Hi!  I’m Sue.  I put off watching “The End of Time” for nearly two weeks because if I didn’t see the tenth Doctor regenerate, it wouldn’t happen (except that it already had).  And I am an Anomaly.

Last month, Sarah, Kasey, and I talked about “Face Off.”  Well, after we were done recording that episode, we stayed on the call for a while to plan our upcoming podcast schedule.  Of course, we got side-tracked and talked for almost an hour about “Doctor Who.”  Luckily, we were still recording.  So this episode is that chat.

We decided not to edit this too much, because of the nature of the conversation.  It was very organic, and we wanted to leave it that way.  So, you may hear some things that you normally don’t – “um”s, “like”s, “y’know”s, pauses, and so on.  But I did take out further digressions into things like Newsies and The Muppets.

Here there be spoilers!  Certainly for series 1-3, a few for series 4, and some hints at events in series 5-6.  And, also, for Firefly and Serenity.  Because some digressions you just can’t cut.

Because this was a spontaneous conversation, we did give our candid opinions about characters, actors, episodes, etc.  We, of course, always welcome feedback, whether you agree or disagree.  We just ask that you don’t hate us or yell at us if your opinions happen to differ.  There’s room in the fandom for all kinds.  :)  Said feedback can be left here, on the forum, on facebook, or by sending some emailz (moregirlygeekz [at] gmail.com) or twitterz.

Finally, the male voice that you may hear from time to time is Andrew, Sarah’s husband.

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Thanks for listening!  Enjoy!

Sue
Staff Writer for Anomaly
Co-Host of Anomaly Supplemental
Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

Theme song for Anomaly Supplemental, “I’ll Still Be a Geek” by Marian Call, is used with the artist’s permission. Purchase of Marian Call’s songs and albums can be made online at www.mariancall.com or on iTunes. Follow her on Twitter (@mariancall) or you can like her on Facebook.

According to the Official Show Site:
Face Off is a competition/elimination series exploring the world of special-effects make-up artists and the unlimited imagination that allows them to create amazing works of living art. The contestants are tasked with elaborate feature challenges including executing full body paint make up on models and creating their own horror villain. Not only will the show incorporate effects make-up, it will include a wide range of skill sets including prosthetics, 3-D design, sculpting, eye enhancers, casting and molding. Each episode involves incredible reveals of the competitors’ finished work, and the drama of one contestant being sent home by the panel of expert and celebrity judges. It all culminates in one winner and one grand prize that will launch a career. 

We discussed the show’s format, the judges’ credentials, and the challenges thus far.  We also debates the role of the host in this and other reality competition shows.  Of course, we spent most of the time talking about the make-ups that we’ve seen so far this season, and a few from the first season.  And, although we’re only 2 episodes into Season 2, we also gave our early opinions on our favorite [and least favorite] contestants, and gave some vague predictions on how they will fair in coming episodes.

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Please be aware that this episode does contain spoilers for the current season (“Return to Oz” and “Water World”).  And, if you’re new to “Face Off”, or you’d just like to see the make-up applications again, we highly encourage you to check out the make-up morphs before or during the podcast.

Next up on Anomaly Supplemental: In February, we’ll be covering Disney’s 2007 feature film “Enchanted”, starring Amy Adams, Susan Sarandon, and James Marsden.  And later this year, the Anomaly staff will gather for a Hunger Games roundtable discussion.  If you haven’t read The Hunger Games, or if you’d like to re-read it before the movie release, join us in the Anomalous Book Club on the Forum.  We’d love to have you!  Discussion of Chapters 1-7 begins February 6!

Thanks for listening!

Sue
Staff Writer for Anomaly
Co-Host of Anomaly Supplemental
Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

Theme song for Anomaly Supplemental, “I’ll Still Be a Geek” by Marian Call, is used with the artist’s permission. Purchase of Marian Call’s songs and albums can be made online at www.mariancall.com or on iTunes. Follow her on Twitter (@mariancall) or you can like her on Facebook.

Hi, my name is Jen. I failed to come up with a clever “I am an Anomaly” intro this month and, incase you didn’t catch it the first time, I am an Anomaly. In this special installment, Angela and I try a new medium for our show—video! We have been going in costume to the Texas Renaissance Festival in Plantersville, Texas for many years. And every year since Anomaly’s inception, we have recorded T-Ren reports (all of which are available in our archive).

