Comic Con day 1 has popular interactive experiences — VIDEO

SAN DIEGO — Comic Con’s first day kicks off with exclusive interactive experiences for some of the most highly anticipated films and series in nerd culture.

Noah Hawley is having a moment not seen in television since Aaron Sorkin was simultaneously running “The West Wing” and “Sports Night.”

As the creator of FX’s Coen brothers’ offshoot “Fargo” and the channel’s Marvel series “Legion,” Hawley is responsible for two of the most clever, visually stylish series on TV.

“You know, you come home, you’re out of words, and you sleep very little,” he told me. “But it’s fun. If you’re having a moment, you’ve gotta have the moment.”

Aubrey Plaza, who portrays Lenny in the insanely twisty series, says she had a bit of an idea where her character was going in Season One.

“I knew broad strokes,” she said. “I kind of knew where I was going, but not how I was going to get there.”

“See, I didn’t even know that,” interjected Dan Stevens (“Beauty and the Beast”), who stars as David Haller, who is either a mutant, crazy or both. “I didn’t even know there were strokes.”

Jean Smart, who’s been a TV star since “Designing Women” hit the air in 1986, said she’s never seen anything like the popularity of “Legion.” The press conference took place in the Hilton Bayfront, whose 30-something-story exterior was covered in a wrap for the show.

“This is exciting, and people are just flipping out over it,” Smart said. “People come up to me and say, ‘You know, I don’t entirely understand it, but I can’t wait to see more.’”

Netflix went all out to promote “Stranger Things.”

A replica of the Byers home had walls that would come to life if you called out to the missing Will. The Christmas lights that Joyce (Winona Ryder) used to communicate with him were there, too. And, in another installation, was a memorial to poor, sad, previously forgotten Barb.

The “Blade Runner 2049” Experience starts with a virtual-reality chase inside a Spinner.

When that’s over, a panel opens to reveal the real Spinner from the movie along with 34 costumed actors and a street scene with landmarks from the original film.

The experience includes more than 50 props and costumes from the sequel.

At the end, guests 21 and over can sample three different varieties of Johnnie Walker.

 

Enter the world of #BladeRunner2049.#WelcomeTo2049 #SDCC pic.twitter.com/CNJA0ETHzP

— #BladeRunner 2049 (@bladerunner) July 20, 2017

 

Checked out the #BladeRunner2049 Experience at #SDCC tonight. The art dept outdid themselves. #Welcometo2049 pic.twitter.com/d2L1ft7sKP

— Adam Savage (@donttrythis) July 20, 2017

Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567. Follow @life_onthecouch on Twitter.