19 Comic-Con Highlights: OMG Stripping, NSFW Trailers, TRDMF Moments, LOL Rabbis and More

TRUE BLOOD | On the emotional side, it was heartwarming to see exiting showrunner Alan Ball, fighting back tears, get a standing ovation from the crowd. But turning a bit more superficial, stripper-esque on-stage gyrations from Magic Mike star Joe Manganiello and Chris Meloni most definitely put the “please” in crowd-pleasing..

ALPHAS | It took some doing - he at first didn't pick up Azita Ghanizada's phone call made from the dais - but ultimately MIA cast member Ryan Cartwright put in an audio-only appearance, making the crowd erupt in cheers and whistles. (You'd think that Gary's portrayer would be a bit handier with technology and Skype in.)

SONS OF ANARCHY | While many panels got the crowd buzzing with what their trailers showed, Sons' Season 5 teaser was infamous for what it had to black out - a nonetheless audible, hot-and-heavy sex scene between Katey Sagal's Gemma and (SPOILER ALERT) Jimmy Smits' new character. Meanwhile, filed under Gosh-Darn Cute: Theo Rossi (who plays Juice) blushing as he elicited more whoops and catcalls than heartthrob star Charlie Hunnam.

PSYCH | In TVLine's interview suite, stars Dule Hill and James Roday, with series boss Steve Franks, gave us the scoop on a crowd-pleaser that wouldn't please the Comic-Con crowd at large until hours later: The USA show is planning a two-hour musical episode. (Watch their full video Q&A here.)

ONCE UPON A TIME | “Singlebrooke” - a made-for-SDCC featurette that had the show's characters espousing, online dating-style, on what they want in a mate - had the crowd howling like diner waitress Ruby during a full moon. The best lines: David asking if his preference for a girl with skin “as white as... milk” was “racist,” and the “Just Look At Him” caption on Sheriff Graham's spiel. (Watch “Singlebrooke here.)

BRYAN FULLER | One of the most made-for-Comic-Con auteurs out there treated fans to four minutes of footage from his Mockingbird Lane pilot for NBC, icked some out by revealing that he's consulting with a chef on practical “recipes” for his small-screen take on Hannibal Lecter (also for NBC), and hinted heavily that his beloved Pushing Daises will live on — maybe as a Broadway musical? (Read our full Fuller recap here, and watch his TVLine video Q&A.)

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES | Bon mots flew as show boss Julie Plec went down the entire dais and revealed one unknown - and usually sweet — factoid about each cast member in attendance (watch it here, at the 26-minute mark) while Paul Wesley coined the term “Salvatore Sandwich” while discussing Plec's inability to choose between Team Stefan and Team Damon.

SUPERNATURAL | It was a small moment, yet one that spoke volumes about the brotherly bond between the CW drama's leads as well as winked at its uberpassionate fan base: Jensen Ackles pretending to “fangirl” with excitement — flailing arms and all — when Jared Padalecki was introduced at the panel. (You can watch the precise LOL moment here.)

FRINGE | Yes, there were tears aplenty — just like the panel for Firefly, which ended its own Fox run a decade ago. (Don't worry, Lance, we're not telling anyone.) But the biggest OMG moment came via the trailer for this Fox sci-fier's fifth and final season - namely because the cast, which hasn't officially returned to work yet, had done the EPs a solid by pre-shooting a few new moments to make the preview extra thrilling. (Watch the cast's crying jags, and watch the Season 5 trailer.)

NIKITA | The panel discussion had its moments - including Maggie Q saying Aaron Stanford “smells like a baby” while describing what it's like to kiss him, and the discovery that a fan who kindly traded seats with Maggie on the flight to San Diego was in the room. But it was the series lead's live demonstration of her mad skills — on the outdoors Extra stage, where she “owned” a local radio DJ — that was truly kick-ass. (Watch the Nikita panel here.)

GRIMM | If you weren't already looking forward to the supernatural NBC drama's sophomore run, the cast's visit to TVLine's interview suite sealed the deal, as they dropped one juicy tease (or outright spoiler) after another, including hints at power shifts, strange coma dreams and the ripple effects from the arrival of Nick's momma. (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio “looks really good in tight leather," noted one cast member.) Watch their video Q&A here.

GLEE | After a fan asked if the show will acknowledge its Jewish elements more — Rachel and Puck do seem to forget they're Jews every Christmas! — a very bearded Darren Criss joked, “I'm actually a rabbi this season.” (Watch excerpts from the Glee panel here.)