According to the Texas Renaissance Festival, their fair is “one of the Nation’s largest, most acclaimed Renaissance fairs where the sights, sounds, tastes and beauty of the 16th Century come alive every Saturday and Sunday for 8 weekends. Dates include October 6th through November 25th, from 9:00 AM to Dusk.” We can attest to the that. And the open and close of the fair is signaled by cannon shot. How cool is that?  This fair is so much fun that we attended two weekends in a row this year. This past November, Angela and I went with our good friends Stephanie and Jen (AKA Bug’s Jen) for a “girls only weekend”. In this edition we talked about our experience on that trip as well as the weekend after, when we returned with our husbands and a larger group of friends.

Also included in this episode are photos taken by my husband Dave and our friends Charity and Bart. In addition to photos, we incorporated video footage from 2011 as well as from previous years. Episode highlights include a performance by Circa Paleo, pre-fair camp activities, T-Ren costume parades and jousting.

Costumes abound in this episode. In our commentary, Angela and I also discussed our groups’ costume theme. Several of us went as characters from Robert Jordan’s fantasy series: The Wheel of Time. Be aware that we did let a few minor spoilers slip while describing the characters we went as, but warnings are given right before the spoilers so you can fast forward if need be. If you want to hear us talk more about The Wheel of Time, you can listen to our Wheel of Time: New Spring episode in the archive. We’ll be covering more of the books soon.

If you enjoy the Anomaly Podcast, please consider rating our show on iTunes and send us feedback via email, Twitter, Facebook or comment below. Don’t worry, we don’t bite…we’re Texan. Our state is called “the friendly state”…that means we’re nice.  Donations are also appreciated. Money collected through donations and sales from our store pay for the hosting of our web site and podcast feed. Thank you to Kenny, Tom and Rick for your continued support!

Thank you so much to Circa Paleo for the use of their Tideland album music. You can buy their music via iTunes or on their web site. We highly recommend it.

Jen

Co-founder of the Anomaly Podcast
Co-Host of Anomaly
Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

Renfest Vidcast

Bonus Footage

Untitled from anomaly on Vimeo.

This month’s episode of Anomaly Supplemental is all about Doctor Who. It was decided the co-hosts to conduct an experiment involving a newcomer to the series and one of the most popular episodes in the show’s history. For those who are unfamiliar with the premise of Blink, much less Doctor Who, here is a brief synopsis.

In 2007, Sally Sparrow enters an abandoned house and comes across a cryptic message written on the wall by someone called “the Doctor.” The message says “Beware of the weeping angels” and mentions Sally by name. It is also dated 1969. Sally suddenly finds herself in the center of unsettling mysteries. Why should Sally be concerned about weeping angels? How are all these decades-old messages finding her? And more importantly, who is the Doctor?

Sue and I discussed our viewpoints on the episode, comparing notes between a longtime fan and fresh eyes while trying not to spoil too much about the series. We also discussed Sue’s list of Doctor Who n00b knowledge (posted here), play listener comments, and there are a couple of Easter eggs at the end of the show.

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Thank you to everyone who sent email and audio for this episode. Keep the comments and feedback coming! You can contact Anomaly Supplemental by emailing moregirlygeekz (at) gmail.com, or calling the Google voicemail line at 248-419-GEEK (4335). We also love any mentions made via blog, Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon, Digg, or any other social media. And, of course, you can also email the Anomaly Podcast at girlygeekz (at) gmail.com. Don’t forget that you can have your own Anomaly and Anomaly Supplemental loot from the online Anomaly Geek Emporium! (Admit it, those Andorian pigeon shirts have been calling to you for a long time now…)

Thank you for listening. And remember, when watching Doctor Who… “Don’t turn your back, don’t look away, anddon’t blink.“ Good luck.

KC
Staff Writer for Anomaly
Co-Host of Anomaly Supplemental
Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

Theme song for Anomaly Supplemental, “I’ll Still Be a Geek” by Marian Call, is used with the artist’s permission. Purchase of Marian Call’s songs and albums can be made online at www.mariancall.com or on iTunes. Follow her on Twitter (@mariancall) or you can like her on Facebook.

Please visit anomalypodcast.com to subscribe to the newsletter, follow our blog, join the forum, follow us on Twitter and friend us on Facebook! Merry Christmas from all of us at Anomaly! Look for the next Anomaly to be released later this month. It will be a video report about the Texas Renaissance Festival. If the file is too large to download onto your devices, you can stream it on our web site.
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Jen
Co-Founder of Anomaly
Co-Host, Anomaly
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Hi, I’m Sue. I shook hands with a World Series MVP and hugged a Star Wars actress within 20 minutes, and I am an Anomaly. I was fortunate enough to have the chance to chat with Ashley Eckstein on the show floor at New York Comic Con (so it’s loud). I also got to chat with her husband, 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein, about the MLB playoffs – but that’s not part of this podcast.

