Eureka: all the rage – day zero

Greetings from Vancouver, where I sit high above the city, looking out over a balcony, through a sliding glass door that I dare not open, because single digit temperatures in Celsius are just as cold as their Fahrenheit cousins.

If you're joining the broadcast late, I'm here for an episode of Eureka, playing a brilliant-but-sarcastic scientist who is sort of a nemesis to Fargo, and my episode airs July 23rd on the Sci-Fi – *grumble* I mean SyFy – channel.

My day started at areyoufuckingserious in the morning, so I'm more than a little blurry in the brain, but I had some stuff I wanted to share:

The cast and crew of Eureka are, without exception, awesome. Every single person I've interacted with has been incredibly kind and welcoming, and I instantly felt at home on the set. I've only been here two days, but it feels like everyone likes each other, which confirms what I'd heard from people who have worked on the show when I asked about it.

We did a read through of the episode yesterday, but not all of the actors could be there, so a lot of the regulars just filled in for them. I thought I was going to fall out of my chair laughing when Colin Ferguson read one of them – who will remain nameless – in a voice that was disturbingly (or amazingly, depending on your point of view) similar to Mayor McCheese. After fifteen minutes with him, I could see where Carter's wry humor comes from.

Last night, I had dinner with my friend Aaron, who is also an actor and lives here. While we were waiting for our check, he asked me if I was excited to "go be an actor for a week."

"I really am," I said, "but I'm also a little nervous. I've spent so much time being a writer, I'm afraid that I'll get stuck in my head once I'm on the set."

I was talking about this thing that can happen to actors who are over-prepared or inexperienced. To really live in a scene and to really be connected to the other actors, we have to stay in each moment, reacting honestly and simply to what the other actors are doing. I do a ton of character preparation. In addition to knowing what my lines are, I know why I say each one. I know all sorts of stuff about my characters, because the more I know about a character, the wider my range is when I play him. I need to know what I want from each other character, what my purpose is in a scene, and then let all of that stuff fall away into some kind of subconscious background noise while I'm actually performing the scene … or I'm stuck in my head, thinking about things and watching things, instead of living in the scene.

I continued, "so I think I'll probably be a little rusty at first, but I've done this long enough to trust that I'll settle in. Not as quickly as I'd like, but I'll settle in."

"Well, I'm sure you're going to have a great time," he said, in that way one actor tells another to get the frak out of his own way, trust his instincts, and just enjoy the work, without really saying that. It's sort of a pep talk between friends, I guess, and it's one of those things that I just love about being an actor with some good friends.

I got to work with Neil and Erica for 6/8 of a page today, and though it took me longer to find my character and settle in than I wanted, it was, as they say, like riding a bike … and I didn't even fall off and scrape my knees.

Between rehearsal and filming today, I walked around the set a little bit. It's magnificent; I felt a sense of wonder and awe that I haven't felt since the first time I walked through the Enterprise on stage nine in 1987. The little details, like the signs on the walls, fingerprint scanners at the doors and the texture of the fake concrete make it feel like it's an actual building that happens to extend fourteen stories underground. I just love that I get to use my imagination to pretend I'm a person who works in this place. 

Vancouver is as beautiful as I remember it, and since I have the next three days off, I plan to put on my tourist hat (which is actually just a PAN Fleece to carry my geek gear) and see as much of it as I can.

If any locals want to mention some must-see places – especially art, non-touristy or geek-related – in the comments, I'd love that.

127 thoughts on “Eureka: all the rage – day zero”

