If you’re still feeling overwhelmed, we’ve prepared a brief guide of the day’s must-sees, as well as what programs to avoid.

Definitely catch: “Game of Thrones” panel

Author George R.R. Martin moderates a panel featuring series executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss as well as cast members Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington and Jason Momoa.

I know this is going to be the hot ticket event of the first day, but I’m not sure if it’s because the show is so popular, or if fans are just going with a bag of rocks to pelt at George R.R. Martin’s head. Either way, it’s not to be missed. Bring your Flip cam.

Definitely avoid: “Battlestar”: So Say We All

Richard Hatch hosts a panel and fan discussion of the “Battlestar Galactica” universe, politics and philosophy with Hatch (Tom Zarek, Capt. Apollo), Michael Taylor (“Battlestar Galactica,” “Caprica,” “Blood and Chrome”), Dr. Kevin Grazier (BG science consultant), and surprise guests for this exciting roundtable and Q&A session.

Guys: “Battlestar” is over. Time to move on. Now, someone show me the way to that Damon Lindelof/”Lost” theory panel.

Definitely catch: “Oh, You Sexy Geek!”

Does displaying the sexiness of fangirls benefit or demean them? When geek girls show off, are they liberating themselves or pandering to men? Do some “fake fangirls” blend sex appeal with nerdiness just to appeal to the growing geek/nerd market, or is that question itself unfair? And what’s up with all the slave Leias? Action flick chick Katrina Hill (ActionFlickChick.com) asks Bonnie Burton (Grrl.com), Adrianne Curry (“America’s Next Top Model”), Clare Grant (Team Unicorn, “G33k & G4m3r Girls”), Kiala Kazebee (Nerdist.com), Clare Kramer (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), Nerdy Bird Jill Pantozzi (“Has Boobs, Reads Comics”), Jennifer K. Stuller (Ink-Stained Amazons, GeekGirlCon) and Chris Gore (G4TV’s Attack of the Show!) to discuss whether fans can be sexy and geeky at the same time — and if they should!

I’d say that you could just watch the mashup of hot chicks on late-night shows and save yourself the effort, but since these are actual nerd girls discussing gender issues and not just Mila Kunis talking about World of Warcraft, it’s worth making time for.

Avoid:  TV Guide Magazine: Fan Favorites

TV Guide is back with an all-star panel for the fans! Moderated by editor in chief Debra Birnbaum, Fan Favorites features your favorite talent from your favorite shows — in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Panelists include Nestor Carbonell (“Ringer”), Johnny Galecki (“The Big Bang Theory”), Jorge Garcia (“Alcatraz”), Leslie Hope (“The River”), Zachary Levi (“Chuck”), Joe Manganiello (“True Blood”), Julie Plec (“Vampire Diaries”), Matt Smith (“Doctor Who”), Kevin Williamson (“Vampire Diaries”), Deborah Ann Woll (“True Blood”), and others.

What a clusterfuck … do the same people who want to see Jorge Garcia or Matt Smith really care about what “Chuck” or the guy from “The Big Bang Theory” have to say? I imagine this panel will be the real-life approximation of channel-surfing when you’re bored.

Definitely catch: Entertainment Weekly: The Visionaries: A discussion with Jon Favreau and Guillermo del Toro on the Future of Pop Culture

EW moderates an in-depth conversation with Jon Favreau (“Cowboys & Aliens”) and Guillermo del Toro (“Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark”), two filmmakers at the forefront of bringing geek culture to the masses and making blockbuster art out of pulp fiction. They will discuss their inspirations, their current work, and how they strive to put a personal stamp on blockbuster entertainment. Plus: How is new technology changing the way stories are produced and viewed? And what do they think the pop culture universe will look like a decade from now? Moderated by Jeff “Doc” Jensen.

Comic-Con is one of the first places that “cool” directors will leak spoilers and info about their upcoming features, so get a front seat and turn on your tape recorder in case Guillermo del Toro lets something slip about “Pacific Rim.”

Bonus “Don’t Miss” screenings: Mike Judge hosting the new “Beavis & Butt-Head” episodes, “Archer” viewing and cast discussion, and the exclusive premiere of “Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe.” Just kidding.

This list is far from definitive. What events are you most looking forward to for Comic-Con?

2. Casting news of the day: Charlie Day (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Horrible Bosses”) may be joining the Guillermo del Toro’s monster mash “Pacific Rim.” Wonder if there will be a cameo for Night Man?

3. HBO wish of the day: That “Lost’s” Michael Emerson would make a cameo on “True Blood.” Hey, apparently it might happen! “I’m friendly with Alan Ball … ” Emerson said at the premiere, “He’ll say, ‘I’ve gotta get you on here!’ And I’ll say, ‘Yes, I’m ready!’ “

4. “Star Wars” review of the day: Grindhouse Barbie, who caught some of the George Lucas franchise on TV and now has very solid opinions about it.

5. Delusions of the day: Kirstie Allie claims to have the same waist size of Megan Fox. Not going to touch that one. Have a good week, folks!

What made Chewy so memorable? Was it his brotherly relationship with Han Solo? Was it his reputation as a tough guy who rips people’s arms out of their sockets when he loses a game of chess? These were just some of the questions I explored with Peter Mayhew on my KKZN-AM760 morning radio show during Mayhew’s recent appearance at Denver Starfest. As the man who played Chewbacca, the 7-foot-3-inch Mayhew had some unique insights into the character and into the political ideology of the larger “Star Wars” world. He also weighed in on one of the most divisive new debates now roiling the original “Star Wars” generation as it moves into adulthood — the debate over whether parents should force today’s kids to watch episodes IV, V and VI before watching episodes I, II and III.