Ashley is the voice of Ahsoka Tano on Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the creator of Her Universe, a science-fiction inspired merchandise line (apparel, accessories, and cosmetics) exclusively for women, currently partnered with Lucasfilm and Syfy. Ashley grew up as a Disney kid and a Star Wars fan, has been designing clothes since she was 10, and has a massive Alice in Wonderland collection.

We talked about growing up geek, and even being a geek girl as an adult, and the persisting stereotypes that we face. On lighter notes, we also digressed a little bit into sharing stories of trips to Walt Disney World. Ashley also shared the story of her audition process for Ahsoka and hinted at another partnership for Her Universe that she couldn’t quite discuss yet, and some upcoming Her Universe branded merchandise.

You can follow Ashley (@HerUniverse) on Twitter, and check out her website as well as read her blog and shop at HerUniverse.com. And don’t forget to keep up with Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Many thanks to Ashley for taking the time to talk with me, and to David for organizing everything at con.

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Sue
Staff Writer for Anomaly
Co-Host, Anomaly Supplemental
Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

End theme, “The Nerd Anthem”, graciously provided by Marian Call. Follow her on Twitter, Like her on Facebook, visit her website, and buy all her music.

The panel discusses how the entertainment industry has changed and continues to evolve, focusing mostly on comics, television, and web media. They discuss the quality of television versus web series, integration of social media, interactive storytelling, how advertisers work, and so on. And, of course, they share their hopes for the future. Questions from the audience cover topics such as accessibility of content, the usefulness of Nielsen ratings, and net neutrality.

I was a little bit late into the panel room – forgive me – so we join the conversation while the panelists are talking about advertising revenue on web media versus television.

Please note:  This episode carries an “explicit” tag due to a handful of instances where a panelist uses profanity for emphasis.

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Sue
Staff Writer for Anomaly
Co-Host, Anomaly Supplemental
Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

End theme, “The Nerd Anthem”, graciously provided by Marian Call. Follow her on Twitter, Like her on Facebook, visit her website, and buy all her music.

As I say in the episode introduction, this is by no means comprehensive coverage.  With just Anne and myself convering con, there was certainly no way that we could make it to everything, so there was plenty of stuff we did not get to.  Instead, you’re stuck with report from the things that we found most interesting.  We’re really excited about the news in this episode, and hope that you will be, as well.

There’s is a lot of information in this release, so here’s a bit of a guide to help you out:

01:15  -  Prophets of Science Fiction
A new series on the Science Channel, premiering November 9, from Executive Producer Ridley Scott.

06:30  -  Trek Nation
A two-hour documentary by Rod Roddenberry, Gene’s son, scheduled to air on November 30.

11:04  -  White Room: 02B3
The world’s first 360-degree film, directed by Greg Aronowitz and produced by Kim Evey and Tory Ireland Mell.  The film is scheduled to premiere at festivals in 2012.

14:06  -  Days Missing
Graphic Novel series from Roddenberry Entertainment. Vol. 1 and 2 are currently available, and Vol. 3 is in production.

18:24  -  Tale of Sand
From the Henson Company and Archaia Entertainment, a graphic novel based on a never-producer screenplay of Jim Henson. The current release date listed on Amazon is January 3.

23:10  -  Interview with Henson Archivist Karen Falk and Archaia Entertainment Editor-in-Chief Stephen Christy
This post-panel interview was a wonderful treat for me, and has some added information about the Tale of Sand graphic novel. There are also some mentions of Henson exhibits: Jim Henson’s Fantastic World at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, NY and the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, GA. The Center’s Jim Henson Wing is currently scheduled to open in 2014. Also, for information on other Henson Exhibitions (and projects, for that matter), there’s the Jim Henson Legacy.

34:41  -  Dark Crystal: Creation Myths and new Labyrinth graphic novel
Another Henson/Archaia partnership that will bring Brian Froud back to the the worlds of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Amazon lists a release date of December 27 for Volume 1 of Dark Crystal: Creation Myths. The Labyrinth book is currently in production with a release date not yet scheduled.

38:19 – Star Wars: The Old Republic
The new MMO from Bioware, launching December 20.

44:11 – Mass Effect 3
Also from Bioware, the next installment in the RPG third person shooter, coming in March.

