Sunday! Last day!
I’ll post the shoots Oscar did for me next though.
This was panel day!
I pretty much sat in the main programming room all day.
I thiiiiink I got into costume straight off, but honestly I don’t remember, I may have changed during a brief break. Anyway, first thing was the Billie Piper interview at 10:00! So with her and Arthur Darvill, since they were the big ticket guests, they did two interviews, one on Sat and one on Sun, and encourage you to go to one or the other but NOT both, which works out pretty well! I went with the Young Justice panel on Sat, which was the same time as the Piper and Darvill interviews on that day.
Anyway, Piper’s was really informative. I didn’t know anything about her really, other than she was a pop star prior to her Rose role, and there was a lot of “Why are you casting a pop star!” negativity when she got the role. So I had no idea she was one of those young manufactured pop stars, who are chosen for their looks and then trained to sing. Sounds like she had a really busy life, and that maybe she’s not too happy about spending her childhood like that, but has come out of it really level headed and a gracious human being. The thing I remember the most about her Who related things was how crazy Smith and Tennant were together, nothing specific, just that the two of them got on like a house on fire, and acted like it. Also she had some very nice things to say about Eccleston, which made me happy since where Who is related I feel like I only hear negative things.
Then Darvill’s interview! Which… he was very zoned out, tired, and possibly hung over during. He said he was out with his LA friends very late the previous night. So basically he just rambled, and it was sort of fun, but made me wish I’d gone to his Saturday panel. Also in the Q&A someone called him Rory and he was just like “Arthur. MY name is Arthur.” Not rude, but very deadpan and firm, like… he was tired of being called Rory and of all this convention malarkey.
Then there was a music demo, and I know I skipped out on this so I either went to go eat or I got into costume here (see, this is exactly why I’m trying to be better about the whole con-report-in-a-timely-manner thing).
I got back about… halfway through Annette Badland’s interview, which I’d wanted to see so boo. I LOVED her in Boomtown. She seems really nice, and seemed very genuine when saying she really enjoyed her time on Doctor Who, and also seemed quite disappointed when answering a question about coming back, about how she was really just a skin suit so she couldn’t come back ;_;
Then there was a classic companion panel with Katy Manning, Nicola Bryant, and then surprise participant Daphne Ashbrook. Honestly they just all talked like old friends, and are all crazy and said random things and made probably everyone in the audience want to be their friends :D
Then was “The Two Doctors,” in which basically Paul McGann and Colin Baker shot the breeze.
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How does he sit like that?
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Seriously, this man is boneless.
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I honestly can’t remember a word they said right now, they were just… talking, and I enjoyed it.
After that Frazer Hines and Deborah Watling came on to talk a bit.
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They both talked a bit about the awkwardness of the 50th anniversary, and Hines was quite incensed about it and the lack of love for the classic people.
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But he basically turned it around to be like “Look at THIS, all these people here to watch a 40 year old episode, they should be respected.”
;_; he cares so much.
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WE LOVE YOU TOO MR. HINES.
When the actual episode started though, The Web of Fear, I left to go primp for my UNIT photo at 5:30… on my way there I see Katy Manning in the lobby and I was like Manning! But then saw she was talking to two people, ecstatic con goers by the looks of it, and I didn’t want to interrupt their moment so I walked by, staring longingly at her as I passed (okay well, I did try not to be TOO obvious about it).
But 15 feet later I ran into Chris by the ATMS and we chatted for a bit, and then Manning came up to meeeee. She was all I’m so sorry to interrupt but you’re me! 8D I died. Like seriously, my heart wasn’t beating. She asked me wherever did I get the suit, and after I said I made it she had to touch it all over and gush over it and warn me not to get it wet, and I told her too late, I’m post shrinkage version! And we shared a bit of an ahaha, ALL THE WHILE SHE’S TOUCHING ME. And then
WE HAD A HUGGING SESSION.
I don’t even know how I didn’t faint.
I wanted to ask for a pic, but as those of you who have been know, the lighting by the ATMs is terrible. And I’d paid for the photo I was about to get, so I let it be.
So then I’m waiting in line for the UNIT photo, I got there 30 min early, and it gets closer and closer and only John Levene is there…. first we hear Richard Franklin has already left, like.. on a plane back to England. Uhm… isn’t that the sort of thing they should have known about before scheduling this photo?
Then it’s start time but nothing’s happening, so then Levene comes out and says he’s happy to take a photo with us and we’ll be refunded the difference, but he’s the only one there.
Then the photo people explain, or rather don’t explain, they’re just talking amongst themselves trying to figure out what to do (so frustrating, not only not apprising us of the situation, but not apologetic at all)... So Franklin’s on a plane, Terrance Dicks is sleeping in his room and they don’t want to wake him ‘cause he’s old, and no one can find Katy.
Everyone’s getting quite agitated because Froggy, the photo people, are only telling us things when someone bothers them, and not being forthcoming OR apologetic and just sort of like “That’s the way it is, deal with it.” Also I’m kicking myself for not getting a pic with Katy earlier.
BUT!
At least 30 minutes after the scheduled start time, but maybe closer to an hour?, Franklin and Lawrence come in (I don’t really know what was up with the he’s already on the plane thing…), and THEN Katy! And everyone cheered and she was very apologetic and adorable.
![](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7179/13738745663_e80c68cfe1.jpg)
And I got my photo <3 And more hugs, from Katy and Mr. Levene <3 <3
And then Oscar took some lovely pics of me and Aimee, which I’ll post soon!
Then we wandered in for the closing ceremonies and had a big dinner with our SoCal peoples.
Also Aimee has a post with lots of pictures
here!