four minute clip that was shown to executive has finally been released on youtube. It features the voices of Nicholas Brendon, Anthony Stewart Head, and Alyson Hannigan, but not Sarah Michelle Gellar. Buffy is instead voiced by someone that did her voice for various videogames.

Thoughts? It’s not bad per se, but there doesn’t seem to be anything of interest there. The voices for the most part are okay, except for Alyson, who just doesn’t seem to get her own voice right. Anyways, it’s still better than half the stuff that’s shown on television, and it would have been interesting to see where it went. But ala, we only have this.

So if there is an upside of not being able to go to Comic Con this year, it is that I don’t have to make the tough decision of what panels to attend. There’s just way too many good stuff going on, and I’m only focusing on the television side!

All the television related panels, along with my top five choices behind the cut.

10:00-11:00 Kings: Exclusive Sneak Peek of the Pilot Prologue Screening and Q&A with Cast and Executive Producers— Kings is a contemporary re-imagining of the timeless tale of David and Goliath, an epic story of greed and power, war and romance, forbidden loves and secret alliances, and a young hero who rises to power in a modern-day kingdom. Be the first to see the prologue from the two-hour pilot. Moderated by Greg Grunberg (Heroes), with Q&A with creator/executive producer Michael Green (Heroes), director/executive producer Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend), executive producer Erwin Stoff (I Am Legend), and the cast: Golden Globe winner Ian McShane (Deadwood), Chris Egan (Resident Evil: Extinction), Sebastian Stan (Gossip Girl), Susanna Thompson (Star Trek: Voyager) and Allison Miller (Seventeen Again). Room 6B

10:00-11:30 Comic-Con Film School 101: Preproduction and Screenwriting— For the fifth year in a row, Comic-Con Film School returns with a four-day, hands-on, nuts-and-bolts series of classes on how to make a movie for very little money, using available video technology and desktop postproduction software. Whether you’re shooting your first Zelda fan film or that story about the leather-clad girl who hunts werewolves, this course will take you from script to DVD so that you, too, can enter your own movie into the CCI: IFF. This first class covers the specifics of preproduction on the cheap, including screenwriting, casting, scheduling, location scouting, crewing-up, getting equipment for nothing, and so on. Panelists for the class include Matt Kohnen (NYFA, writer/director of Wasting Away), Valerie Perez (producer/star of Paula Peril—Trapped in the Flames and Tears of the Dragon, a Lara Croft Fan Film), Nick Murphy (director of Tears of the Dragon), Aaron Shoenke (director of Batman Legends and Patient J), and Sean Rourke (writer/director of 1st Person Shooter). Room 26AB

10:30-11:30 Freaks, Geeks, and Tiny Toons— Warner Home Video brings the hit animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures and Freakazoid! to DVD on July 29. This panel features Bruce Timm (storyboard artist, character designer), John McCann (Douglas Douglas, Hero Boy story editor), Paul Rugg (Freakazoid writer), Sherri Stoner (writer, producer, story editor), Paul Dini (writer, story editor), Jean MacCurdy (executive producer), Rich Arons (producer, writer, director) and Andrea Romano (voice director). They’re tiny, they’re toony, they’re all a little loony! Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Tiny Toon Adventures is a Daytime Emmy Award animated series that spawned a whole new generation of madcap Looney Toons characters, including Buster Bunny, Babs Bunny, Plucky Duck, and Hamton J. Pig, among others. Freakazoid! aired for two seasons. Also executive produced by Spielberg, this Daytime Emmy Award–winning series chronicles the adventures of Freakazoid, a manic, insane superhero who battles a vast array of supervillains. Room 6A

11:15-12:15 30th Anniversary Battlestar Galactica Panel— Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek/Apollo), Bear McCreary (BG composer), producer Tom DeSanto (Transformers, X-Men), Dr. Kevin Grazier (science consultant), and surprise guests present an in-depth discussion of the Battlestar universe from the classic to the re-imagined and beyond, including BSG trailers and Q&A. Room 6B

11:30-12:30 Hasbro: GI Joe— As Hasbro ramps up for the summer 2009 blockbuster movie release of GI Joe, Aaron Archer (Hasbro Design), Michael Ritchie (Hasbro Marketing), and Michelino Paolino (Hasbro Design) discuss this year’s product line, entertainment, and other initiatives. Panelists will include special guests that you won’t want to miss, plus Q&A! Room 7AB

11:45-12:45 Knight Rider: First Look at the New Series and Q&A with Cast and Executive Producers— On the heels of NBC’s hit sequel movie based on the iconic 1980s television classic, Knight Rider has been reinvented as a supercharged action series showcasing the new KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand). Be the first to see exclusive footage from the new series. Moderated by Television Week deputy editor/columnist Josef Adalian, who participates in a Q&A session with executive producer/showrunner Gary Scott Thompson (The Fast and The Furious, Las Vegas); executive producer David Bartis (Heist, The OC); and the cast: Justin Bruening (Cold Case), Deanna Russo (NCIS), Sydney Tamiia Poitier (Veronica Mars), Paul Campbell (Battlestar Galactica), Yancey Arias (Kingpin), Bruce Davison (X-Men) and Smith Cho (Blades of Glory). Room 6A

