The ‘Alice’ Interview That Wasn’t

Matt Frewer as the White Knight, Caterina Scorsone as Alice Hamilton, Andrew Lee Potts as the Hatter Syfy Photo: James Dittiger

As great as modern technology is, sometimes it simply refuses to be your friend. One minute you’re sharing your deluxe box of crayons with it and making plans for a sleepover, and the next it’s left you to sit on the bus with someone else (the horror!). Oh, childhood woes will you NEVER  leave me? I was eagerly anticipating my Syfy conference call for Alice with actress Caterina Scorsone and writer/director Nick Willing. I’d prepared dutifully by watching my screener, reviewing Alice for you guys, and drumming up questions I felt wouldn’t be asked of them a thousand times.

Today I got up early, and even logged in with the conference center ten minutes prior to the call (that’s just how I roll – I dig being early or on time for everything because growing up my Mom made us offensively late to events). And then, as I was on the call for over an hour listening to many other journalists and fellow bloggers ask their questions, I started to get a sickening sense of anxiety flooding my veins.  Because they were not announcing my name and opening up my line. And you know what? They never did.

Almost all  of my effort was uh, pretty much definitely wasted.

I wouldn’t say it was all wasted – I’m not that childish. I was going to watch and review the miniseries no matter what. But my research into Caterina and Nick, the time spent crafting questions and practicing saying them – all that is for naught.

What I can tell you from listening to the call is that Scorsone and Willing are both  eloquent and well-spoken. I have no doubt that they worked together well. You know (well, you will in a sec), I was actually baffled by their outstandingly refined insights and ability to vocalize them with such ease. Once I heard them answering questions I couldn’t wait for my chance to pull something out that would be worthy of their savvy minds.

Willing is British (so, like many silly American gals,  the accent already had me rattled with delight) and I think  going to pick up a habit of calling everything ‘delicious’ much like he does. Scorsone…is she an Ivy grad? Her sound bytes were perfection. As if it weren’t enough for them to be amazing on their own, together they are even more dynamic. Scorsone and Willing had a affectionate repertoire that you can’t fake. They looked out for each other, referenced each other, and laughed easily at memories on set.

So, now over here in my office the TV is doing a special about people eating sea urchins and I feel disappointed enough to tweet that I’m going to slink around in mud (probably a bad idea). Life goes on. Trying to make it stop because of a hiccup doesn’t help my day. I can only learn from my mistakes… and try to threaten all technology to work lest I beat it up with a …would a wrought iron lamp base work? I have a theory it would. Techonolgy? Don’t make me test my theory. Next time, give the gal (me!) a break.