  1. Wil: Lots of good suggestions here already. Japanese garden at UBC is great.
    I would also recommend the HR MacMillian Planetarium.
    http://www.spacecentre.ca/
    You can generally see it in this webcam:
    http://www.katkam.ca/
    The Vancouver Aquarium is one of the best:
    http://www.vanaqua.org/
    Someone already mentioned Science World and the Vancouver Police Museum – both great spots.
    There should be some good Salmon fishing in Vancouver about now if you are into that:
    http://www.bites-on.com/
    They operate out of the Bayshore Inn next to Stanley Park.
    The Granville Island Public Market is a fun place to wander around for an hour or so and you can take one of the little ferrys there from downtown – you can also use it to go over to Science World from there, too.
    If you want to kill a day, Run down to Tswassen Ferry Terminal and take the ferry over to Victoria. You can either spend a day or two there and come back or you can leave the car and just take the ferry there and back for a nice little cruise through the scenic Gulf Islands.
    http://www.bcferries.com/
    http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/mainland/tssw-current.html
    I wish I was there to meet you in person and show you around, but I’m on Vancouver Island right now in Tahsis.
    http://www.jimsfishing.com/index.html
    http://www.tahsisbc.com/
    A great place if you ever really want to get away from a hectic life – we don’t even have cel phones here.
    Have fun, you are in one of the great cities of the world.

  2. I almost forgot – there is a regular fanish gathering in Vancouver called F.R.E.D. – the polite name is Forget Reallity, Enjoy Drinking. It is a casual get together at a local pub. Used to be every week, but I hear they are every other week now.
    Here is the latest from their facebook page:
    “So. A new and promising locale has crossed my desk: The Academic Public House.
    http://dinehere.ca/vancouver/academic-public-house-the
    The online reviews have trended towards the promising, and the name seems inviting for us. So, I figure it’s worth a shot.
    Friday, April 9, starting at 8 PM Fannish Standard Time once again. Hope to see you there (there being 1619 West Broadway, at Fir Street).”
    Feel free to drop in and have a pint of beer and/or a bite to eat. I’m sure the fans would love it. It’s all very casual.
    http://www.facebook.com/notifications.php#!/group.php?gid=2351668529

  3. Welcome to the Wet Coast! If you’re into art, then the Seawall is a must – lots of public art out there. I’d especially recommend starting up by BC Place and heading down towards Stanley Park; there’s one exhibit especially in that area regarding language that just blows me away. Wish I could remember exactly where, but then the journey’s worth it!
    As a bibliophile and geek, if you can you GOTTA check out White Dwarf Books. http://www.deadwrite.com/wd.html A fantasy/sci-fi bookstore that’s just… well… cool. Plus there’s always a chance of running into Spider Robinson there. It’s his favorite store.
    Of course, you’re not just in Vancouver. If you’ve got any downtown scenes, you’ll be all the way out the valley in Chilliwack. I think one of the neatest things about living here is just wandering the downtowns of the various suburbs. Port Coquitlam and Port Moody are my personal faves, but there’s some really cool and funky stuff everywhere. Don’t limit yourself to the well-known places – diversity is what we’re good at and it’s everywhere.
    Oh, yeah – haven’t been there, but we also have a Jimi Hendrix shrine in downtown, right by Chinatown. It’s behind the Creekside Student Residence at 796 Main Street – used to be a restaurant that his grandmother worked at, and he stayed there with her frequently. Or so they say, anyway.
    Just don’t forget your umbrella. We’ve got the liquid kind of sunshine at this time of year.

  4. Welcome to Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, Wil. I see the prediction is for sunny weather over the next few days, so you’ve lucked out.
    My recommendations:
    – Definitely Stanley Park – start off with a horse-drawn carriage ride around the east side of the park, then continue to explore the paths and the seawall. http://www.stanleyparktours.com/
    – The H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, (http://www.spacecentre.ca/ ) home of the Planetarium, which also includes a simulator ride and 20-minute live demonstrations throughout the day. From there you can walk the seawall at a different point or take the False Creek ferry (http://www.granvilleislandferries.bc.ca/ )from the Vancouver Maritime Museum next door to Granville Island, which has a large public market, the Kids Market mentioned above and a number of restaurants.
    – Northern House, one of the pavilions during the Olympics, is still open until April 17th. http://www.canadasnorth.com/northernhouse
    – Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, which has just undergone a major renovation. http://www.moa.ubc.ca/ Of course, just wandering around the campus at UBC is delightful, but then I’m an alumni so I could be prejudiced. 😀
    And for true geekiness, you can always join the BC Browncoats (as well as fans of Star Trek, Stargate, BSG, V, Bablyon 5…) who hang out at La Fontana Caffe on Friday nights at the corner of Hastings Street and Boundary. http://www.yelp.ca/biz/la-fontana-caffe-burnaby-2
    Whatever you decide to do, I hope you enjoy your stay in our beautiful – and friendly – city.

