Flicking Through Netflix: Better Off Ted Episode 1 (Pilot)

I have an ever growing list of shows I am attempting to keep up with.  Shows on TV, shows on Youtube, and, more importantly, shows on Netflix.  I’m up to 18 shows I’m trying to catch up with on a regular bases.  Knowing this, I sort of wanted to watch something today that I was certain I’d hate.  And you know what I hate?  Office comedies.  I didn’t like Office Space at all, I cringe at The Office (both of them), and I absolutely DESPISE Workaholics.  There’s just something about comedies that take place in a work environment that I just don’t get.  So with an almost 100 percent guarantee that I’d hate it, I took a look at Better Off Ted.

In this show, we follow Ted, the PR manager for a company that… makes inventions?  It’s never really specified and I think that vagueness is part of the joke.  The joke I don’t get.  Anyway, this company is obviously insane because they use their time to weaponize pumpkins, create edible metal that bounces, and cryogenically freeze their employees.  And the plot is…?

Seriously.  Where’s the plot here?  What is the driving force behind this story?  Because just following people in a company is BORING, even if the company is crazy.  There’s no story here, it’s just office wackiness.  I have to admit, that’s part of the reason I hate office comedies.  No plots whatsoever.  But, no matter.  A story isn’t needed if the characters are doing their jobs right.  And these characters are… Well… They’re definitely characters…

Truth is, these characters all feel paper thin, generic, cardboard cut out characters.  The bitchy boss, the overly nervous scientist, the weird new girl.  I’ve just seen these characters so many times.  And not a one of them was the least bit funny to me in this show.  I can’t speak much for the acting talent of the actors.  They play their rolls decently enough.  I just don’t think they have anything to actually DO on this show.

There is really absolutely nothing else to talk about.  If you like office comedies, I guess you’ll like this fine.  I just couldn’t find any enjoyment with it at all.  I’m actually relieved that I don’t have to expand my list to include one more show.  I got exactly what I expected out of this show and I can’t believe that I’m happy about that.  If you’re like me and don’t like having anything related to the work place in your entertainment, this show won’t convert you to the “professional” side any time soon.

Why I Like: Werewolves

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a fondness for werewolf stories.  I read werewolf books, I watch TV shows with werewolves, I even wrote a small, unfinished book called My Life As A Teenage Werewolf.  Before today, I never really thought about why I like these particular supernatural beings so much.  I just sort of accepted as a fact that this was something that I loved in my life.  However, while taking a shower (where all my best ideas come from), I started thinking to myself “Why do I just love werewolf stories so much?”

If I had to put a “starting point” on where my love of these creatures started, I’d probably guess that it starts with my (usual) love of dogs.  Growing up, we had 3 dogs in my house.  The first was a big English Mastiff we called Gordo (Spanish for fatty, basically).  This was one BIG dog.  We used to use him as a little pony during parties.  He was a very friendly dog, from what I remember.  However, this dog was so huge that he once leaned on the fence, tipped it over, and ran away.  I never saw him again.  Then we had two Rottweilers we named Jewel and Niles.  They were very friendly too and I loved them to bits.  These dogs were sold after we got a pool.

Still, because of my early exposure to dogs and how friendly they could be, I always had a fascination with them.  While I’m no psychoanalyst, if I had to guess, I’d say that my love of dogs transferred into a love of wolves somewhere down the line.  Wolves are probably my favorite animals.  Even when I was younger and would read about them in animal books, I always found them to be fascinating creatures.  I always liked that they wandered around in packs and had all these certain behaviors.  They just seemed like really cool animals to me.

Stepping away from the animal side of things, the other reason I like good werewolf stories is because they often revolve around a certain type of story:  the Jekyll and Hyde story.  I always thought that kind of story was interesting:  two halves of the same person battling for control, one logical minded, the other completely animalistic.  Heck, one of my favorite villains of all time is Two-Face from Batman, who embodies this completely.  For me, all good werewolf stories have this element to them.  And I really love watching that conflict play out, studying how the character reacts, watching as the two sides try to cope with or destroy each other.

The fact is, werewolves, as we’ve created them, are extremely complex supernatural creatures.  While vampires are (usually) just demonic creatures, werewolves are (usually) people who are trying to cope.  These complexities, these conflicting natures, are what I enjoy most about werewolves.  They are without a doubt my favorite subset in the horror genre.  Now, I’ve said my piece.  If you’ll excuse me, I suddenly feel like howling at the moon…

Flicking Through Netflix: The X-Files Episode 1 (Pilot)

Welcome to the final part of my day long Nerd Marathon, where I take a look at a few icons of Nerd culture!

Let’s see, today I’ve looked at one of the most highly held Sci-Fi shows of all time and a modern take of a classic mystery series.  If only there was a way to combine the two, a mystery/sci-fi mixture of perfect proportions.  A science-fiction show with a little mystery flare.  A mystery show with some sci-fi phenomena.  I could go to one of the many programs of this type on the Sci-Fi… sorry “SyFy” channel, or I could go to the basics.  The one I think started them all.  These are The X-Files.

I have been aware of the X-Files for quite some time now, but for some reason I had never paid any attention to it.  I wrote it off as just another alien show.  I never thought it would fit my style.  Well, I guess I’m learning all sorts of things about my own tastes lately, because after watching the first episode, I find myself itching for more.

We start off the show with Agent Dana Scully of the FBI being assigned to be partners with Agent Fox Mulder.  The “higher ups” are worried that Mulder is utilizing his talents and resources on, well, stupid cases.  They want Scully to act as a spy and report to them on whether Mulder is wasting time.  So, Mulder and Scully go to investigate a series of strange murders.  Each body has been found with no marks on it and the cause of death unknown.  Could a teenager who’s been in a coma for 4 years be behind the killings?