46:49 – Once Upon A Time panel
Currently airing on ABC.  This coverage includes a mention of Emma Caulfield’s (Anya on Buffy) web series “Bandwagon.”

52:14 – Felicia Day panel with Sandeep Parikh and Chris Hardwick
Including some information from The Guild and Dragon Age: Redemption.

56:09 – Dragon Age panel
News about Dragon Age II and the associated graphic novel series scheduled for release on February 22.

Remember to come on back to Anomaly later this week for more stuff out of NYCC.  On Wednesday, a recording of a panel called “Screen Future: Gaming, Comics, and TV around the world and 5 years from now.”  And on Friday, an interview with actress Ashley Eckstein.

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Sue
Staff Writer for Anomaly
Co-Host, Anomaly Supplemental
Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

End theme, “The Nerd Anthem”, graciously provided by Marian Call. Follow her on Twitter, Like her on Facebook, visit her website, and buy all her music.

Zombies are no laughing matter, except when they are beaten off with flying LP’s and cricket bats. Shaun decides to turn his life around during a zombie apocalypse. It turns out the zombie attack is a great opportunity to demonstrate to everyone just how capable he really is. All he has to do is survive… and get his ex back.

If you haven’t seen Shaun of the Dead, Night of the Living Dead or Dawn of the Dead, we suggest you watch these films before you listen to this podcast installment, for spoilers abound in this episode.

Send your feedback, whether you agree with us or not (don’t worry we won’t bite) to girlygeekz@gmail.com. Or call the voice mail line, we’ll include your comments in our next mailbag episode: (432) 363-4742.
Follow us on Twitter. Friend us on Facebook.

At the end of this episode is a promo that asks you to vote for Jax to be the next Hasbro Star Wars Action figure. Cast your vote here. Also included in list of promos are:

Waffle On
Gareth’s World
Treks In Sci-Fi
Tuning Into Sci-Fi
Champ Podcast
Tales From the Mouse House
In Appropriate Conversations
Anomaly

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Happy Halloween!

Jen
Co-host of Anomaly
Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

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A nerdish florist finds his chance for success and romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant who demands to be fed.

In the first installment of our Mastergeek Theater series, KC and I cover Little Shop of Horrors in it’s many incarnations.  Although we touch briefly on the 1960 film and theatrical productions, we focus mainly on the 1986 movie musical.  Little Shop is celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this year, and features fantastic music, and puppetry from veterans of the Jim Henson Creature Shop, and wonderful direction by Frank Oz.  Musicals with puppets?  As if you expected anything else from us.

We discuss our favorite scenes, songs, and cameos and the different film-making techniques used.  We also talk about the original ending from the 1960 film, how that was adapted to the stage, why it was changed for the 1986 film, and if the original ending would have been more effective.  We touch on the feel for the world created in Skid Row, the genius of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, and how the performances of Ellen Greene (Audrey) and Rick Moranis (Seymour) have informed nearly every performance since.

Oh, and puppet trivia – you can’t forget about the puppet trivia.  And make sure to stay tuned to the end of the podcast for some musical bloopers.

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For more information on the different incarnations of Little Shop, check the links below:
Little Shop of Horrors (1960) at IMDB
Little Shop of Horrors (1982 Off-Broadway) at IOBDB
Little Shop of Horrors (1986) at IMDB
Little Shop of Horrors (2003 Broadway) at IBDB

Coming up on Anomaly Supplemental, we put the theory of “Whovangelism” to the test when I watch my very first episode of Doctor Who, “Blink”, and KC grills me on it.  Then, in December, keep an eye out for an episode covering A Very Potter Musical, following Jen and Angela’s coverage of Harry Potter and the Sourceror’s Stone.  As always, we appreciate your feedback.  You can contact us at moregirlygeekz(at)gmail.com or by leaving a voicemail at 248-419-GEEK (4335).  Or just leave us a comment here or in the forums, post in the Anomaly Facebook group, or tweet us @AnomalyPodcast.  We hope to hear from you soon!

Sue
Staff Writer for Anomaly
Co-Host of Anomaly Supplemental
Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

Theme song for Anomaly Supplemental, “I’ll Still Be a Geek” by Marian Call, is used with the artist’s permission. Purchase of Marian Call’s songs and albums can be made online at www.mariancall.com or on iTunes. Follow her on Twitter (@mariancall) or you can like her on Facebook. The “Masterpiece Theater” theme music (Mouret’s “Rondeau”) is public domain.

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