The Company of Teen Wolves

Tyler Posey and writer/creator Jeff Davis at their NYCC Panel.

Earlier today I detailed how an eleventh hour attempt to salvage New York Comic Con worked out wonderfully. And, while I was very excited by all of my encounters and experiences there is no denying that the one I was most excited about was “Teen Wolf” star Tyler Posey. While I will admit Posey’s character Scott McCall has never been my favorite – he and his girl friend Allison played by Crystal Reed are usually tied for fifth place in my heart. I do admit, his actions in the season finale with the mountain ash were pretty awesome. Anyway, when I heard the news that Tyler was going to be at NYCC I was very excited. Essentially, I went to meet him and Jeff Davis, and everyone else was an added bonus. After the departures of the people I mentioned in the earlier post, It had been very quiet and a long time since anyone had left when we finally spotted Tyler. Around 7 he walked out with a small entourage. In that entourage was a woman who was taking photos of him, which he effortlessly posed for. I wonder if JLo taught him to pose in between takes on the “Maid in Manhattan” set.

Tyler Posey and I… I should have had his photographer take it, because the person who did took it blurry. But, I think we still look rather dashing.

June and I called Tyler over and he literally came running, with a big smile on his face. He gave me a high five and June a big hug and told us “I’m glad you called me, I was just about to leave.” Normally this is where I would detail all of the news or gossip I got out of him. About the direction of the third season of “Teen Wolf” or some tidbit about his trip to Vegas with newly 21 friend Dylan O’Brien. But I don’t know if it was because I was so cold or just struck by Posey’s energy but I literally sputtered nothing more than “I love the show”. I think I asked if he enjoyed NYCC and he was said “yeah, it was a total blast.” But, my conversational skills were dead. I would probably have written the whole thing off as a less than great encounter if not for one thing. When Tyler and I went to take our photo, we put our arms around each other as people do in photos. And, before he looked at the camera, he looked at me. So I looked back and we made eye contact for a few seconds while he asked “how are you man?” I know it sounds so stupid, and kind of Taylor Swift like for me to say this. But, I felt like we had a moment. It made me feel like we had really met, he saw me, I saw him. It was awesome. After taking photos he walked back over to his car, saying good bye and thanking us for watching the show. June and I are unsure if Jeff Davis was with Tyler or not, but I am sad I didn’t get to see him. I wanted to tell him that I have the utmost faith he will handle the departure of Colton Haynes wonderfully and how much I enjoy the show. But, hopefully he and I will meet sometime in the future.

Tyler and I tweeted each other about our meeting on Monday morning. Watch out Stiles, Scott McCall has a new best bro.

A few months ago, my friend Sara and I discussed Tyler and his role on “Teen Wolf”. Mostly how the show runners must have really loved him to cast him despite the huge tattoo on his torso. After meeting him I totally get it. Tyler has a warmth and a charm that doesn’t always come through in his role as Scott. While I don’t know if this encounter will change my disposition towards Scott, I can say that it has made me a huge fan of Tyler.

Teen Wolf Panel Part One
Here is MTV’s Coverage of the “Teen Wolf” panel at NYCC. I was very excited about what they discussed, I love the idea of Allison’s redemption story and the blooming bromance between Issac and Scott. However, the internet has not had the meltdown I was anticipating at the mention that Derek Hale aka Tyler Hoechlin has yet to sign a contract. I am very upset about the loss of Colton, but I seriously cannot fathom Beacon Hills without it’s Sourwolf Alpha. There’s no Sterek without Derek, y’all.

