A Lot About Nothing

I need to ease up a bit on all my DVD purchases. The hard thing is that it’s difficult for me because I get the majority of my new DVDs at a discounted rate. Heroes Season 1 DVD is no exception. Snagged a copy today and the packaging of the DVD set is really cool… a nice glossy slipcase and the digipack looks like a comic book. The on-screen menus are also comic book-like and are really eye catching. I just finished watching the Never-Before-Aired 73 Minute Premiere Episode to start with.

It’s amazing how much work actually goes into created a new show and the amount of differences that can ensue once it officially hits the tube on a regular basis. I chose to watch the audio commentary version of the pilot by creator Tim Kring. Very interesting stuff. There’s a whole storyline involving terrorists that was nixed from the final aired pilot because of the sensitive nature and the tentative airtime (Heroes had a chance at airing in the 8pm time slot instead of 9). One of the characters of this terrorist storyline (who’s story was also connected to that of police officer Matt Parkman) had a “unique” ability to radiation intense amounts of radioactivity from his hands. Sound familiar? This is how they worked in the same superhuman power into Heroes later on in the season with the character of Ted Sprague.

The commentary by Kring is filled with numerous facts about the production: How much time and effort went into each scene, the casting and location changes, the post production editing and how they effectively made the city of Los Angeles look like the streets of New York and a town in India. You’ll be surprised at how many “normal” scenes were actually shot against a green screen, only to have the background digitally added in post-production. One of the more comedic facts of the commentary on the pilot episode is Kring’s disclosure that they used the YouTube-famed “Chinese Backstreet Boys” (video at the end of this post) in one of the scenes that starred Masi Oka (Hiro) and James Kyson Lee (Ando).

I didn’t get a chance yet to go through all the Bonus Features aside from the “Mind Reader Game” (which was slightly predictable–no pun intended), but I do look forward to watching the deleted scenes of season 1 and all the episodes again. Remember, season 2 premiers on September 24th.

Here’s a complete list of bonus features and extras on the Heroes Season 1 DVD set:

• Never-Before-Aired 73-Minute Premier Episode
• 50 Deleted Scenes–DVD Exclusive
• The Making of Heroes
• The Special Effects
• The Stunts
• Profile of Artist Tim Sale
• The Score
• Mind Reader Game
• Audio Commentaries with Cast, Crew and Show Creator Tim Kring

And here are the Chinese Backstreet Boys for your enjoyment:

I’m never in so much anticipation for a mini donut than I am come mid-August. That’s right, The Ex is in town once again, and yours truly had the joy of heading down for the opening festivities today.

Now in it’s 129th year, the Canadian National Exhibition once again brings loads of fun, food and entertainment to the entire family. Ferris wheels, midway games and roller coasters have kicked off at the Exhibition grounds in Toronto and will be there until September 3rd (Labour Day).

With over a million visitors each year, The Ex is sure to provide a wide selection of events for everyone. My visit today consisted of a trip to the Food Building (first and foremost of course). This large establishment is definitely not for the calorie-conscious… so make sure you eat a large, healthy breakfast before you leave your house, so you won’t be tempted to gorge out on fair food the entire day. I had myself a nice mixed veggie roti from one of the Caribbean booths in the multicultural Food Building and a mango bubble tea to wash it down. My cousin, who’s up visiting from Jamaica, got some tasty Chinese food. The Food Building is certainly one of a kind with over 90 vendors.

Of course I had to stop at the infamous Tiny Tom Donuts on the way out of the building. $4 for a dozen of the most delectable morsels of dough… you can’t go wrong! Then it was off to the Warehouse Outlet in the Direct Energy Centre to tackle some shopping. Boy was I glad that I went… I picked up the Scene It DVD game that I was looking for–70% less than the regular price! I also scored some nice deals on summer clothes from BlueNotes and Sirens (Bikini bottoms, 3 for $5!).

Nearby was The Farm which houses every farm animal imaginable, including some adorable piglets and chicks. Watching street performers the Aquarêves walk down Princes’ Boulevard was cool (I wish I knew how to skip and bounce with giant pogo sticks attached to my feet). The Canadian Forces Display was very interesting. I got a chance to put my head through an army tank and sit in the cockpit of a fighter plane! We passed through the midway, being very good not to spend our hard-earned dollars trying to win a 5″ tall stuffed animal. I was tempted to purchase a deep-fried chocolate bar, but then I remembered how many calories and saturated fat I’d be consuming so I passed (and the fact that it cost $6). Also walked by the corndog stand, as much as I wanted one.

I wish I had more time (and energy) to visit the rest of the grounds, but there’s so much to see and do. Perhaps, next time I visit I’ll tackle climbing the rock wall they have up, or try my luck at the Casino. I’d also like to see the International Air Show. I’ll be back for sure before Summer comes to an end. After all I have to meet the stars from The Young and the Restless.

Make sure you visit on one of the 17 remaining days left this year. You won’t be disappointed. Tickets can be purchased online at the official site of The Ex, or on site for $14 (adult) $10 (children/senior). The gates are open from 10am to 10pm daily, with the exception of labour day (10am-7pm).