Here’s an edited transcript of my discussion with Mayhew — you can podcast the full interview here.

Is the world of “Star Wars” a conservative world or a liberal world, in your mind. You don’t have to be speaking for Chewbacca, you can speak for yourself.

Speaking for myself, I’d say that it was a conservative world … Everything is there. Everything is organized. Everything fits into each other. You’re looking at a fairy story, basically. I’m not saying that — there are so many characters. Basically, it’s Luke Skywalker’s story. It’s told by 3PO and R2. Consequently, you see everything through the establishment, which 3PO and R2 are part of.

Were Chewbacca and Han Solo partners? Did Han have the upper hand or did Chewy have the upper hand?

If you read the books, it will explain everything. Han rescues Chewy. Consequently, he has a debt. That is why they are always together. Working with Harrison [Ford] was one of those good things that even when you had, even when you were on-screen, there was a repartee going on between them. To do that, you have to know a person fairly well. We had a pretty good relationship, which hopefully showed through the movies.

Did you both have to know the back story of those characters?

Not particularly, no. We knew Chewy and Han were partners, but that was about as far as it went because it was a complicated story, if you think about it. You were shooting two different things together. You had the imperial stuff and the rebel stuff all being shot in the same studios, but not the same sets. Consequently you never knew what you were doing. You never shoot the movie the way that it is designed in the script. You move from one thing to another. You could be on the Millennium Falcon talking to Jabba. The next day, you could be in the canteen. You never knew exactly what you were up against.

The famous story about Darth Vader is that the guy playing Darth Vader wasn’t his voice. And they put James Earl Jones’ voice, but there is still a physicality to that role, just like there’s a physicality to the Chewbacca role. When you were developing the character of Chewbacca, how did you figure that physicality out?

He was just pure body language, which, when you’re on a set with three, maybe four other people, you can’t sit there, like a dog. You have to react to it. What is the first thing that you are going to do? You are going to look at the person who is talking and listen to them. It’s a mere fact that the eyes play a big part. As well as the head and the body angle, all the body stuff. And having a unique walk, like I’ve got, that sets your character up, first of all. It’s something we got together with George. I thought, well, we’re going to make changes. Never did. So Chewy stayed, virtually from day one, to what he could do. Right through all the movies.

Why, out of all the great characters in “Star Wars,” do you think Chewbacca is among the most famous?

Because he is a safety net. He’s your the guy next door. He’s your big brother. He’s secure. Something you know you can count on if you get into trouble. There are two ways that Chewy goes. Usually, that way fast. Or, if he stands and starts tearing arms off, you’re going to get bloody. I’ve had lots of people come up to me with little [Chewbacca] dolls, the 3 ½ inch dolls. [They say] “This is my security blanket.” This has got me through whatever emotional thing that they were going through.

There are all these references to Chewbacca being this guy who can rip people’s arms off, but you never see actual evidence of that. Did you assume at some point that there would be a scene where Chewy would have to go medieval on somebody?

Not really, because it was the way George described it. He would develop his own character. That’s basically what I did. He can’t stand around, sit around, without moving, to be a character. It just naturally took its own course. Luckily, people enjoyed it.

Obviously, playing Chewbacca was a life changer. It’d be a life changer for anybody. But do you ever feel the constraints of it?

Nope. I enjoy it. I think I’ve got the best job in the world. I know what I’m talking about. Having been there, done it. I can talk to people. I get to travel, get paid for it. It’s one of those crazy things that you would never have expected to go on this long.

There are a lot of great movies out there, but there are almost no movies that last in the popular imagination as long as “Star Wars.” What’s your theory on why it’s lasted so long?

Because you’re looking at quality. You’re looking at the best technicians George [Lucas] could find. There was no expense spared to produce these movies.

Why do you think that the new three haven’t done as well as the first three?

You’re looking at a different generation. You’re looking at almost a cartoony generation. What do you do? You sit your kid in front of the TV. Turn the cartoons on. They get used to that.

With me being a father with a 5-month-old child, we’re having a debate in our household. When my son is ready to see the “Star Wars” movies, do we show him IV, V and VI to give him the experience I had, or is that selfish and I should go I through VI?

That’s a good question. I would probably go I through VI. Because each one is an individual story. All six can be seen as an individual story, and you sum them together and you got the double drill. If you start him on I. And he sees that. If he gets fed up with that, you can move him along to the next one. Which is the same characters. His mind will be full of those particular characters. And you can explain to him how it happened and how it’s done.

Do you feel that people my age — I’m 35 — who were brought up on IV, V and IV, that they don’t like I, II and III as much?

Obviously, there is a lament for IV, V and VI. Which are far better, in my opinion, than any of the others. Because you’re more or less with the characters of IV, V and VI. Where you come into I, II and III, and you’ve got a schoolboy and two Jedis, it works, but the story is very vague, narrow. Whereas with IV, V and VI, it’s all contained. And I, II and III are all CGI-ed. That makes a big difference.

Do you think there are more “Star Wars” movies to come?

They are talking about it. With the success of “Clone Wars,” I would imagine that there would be more “Stars Wars.” Probably going to 3-D or television. Maybe even a combination. It’d be great to see Chewy punching in 3-D.