I went into this show expecting a serious look at alien cases with good ol’ investigation fun.  And, this once, I got exactly what I expected.  This was a very straight forward show with talk of aliens, abductions, and other strange UFO type stuff.  I was really pleased that I got what I was looking for.

The dynamic between Mulder and Scully is already very good just within the first episode.  You have Scully playing the skeptic and Mulder is the believer.  And, as FBI colleagues, they really work well off of each other.  They both gave convincing arguments and tried to make the other see things their way.  I also love that, at least in the first episode, there was absolutely no “sexual tension” between them.  I thought we got close in one scene where Scully was scared and in nothing but a robe, but it just came off as friends comforting each other.  The friendship chemestry between the two is very strong.

The effects, what we’ve seen, have been fairly decent.  There was one “mutated alien body” that looked positively terrifying to me.  The prop department definitely earned their keep in my eyes for that one.  But the alien effects (the bright lights, the wind cyclones, that sort of thing) were pretty generic.  I was expecting a little more there, but it was still fairly decent.

In the end, this is a really good example of a sci-fi mystery series.  It’s got the suspense, the strangeness, the skepticism, everything that you could look for in a series like this.  I will certainly continue to check it out.  After all.  I always try to believe in the possibilities.

Flicking Through Netflix: Sherlock Episode 1 (A Study in Pink)

Welcome back to the day long Nerd Marathon, where I take a look at a few icons of Nerd culture!

I’ve mentioned a few times before that I love a good mystery.  I also often enjoy the works of Steven Moffat, current show runner for Doctor Who and creator/writer of Jekyll, an original look at the Jekyll and Hyde story.  Given that I like both these things (mysteries and Moffat), bringing these two together would be a match made in heaven for me.  And in this show, Moffat brings a classic detective to life on the screen in his own unique way.  He’s the original genius detective, the bases for two of my favorite characters (Batman and Dr. House).  It’s Sherlock.

In the first episode of the series, we meet Dr. Watson, an ex-military doctor who’s bored with his life, and Sherlock, an eccentric genius with a penchant for solving crimes.  In this first installment, they inspect a series of serial murders that all look like suicides.  How can a man kill someone without lifting a finger?  That’s exactly what they have to find out.

Do I have to say that I found this show brilliant?  It’s fast paced, the editing is fantastic, the writing is superb.  And the characters.  The characters are very well written, each having their own voices, and Watson and Sherlock obviously quickly get along.  But what makes these characters so fantastic are the actors.  The actors bring a life to these characters that I’ve never seen before.  Martin Freeman is perfect as Watson, looking dignified at every turn and has this glitter of intelligence in his eyes that makes him look like he’s having fun.  Benedict Cumberbatch is almost the same.  He has the same intelligent gleam in his eye.  One difference.  Cumberbatch doesn’t just look like he’s having fun.  Cumberbatch is one hundred percent having fun with this.  You can see it in every smirk, every revelation of a clue, every step he takes.  His energy brings a real spark to the roll that just makes me want to follow him every second.

The editing, as I mentioned, is fantastic.  We get a unique look at the way Sherlock’s mind works with every new clue that pops up.  Instead of hearing him speak in an (admittedly silly) narrative, we see the clues pop up as text facts, almost seeing Sherlock read what is in front of him.  It sounds like those “Pop Up Facts” special features that come on some DVDs, but trust me, it’s not.  It’s a bit difficult to explain, but I just love these little text blurbs.  They give the show a real personality somehow.  I especially love when they show whats going on on a laptop screen or on a phone without showing the face of those objects.  It’s just brilliant.

As to the “based on Sherlock Holmes” angle, I’d take that with a bit of a grain of salt.  Obviously, this is Sherlock brought to the modern era, with cell phones, GPS, and all that jazz.  I hear that the first episode is based on the story A Study in Rouge, but I honestly have the feeling that they only got the barest plot points from that story.  If you’re a die hard Sir Arther Conan Doyle fan, this might irk you, but I still think you’ll like this.

It’s really difficult to talk about this show without giving anything away.  There’s so much to it that I just don’t know how to describe through text.  So let me just say it this way.  If you like mystery shows, if you like Moffat, if you like anything Sherlock related, you will LOVE this.  Even if you only have a passing interest in anything I’ve mentioned, you owe it to yourself to watch this.  Be mindful, though.  Each episode is about the length of a movie and each season is only 3 episodes.  And Moffat is taking his sweet time getting the third season out.  So the wait will be unbearable in the best possible way.

Flicking Through Netflix: Star Trek Episode 1 (Pilot: The Cage)

Hello and welcome to a day long celebration of different types of fandom which I’m calling my Nerd Marathon!  Because of my lack of updates the last two days, I’ve decided to write up three blogs today celebrating things I consider icons of Nerd culture.

After seeing Star Trek Into Darkness for the second time last night (for my dad’s birthday), I suddenly started thinking.  Maybe I should give the original stuff a try.  Sure, I knew of a few core Trek stuff, but I had never seen a single episode of the original series.  My nerdy self thought “This just won’t do!  How can you call yourself a fan of Sci-Fi if you haven’t even seen the classics?”  In an attempt to rectify this, I found Star Trek available on Netflix!  And I was really excited to give it a shot.