The Big Con

New York may be the epicenter of many things – fashion, cuisine, culture. However, there are a few things that New York doesn’t have the lock on and one of those things is geekdom. San Diego’s annual Comic Con has the New York offshoot beat, and there’s no way to deny that. This year after the San Diego extravaganza wrapped up I looked into getting passes for the New York event. However, nothing had been announced and then when the schedule was finally released, the event was almost totally sold out. In recent years NYCC has been gaining traction and catching up with SDCC. And, this year was no different. Over the weekend, they debuted the trailer for the “Carrie” remake and announced Marvel’s “Avengers” universe set television series “S.H.I.E.L.D.” This was on top of panels for “Carrie”, “666 Park Avenue”, “The Walking Dead” and “Arrow”. I actually passed up the chance to attend the “Arrow” panel even though passes were available. Because $40 is a lot to spend on a one hour event, even if it does involve Stephen Amell. But, when a week before showtime MTV and NYCC added a “Teen Wolf” panel I knew I had to devise a plan.

Day 1 was full of excitement with Jane Levy, Paul Scheer and Chloe Grace Moretz.

MTV had announced show creator Jeff Davis and the titular teen wolf himself Tyler Posey would be there to unveil some DVD features, chat season three and give a full briefing on Colton-gate. I knew that someone would of course videotape the panel and upload it for me to see. But, I was sad I wasn’t going to be there to ask my own questions or see Jeff and Tyler in person. So I decided to take a shot and look around the convention center for any signs of the “Teen Wolf” duo. My first lap was completely fruitless, but on my second lap I thought I had figured out the situation. And a few minutes later, Julianne Moore and Chloe Grace Moretz confirmed my suspicions when they walked out together from their “Carrie” panel. While Julianne Moore was in a rush, I got to speak to Chloe Grace. And, we chatted about the new “Carrie”, how much she enjoyed NYCC and her amazing outfit. Aside from being insanely talented at the age of 15, she is also amazingly stylish.

Day 2 didn’t bring what I expected, but I did get to see some of the cast of ABC’s “666 Park Avenue”.

Together June and I spotted several people departing the convention. Agent Coulson himself Clark Gregg, Carrie Fischer, and Christopher Lloyd all left within minutes of each other. We then spotted Jane Levy from “Suburgatory” who was there to discuss her new horror epic “the Evil Dead”. As a big fan of her show, I spilled how excited I was about the show’s return and raved about the amazing comedic dynamic between her and Jeremy Sisto. I also got to meet Paul Scheer, who I know from many projects. Most recently, his role as Avi on my new favorite show “Happy Endings”. All of this excitement inspired me to take a return trip on Sunday. I hoped to see Stephen Amell and the cast of “Arrow”. However, that didn’t work out as planned. Luckily, the cast of “666 Park Avenue” acted as a consolation prize. I’ve been enjoying ABC’s supernatural drama and made sure to let Terry O’Quinn, Dave Annable and Robert Buckley know that.

I have to say. considering this was an eleventh hour act of desperation I think my NYCC experience was pretty great. That being said, I think next year I will probably just buy passes when they go on sale and hope that next year is even better and we gain on San Diego even more. I mean, this is New York and just like our Fashion Week has come to rival Paris and Milan. Our Comic Con will come to be the best in the land. Sorry San Diego, you’ll still have In N Out burger which we’ll probably never get. Oh… and in case you’re wondering… I did get to meet Tyler Posey. Which will be detailed in a later post.

Rad Max

With Halloween just a mere few weeks away, and my annual costume party coming up fast I have been busy at work preparing. I recently undertook a little DIY job, painting my living room to make sure it is in perfect shape for entertaining. However, as much work as there is to be done. When I had the opportunity to see one of my favorite stars I stepped off the step ladder and made it happen. My major crush on Max Greenfield was chronicled here a few months back. I actually have started watching “New Girl” after several people insisted. Even after a few episodes, my dislike of Zoey still stands. Even if you’ve never seen an episode of ” New Girl”, if you’ve seen Max in anything you know he is super charismatic and charming. Plus, he wrote one of the best issues of GOOP Blog ever. When I saw Max, after his appearance on “The Late Show with David Letterman”, I was eager to chat GOOP.

