So we were off to D*Con after a bank errand and breakfast, and went through an astonishingly short registration line (even if they did "lose" us in their computer system for a few minutes).

Our first panel was the British programming track welcome panel, which included Peter Davison from Doctor Who. He was late getting in but we had an enjoyable time nevertheless. Davison doesn't look much different from when he did the series, albeit more mature and his voice seems to have a new huskiness.

Next James went to a different panel, but I attended Dean Haglund's panel in the other hotel. Haglund, who played "Ringo" Langly, one of the "Lone Gunmen" in The X-Files and then in The Lone Gunmen, was quite funny, a bundle of energy. He revealed that The Lone Gunmen series will be coming out on DVD and he and the rest of the cast will be filming/recording extras for the set next month. There are tentative plans to also place three stand-alone Lone Gunmen X-Files episodes with the set.

Following James and I took a turn around the Dealer's Room and the Exhibitor's Room. I did buy Haglund's cute little comic of "behind the scenes" at The X-Files (autographed), and got James a birthday present: a reproduction poster from the film The Battle of Britain (the other half of his gift, the British version of Battle of Britain, had arrived when we got home; that's what I call service from Amazon.co.uk!). We also wandered around "The Walk of Stars," where the actors signing autographs gather between panels. It is always hot in the area--it has been for years; we can't understand why the Hyatt doesn't fix this problem, since Dragon*Con isn't the only organization who uses that exhibit floor!--and they relieved the situation a bit with some huge fans this year. Of course now it's louder than ever. We saw Kathy Garver, who looks as perky as she did back on Family Affair, just older. And Mark Goddard, my "crush" from Lost in Space, back when I was ten, looks remarkably fit and well for 68.

I didn't get to see June Lockhart today; she wasn't in her seat when we went by. I did notice with amusement that this wonderful lady who played "Mom" in Lassie is sitting back to back with Dee Wallace Stone who played "Mom" in The New Lassie!

Again we split up; James went to one panel and I went to "The Future of Star Trek" panel. Folks seemed encouraged by the improvements that are supposed to show up on Enterprise next year; new producers are supposed to make it more like a real precursor to the original series. James and I quit watching Enterprise during second season, but it might be worth taking a peek at it in the fall.

Finally it was time for opening ceremonies, which were this year orchestrated by the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company and opened with a funny sketch about what happens at conventions when you don't keep moving when you reach the bottom of the escalator. (This sounds ridiculous until you've navigated the traffic at Dragon*Con, which rivals that of Atlanta for sheer "jam." People who bobble at the bottom of the escalators which lead to the different floors, especially the main programming floor, can cause "traffic jams" that remind one of the freeway at rush hour.)

ARTC also did their opening production, an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's Shadow Over Innesmouth, a spooky tale of a young man who takes an interest in the odd occupants of a sinister New England town. The production was excellent and was highlighted by a performance by Harlan Ellison, who played an elderly occupant of the town who has witnessed its terrible downfall.

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. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at 10:17:00 PM

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