However, the above photo is completely misleading.  There is NO Kirk in the pilot episode to this series.  There’s no Sulu, no Chekov, no Uhura, no McCoy.  Just about the only recognizable character in this pilot is Mr. Spock.  Not that this is at all a bad thing.  Just because those famous characters weren’t in the pilot doesn’t mean I automatically hated it.  I just found it surprising that I didn’t get exactly what I was expecting.  Actually, that’s true in more than one sense aside from the characters.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The story of the pilot follows Captain Pike of the Starship Enterprise.  Pike is tired of his life as a captain, always having so much responsibility.  But all those worries have to take a back seat when the Enterprise intercepts a distress signal from a planet where a ship crashed many years ago.  A group lands on the planet and finds a small community.  Unfortunately, these “survivors” are merely illusions and Pike is captured by a group of telepathic beings.  He’s being kept as a specimen for study.  Now Pike has to figure out how to out-think beings who can read his mind.

Being that my only real exposures to Star Trek are the JJ Abrams movies, Wrath of Khan, and a few Q episodes in Next Generation, I expected a certain type of show.  I expected technobabble, bad special effects, and cheesy action scenes.  What I actually found was a far different type of Sci-Fi show than I was used to.  Star Trek, judging from this episode alone, is a very intellectual show.  Its main drive seems to be exploring different philosophies, studying the world around us and expanding our knowledge of it.  I really like this type of atmosphere, not relying alone on action but making people actually think about the philosophy of the show.

Make no mistake, I did get the bad special effects I was expecting.  There were times I was just screaming “obvious man in a suit” and “that alien planet sure looks like a badly painted backdrop.”  But, honestly, this is all part of the fun of the show.  Instead of aging in a bad way for me, this show’s effects have aged like the finest cheese.  Some people may not have a taste for it, but in the right hands, the flavors all work together really well.  The cheese factor of this show is delicious and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Was I disappointed most of the now famous characters weren’t in this episode?  Well, yes.  But I still got a thoroughly enjoyable and thought provoking ride out of it.  A few years ago, I probably wouldn’t have believed I’d say this, but I think this show has got me on my way to becoming a bit of a Trekkie.  That being said, I’ll probably never go as far as to dress up as Spock.  Later today in my Nerd Marathon, I’ll be taking a look at a BBC hit, but probably not the one you think.  Live long and see ya!

My Top 10 Favorite Online Series

Alright, I’ve been building up to this Top 10 list for the past 2 days!  Confused?  If you haven’t read them yet, please read Part 1 and Part 2 of this 3 part series.  All explanation is given in those two parts.  I feel like this post is going to be long enough without a long winded intro, so let’s dive right in.

10.  Familiar Faces

Familiar Faces is a review show where the host, CR, takes time to talk about little known characters from well known franchises.  In each episode, CR takes a close look at the history of that particular character, looking at their effectiveness in the series and development as a character.  CR’s show has a very analytical feel to it.  While he does occasionally crack good jokes, what he really seems to like doing is looking at what makes a character work and what doesn’t.  I like the way CR has of looking at things.  His point of view, when he explains it, makes a lot of sense.  He’s a fellow fan of all things Halloween (the holiday) and his passion for it really shows up in his Halloween centered episodes.

Recommendation:  Samhein.  It’s a Halloween episode looking at a ghost from the cartoon Real Ghostbusters series.

9.  Epic Rap Battles of History

In the same vein as Super Power Beat Down, this series has two or more characters from history, pop culture, and fiction duke it out in a big battle.  But not a fist fight sort of battle.  Instead, these characters beat each other down with insults in a rap battle.  I like this series because the people who run it are very professional with each episode.  They try to get the costumes for each character as accurate as they can.  They do the research on each person and try to copy their mannerisms and way of speaking to the last detail.  If they bring in other people to be the characters, they make sure that those people know what they are doing.  Not to mention, their rapping skills are awesome.  They know how to lay down a rhyme and they definitely know how to make it insulting.

Recommendation:  Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates.  This is just my favorite episode they’ve done so far.  I’ve listened to it so many times that I lost count.

8.  There Will Be Brawl

I was going to write the explanation for this series myself, but allow me to let the website do it for me. “There Will Be Brawl is a non-profit web series designed as a dark, dramatic parody of the popular Super Smash Bros. Brawl video game for the Nintendo Wii.  In a Dystopian Mushroom Kingdom, corruption and avarice reign supreme. Even the greatest heroes of the land have buckled beneath the overwhelming will of the amoral elite. When a series of grisly crimes pushes an unlikely champion to seek the truth, a mystery unfolds that could completely destroy everything he holds dear.”  I love this series’ take on the video game franchises I hold so dear.  Everything feels dark, edgy, gritty, and very atmospheric.  The actors are all superb in their roles and the costumes, while not all incredible (I’m looking at YOU, King Dedede), still look very well put together.  In the end, it’s a great dark series that really speaks to the nerd in me.

Recommendation:  Again, start from the top:  Episode 1: Twilight Ruin

7.  Zero Punctuation

Zero Punctuation is a review show by Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw.  In the videos, he reviews video game in an often angry and sarcastic manner.  Yahtzee isn’t afraid to say why games suck whether they’re popular or not.  Again, there’s a confidence to this character that tells me that he’s right, he’s heard all the arguments, doesn’t care, and don’t even bother.  Yahtzee comes across as a guy that’s a bit hard to please, but I feel more that he just knows what he likes.  And when he comes across a game he does like, he lets the whole world know it.  Yet again, here’s a man who has a passion for something, in this case games, and their passion shows through on the screen.  I can’t help but be attracted to passion because it’s so very fun to watch.

Recommendation:  Amnesia: The Dark Descent.  This is one of the first games he talked about that I remember him actually liking.  It’s also one of his funniest reviews ever.