After his issue was published, both he and Gwyneth expressed their mutual adoration for each other. But, went on to reveal they’ve actually never met. How tragic. When I told Max that I loved his issue and it was one of my favorites, he laughed as if I might be mocking him. To express my dire seriousness about his contribution to what I consider to be the third testament of the Bible I went into detail. I explained how I found his claims that life was not about turkey ragu and high neck Rag and Bone sweaters to be troubling. But, the sentiment that life is actually about sharing what you love with those you care about and how that’s what GOOP does, was perfectly put. I guess this must have impressed Max, because with a big smile flashed across his face he said “I’m actually trying to do another one.” I for one would love to see what else Max has to share with us GOOP subscribers. I then had to ask if Max had ever gotten the chance to meet GP. (I actually referred to Gwyneth as GP to Max Greenfield which Lauren the Professional Fangirl pointed out to me.) Max informed he has not, even though they have been in the same place at events like “Stand Up to Cancer”. I like the idea of Max and Gwyneth becoming friends, because it gives me hope that I too could become friends with her. I mean her previous besties like Madonna and Wynonna Ryder are so A list it left me little hope. But, I could totes see Max, Gwynnie and I sitting around eating turkey ragu in matching Rag and Bone high neck sweaters, writing an issue of GOOP together.

The Man in Green

At this point in the season, most of the new fall shows have premiered. Both “the Mindy Project” and “Elementary” which I listed as shows I was anticipating have debuted to good ratings, great reviews and are on target for a full season order. This week, the final show on my list “Arrow” will make it’s debut. The CW series based on the DC comic hero the Green Arrow airs this Wednesday at 8 PM. I saw the show’s trailer hours after the network’s Upfront presentation where I got the chance to discuss the series with it’s star Stephen Amell. Since then the show has become one of the most buzzed about and anticipated new shows of the season. And Amell has gone from “Hung” background character to breakout star. The series, Amell and by extension his abs have been featured in every magazine’s TV preview and splashed across billboards, buses and everywhere in between. But, in my experience buzz and hype don’t always translate to greatness. So when I was invited to a screening of the CW’s new pilots at the Paley Center NY I was very excited.

Stephen Amell and I all smiles at the CW’s Upfront.

After seeing the pilot for “Arrow” I feel very validated in my excitement over it. Billionaire playboy Oliver Queen is found after being shipwrecked for five years. He returns home a new man, armed with a list of criminals his late father had worked with. His family, overjoyed by his safe return attempts to help him assimilate back into his old life. During a tour of the city with his best friend Tommy Merlyn played by Colin Donnell, Oliver is kidnapped. But by using his island honed combat and survival skills he fights them off and sets to work cleaning up the city. The pilot is action packed and beautifully shot. It looks as expensive as a blockbuster film and the action scenes are top notch. While the promo materials may lead you to believe, Amell is just a set of abs and biceps he is fantastic in both sides of his role. Every bit the super hero, he nails the action and bad ass attitude necessary to play a justice seeking vigilante. But, his character Ollie keeps his billionaire bonehead public persona, and Amell is delightful to watch in that part as well.

Amell with his co-star Katie Cassidy who is fantastic in her role as Dinah Lance.

Aside from the Amell and Donnell, the cast is rounded out by Willa Holland and Kate Cassidy. Cassidy is at this point CW Royalty, having appeared on “Gossip Girl”, “Melrose Place” and “Supernatural”. She is at her best as Dinah Lance, getting to be strong, sassy but still likable. Her roles on “GG” and Melrose” lacked likability to say the least. I also enjoyed how the show made good use of flashbacks, showing us how the time on the island shaped the person Ollie became. Now, while I enjoyed the pilot, I do feel compelled to admit it wasn’t perfect. It was home to the largest amount of common pilot issues out of any new show I watched this season. The pilot housed a lot of awkward dialogue and actors not quite comfortable in their new roles. I feel like these flaws are pretty easy to fix, and should dissipate as the cast gets more time in their roles.