GAME OF THRONES | The excitement in the room was palpable as a video introducing all 14 new cast members and their characters, for Season 3 was unveiled. Really, it was just a parade of one “familiar” face/name after another — The Avengers' Diana Rigg aka Emma Peel incldued — each met by cheers. (Watch the featurette here.)

FIREFLY 10TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION | The moment, in retrospect, was not at all surprising. And yet, amidst a discussion that was already chock-a-block with emotional, shiny memories, it put a lump in our throat to see series creator Joss Whedon get choked up as he tried to sum up his own feelings about the reflective afternoon.

DEXTER | Did you think watching the clip of Season 7′s first two minutes at home on your laptop was intense? Imagine experiencing it via a big screen, and in a ballroom filled with superfans. As the fraught-with-tension teaser unspooled (watch it here), attendees picked up on every little nuance in the dark clip - while also recognizing the humorous tinges (courtesy of Michael C. Hall).

DEFIANCE | This Syfy series about multiple alien species (humans included) cohabitating on a ravaged Earth won't bow until 2013, but they got the buzz building and then some with a vibrant panel discussion (including cast members such as Grant Bowler, Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran, Jaime Murray and Mia Kirshner,) as well as an action-packed teaser trailer that focused squarely on its bi-platform crossover with a videogame.

BONES | Former TV vampire David Boreanaz — who also took jabs at The WB and NBC's Munsters reboot - had a couple choice bites to share about The Vampire Diaries: “Everyone carries around a diary? I'm confused. 'Oh, I made love to a vampire last night.' … Let me say some poetry to you, you dark evil man in the tunnel.'” Though we love all three targets, we have to admit, the snappy Boreanaz was nothing if not entertaining.

COMMUNITY | After showing a gag reel in which Alison Brie freestyles, the audience beckoned her to rap. She deferred, so Danny Pudi reprised his rhymes from the Christmas episode. Joel McHale capped the performance by chiming in with a decisive: “Motherf—ers.”

THE BIG BANG THEORY | Providing liftoff to a discussion that was otherwise grounded by questions a la “Who's the best kisser?” [Groan], the panel ended with a big bang when attendee Mercedes Becerra was gifted with an actual bona fide trip to outer space, via XCOR Aerospace's Lynx RLV (Reusable Launch Vehicle). Dare we say, that's cooler than a paper Bart Simpson hat. (Watch video of the space trip winner, plus the whole BBT panel.)

TRUE BLOOD | On the emotional side, it was heartwarming to see exiting showrunner Alan Ball, fighting back tears, get a standing ovation from the crowd. But turning a bit more superficial, stripper-esque on-stage gyrations from Magic Mike star Joe Manganiello and Chris Meloni most definitely put the “please” in crowd-pleasing..

ALPHAS | It took some doing - he at first didn't pick up Azita Ghanizada's phone call made from the dais - but ultimately MIA cast member Ryan Cartwright put in an audio-only appearance, making the crowd erupt in cheers and whistles. (You'd think that Gary's portrayer would be a bit handier with technology and Skype in.)

SONS OF ANARCHY | While many panels got the crowd buzzing with what their trailers showed, Sons' Season 5 teaser was infamous for what it had to black out - a nonetheless audible, hot-and-heavy sex scene between Katey Sagal's Gemma and (SPOILER ALERT) Jimmy Smits' new character. Meanwhile, filed under Gosh-Darn Cute: Theo Rossi (who plays Juice) blushing as he elicited more whoops and catcalls than heartthrob star Charlie Hunnam.

PSYCH | In TVLine's interview suite, stars Dule Hill and James Roday, with series boss Steve Franks, gave us the scoop on a crowd-pleaser that wouldn't please the Comic-Con crowd at large until hours later: The USA show is planning a two-hour musical episode. (Watch their full video Q&A here.)

ONCE UPON A TIME | “Singlebrooke” - a made-for-SDCC featurette that had the show's characters espousing, online dating-style, on what they want in a mate - had the crowd howling like diner waitress Ruby during a full moon. The best lines: David asking if his preference for a girl with skin “as white as... milk” was “racist,” and the “Just Look At Him” caption on Sheriff Graham's spiel. (Watch “Singlebrooke here.)

BRYAN FULLER | One of the most made-for-Comic-Con auteurs out there treated fans to four minutes of footage from his Mockingbird Lane pilot for NBC, icked some out by revealing that he's consulting with a chef on practical “recipes” for his small-screen take on Hannibal Lecter (also for NBC), and hinted heavily that his beloved Pushing Daises will live on — maybe as a Broadway musical? (Read our full Fuller recap here, and watch his TVLine video Q&A.)

