If you missed my previous write-ups, check out my Preview Night, Day 1 & Day 2 recaps, and listen to the TV Times Three podcast where I recap the entire weekend’s activities.
I started off my Saturday of SDCC 2023 with the pleasant surprise—the Gala Games free donut truck was back again outside my hotel. So I grabbed a glazed to start off my morning.
Paramount’s The Lodge
My first event of the day was visiting Paramount+’s The Lodge activation, which had all kinds of activities and swag for various TV shows and movies. Times were scheduled every hour and you had 50 minutes to explore when it was your time slot. When we first entered the activation, we were handed a Paramount+-branded retractable badge/ticket holder as well as tickets for a free burger and two free drinks. The activation was split into two halves. On the right half, first we saw a recreation of the Krusty Krab from SpongeBob, where you could get an instant photo taken of you behind the counter.
Next to this was a station for Special Ops: Lioness, where they would test your skills to see if you have what it takes to be an agent. For the first test, you were given a minute to try to assemble one of four 3D puzzles (I failed miserably at this). The second test had you answering 4 word puzzles in under a minute—this I aced. And for the final test, you had to remove a block from a clear box via a hole the same width as the block, which I was able to do with some time to spare. Afterwards, they handed you a card with info on one of the show’s characters—the one they deemed to be most like you.
Next to this was a station for Yellowjackets. You walked into a small structure in the back to take your own selfie. There was supposed to be something creepy that appeared in the mirror behind you, but I never got it to work. I think it was due to the sunlight at the time of day we were there. As you left this area they handed you a deck of Yellowjackets-branded playing cards.
Next to this was a Transformers: Rise of the Beasts-themed bar where you could get either a cold brew coffee or an iced tea, using one of your drink tickets.
As we headed through the hallway to the left half of the activation, we passed a Good Burger employee handing out free burgers. I should have used my burger ticket at that point, since later on when I was trying to get one, they had already stopped serving the food, so I didn’t get to try a burger.
In this darker left half of the activation, there was a huge bar where you could cash in a drink ticket, and also a raised station on the opposite side of the room where they were doing Star Trek-themed caricatures. By the time we made it to this side, the line for those had already been cut off.
There was an Ink Master station in the back, where two artists were giving spray-on temporary tattoos. I got an awesome-looking, manly SpongeBob tat, which was one of the only ones they were doing using multiple colors. (Someone actually asked me later in the day, as I was waiting for a press room, if the tattoo was real!)
Next to this was a station for 1923, where you could get an old-timey photo taken of yourself sitting in a chair, and there was also a bar offering a Bourbon-based drink or bottle of root beer for a drink ticket. I finally cashed in one of my tickets—boy was that drink extremely strong!
The final station in this half of the activation was a photo opp for the upcoming series Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, where you could don a creepy mask.
As we left the activation, I stopped by the desk where you could show your completed Paramount+ Passport (which I had started on Preview Night) and claim your prize, which was an aluminum cup in Blue, Black or Silver, and a small over-the-shoulder bag. I found out later that there was also a pin inside the bag.
As I was walking towards the Hilton Bayfront for my second/last press room of the con, I passed by a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem pizza van, though they weren’t currently giving out free slices.
Babylon 5: The Road Home Press Room
This year there are far less press rooms due to the strikes. However, I still managed to cover two. This second press room was for the upcoming animated movie Babylon 5: The Road Home, which will be released on disc and streaming on August 15.
Return to Babylon 5 as the epic interstellar saga continues with The Road Home. Travel across the galaxy with John Sheridan as he unexpectedly finds himself transported through multiple timelines and alternate realities in a quest to find his way back home. Along the way he reunites with some familiar faces, while discovering cosmic new revelations about the history, purpose, and meaning of the Universe.
Check out our roundtable interviews with series creator J. Michael Straczynski and director Matt Peters here.
Nat Geo Party
The Nat Geo party was probably the best of the parties I attended this year. It took place on the roof of the Margaritaville hotel, so it felt more open and less cramped than some of the other venues. There was an open bar, mini taco and ice cream bar stations, as well as lots of passed apps. So I had plenty to eat and drink.
They had a section where you could talk with a host of one of their shows, as well as another photo opp station to celebrate the program Arctic Ascent with Alex Honnold. Amrie of My Take on TV and I decided to get the photo done together. The person running the booth suggested that we could either look around, acting surprised and in awe, or else pretend to be cold. I thought we had decided to act surprised, but Amrie thought we were going for cold—so I switch my emotions halfway though, leading to an odd but fun video.
Good Omens After Dark Experience
The Good Omens After Dark Experience was held in the same venue as the Jury Duty experience the previous night, so we got in line even earlier, suspecting it would be worse (they used the same ticketing system and the “priority line” link had definitely leaked). The line was certainly longer than the previous night, and the other folks I showed up with bailed on me. It took about an hour after the start time, but I finally got in.
This was arranged differently than the previous night’s event—unfortunately, there was no prize wheel. Instead, when you first entered, you were offered a choice of two checklists, one for Heaven and one for Hell. On each card was a list of things you needed to take photos/videos of and post to social media in order to enter to win a prize. So I spent the night scrambling around trying to get all the photos. I was glad that I chose Heaven, because one of the things you had to do for “descend into Hell” had a massive line, while the Heaven equivalent of pressing a button on an elevator had absolutely no line.
The party had a themed The Dirty Donkey bar and drinks (your wristband contained two drink tickets), there were some small food bite options—french fries and bruschetta—and they handed you a poster as you left. However, it was a bit of a letdown after the previous night’s Jury Duty party, and with none of my friends around, I just called it a night after I finally collected everything and posted my prize entry to Instagram.
Look for my Day 4 recap soon.