I am excited to see what comes in the next few episodes, especially since the show runners have already started to make use of lot’s of Green Arrow characters. With Kelly Hu popping up as China White in episode two, and Jessica De Gouw as Huntress showing up soon after. And, that’s all on top of John Borrowman who has been cast in a mysterious role that little is known about. I hope that he is playing Bruce Wayne, because that would be awesome. But, regardless of who he pops up as I think that this “Arrow” is headed in a great direction and should be a total bulls-eye.

Upper East Side Story

New York Magazine’s cover proclaiming “GG” as the Best Show Ever.

In this day and age, it has become a commonplace to watch a television show in big blocks thanks to DVD, Netflix, Hulu, etc. But, ever the trend setter I love TV so much that I have been doing it for years. I remember in 2006 as a young college freshman I discovered “Sex and the City”, watching six seasons of Carrie’s life in a matter of weeks. I loved the show, it’s depiction of friendship and the way it featured New York City. By the time I discovered the series a lot of the girl’s hotspots had closed, New York had changed a lot since 1998. While I did get out to places like Sea and Magnolia Bakery it wasn’t the same. But, then a few years later a little show called “Gossip Girl” premiered and brought with it it’s own set of NYC hot spots. The show featured places like the Palace Hotel, Sant Ambroeus and the MET Steps. New York Magazine dubbed the series “the most restauranty show since Sex and the City.” The Magazine also dubbed the show the best show of all time. So when the CW announced it would be renewing the series for one final ten episode season I was kind of sad. While it was never a ratings juggernaut, attracting around three million viewers at it’s peak the show has had a huge effect on New York City, fashion, pop culture, television and even yours truly.

Spotted on the Steps of the MET, Queen B and the other Queen B in a classic power struggle during a season one filming.

“Gossip Girl” premiered in the Fall of 2007. And, while I heard a lot about it and knew it was something that would pique my interest I didn’t turn in from the start. A few months later, as the Writer’s Strike raged on leaving me with no new TV I turned to iTunes and discovered the series. After I exhausted the episode supply, I posted on Facebook about the show and wound up discussing it with friends who were also obsessed. Our mutual love of “Gossip Girl” brought me closer than ever with my friends MaryAnn and Tina. Before long, we were combing the UES for bow ties and headbands and drinking Sant Ambroeus lattes on the steps of the MET. MaryAnn is a born and bred Upper East Sider and showed me the ropes of uptown. Before “Gossip Girl”, I assumed Manhattan ended at 60th street. But, now I have come to think of the UES as one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city. While “Gossip Girl” is not the only reason I am friends with MaryAnn and Tina, it is the reason I met my good friend Kimberly. She and I met on the set of the series when they shot a season one episode outside the New York Palace Hotel. Overtime, she and I have become great friends and in a way I owe that friendship to the show.

While the storyline between them has been good and bad, Queen B and Chuck always look good.

Now aside from introducing me to new people, the show also introduced me to a new world of fashion. I wrote on this blog once before “GG” I avoided too much color in my wardrobe and played it really safe in terms of style. And, for a while I played it safe shopping for looks I saw on the show. But, over time I have developed my own style and am now able to shop for myself without the help of Chuck Bass or Eric Daman. Still the show has inspired me and many others to add bow ties, crested blazers, bright colored outerwear, prep school ties and several other trends to our wardrobes. Any question about the effects “Gossip Girl” had on fashion and style, can be answered by looking at the landscape of the last few years. Prep school pieces, headbands, colorful leggings, bow ties, Top-Siders all exploded after they were worn on the show. And brands like J. Press and Henri Bendel credit the show and it’s costume designer Eric Daman for causing a business boom.

The ultimate OMFG moment in “Gossip Girl’s” six seasons.