  5. You’re playing Fargo’s nemesis? Excellent.
    That’s the, what, third geek nemesis you’re playing after Leverage and Big Bang Theory? Who’s next? ;o)

  6. One thing that you may enjoy that hasn’t been mentioned is checking out the Vancouver Theatresports League (www.vtsl.com) for what is never less than an entertaining evening of something that I recall you saying you’ve loved doing as an actor, improv theater.
    The VSTL has included many names that went on to the big dance in Hollywood through the years including Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles, to name two, and in the double-digit times I’ve seen the VSTL, I’ve always enjoyed it. Might be a nice night out, since you get Granville Island (already mentioned ad nauseam and a must-visit) and awesome theater.

  7. Alfredo’s Pizza, downtown near the Hyatt Regency is probably the best pizza I’ve ever eaten in my entire life.
    Not a terribly expensive joint. I’m not sure if they deliver, but they have “to-go” boxes that look like any other pizza delivery box on the planet, so they might.
    I used to go to Vancouver for a conference every year and we always made it a point to eat there.

  10. UBC Campus is right on the water, and you can walk down through the beautiful fir forests out onto the beach, and when I was there we saw seals swimming around. It was quiet and empty. Although, with classes still in session it might be busier.
    Personally, I’d go check out all the places my favorite shows were shot, you know X-files, Stargates, Battlestar, Supernatural. I’m planning a whole trip just for that purpose someday!
    Rosalind
    girlsaregeeks.wordpress.com

  11. Personally I LOVE Commercial Drive. It’s like traveling around the world in ten blocks. Good eats, interesting stores and suprises around every corner (or at least everysecond one).

  12. Someone else mentioned EA. I’d be happy to show you around, or pass you off to HR if you’d prefer. But, all the other suggestions are excellent.

  13. Don’t miss Granville Island & Stanley Park, including the aquarium. There are a few really great Indian restaurants on Robson street west of Burrard. One place I always spend lots of time whenever I visit Vancouver is Charlie’s Music City on Granville just south of Robson. They have one of the best collections of used CDs anywhere.

  14. If you’re interested in picking up some new boardgames, you could head out on the Skytrain (~35min) to the best boardgame store around. http://www.cravingforagame.ca/ The guy that runs it, Buck, is an absolute expert in explaining games plus he is the best matchmaker for what you are into/what you feel like for a boardgame. Vancouver has http://www.drexollgames.com/ but Craving for a Game is worth the trip.
    Maryanne

  16. Actually, BBT is listed in his entry. However, it’s under “as self”. IMDB doesn’t seem to draw a line between “Wil” and “Evil Wil”.

  17. Whenever I am in Vancouver (often), I make it a point to visit Granville Island. Beautiful little artist community with lots of shops and eateries.
    Last time I was there I saw Evil Dead: The Musical, but I am sure that is just a Halloween event (sadly).
    Downtown on Friday/Saturday is wild, it’s great to just walk up and down the main drag (Haines?) and head down to Canada Place Pier-be sure to bring your PAXEast scarf. Brrr.

  18. Wow! My husband and I are planning a trip to Vancouver; I’m going to make a list of all the great suggestions. Sounds like The Geek’s Tour of Vancouver, which suits us fine.
    We didn’t watch Leverage until your episode and are now never-miss-it viewers. This time we’re already huge fans of the show, but if any of your fans missed it, they’re gonna get hooked when they tune in to see you. One of the many great things about Eureka is the way the show celebrates intelligence and geekery.