6.  The Spoony Experiment

Spoony is yet another reviewer, but this one takes a look at both games and movies.  He usually tackles movies/games that are either terrible or “so bad it’s good” schlock fests. Of all angry reviewers out there, for me, Spoony is one of the only one who has stayed consistently funny from start til now.  This is the type of show where I can’t pinpoint exactly what I love about it so much just because all of it is mixed together so well.  He also occasionally has story elements in his show, such as his enemy turned assistant, Dr. Insano, or angry clones coming back from the dead for revenge.  Trust me, if you watch the show, this makes perfect sense.

Recommendation:  His Let’s Play of Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh.  This is one of the best Let’s Plays I’ve ever seen.  Period.  It’s funny, it’s edited together well, the game is riffed on very professionally.  Everything about this little series is great.  I suggest watching the whole thing.

5.  The Joker Blogs

This is a series that follows the Joker after the events of Chris Nolan’s The Dark Knight.  He’s placed in the famous Arkham Asylum under the care of Dr. Harleen Quinzel.  And things start snowballing from there. When I saw the first episode, I thought it was just about this one dude doing an admittedly decent impression of Heath Ledger’s Joker.  Then it turned into a real character driven story and I found myself enthralled.  Everyone involved in this series is fully commited to their characters, looking the part, dressing the part, and acting the part perfectly.  The story of this series is just fantastic.  If you’re a fan of the Dark Knight, Batman: The Animated Series, or even just a fan of the DC comics, you should definitely give this a watch.  I guarantee a good time.

Recommendation:  Yet again, take it from the top! Episode 1: Therapy Begins

4.  Eddsworld

This one is a cartoon series made by a brilliant fellow named Edd Gould.  In this series, Edd and his friends Matt and Tom get into a bunch of little adventures, flushing themselves down the sewers to find Atlantis, exploring a lost tomb, even once going to Hell for a vacation.  The series is side-splittingly hilarious and the quality of the cartoons continues to get better and better.  Sadly, the creator died after a fight with cancer last year and can no longer lend his voice to his character.  Fortunately, the series is far from over as the rest of the creative team has decided to continue the legacy.  And the humor is definitely still there.  It’s one of my favorite original cartoon web series and I always watch it when I’m in the mood for a laugh.

Recommendation:  One of my favorite episodes is the first Eddsworld Halloween Special.  This cartoon showed that the quality of the cartoons was just starting to become a bit more professional.  It has non-stop laughs and it’s a tribute to my favorite holiday.

3.  Hellsing Abridged

There are so many different Abridged series out there.  (Abridged Series for those not in the know:  When a show, usually anime related, is shortened and parodied by a person or group.)  There’s Dragon Ball Z Abridged, Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series, the list goes on.  But this one is my absolute favorite.  Why?  Vampires.  This series revolves around Alucard, a vampire who works for the Hellsing Corporation.  He hunts other vampires that are causing trouble in the world.  And he is such a loveable jerk.  I hate that this series only comes out once a year at Halloween, but it just gives me yet another reason to love the holiday.  The series is only 3 episodes long so far, so if you’ve got some free time and are in the mood for an awesome vampire cartoon, this is totally worth a watch.

Recommendation:  Start with the first episode.

2.  Helloween4545’s Let’s Plays.

Helloween is one of the first Let’s Players I’ve ever seen and he is my favorite one of all time.  He is a British guy who plays horror and survival horror games.  First, let me get this out of the way.  His accent is wonderful.  That being said, his sense of humor is fantastic.  His sense of humor really can be only described by example.  While playing a game, if his character suddenly comes across a decapitated corpse that looks horribly mangled, Helloween will become fascinated by the shoe it’s sitting next to.  This man’s nonchalance during the often horrifying games he’s playing is nothing short of hilarious.  Not only that, when he actually get scared by a game, it’s still funny.  Every moment of every Let’s Play from this man is entertainment from the first to the last.  When he gets scared, it’s funny.  When he gets angry, its really funny.  When he’s just in the mood to be silly, it’s downright hilarious.  This man can do no wrong in my eyes and I will remain a fan of his for probably the rest of my life.

Recommendation:  His let’s play of Amnesia is particularly good, if only because the game is really a very good game.  Not to mention, if you don’t know by now, he’s one hell of a funny dude.

And the number one spot, my favorite online series of all time, is…

1.  Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

I can’t help myself.  I really can’t.  I have long ago declared Joss Whedon as my lord and master.  I think at least 90% of what he does is pure gold.  And Dr. Horrible is no different.  In this series, we follow Dr. Horrible, a villain wannabe who wants to join a famous evil group and also wants to win the heart of his dream girl.  It’s a musical series and the songs in this are pure fun from start to finish.  To tell you anymore would deprive you of a fantastic time.  It’s got Neil Patrick Harris, it’s got Nathan Fillion, it’s got Felicia Day.  It’s written by JOSS WHEDON.  JOSS. WHEDON. If those two words are involved, you’re in for a good, if slightly dramatic, time.  If I haven’t sold you on this video series yet, I never will.

Recommendation: It’s basically a movie.  In fact, the whole thing is available on DVD.  My recommendation?  Buy it.  If you’re a Whedon lover and haven’t seen this yet, you’re depriving yourself of greatness.  It comes with 2 commentaries.  An actual commentary and COMMENTARY: The Musical, with all new songs and hilarity galore!

So, there you have my Top 10 Favorite Online Series of all time.  I had so much fun making this series and will no doubt make more like it in the future.  As I’ve said in the past, I urge you to share your favorite series in the comments below!  I’m always looking for some new stuff to watch and I would love suggestions for the future.  Until next time, I will see you around the Net!