Now, aside from being a lightening rod for New York and fashion. “Gossip Girl” has been above all a very entertaining show. There is no way to deny that it has had some terrific moments. Like Blair getting married, Serena’s murderous confession and Chuck finally saying those three little words. In fact, I count Serena confessing to killing a man as one of the greatest TV moments of all time. I remember watching it with my friends and all of us screaming and standing up when she dropped the bomb. To me, that episode is the best of the series. And, while the show has had it’s ups and downs it has helped shaped the TV landscape. It paved the way for “Pretty Little Liars” where friends receive anonymous texts from the mysterious ‘A’ and “Revenge” where a woman extracts her vengeance on the Hamptons elite. So as we stand here, with the final season’s premiere just hours away I hope that these last ten episodes are full of amazing OMFG moments like only Gossip Girl can deliver. So let’s gather round, Upper East Siders. Don your best headband, dust off your silk scarf and pour yourself a glass of Dom and let us toast to “Gossip Girl” one final time. You know you love her. XOXO.

Don’t Give Up The Ship

Over this past summer, I finally gave in and sat down to watch MTV’s “Teen Wolf” and I came away from it with a few observations. They will use any reason regardless of how flimsy, to get the guys out of their clothes. Colton Haynes plays an asshole better than anyone else on MTV. And finally, the actors who play Derek and Stiles – Tyler Hoechlin and Dylan O’Brien have amazing on-screen chemistry.

A few weeks ago I wrote about my education in regards to Sterek (their official couple name), shipping and the like. Well after I posted that blog, a friend contacted me to let me know that AfterElton was running a poll regarding the most popular unofficial gay couples in media. There were some from movies like Captain America and Iron Man, a few from literature like Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy and of course television meaning Sterek was accounted for. While I did vote a few times, I was very devil may care about the whole situation. That was, until Derek and Stiles won the poll last night by several THOUSAND votes. Now in my previous entry I had mentioned that “Teen Wolf” show-runner Jeff Davis has expressed that he knows all about Sterek. He has even gone as far as to say he would consider making it a storyline if enough people were on board.

Now, I don’t want to be one of those psychos who thinks this is the straw that broke the werewolf’s back and Sterek is officially on. There are enough of those people on Tumblr. However, I do have to admit I think it’s pretty impressive that this pairing from an MTV show that brings in a few million viewers a week defeated 31 other couples. Some of whom are much more established. I do have to say though, if Jeff Davis was entertaining the idea beforehand that this should inspire him to take a much more serious look at the whole thing. Even if every fan is not on board, enough dedicated people must be. Otherwise it wouldn’t have won this poll. Regardless of what happens I am excited to see what is coming up for us in the third season of “Teen Wolf”. I recently saw Colton Haynes and Holland Roden at New York Fashion Week, but neither of them had any secrets to spill. I guess we will see what is in store for Stiles, Derek and everyone else in Beacon Hills when “Teen Wolf” returns next year. Until then… Congratulations to my fellow Sterek shippers, you big stone-cold pack of weirdos.

Out of Office

After spending my summer with teen wolves and oil barons, the fall TV season is finally upon us. So far, we have had a few great debuts. Are you loving “The New Normal” as much as I am? What about “Revolution”? The black-out sci-fi drama even has my dad hooked. And, he hasn’t watched a network show on purpose since “Charles in Charge”. While I am currently enjoying the freshman series both on NBC, the other networks are finally launching and that means that the shows I have been anticipating are FINALLY coming. Back in May after the Upfronts, I listed “Arrow”, “Elementary” and “The Mindy Project” as the shows I was most excited about. I did a little bit of hustling and was able to see all three shows before their launch. I have to say, I feel very confident about my picks after seeing their pilots. All three lived up to the hype and appear to have a lot of potential.

Mindy has a very “Grey’s Anatomy” meet-cute in the pilot episode.

The first to launch is “the Mindy Project”. When I mentioned it back in May, I wrote that I enjoyed how the trailer made the show look layered. It’s a medical show, a coming of age story, etc. But, some other sites and blogs mentioned that the trailer was a mess and kind of all over the place. After watching the pilot – which has a nice organic flow, I have to say those critics did have a point. The trailer WAS all over the place and made the show look scattered. So if you were concerned about that, fear not. Aside from that post show realization, I also came out of it loving Mindy even more. I mean, sure she was great on “the Office” and her book was very well received. But, whenever a member of an ensemble steps out on their own you worry that it may not work. Sure you love the person in small doses, but for every Valerie Harper there’s a Michael Richards. Well Mindy is very much the former, I found myself rooting for her in all arenas. It’s also worth mentioning that the supporting cast is just amazing. The fabulous Anna Camp is Mindy’s bestie who is married with kids. And, at the hospital Mindy is flanked by Ed Weeks as the sexy charming British bad boy and Chris Messina as the slightly less charming good guy.

