 |
| The Official L. I. Who Logo |
There are very
few creative properties that can sustain a fandom for decades on end. Shows get cancelled, movies get replaced with
reboots, and books may lose their luster after too many sequels or the passage
of time. Yet, we as geeks are uniquely
lucky in that many of our favorite creations have not only seen their original
versions stand the test of time, but we continue to see them refreshed and
revitalized for new audiences. Such is
the case with Doctor Who, which, in
the humble view of this one Geek on the Street reporter, is one of the finest
television shows ever created. This past
weekend I had the pleasure to share that love with a few thousand fellow
Whovians at the annual Long Island Doctor Who convention, L.I. Who, now in its
third fabulous year.
 |
| BB-8 loves Doctor Who |
This convention,
much like BronyCon, proves the power of an individual fandom. Unlike some smaller conventions that struggle
for programming as a two- or three-day schedule drags on, L.I. Who 3 had rich
offerings, filled with interesting talks about the show’s development as well
as dozens of spotlight panels on stars from the show itself. The convention did a wonderful job of
balancing nostalgia for the Classic Who
series, which ran from 1963-1989, with a film produced in 1996, with the fervor
for the current New Who program,
which relaunched in 2005 and has brought a dedicated younger fandom into the Doctor Who fold.
Like many geeks
of my age bracket, I came to Doctor Who
with the new series, yet watching the new show sparked our interest in watching
the classic program. So, for me, L.I.
Who 3 had almost endless possibilities of panels to see, celebrities to meet,
and experiences to indulge. And, because
of the shows middle-range size, I was able to get autographs from every star in
attendance that I wanted to meet. I was
even able to get a photo op with the Eighth Doctor himself, Paul McGann. These sorts of up-close-and-personal
interactions with the show’s stars, as I have said before, are often impossible
or incredibly time-consuming at larger or non-fandom-specific shows.
 |
| A Panel with Paul McGann |
To refresh a
point that I make again and again, Geeks on the Street: if you love a
particular property, seek out fan events focused on that one topic. I guarantee that you will not be
disappointed! This show was one of the
MOST #GeekPositive experiences that I have ever had. I met one of my favorite companions of all
time from the show, Katy Manning, who played Jo, and she treated us with such
warmth, hugging and kissing each person in her line and taking time to
chat. Every fellow fan that I
encountered at the show or even in the elevator was friendly and chatty. And the programmers themselves left nothing
to chance,
creating a seamless and pleasant convention-going experience.
 |
| Katy Manning |
 |
| Dalek! |
I also want to
use this show to talk about the pros and cons of VIP experiences at
conventions. I am a mega-nerd, so I
often treat myself to large convention packages (often at the expense of other
leisure activities like vacations). At a
show like L.I. Who the perks with our VIP package—entitled the Master’s Plan—were
massive and very cost-effective, including two nights in the convention hotel,
a personal concierge, a free comic book, a free autograph and photo op with a
celebrity guest of our choice, front row seating for main panels, separate
lines, and exclusive events. However, I
did not do a good enough job learning these perks in advance and inadvertently
paid for a photo op that could have been free and waited in a line that I could
have skipped. Make sure if you purchase
a VIP package that you are well-versed in what it offers you. Along those same lines, make sure it is offering you something worth the
price tag. I have often been “sold” on a
package because of particular swag perks and then end up with just a tote bag
and poster that I never look at again.
My point: focus on VIP packages that include convention experiences and
not just “things.” Most takeaways are
not as valuable as the actual goings-on at the show.
Although not the Doctor, this PhD doctor hopes you
all join me for a journey through time and space soon. Until next time, this is your official Geek
on the Street Dr. Kelly wishing you a Glorious Geek Day!
Article by Kelly
I. Aliano, PhD
No comments:
Post a Comment