  20. Though I’m not a local, I do go up to Vancouver 1-2 times a year for soccer matches and the like, so here’s what I enjoy: The Fritz European Fry House on Davie and Granville has some kickass poutine, and still some of the best kebab/gyro I’ve had is at a hole-in-the-wall place next to the Hosteling International Hostel on Granville next to Nelson. I can’t remember what it’s called and streetview doesn’t go down Granville (they’ve been redoing that whole strip for 2 years for the olympics, so I’m sure it’s nice now, but the street didn’t exist for a good while).
    Anyhow, for fun places to do stuff at, there’s a market on Granville Island that’s fun to go that’s pretty walkable from downtown. I’m also a fan of Stanley Park and the aquarium. If you have a chance, take the bus up to Simon Fraser university – they filmed a lot of Caprica city scenes there for BSG, and it’s just gorgeous and has fantastic views of everything, since it’s on a hill overlooking the city. Back in downtown, the main library and Georgia and Home is also a must-see – it’s gorgeous and has really nice reading rooms where once can just chill for a while. There’s a really awesome Japanese bookstore that carries a TON of CHEAP manga downtown too, but I can’t remember what it’s called. 🙁 I’m sure someone else might be able to figure that out. Oop, this is a really long post. Enjoy Vancouver!

  21. +100 karma points to the person suggesting that you leave a flower in Stanley Park to remember Andrew Koenig. Excellent suggestion.
    For geekiness, you could drive up to visit Caprica, otherwise known as Simon Fraser University on Burnaby Mountain.
    While you’re there, an excellent place to eat is the Himalayan Peak which is on the campus. On the way up the mountain is Horizons Restaurant which has great views of the city and great food all in one place. And also in the area is Sushi Town, probably the best bang-for-the-buck Sushi joint in the lower mainland. Large portions, excellent menu, fresh fish. Can’t go wrong there.

  23. Yes, Commercial Drive is a great place to wander looking for a great place to eat or pick up some great deli items. Sadly, it hasn’t been the same since the Chicken Guy left the drive. Now where am I going to get my garlicy rotissery chicken that was injected with a secret marinade and massaged before being cooked?

  25. Someone mentioned East Indian food. If that is your thing, you have to give Desi Lounge & Restaurant on Denman Street.
    I’ve eaten there many times and it is just wonderful. The lamb or chicken Korma is to die for! Don’t forget to order the garlic Naan (flatbread) to go with it.
    http://dinehere.ca/vancouver/desi-lounge-restaurant
    If you are into burgers, then you have to try Vera’s Burger Shack. I hit here at least once when I’m in town. They have about 9 locations around the city. I usually hit the one on Denman Street.
    http://dinehere.ca/vancouver/veras-burger-shack-denman
    And don’t forget F.R.E.D. tonight at 8 PM

  26. I really totally and completely support the suggestion that you head to craving for a game in Surrey. Best part about the place is that Buck has most of his games open and a whole bunch of tables where he will teach you how to play the games. You can also probably find a pick up game there of anything from Magic to Rifts to D&D. Buck also makes really great recommendations. Tell him a few games you have really enjoyed and he can proabably tell you 2-10 more you will really enjoy. If you have the time it is totally worth it!

  27. If you need coffee, or even if you just want coffee, you could get those needs or wants fulfilled in a huge way at 49th Parallel Cafe at 2152 4th Ave (near Arbutus). The owners and the people working there are all very passionate about good coffee as the cafe is the showcase for the roasting business they also run. I would say they are in the top three roasters in North America, along with Stumptown from Portland and Intelligentsia in Chicago.
    Not that I am a coffee geek or anything.

  28. +1 for Craving for a Game – and yes – Buck is one of those guys who is living his dream – he knows it and is ready and willing to share his passion with anyone who walks into his store.
    I walked in one day, spent over three hours there, mostly playing games with Buck, then walked out with over $200 in games and a grin on my face that I couldn’t wipe off even if I wanted to.

  29. I’m playing D&D with an awesome crew tomorrow, we always welcome guests. 3.5E, ~11th level, just entering a cave complex with a good chance of dragons. We need arcane support, perhaps an ancestor of Aeofel is in the area…

  30. I get out to Vancouver once a year to run a wargaming convention out there at UBC – so I’ve some familiarity.
    UBC itself is an absolute joy just for a walkaround. Particularly near the ocean. I spent nearly an hour on a hill above the bay watching the sun go down. Extremely zen. The whole area in and around UBC is worth the time. Mahoney & Sons is a lovely Irish pub on campus with great atmosphere, friendly staff and Granville Island Pale Ale.
    I cannot believe no one mentioned Imperial Hobbies a short hop from the airport. Seriously – virtually any gamer could spend a year’s pay in there and still not have everything they wanted. It’s insane. The folks there are super nice as well and it’s right across from a C-train stop.
    Enjoy your stay. While many of the buildings are kind of ugly, pretty much everything else about the rest of the city is superb.