Mindy and I after I was done complimenting and wishing her will with this new show.

I am interested to see how the reaction is when the show debuts tomorrow, but I thought it was just fabulous. Feelings I made clear to Mindy Kailing when I saw her recently. She was out talking up the show’s debut, and it was clear she was very excited and very flattered about the excitement surrounding the series. When I told her that I found it to be fabulous and that I couldn’t wait for the next episode she got a big smile and told me I was so sweet. A little while after she and I crossed paths, Mindy told Ryan Seacrest that she thought her character on the show was relatable because she has “a lot of flaws”. Luckily for Mindy, and for us the viewers the show does not and Mindy herself is flawless in it.

Be sure to check out the Mindy Project tomorrow night – Tuesday at 9/8c on Fox.

Bullseye!

 

Back in May, when the CW held their upfront presentation and released video promos for their new shows I was excited about “Arrow” at first look. Based on the DC comic book hero the Green Hero it shows a lot of promise and if it is as good as it looks I think could become the CW’s biggest show. I told Stephen Amell who will be stepping into the role of Olive Queen about my excitement when I met him. When he asked if I had seen the promo I responded “yeah, it has everything – mystery, action and gratuitous shirtless workout scenes”. Apparently that really was just a preview of what was to come. The CW released a new promo poster for the show and it finds Stephen in a familiar state. Armed with just his bow and arrow, it features Oliver Queen unmasked and undressed. While I think the promo is great, and it is undeniable that Stephen looks amazing – scars and all. I do hope that the CW and the show runners understand that too much of a good thing can be bad. While Stephen and his good looks are definitely not a bad thing, it would have been great to get a better look at the Arrow’s costume. Plus eye candy aside, I am interested in the show as a fan of the comic book and hope that they do the character justice. Early buzz on the show and it’s pilot makes me think that they’re on target. John Borrowman recently joined the cast as a well-to-do man in Oliver’s life. That casting comes on the heels of Kelly Hu as China White. Arrow debuts on the CW on October 10th, and I think if you weren’t already interesting this new promo will sell you on the show.

Catch Me If You Canon

Who would’ve guessed an MTV guilty pleasure would become my summer obsession?

As the summer winds down and I look back at the last three sun soaked months there are a few things that happened right as planned, some that went slightly awry and others that I was totally wrong about. At the beginning of the summer, I raved about TNT’s “Dallas” reboot and proclaimed it my summer show. But, then something weird happened. While I still love “Dallas” and am reeling from the Finale shocker, another show eclipsed it in the race for my heart. After meeting Holland Roden and Colton Haynes from Teen Wolf when they rang the Nasdaq Bell I decided to give their show another shot. I watched the premiere and second episode after the MTV Movie Awards last year, but it did nothing for me. However, after they were so nice, so genuine and so passionate about their show I figured what’s the harm. Well the harm was that I became completely obsessed. I burned through the 12 episodes from season one in a matter of hours. Then I caught up on the season two episodes and then watched religiously every Monday.

The show is actually good, it’s not just summer TV good. Some people I know who watch a lot of supernatural themed TV shows claim it’s easily better than “Vampire Diaries” the CW’s biggest hit but I can’t comment on that as I’ve never seen it. Based on the Michael J. Fox film of the same name, the story centers on Scott McCall. A b-string lacrosse player and all around loser, until he gets bit by a werewolf and becomes a sports superstar. He has a girlfriend named Allison who’s family hunts werewolves, a best friend played by the delightful Dylan O’Brien and an anti-hero and occasional nemesis in Derek Hale. And, while the drama surrounding them and their classmates at school is awesome I would be lying if I said it was the only reason I watched. When I started my Netflix binge I read up and saw a lot of articles discussing the show’s proficiency for partial male nudity. I figured well that’s the gayest thing about this show. But, it turns out it’s not.