My Top 20 Favorite Online Series Numbers 20 to 11

Welcome to the second part of my 3 part series talking about my Top 20 Favorite Online Series.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, please see this article (which went through a little change since yesterday) that introduces this series.  Just as a further explanation of what I hope to do with this article, here’s how I will structure each entry:  After giving the title of each series (along with a link to where to find it) I will give a short-ish explanation of what the series is about.  I will also state why I like the series enough to call it a favorite.  Last, I will give a recommendation of a video or short series that I feel adequately represents that series or is just my favorite video from that series.  I feel like the rest of this article is going to be long enough.  So, onward to the list!

20.  Bargain Bin Horror

Bargain Bin Horror is a review series hosted by two German guys named Alex and Ice H.  In their reviews, they take a look at little known B-horror schlock and have fun making fun of them.  Being a lover of B-horror movies and also of horror in general, I love their subject matter.  But the reason I consider this show a favorite of mine is because of the chemestry between the two hosts.  They are obviously best friends and are having a huge amount of fun making those videos.  I have never seen a review show with a double act that worked quite as well as these two.  Yes, sometimes their delivery of a joke is a bit off and it’s very obvious when they’re reading off a script.  But I absolutely love these two.  Sadly, they only have about 10 episodes in their archives and have been on a hiatus for the last two years.  While they may never make another video, what they made still makes me laugh even after the 5th time watching it.

Recommendation:  Gingerdead Man Review.  This episode has some of their best jokes and you could really tell by this episode that they had found the tone they were looking for.  It’s also a “revisit” episode, which just means that they cleaned up the editing and sound a little bit from the first episode.

19.  Josh Jepson’s Let’s Plays

Josh Jepson is a Let’s Player on Youtube.  If you don’t know what a Let’s Play is, I’ll be brief.  A Let’s Play is when a person plays a video game and records their game session while commentating over what they’re doing.  Basically, it’s like riffing on a video game.  And Josh Jepson is one of the more knowledgeable Let’s Players I’ve seen.  When he plays a game, it is usually apparent that he’s done his homework on it, giving forth as much information about the game as he can.  When he does “blind” Let’s Plays (that is, LPs of games he’s never played before), he does his best to analyze what the game is and have as much fun as possible.  He has a great sense of comedic timing and always seems to keep a positive attitude.  I particularly love whenever he plays a game involving puzzles as he is entertaining to watch as he tries to figure out what to do.

Recommended Let’s Play:  Quantum Conundrum.  Quantum Conundrum is a puzzle 3D platformer with the very cool narrator, John De Lancie.  This was one of the first LPs I’ve watched from Josh and because of his reactions, it’s one of my favorites.

18.  Honest Trailers

Honest Trailers is a series by the Youtube group ScreenJunkies.  The series is made up of parody trailers for movies.  In each video, the creators pick apart the movie, pointing out any and all plotholes and making fun of the actors.  I love this series because it is downright hilarious.  The people really know how to pick apart a movie and can spot a plothole, however small, from a mile away.  I also think that the series really shows how much the people who make it love movies.  Their passion for film really shows in their material.  No matter how much they may make fun of movies, you can tell they have a lot of fun watching them.

Recommendation:  Honest Trailer for Les Miserables.  I have a particular fondness for this musical and movie, but I love the way they just completely tear it to pieces in this video.

17.  Longbox of the Damned

Longbox of the Damned is a series by Lewis Lovhaug, who you may remember from the runners up.  Like AT4W, Longbox is a comic review show.  However, this one stars a creepy undead host named Moarte as he reviews some horror and supernatural comics.  I like this series a lot because, like I said, I just love the horror genre.  This series really opened my eyes as to the variety of comics out there, that comics aren’t just about superheroes.  Having read a few of the comics he recommends in the series, I can also attest that he has great taste in horror.  This series is fairly new and only comes out during Halloween and will now return for a month in an upcoming event called Midsummer’s Nightmare.  I can’t wait to get more recommendations for some creepy stories.  The anticipation is giving me goosebumps.

Recommendation:  I suggest starting from the top with the first episode:  House of Mystery: Room and Boredom.  This is not a long series and each video is only about 5 minutes long.  It is well worth your time.

16.  Todd’s Pop Song Reviews

This is another review show, only this one focus on popular songs on the radio.  Todd one of the most consistently funny reviewers I’ve seen.  He always has good points to make about the songs he reviews.  Not to mention I absolutely love his gimmick.  In an attempt to make sure that he’s not harassed at home by fans, Todd has opted to keep his face always hidden in shadow in his reviews.  This sort of speaks to the side of me that likes “mysterious” characters.  But, mostly, I just think the guy is funny as hell.  And any time he gets mad at a song, I can’t help but smile.

Recommendation:  Back in Time by Pitbull.  This is one of the stupidest songs I’ve ever heard, let alone movie tie-in songs.  I just love watching Todd rip it to pieces.

15.  Freeman’s Mind

What if Gordon Freeman from Half-Life actually could talk?  What if he could talk and he was a jerk?  Not only that, what if he could talk, was a jerk, and was just a bit… No, actually, a lot insane.  Like, gun insane.  That is what this series is about.  It sort of plays out like a let’s play, going through the first Half-Life game while listening to just what Gordon has to say.  It’s a series I only recently discovered and I marathoned it in 2 days flat.  While the link above does go to a semi-complete playlist of the episodes so far, you should know that the creator has started posting his new episodes to his blip page here.  If you have any knowledge of Half-Life, or if you just have a passing interest in it, I highly recommend it.