  32. Awesome suggestions so far!
    Just want to throw another bid for Toy Traders at ‘cha.
    If you haven’t already, look here (with pics and vid): http://www.digitaldoodles.com/dp/200906/toy-traders
    Now that I know you have a few days – you’d kick yourself for not getting out to Langley and checking this place out. Seriously. Never mind the toys (SW, GIJoe, TF, etc.) comics and games, which are awesome in themselves, the dioramas/displays/geekgasms whatever you want to call them are something you’ve always wanted to create yourself but never had the time or money.
    They just make you go “WOW” and stand there for a few minutes, then you take a step and turn slightly and go “WOW” and stand there for a few minutes. It will fill you with actual awe.
    It’s kinda “hidden in plain sight” but if you can find Enterprise Car Rental, then you can find Toy Traders. ECR is in TT’s parking lot. And it’s across from Willowbrook Mall so it’s extremely central.
    Enjoy Eureka and your visit!

  33. Wil,
    Great Board Game shop on 4th and McDonald called Drexoll Games (www.drexollgames.com). Awesome people, a ton of open games to play on the tables provided. I volunteer at the Pacific Cinematheque tonight.(local art house theatre). Come by and watch a film. (www.cinematheque.bc.ca)
    Looking for any board game action…I live downtown and have a large collection of games (80+)
    Whatever you do, enjoy the city, it’s supposed to be a nice weekend…
    -Shannon

  34. @Wil (Vancouver awesomeness and high geekness)
    Comic Shop (gaming and comics)
    – Golden Age collectibles mentioned above on Granville Street
    Last Old school arcade left in Vancouver
    – Movieland arcade (this arcade is unfortunately the last arcade left in the city (old school non japanese modern one). It is located down from Golden Age also on Granville St.
    Great Views
    – Lookout point on the way up to Cypress Bowl. Will give you a fantastic view over Stanley Park and Vancouver all the way to the US border on a clear day.
    http://wikimapia.org/101536/Cypress-Bowl-Road-Lookout
    Now its been colder but you may have heard we had some real warm weather during the Olympics.

  35. +1 to Lynn Canyon – if you have any love for the evergreen forest trail and rushing creek scene – this is the place. It has a simple quiet beauty surrounding the excitement of the creek rushing through the tight rock lined valley.
    I’m acrophobic and I’ve braved that bridge countless times to visit that creek and those trails. It’s worth it.

  36. A note about the Aquarium. If you go, make sure to see the “4D movie” that they play… you know what 3D is, but what’d the “4th” dimension, you ask? Don’t ask – just go and you’ll be amused.
    Just make sure to keep your electronic devices safely pocketed during the movie. 😉

  37. Welcome to Vancouver! Lots of great suggestions here of all the cool things to check out, but let’s get to the important stuff: Where do you get a good pint of Guinness? Without question, the best pint of black in town is had at the Irish Heather (http://www.irishheather.com), located in Gastown, the oldest part of the city. They also have an unmatched whisk(e)y list, if you’re into that sort of thing. No, I don’t work there, but I am often found there 🙂 Cheers!

  38. I can tell you that 95% of any TV show filmed in Vancouver is in HD. Currently the only production using film is Fringe. Eureka uses the Sony F-23 which is there version of the Genesis.

  39. I’m a little late to the picnic, but I have a couple places to recommend in Vancouver, other than the VAG, which is pretty great, I must say. There’s the Or Gallery, on Hamilton, the Diane Farris Gallery and one of my favourites, the Grunt Gallery.
    If you like sushi, I recommend Yoshi, 689 Denman Street, which lacks the funky atmosphere of some of the other local sushi places, but concentrates on giving you really excellent, fairly authentic sushi. They don’t do cutesy or fusion or whathaveyou, just top-notch Japanese cuisine. I have never been disappointed there and rank it as one of the most delicious eating experiences you can have.