This scene right here made me realize their chemistry. It wasn’t until cast member Colton Haynes tweeted something about Sterek that I realized other people had this crazy idea.

Around episode 4, Dylan O’Brien’s character Stiles and Tyler Hoechlin’s Derek spend almost the entire episode together. Derek is injured and needs help which Stiles involuntarily gets stuck providing. At some point in the episode, the mix of Derek’s nastiness and Stiles’ snark created this amazing on-screen chemistry. Later in the season, Derek ends up living at Stiles’ house and there is a lot of pressing up against walls and stripping that takes place. So before I knew it they were my favorite couple on the show. Only they’re not actually a couple. Apparently, this doesn’t matter because I’ve discovered as a “Sterek Shipper” the internet is filled with people who root for couples that are not together in the world of their show. What makes this situation interesting, is that over the course of the season two run, the cast and creator of the show have all discussed the pairing of Stiles and Derek. It came up in interviews, twitter Q&As and a packed panel at Comic-Con. At the beginning they downplayed it, with Tyler Hoechlin claiming that people are seeing things but now he says it has a 50/50 shot of actually happening. With creator and developer Jeff Davis saying that it’s something he would consider.

So, now that leads to the inevitable question… is this a good idea? Neither of the two characters are openly gay, but neither have had an on-screen romance. One character has a crush on a redhead at school and the other used to sleep with the woman who went on to murder his entire family. Something that I admit could turn anyone off of women. I think my reservations stem from the idea that this isn’t something that comes from the writers, it’s not part of their grand plan and wasn’t ever discussed. And, I fear that if it does get written into the show it will be done in a sloppy and inorganic way just to keep the viewers happy. If you think that’s fine, you should check out this show called “Glee”. Ryan Murphy constantly gives into what the fans and press say, often mistakingly thinking if they loved it once they will love it again. For examples please refer to Kristen Chenoweth, Gwyneth Paltrow, the Journey songbook and the Michael Jackson tribute episode. I worry that if the writers decide to listen to the glaringly loud cry of the fans and make Stiles and Derek a couple that it won’t work. Because, it’s not something they created or saw, it’s something that the fans noticed.

This is a scene from the video the cast made to ask fans to vote for the Teen Choice Awards… which they eventually went on to win.

Now, that being said I think if it was done correctly it could be fantastic. Aside from the two actors having undeniable sexual chemistry, it would be a groundbreaking turn of events. While a lot of shows have had gay teens or straight teens realize they’re gay, no one has had two people realize it. Plus, even shows like “90210″ who accepted all the credit for making their womanizer Teddy come out as gay put him on the back burner as soon as the press died down. Plus, since these characters are already developed we don’t have to worry about them becoming cliches. Stiles reads comic books and plays sports, which gay teens do all the time. It would be nice to have a gay teen on television who isn’t wearing bow ties and singing Barbra Streisand songs between Spanish classes. I think two gay characters who don’t fit the teen show mold of what a gay teen is supposed be would be a welcome change. And, the evolution of this relationship from worst enemies to a sort of friendship then to a romantic relationship would not only be great TV but another amazing stride in the queerification of television. Now, there are a few set backs. Stiles jokingly came out to his father when he was caught sneaking into a gay club and Derek barked for someone to get Stiles away from him when they were injured a few episode ago. But, I feel these incidents can be explained away and if the writers are stumped they should consult the heaps of fan-fiction written about the two that litters the “Teen Wolf” tag on sites like Tumblr.