Recommendation:  Definitely start with Episode 1.  The series just doesn’t make much sense otherwise.

14.  Welshy’s Reviews

I’m sorta, kinda, little bit cheating on this one.  I say that because Welshy (aka Mat Williams) IS, technically, my friend.  But I haven’t had many convos with him at all, so I’m saying he gets a pass.  I would give him a pass anyway, because Welshy is a FANTASTIC reviewer.  Welshy usually reviews movies and TV shows that he feels strongly about, both in the positive and negative ways.  With his videos, he always loves to break down why he likes, or, sometimes, why he hates certain parts of movies.  His videos are very analytical and, in a world where everyone is always trying to be funny, it’s refreshing sometimes to just watch someone have a passion for something, be it a movie, TV show, or anything.  And, in the interest of full disclosure, I love his voice and accent.  But even if his accent wasn’t a part of it, he’s just a joy to watch.  While he has technically retired from video making, I will continue to enjoy all of the videos he’s put out for years to come.

Recommendation:  Top 10 9th Doctor Moments.  Welshy has a real love for Doctor Who, and I believe this Top 10 list is one of his most brilliant episodes.  I won’t lie, if it weren’t for Welshy, I would never have gotten into Doctor Who.  Thanks, you wonderful Welsh man.

13.  The JonTron Show

JonTron is probably one of the most random reviewers I’ve ever seen, and I absolutely love him for it.  The JonTron Show’s main characters are Jon himself and his robotic cyborg parrot, Jacque,who can talk and has laser vision.  This review series concentrates on not-so-well-known games, but Jon’s also occasionally dived into reviewing a movie.  Jon’s humor gives me the sense that he doesn’t care if anyone gets the joke but himself.  And I mean that in a good way.  His confidence when giving his jokes just makes it seem like the man is having fun and he doesn’t care who knows it.  Jon has this energy when he’s on screen that just makes me want to jump out of my seat and cheer for him.  He’s quick with a smile and just seems like the type of guy that gets along with most people he meets.

Recommendation:  Birdemic: The Best Worst Movie Ever.  This one of the first videos I saw from Jontron and it made me fall in love with him.  His reactions to the completely baffling things happening in this movie made me breathless with laughter.  I’ve seen it 5 times already and I have the feeling I’ll see it hundreds more and still laugh every time.

12.  Super Power Beat Down

Super Power Beat Down is a series a lot like Deadliest Warrior.  In SPBD, the hosts argue about which of two fictional characters would win in a fight.  While the arguments each side make are pretty fun to watch as they often resort to childish insults, what really makes this series amazing are the Live Battle segments.  In these segments, they create the fight that everyone wants to see, putting together stunts, combat, special effects, and amazing costumes and acting abilities.  The production quality for these fights is absolutely spectacular, showing off clear knowledge on how each character would actually fight.  I can’t recommend this series enough for anyone who calls themselves a nerd.  You’ll find yourself absolutely blown away by how awesome these fights turn out.

Recommendation:  Batman vs Wolverine.  I love these two characters and seeing them duke it out was just mindblowing to me.

11.  The Nostalgia Critic

The Nostalgia Critic was one of the first ever online series I ever fell in love with.  Back in the day, he broke down movies and TV shows from the 80s and 90s, bashing the bad and praising the good.  Since I discovered this series, the man running it, Doug Walker, has been an idol of mine.  His comedic timing, his analyzation, his passion for reviewing, all of it spoke to me in a way that opened my mind.  Without this man, I wouldn’t have met Laura.  Without the NC, I wouldn’t be writing this blog.  He is a huge inspiration to me.  Sadly, I could only put him at number 11 on my list.  Why?  Well, while I still enjoy him nowadays, I feel like his new style just doesn’t mesh as much with my tastes.  Some say he’s lost his touch, but I don’t think so.  I just think he has to find that passion again.  Still, I love the series, I admire the man who made it, and I recommend it to anyone who ever gets nostalgic for the past.

Recommendation:  One of his first episodes is also one of his best:  Tom and Jerry the Movie.  If you like this video, do yourself a favor and keep watching this guy.  From that point, he just got better and better.

That’s it for this part of the list.  Join me next time for my Top 10.  If you’d like, please feel free to leave a comment talking about some of your personal favorite Online Series!  As I said before, I’m always looking for new stuff to watch.  This article has gone on long enough, so I will see you in the next one!

Introduction to My Top 20 Favorite Online Series

Online shows are my new TV.  Well, in a sense.  For the past few years, I’ve spent about 80% of my free time online.  There’s just so much to do and explore on on the internet.  Not the least of which is the Online Video Series.  There are hundreds upon hundreds of creative video series out there.  From the simple review series to the video game Let’s Plays to original fictional series to parodies, there’s no end in sight to the amount of variety that can be found online.

Because so much of the entertainment I consume is Online nowadays, I decided to give a spotlight to some of my favorite online shows and producers. I must watch at least 50 different “shows” online.  I would usually limit myself to picking just my top 10 favorite series, but I just can’t limit myself with this list.  I had to stretch it to Top 20.  As such, this “mini-series” of articles is going to be split into 3 parts.  The first part, the part you are currently reading, is going to lay my ground rules and list a few “runners up” that would be on my list if it was more than Top 20 or if I didn’t have my rules in place.