12:00-1:00 Doctor Who— Writer Russell T Davies (Doctor Who), executive producer Julie Gardner (Torchwood), and writer Steven Moffat (Doctor Who) discuss their creative process and experience working on the BBC’s Doctor Who—Britain’s most successful sci-fi franchise—with exclusive clips and a Q&A session. Ballroom 20

12:30-1:30 William Katt: Greatest American Hero Comic— Join Alex, Justin, and Pete from Pulp Secret for one of the biggest announcements at this year’s Comic-Con, an event that’s been 25 years in the making. Catastrophic Comics’ William Katt (Greatest American Hero), Christopher Folino (Gamers), and Derek McCaw (Fanboy Planet) along with Arcana Studios’ Sean O’Reilly (The Clockwork Girl) are on hand for an interview and Q&A. Room 7AB

1:00-2:00 Torchwood— Writer Russell T Davies (Doctor Who), executive producer Julie Gardner (Torchwood), writer Steven Moffat (Doctor Who), and actors John Barrowman, Gareth David-Lloyd, Naoko Mori and Burn Gorman discuss their creative process and experience on working on BBC America’s highest-rated show ever—Torchwood— followed by a Q&A session. Ballroom 20

2:00-3:00 The Middleman— Creator and executive producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost) and The Middleman actors Matt Keeslar (Dune) and Natalie Morales (CSI: Miami) discuss the bizarre world of The Middleman. Based on the graphic novels by Javier Grillo-Marxuach, The Middleman follows the surreal life of twenty-something Wendy Watson as she gets recruited by a top secret agency to fight comic book-esque criminals under the guidance of her straight-laced boss, The Middleman.Room 5AB

3:00-4:00 Wizard’s First Rule— A first look at the upcoming action-adventure series Wizard’s First Rule with book author Terry Goodkind and show executive producers Robert Tapert (Xena: Warrior Princess), Kenneth Biller (Star Trek: Voyager) and Sam Raimi (Spider-Man). The one-hour weekly television show premiering late fall is inspired by Terry Goodkind’s bestselling epic fantasy series: The Sword of Truth. The story follows the journey of Richard Cypher, a simple woodsman, as he discovers the magical powers he holds within. With the help of a mysterious woman and a powerful wizard, he must use his newfound abilities to stop a ruthless tyrant from unleashing an ancient evil and enslaving the world. Join Terry, Rob, Ken and Sam for a moderated interview and audience Q&A session! Room 6B

4:00-5:00 TV Costume Designers— Characters created by writers and comic book illustrators are made real for the screen via the artistry of costume designers. Meet the women and men who are the costume designers on this year’s most popular television productions. Panel moderator Jacqueline Saint Anne (Quantum Leap), past president of the Costume Designers Guild, Local 892, hosts costume designers Shawna Trpcic (Firefly), Roland Sanchez (Lost), Amanda Friedland (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), and Cynthia Bergstrom (Buffy, The Vampire Slayer). Room 4

4:15-5:15 Afro Samurai: Resurrection Exclusive Worldwide Premiere!— Afro Samurai picks up his sword once again for the second installment of this critically acclaimed, funktastic anime! This action-packed panel features the creators behind the hit, including star and executive producer Samuel L. Jackson (The Spirit), original creator Takashi Okazaki, musical artist The RZA (Kill Bill), and executive producer Leo Chu (Spike TV). Be the first to see the worldwide premiere of the exclusive Comic-Con trailer, dazzling artwork from the manga, and never-before-seen demos of the pulse-pounding video game. Room 6B

4:30-5:30 HBO’s True Blood— Based on the popular Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris, True Blood is created by Alan Ball, creator of HBO’s Emmy-winning series Six Feet Under. The series takes place in the not-too-distant future, when, thanks to the invention of synthetic blood, vampires no longer need humans for their fix and can walk freely, if not yet comfortably, among their living counterparts. With their integration into a small Louisiana town causing a stir, a love story ensues between Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, the X-Men films; Academy Award winner for The Piano), an innocent waitress with the unusual ability to read minds, and vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer, The Starter Wife). The series also features Ryan Kwanten (Summerland), Rutina Wesley (How She Move), Sam Trammell (Judging Amy), and Nelsan Ellis (The Inside). True Blood debuts September 7 exclusively on HBO. Room 6CDEF