  41. In addition to EA, there are quite a few other game studios in the city… Radical, Relic, Propganda, etc… there’s a good-sized list of them here: http://artery.ca/links/6-studiolinks/37-gamedevstudios.html
    I also second (or third) the suggestion of Granville Island. For the food angle, I’d recommend the Sandbar restaurant for its fresh fish and oysters. And on the art side, there are lots of little art studio shops as well as the galleries at the Emily Carr School of Art & Design.
    Anyways, hope you enjoy the city. I was born here and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. 🙂

  42. Golden Age and Comic Shop are OK but the true FanBoy nerdvana is Imperial Hobbies in Richmond BC. It’s huge and has the biggest game selection I’ve ever seen anywhere. And Comics too.
    Break a leg Wil.

  43. Welcome! Might I suggest Granville Island, take the Aquabus over to the Conservatory, or if you are into scenery take a ride on the West Coast Express and enjoy the wonder that is our inlets. There is a local coffee shop in Surrey called The Fireside Cafe who promotes local artists and more often than not has some local artist displayed on their walls or performing on stage. They also have the BEST cheesecake in the lower mainland.
    ~ Tish

  44. Well if you go to Eventful.com there are 95 people requesting that you have an event in Vancouver….
    http://eventful.com/vancouver/demand/wil-wheaton-/D0-001-000000102-6
    I would suggest that if you do have a few days that you could travel outside the Lower Mainland, to Vancouver Island, Victoria is beautiful. There are lots of things to see in the rest of BC too.
    You should try to pick up some tickets to the Vancouver Canucks game tomorrow, I know you’re an LA Kings fan but since you like hockey, you would definitely enjoy it.

  45. I’m a UBC grad student in Computer Science. If you’d like to check out some of our facilities or see some wicked demos on Saturday I could probably hook you up. I myself do research with big, interactive surfaces.

  46. That’s so not fair…I’m trying to get you to come to Kelowna, and you go off and head to Vancouver…where all the other actors I wanna meet are too *pouts*
    Actually, it was awesome to hear you were going to be on (another) one of the shows I regularly watch. I have a friend who works in the props department for one of the studios, and I guess he did some stuff early on for that show (or knew someone who did) and had suggested it to me. While you’re there, maybe see about getting on Warehouse 13…or Sanctuary…or Fringe 😉 (I know, not professional, but I can dream)
    As for sites to see, I think they’ve all been listed, the ones I know at least. SFU is fun to walk around, so many shows filmed there LOL Heading over to Victoria for a while is also very nice.

  48. I don’t live in BC, but have been several times now, and as mentioned above, Kitsilano Beach area is good walking (although bundle up right now), and Granville Island is great, they have a decent little improv community you might wanna check out.
    But far and away, if you can get a day or two to go over to Vancouver Island and drive up to Cathedral Grove, it’s absolutely amazing. The road winds between massive redwood trees on either side, and you can get out and walk amongst some huge beautiful trees. Absolutely fantastic (although other parks in the area are really great too, Cathedral Grove seems this magical thing in my mind, like the highway just couldn’t resist these massive trees and had to bend to them instead of the other way around).
    Enjoy!
    -S

  49. Burgers: Moderne Burger on Broadway at Larch.
    Fish and chips: Go Fish at the public sales float in False Creek Harbour (just west of Granville Island).
    India: Vij’s on Granville. Show up early.
    As for geekery: It’s not open to the public on weekends, but for future reference you should plan a visit to TRIUMF. It’s a national lab on the UBC campus and home to the world’s largest cyclotron (among other things and yes, I do work there). We’ve got standard times for public tours, but it’s not hard to make special arrangements.

  50. Colin,
    I was going to suggest TRIUMF 🙂
    Wil you should get Colin to give you a tour on Monday if you’re free 😉
    p.s. The Naam (vegetarian suggestion) is 24 hours… 4th Ave (in between MacDonald and Stephens Streets)

Comments are closed.

Related Posts

Recent Posts