Alright, let’s get right into…

MY RULES AND CONDITIONS FOR MY TOP 20 FAVORITE ONLINE SERIES

RULE 1:  The series must be completely original, aka made specifically for online audiences.  Nothing that was taken from TV and put online is allowed on the list.  Nor are any online extensions of TV shows allowed on the list.  As an example, if you’re a fan of Doctor Who, you probably know that they sometimes upload web exclusive previews and prologues to upcoming episodes.  If you didn’t know that and would like to check those out, either buy the DVDs or check BBC’s Youtube Page.  These videos, while great fun to watch, are TV show extensions and therefore are not allowed on this list.

RULE 2:  This might go without saying, but the only way the show will get on this list is if I’ve heard of them and watched them myself.  I only say this to preemptively respond to any comments saying “why isn’t this on there” or “you idiot, you should have mentioned that.”  This is my blog, so this is MY list.  MY favorites.  However, I’m always looking for new things to watch.  If you have a different favorite, if you’d simply like to make a suggestion, please feel free to comment!

RULE 3:  I have a few friends who make online shows and they are fantastic.  However, I felt like the only way I could avoid being biased was if I banned them from my list all together.  That being said, I do think my friends have some quality work and I urge you to check them out if you haven’t.  They are listed directly bellow.

Chris’s Comic Showcase is a review show about comics.  In Chris’s own words, it is “specifically looking at Marvel Comics and their good and bad comics over the years. Mostly good ones.”  It’s a show that I, unfortunately, haven’t paid a whole lot of attention to.  But what I HAVE seen is really fun and I suggest it to any comic fans.  I’ll definitely need to check out more of what he’s got.

Shea Koshan’s Spoilerrific is another comic review show.  You can read all about the series, including answers to FAQs here.  She also occasionally has some plot elements on her show, usually regarding her transdemensional sisters.  Confused?  Just watch the show.  It’s well worth your time.

High Fiction is/was a review show by a guy I know as Rabbi.  In each video, he reviews a book that he either holds dear to his heart or hates with a passion.  I’ve read a few of the books he’s recommended and the man has impeccable taste.  Sadly, the show is on indefinite hiatus for the time being.  He is simply a very busy man.  Still, the show is fantastic.  And I don’t just say that because I cameo in a few of the episodes.

Music Freak is a series made by Anthony Ragusa.  In each episode, he usually talks about music artists.  I’ll admit, it’s been quite a while since I’ve seen this series.  It’s been on a hiatus for a while now, but I hear rumors that it may make a come back sooner than you think.

RULE 4:  No more than 1 video series is allowed on this list per video producer.  People like Doug Walker have more than one series that they do regularly.  While I do enjoy multiple works from the same person or group, I have to limit this list to one per customer or good producers aren’t going to get a fair chance.

RULE 5:  In terms of content of the videos, anything goes.  This list will include review shows, Let’s Players, story driven shows, and anything in between.  I must give fair warning, not all of the videos I list are kid friendly.  There’s a fair bit of swearing in the things I like and some videos may contain violence.  Viewer discretion is advised.

Alright, now that I’ve laid out all the ground rules, I think it’s time to list some real runners up to this list.  Please bare in mind, just because they’re not officially on this list doesn’t mean they aren’t fantastic shows and series.  I just had to limit myself to 20.  Still, I feel these shows deserve at least a mention.

Atop the Fourth Wall is yet another comic review show by a really cool guy named Lewis Lovhaug.  He focuses on the worst of comics, things that never deserved to see the light of day.  His show also has a heavy focus on story elements, with the show’s main character, Linkara, facing off against foes of various strengths and sizes.  Two reasons why this isn’t on the official list.  1)  I’m not a big comic fan and most of what Linkara talks about are titles that I have never heard of or don’t particularly care about.  2)  The official list itself will contain my recommendations on where to start with each series.  And I can’t think of a place to start for AT4W.  So much hinges on plot elements that you would be lost if you start watching from the middle.  I just have to recommend that you watch from the beginning.  His beginnings are humble, but he is a very entertaining reviewer to watch.

The Vlogbrothers, Hank and John Green, is basically a Youtube channel about… Well, anything that comes to their minds.  They make videos about jokes, life, love, relationships, traveling, anything at all.  I really do love the Vlogbrothers and recommend them to anyone.  Their videos are often inspiring and more often funny.  They have a lot of life lessons to teach and they are not above learning a few as well.  (Quick shout out to all my fellow Nerdfighters out there.  DFTBA)  I found I couldn’t put these guys on my list because they just don’t fit in with the crowd.  Not that that’s a bad thing at all.  But their videos are so different from the rest of my list that I think including them would just throw off the flow.

Gritty Reboots is a fairly new series that my girlfriend introduced me to.  Basically, the series takes shows, books, and anything childish and nostalgic from the 80s and 90s and gives them a dark, “serious” reboot.  The series is basically fan trailers parodying some popular things from the past.  I didn’t include this series officially simply because it’s a bit too new.  Still, I do think that they are awesome and can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

That’s it for this little introduction to the list.  Tomorrow, I will post numbers 20-11 and the next day will be my Top 10.  I hope you enjoy reading the list as much as I will making it.  I highly encourage you to check out the ones I have mentioned so far and the ones I will mention in the coming days.  If you have any predictions about my favorites or if you’d just like to talk about some of yours, please share in the comments.  I’m really curious about any video series out there.  In the meantime, I’ll see you in the next part.

Flicking Through Netflix: The Prophecy

I have done about 5 Flicking Through Netflix articles thus far on this blog and today I realized that not one of them has been a movie yet.  To fix that, I was in the mood for some campy horror fun today.  Something that would speak to the part of myself that loves B-movie schlock.  Low and behold, I thought I found the Holy Grail of camp horrors when I saw Christopher Walken on the poster for The Prophecy.  Unfortunately, I’ve got this feeling Netflix put this movie under the wrong genre.