4:45-5:45 “SCREAM” Like a Girl— Spike loves women. And the coolest women on the planet are the ones who destroy aliens, defeat serial killers and battle evil villains with their superpowers! In honor of Spike’s ScreamAwards 2008—the first and most important televised event that celebrates the genius creative talent behind the powerhouse Hollywood genres of comic books, science fiction, fantasy and horror—Spike brings you a candid discussion of these genres from the women they love, who are poised to rule the fanboy’s universe! Moderator Kevin Smith (Clerks), the brilliant writer, director, and comic book genius hosts an all-female panel of actresses, artists, writers, directors, and producers, including Gale Ann Hurd (Terminator, Terminator 2), Lucy Lawless (Xena, Battlestar Galactica), Jaime King (The Spirit, Sin City), and Pia Guerra (Y: The Last Man), in a discussion about working in these genres from their unique point of view. Twenty lucky panel attendees will win tickets to the 2008 Scream Awards. Ballroom 20

5:45-6:45 Showtime: Dexter— Showtime presents exclusives from the set of the highly anticipated third season of Dexter. Moderator Kristin Dos Santos (E!) presides over this revealing interview and Q&A session with the top stars and executive producers of Dexter, featuring Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Clyde Phillips, and John Goldwyn, plus a special guest! Room 6CDEF

6:00-7:00 Life, Death, Life of Star Trek— You’ve heard a lot of hype about sci-fi’s first franchise lately, now it’s time to see what it’s all about and celebrate an illustrious 40 years of boldly going with this regular panel of unpaid, uncensored Treksperts, who pay homage to Trek’s past and future with some special surprises and exclusive audio-visual treats you’ll only see here. Daren Dochterman (ST: TMP Director’s Cut Special Edition), Robert Meyer Burnett (Free Enterprise), Jeff Bond (The Music of Star Trek), and moderator Mark A. Altman (Free Enterprise) talk Trek like no one else can…or will. Room 2

6:45-7:45 Robotech Industry Panel— Tommy Yune, director of Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles, covers the history of the animated series that introduced a generation to anime and discusses upcoming new releases in the wake of the announcement of the live-action feature film. Room 6B

7:00-9:00 Comedy Central TV Funhouse with Robert Smigel— Creators Robert Smigel (Saturday Night Live) and Dino Stamatopoulos (Morel Orel) and producer Tommy Blacha (Metalocalypse) reunite to discuss and show highlights from the most groundbreaking show to ever hit (and subsequently disappear) from basic cable. Join the guys (along with the Anipals and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog) to relive the glory of the best show you barely remember in conjunction with the long anticipated release of the series on DVD. Room 6CDEF

Like I said, top choices ahead for anyone going there. It’s like Sophie’s Choice but for nerds. My own, in no particular order:

Freaks, Geeks, and Tiny Toons— You got Paul Dini and Bruce Timm discussing Freakazoid. Come on! What else do you need?

Hasbro: GI Joe- Some will argue that this belongs in movie, but the only GI Joe I know is from the cartoon, so I’m curious how this comes out.

HBO’sTrue Blood— I’m a fan of vampire in popular fiction, and while I have never read the books this series is going to be based on, the marketing so far intrigues me.

Wizard’s First Rule— Sam Raimi is an executive produce on this. One can only hope that this means we’ll have the fun and campiness of the early seaons of Hercules and Xena. Insert dancing and emo haircut jokes here.

Robotech Industry Panel— While Robotech might not have been the first anime I ever saw on TV, it still remains on of my favorites. I been hearing of a new movie for forever it seems, so maybe this will shed some light on their plans.

Keep in mind, those are just the television related panels. If I was there, I dont’ even know if I could attend any of these, as there are tons of others that I’m interest in.

Starring Neil Patrick Harris of How I met your Mother and Doogie Houser fame, Dr. Horrible’s sing along is chiefly written by Joss Whedon . Whedon  & Co conceived the idea during the great writers strike of 2008. He recruited NPH who sang previously on Broadway before his return to television in the underrated How I Met Your Mother.  Joss Whedon also recruited past Whedonverse alum of Buffy and Firefly Flame–Nathan Fillion to star as the superhero. Today is the premiere of ACT 1.  One does not need to hope or worry about its awesomeness as it is sure to please if you are a fan of either of those previously mentioned. Check it out on your I-tunes as you won’t regret it. The season pass is $3.99 but a solitary episode is $1.99. I suggest getting the season pass for obvious reasons.

http://drhorrible.com/act_I.html

Matthew [ 8.5/10 ]