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES | Bon mots flew as show boss Julie Plec went down the entire dais and revealed one unknown - and usually sweet — factoid about each cast member in attendance (watch it here, at the 26-minute mark) while Paul Wesley coined the term “Salvatore Sandwich” while discussing Plec's inability to choose between Team Stefan and Team Damon.

SUPERNATURAL | It was a small moment, yet one that spoke volumes about the brotherly bond between the CW drama's leads as well as winked at its uberpassionate fan base: Jensen Ackles pretending to “fangirl” with excitement — flailing arms and all — when Jared Padalecki was introduced at the panel. (You can watch the precise LOL moment here.)

FRINGE | Yes, there were tears aplenty — just like the panel for Firefly, which ended its own Fox run a decade ago. (Don't worry, Lance, we're not telling anyone.) But the biggest OMG moment came via the trailer for this Fox sci-fier's fifth and final season - namely because the cast, which hasn't officially returned to work yet, had done the EPs a solid by pre-shooting a few new moments to make the preview extra thrilling. (Watch the cast's crying jags, and watch the Season 5 trailer.)

NIKITA | The panel discussion had its moments - including Maggie Q saying Aaron Stanford “smells like a baby” while describing what it's like to kiss him, and the discovery that a fan who kindly traded seats with Maggie on the flight to San Diego was in the room. But it was the series lead's live demonstration of her mad skills — on the outdoors Extra stage, where she “owned” a local radio DJ — that was truly kick-ass. (Watch the Nikita panel here.)

GRIMM | If you weren't already looking forward to the supernatural NBC drama's sophomore run, the cast's visit to TVLine's interview suite sealed the deal, as they dropped one juicy tease (or outright spoiler) after another, including hints at power shifts, strange coma dreams and the ripple effects from the arrival of Nick's momma. (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio “looks really good in tight leather," noted one cast member.) Watch their video Q&A here.

GLEE | After a fan asked if the show will acknowledge its Jewish elements more — Rachel and Puck do seem to forget they're Jews every Christmas! — a very bearded Darren Criss joked, “I'm actually a rabbi this season.” (Watch excerpts from the Glee panel here.)

GAME OF THRONES | The excitement in the room was palpable as a video introducing all 14 new cast members and their characters, for Season 3 was unveiled. Really, it was just a parade of one “familiar” face/name after another — The Avengers' Diana Rigg aka Emma Peel incldued — each met by cheers. (Watch the featurette here.)

FIREFLY 10TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION | The moment, in retrospect, was not at all surprising. And yet, amidst a discussion that was already chock-a-block with emotional, shiny memories, it put a lump in our throat to see series creator Joss Whedon get choked up as he tried to sum up his own feelings about the reflective afternoon.

DEXTER | Did you think watching the clip of Season 7′s first two minutes at home on your laptop was intense? Imagine experiencing it via a big screen, and in a ballroom filled with superfans. As the fraught-with-tension teaser unspooled (watch it here), attendees picked up on every little nuance in the dark clip - while also recognizing the humorous tinges (courtesy of Michael C. Hall).

DEFIANCE | This Syfy series about multiple alien species (humans included) cohabitating on a ravaged Earth won't bow until 2013, but they got the buzz building and then some with a vibrant panel discussion (including cast members such as Grant Bowler, Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran, Jaime Murray and Mia Kirshner,) as well as an action-packed teaser trailer that focused squarely on its bi-platform crossover with a videogame.

BONES | Former TV vampire David Boreanaz — who also took jabs at The WB and NBC's Munsters reboot - had a couple choice bites to share about The Vampire Diaries: “Everyone carries around a diary? I'm confused. 'Oh, I made love to a vampire last night.' … Let me say some poetry to you, you dark evil man in the tunnel.'” Though we love all three targets, we have to admit, the snappy Boreanaz was nothing if not entertaining.

COMMUNITY | After showing a gag reel in which Alison Brie freestyles, the audience beckoned her to rap. She deferred, so Danny Pudi reprised his rhymes from the Christmas episode. Joel McHale capped the performance by chiming in with a decisive: “Motherf—ers.”

THE BIG BANG THEORY | Providing liftoff to a discussion that was otherwise grounded by questions a la “Who's the best kisser?” [Groan], the panel ended with a big bang when attendee Mercedes Becerra was gifted with an actual bona fide trip to outer space, via XCOR Aerospace's Lynx RLV (Reusable Launch Vehicle). Dare we say, that's cooler than a paper Bart Simpson hat. (Watch video of the space trip winner, plus the whole BBT panel.)