Christopher Walken plays Gabriel, the famous angel.  He’s decided that it’s time to bring forth a second heavenly war.  He’s sick of humans getting all of God’s love while angels get nil.  To wage war, he must get his hands on the soul of a dead, corrupted war general.  Standing in his way is an ex-priest turned cop named Dagget, a teacher, a little girl possessed by the soul he’s looking for, and the Devil himself.

The story is interesting enough, I guess.  It’s at least a bit original.  Here’s my problem.  Why THIS soul?  Why is THIS the only soul that Gabriel wants?  There are no other insane war generals in the world?  I find that highly doubtful.  I just don’t see why he can’t go to some other dead schmuck general and take that soul.  Heck, if he’s hell bent on someone who was some kind of military man AND crazy, why not get Hitler’s soul?  This is one plot hole I just couldn’t let go.

Besides from the plot, the acting on most counts… I really don’t want to be too negative here.  I don’t.  But I felt like about 90% of the cast here is just bored out of their minds.  Nobody showed emotion. EVER.  Well, not nobody.  Chris Walken was perfect in his roll, of course.  He was over the top, goofy, and I never for a second believed his performance.  But that’s what I was expecting.  It’s what I wanted from the Walken.  At about an hour in the movie, I was praying for another actor that cared.  Anyone would do.  Low and behold, my prayers were ironically answered by the Devil of the movie, played by Viggo Mortensen.  You may better know him as Aragorn.  He was fabulous as Lucifer, feeling very slimy and slick while at the same time showing that he is pure evil.  These two actors were great.  But nobody else in the movie felt like they cared at all about what was going on.

The special effects of the movie were nothing special.  I’ve seen better effects by independent online films like Suburban Knights.  The pacing was downright atrocious.  I kept looking at the clock waiting for stuff to happen.  And when action finally WAS happening, it took about two minutes to be done with.  Basically, it was a “blink and you miss it” kind of action.  It made the movie feel completely dull and lifeless.

No matter what Netflix says, this was not a horror movie.  This isn’t a “thriller.”  This movie isn’t even a little bit tense.  At best, it’s a religious fantasy movie with a sprinkling of action elements.  But I never once felt like I was watching a horror movie.  If this is a horror movie, maybe Angels in the Outfield is a slasher flick.

I can’t recommend this movie to anyone but Walken fans.  If you’re in the mood for some good ol’ Walken, you’ll find a good time here.  You’ll have to wait 20 minutes until he gets there, but once he’s there he chews the scenery without saying a word.  If you’re looking for a horror movie, no.  Stay away. Just stay away.

Flicking Through Netflix: Trigun Episode 1 (The $$60,000,000,000 Man)

The lack of a post yesterday was not indicative of either me forgetting about my wonderful blog, having too busy of a day, or just plain writers block.  I didn’t write a blog post yesterday because I was doing research most of the day for a Top 20 list in the works.  I was hoping to have the first part of that list out yesterday, but this is a big challenge I’ve given myself.  It’ll come out soon.  To make up for yesterday’s lack of a post, I will be doing another blog later today of a movie from Netflix.  In the meantime, onward with this article!

Anime and I have had a fickle relationship since I was a kid.  I used to watch Pokemon, Digimon, and Yu-Gi-Oh all the time.  Judging from the similarities between those three shows, I was of the thought that all Anime was the same.  It wasn’t until about a year ago that my eyes were opened to the world of Anime.  I’ve seen some good Anime.  I’ve seen some terrible Anime.  I’ve seen horrible Animes that I enjoy and great Animes that I just can’t force myself to like.  All that said, I decided to see what all the fuss was about for today’s pick.  It’s Trigun.

The show follows two women named Meryl and Milly, two insurance investigators assigned to search for Vash the Stampede.  Vash is supposedly a very dangerous man that causes destruction to a town just by passing through.  He’s a man with a very high price on his head and people everywhere want a shot at the cash.  Who is Vash, really?  I believe that is one of the many mysteries on this show.

From a story standpoint, I can only say that this show is okay in the first episode.  I understand that the character of Vash is supposed to be shrouded in mystery at this point.  But we have no less than 3 fake outs on exactly who the character is supposed to be.  In fact, I’m still confused.  Is the character depicted above supposed to be Vash or is he just an unlucky guy who was given the name?  I do have the feeling that the story is going to get a lot better, but as of now I think the first episode wasn’t that great with story.

Characters, on the other hand, are a very strong point in this show.  While I don’t know much about the guy in the above picture, I love his comedic timing.  As a character, he is hilarious and at the same time a bit of a badass.  Meryl and Milly were also very funny and enjoyable whenever they were on screen as well.  They have this good partner chemistry going for them so far.  The villains, for what we saw of them, were also a lot of fun in this episode, being loud, bombastic, and over the top violent.  All the character interactions were very fun to watch.

The animation of this show was another high point for me.  It felt very grungy, very crisp.  All the colors had an almost washed out feeling, which fit right in with the “Western” like setting they’ve set up.  During the funny moments, everything felt rubbery and cartoony to fit the mood.  In the serious parts, things took a much harsher look that kept everything looking solid.  It’s one of the more detailed looking Animes I’ve seen and it certainly looks fantastic for the world they made.

As a beginning of a show, this episode has certainly gotten me interested.  While the story may have it’s flaws right now, I just get this sense that it’s going to pick up quickly and take me for a wild ride.  If you’re an Anime fan, I’d say this is a must try.  I’m certainly going to continue watching.  I just hope all the good vibrations I’m getting from this show don’t end up being a big heap of disappointment by the end.