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was one of my favorite shows on television. Really all three of us are Buffy freaks in our own way. I own the lunch box among other things, Nicholas collects the “action figures” and Bunnyfear, well her name says it all if you know much about the Buffyverse at all. Oh! Anyone keeping up with season 8 in comic form? Guilty. It is the perfect storyline to follow up buffy season 7. The eighth episode of season four, “Pangs”, brought back all kinds of great feelings and a longing for something fun and addictive on television like Buffy was. *Sigh* Okay I’m over it. This particular episode had for some reason completely slipped my mind with it’s cheesy special effects and just as cheesy “monster of the week” the revengeful spirit Indian. But with Buffy preparing for the Scooby gangs first Thanksgiving, despite the new chaos in Sunnydale and Xander coming down with the all kinds of diseases (Go syphilis!) there were plenty of laughs. The best scene of all was when Buffy and Giles decided they needed help and we cut to Xander, Anya, and Willow riding bicycles rushing to the scene complete with triumphant 80’s music. This could have saved the entire episode for me. Season four is notorious for an overall poor season but with a few outstanding episodes that became the best of the entire series. This forgettable episode was unfortunately not one of them. Other highlights included (microchip) Spike’s appearance as well as Angel’s, fresh from his own series for what I think was the first of those badass crossovers. How could anyone hate it? If you’re a fan of the show, this is definitely worth the rerun, but if you’ve never seen Buffy at all this definitely wouldn’t lend you any interest in the amazing phenomenon. Sadly it gets a low Buffy score of 8.5 out of 10.

Nicholas [ 9.5/10 ]

Finally, we get to officially review a Buffy The Vampire Slayer episode. Just so everyone knows, we at TGGB are huge buffy fan(atic)s, and though it’s been off the air several years now, we will use any excuse to post about the buffy cast or anything buffy related.

This thanksgiving I give thanks for my family, and for this Buffy thanksgiving episode called “Pangs” from season 4 in which “Little Orphan” Spike watches a family of vamps feast on an innocent through the window, and Xander catches Mystic Syphilis…lol.

Pangs was about making a difference, and I believe it is the perfect thanksgiving special for the simple fact the scooby gangs thanksgiving feast was nearly ruined by a Chumash Indian Siege on Giles’ Home front.

The story was well weaved, the jokes were right on…["You made a bear!! undo it, undo it!" -Spike]…and did Anya compare thanksgiving to a sacrificial ritual? ["...you kill and eat an animal to remember a past event"] Yep, she did.

Though Pangs is not one of the most memorable of the buffy episodes, it definitely had a lot of laughs and a great ending with Xander accidentally telling Buffy that Angel was shadowing her. I think I may have found a new thanksgiving tradition.

Bunnyfear [ 9.9/10 ]

My love for Buffy the Vampire Slayer is like whoa. I’d love to write a book describing each scene, each character, each prop, each facial expression used in the show and describe why I loved everything about the show but no one needs a 4,000 page Buffy Book (except me) so I’m left with naming various pets, myself, my websites (including coming projects such as a buffy episode guide), and possibly my future child after something Buffy related. Despite those revelations I am going to shock you by saying I love this episode. This episode is one of my favorites. I will always remember it for the logical quote of….

“Spike: You won. All right? You came in and you killed them and you took their land. That’s what conquering nations do. It’s what Caesar did, and he’s not going around saying, “I came, I conquered, I felt really bad about it.” The history of the world isn’t people making friends. You had better weapons, and you massacred them. End of story”

The fun thing about this episode is like Matthew said season four was a bit….shaky. Okay its the worst of all the seasons but this is one of the standouts of the season. Sure the random Angel showing up probably felt like a cheap stunt at the time but Buffy never sees him and the look on everyone’s faces at the end as Xander reveals his hidden presence is priceless. So overview of the episode is basically Buffy (who as you may know is a vampire slayer) has to slay Pangs and other Native American spirits who have arose as the result of their mission being unearthed. There is lots of debate about whether to slay them or try to find a way to give them peace. Angel shows up to help due to a vision Doyle received about Buffy. Angel wants to keep his presence hidden because of how they left things the last time they saw each other. So we have humor with Angel showing up and people thinking he’s evil. We have fun shadowing of Buffy. We have just a funny episode. This episode didn’t add to the arch of Season Four but it was a welcome funny relief from all that was annoyingly Adam so I thank Pangs many times over for that. So this episode deserves a 9.9/10 because it was a great episode in the middle of a not so good season, because of the wonderful lyric it contributed later on to OMWF, because of the laughter in this episode, and the true debate stated by the characters. *sigh* It’s just good stuff. Additionally I have to respectfully disagree with my esteemed colleages Matthew and Nicholas with their insane proclamation that this episode was forgettable. If anyone doubts that then ask any Buffy fan about Pangs. They’ll know who and what you’re talking about and will probably be able to point out their 5 favorite things about the episode. mine 1) bicycle ride 2) I’m not evil 3) previously mentioned spike quote 4) previously mentioned disease 5) cowboy hat. If you are or aren’t a fan then you should take the time to watch this episode because it (and all that is Buffy) is awesome.

27.9/30. Call me crazy but I think those people at TGGB really like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and you should too. Go, watch , love!