Season Three of “Teen Wolf” is currently in development so that is the point of this open letter. I won’t be mad if Stiles and Derek remain heterosexuals who are trapped in a bromance. But, I will be mad if their sexual chemistry and the desire for them to get together felt by me and countless others is exploited. They recently used the pair in their campaign for the Teen Choice Awards. And, in a recent episode the gay subtext was so heavy I was surprised one of the other characters didn’t trip over it. So essentially, if you’re not going to take this storyline on and deal with all of it’s complications then please don’t wave it in my face to keep me interested. That’s called Queer Bating, and it has the same effect on me that the full moons have on Scott.

The Wrath of Comic-Con

When I first heard about Comic Con, about a decade ago it was a place for comic book nerds, like me, to go and hear scoop about upcoming projects based in the comic book/sci-fi world. I remember it was where I heard all the scoop about the soon to be released super hero movies and what those movies would be inspiring in terms of video games, comic books, etc. A few years ago, something clicked and suddenly more mainstream projects like “Twilight” began using Comic Con as a press tool to promote, discuss and create buzz for their projects. While I am mystified as to why anyone would want to wait around for days to sit in a 20 minute panel about a story you already read is beyond me. However, I think it’s amazing that this little comic book convention held annually in San Diego since 1970 has exploded. The surge in popularity has also led to the creation of several other regional Comic Cons. Including one here in New York City, but more on that later.

This new image of Stephen Amell as the Green Arrow was released for Comic Con.

This year I have been following a few of my favorite upcoming and current projects through Comic Con. One of the shows that I am most excited about this fall, is “Arrow”. I discussed the CW’s upcoming super hero series a few months back when I shared my most anticipated Fall shows. I have been following Oliver Queen himself, Stephen Amell on Twitter for firsthand scoop as the project began rolling. While Stephen has shared a lot of good news, Comic Con has proved to be a bounty of information. A screening of the pilot held the first day drew rave reviews from fans and critics alike, only building my anticipation and excitement for it’s debut. We’ve also gotten some pretty sweet behind the scenes images and some interviews of Amell and his on-screen leading lady Katie Cassidy showing how great their chemistry is. I can’t embed the video, because aside from being super creepy Michael Ausiello is also a cyber terrorist. But, here’s the link to their interview: http://bit.ly/TVLARROWSDCC

At the panel for “Teen Wolf” a lot of things were discussed including the bromance or is it romance between Derek and Stiles. Tyler Hoechlin and Dylan O’Brien look pretty comfortable with it…

While I am so stoked for the October premiere of “Arrow”, MTV’s “Teen Wolf” has been my summer obsession in terms of television. After marathon watching the show on Netflix before this season’s premiere I have tuned in every Monday religiously. There were whispers that the show was yet to receive a Season Three pick-up but they confirmed at their Comic Con panel that they are a go for another round. As an extra bit of good news, their episode count was upped from 12 to 24. Also revealed during their panel? Colton Haynes said that his character Jackson’s reptile situation might be solved by evolution. That the stars view on-screen nudity as a rite of passage. But perhaps most important, Tyler Hoechin teased that the odds of his character Derek getting a girl friend or getting together with Stiles are “about 50/50″. While I think Hoechin and Dylan O’Brien have great on-screen chemistry I don’t think turning two straight characters gay is going to organically happen. But, obviously if it were to happen I wouldn’t complain.

Here’s a fan video of the whole panel, beware the girl holds the camera like its a tambourine. It’s also super short since apparently MTV wouldn’t pay for more than 15 minutes of panel time.

I am even more excited now to see what comes from these projects after this little taste at Comic Con. I also wonder what other tid bits the convention will give us between now and it’s close on Sunday night. There is still so much to come including an official “Arrow” panel which I cannot wait for. Plus a very fitting Friday the 13th screening of ABC’s upcoming “666 Park Avenue” and a panel for the creepy kid’s film “Para-Norman”. All of this excitement surrounding Comic Con and it’s featuring of some projects I am interested in has me turning my interest to this Fall’s NYC Comic Con. While I know SDCC is the tops, I hope that the NYC one gets a few good events worth checking out. The schedule is yet to be announced so I am hopeful that some of the events will cater to my interests. But that’s still months away, in the mean time – stay classy San Diego.