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TV Tuesdays Free Talk
Have you watched any TV shows recently you want to discuss? Any shows you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here.
Please just try to provide fair warning of spoilers if you can.
I'm still watching a lot of Dropout.tv
Dimension 20: A Court of Fey & Flowers is free on YouTube, I believe. I can't wait to watch more of it.
Not everyone wants to watch two hours of people playing a tabletop game -- actually I don't usually. But I really like this one: everyone is so kind to one another; they're so creative and funny and come up with ways to help one another do their cool character thing; and I love the Regency / Jane Austen / Bridgeton setting mixed with Feywild fantasy.
I don't care for some of their "meaner" programming thoug. Sure it was funny for a little bit but after a month of casual watching I'm already wishing every program is as good as their Gastronaut comedy cooking show. (First heard about it from @DefinitelyNotAFae)
No pranks, no unwinnable tricks played on Brennan, no embarassing details suddenly revealed about a cast member. Just....more stuff like their Shakespeare improve or Musical improve or their Game Changer EPs where all three contestants are helping and cheering each other on.
If it helps, they are INCREDIBLY focused on consent. So Grant is fully signing up to be humiliated (and the third Grant focused Breaking News is really sweet), and Brennan is playing the heel to Sam on Game Changer. They consent in advance to the type of shows they're willing to be on. Older College Humor shows like Total Forgiveness don't have that same level of protection so I truly havent finished that series, it's too much, but these days when Brennan says something like "I may have destroyed my friendship with Beardsley" I know that's a bit, they're besties. And I do like bits.
But ACOFAF is a favorite, you might like Mentopolis for a noir vibe or Aabria's return with a Watership Down inspired stoat starred D20 - Burrows End. Brennan genuinely is such a supportive DM and Aabria plays tougher (and runs a tougher game) but once again they're all there to BE there for each other. Aabria has run a few games for D&DBeyond where Brennan is a player as an absolutely wild undead warlock who is his own patron and those are longer unedited episodes but each are functionally one shots if you want to dabble with the same people in different spaces.
I'm salivating to see Gastronauts but haven't sat down to watch yet because life has been busy and I've been catching up on Agatha All Along (done with episode 4) so I'm stoked for it.
I had a weird parasocial moment today while watching RatFish (Game Changer) when I had a fleeting thought of writing to Sam Reich telling him to appreciate Brennan more and be less mean to him. Which is utter insanity, because, they're actual real life friends and long time collaborators. And both off screen and on these folks have shown to be amazing people led by an amazing man: the profit sharing, paying people to audition, giving talent the power to approve edits in post, allowing them to have non exclusive contracts to work other jobs, launching Zac off to another career with full support and blessings, keeping Brennan's and Izzy's baby a full on secret... Sam's dad must be so proud a fully profitable company can be run ethically.
But yeah, my feelings are small and tender and I prefer seeing on screen friendliness even if I know the meanness is pretend for funnies. I don't think I ever fully recovered from how Terrace House fell apart and the cast is so lovable and wonderful I only want the best for them, even if it's for a bit. Total Forgiveness was extremely difficult to watch even though I know it's all good now.
Thank you for telling me about the third Grant breaking news, I'll have to hunt it down. Please do share other nice episodes of things if possible. I hear good things about Dungeons and Drag queens? Which will be my first ever video format media exposure to folks in drag. Speaking of:
Haha you remember in ACOFAF how
(seaside teatime spoiler)
Wanessa latched onto the first friendly Fey person they see because everything else is too wild and overwhelming?
the entire channel is my first exposure to media with such openness about sexuality, featuring programming written by and for queer folk. It's very different and a lot. I love seeing so many different perspectives, such wild tales from Dirty Laundry, and having never watched a Bachelor the Grant episodes of it was so fresh and fun! I love that they had potentials who are men and women and enby and that one fella who just identifies as human. And giving the not selected folks presents on their way out: I can't imagine NOT doing that, that'd be so disappointing and mean.... But yeah overall the overt sexuality's a lot a lot hahaha.
The Wizard Sunny (Baby Roland/Mulligan's wizard cloak name to protect her privacy) is a delight and wild with a machete*. Dropout is as close as I get to parasocial - if they turn out to be trash I may quit watching everything because nothing will be good anymore (*For more on this the Worlds Beyond Number Podcast with Brennan, Erika, Lou and Aabria is here for your listening pleasure)
It can be a lot though.
Dungeons and Drag Queens is a master class in teaching newbies how to play D&D, it can be chaotic and a bit catty (it's their characters) but it's really good! And only 4 episodes. (They've also added regular content warnings on the more recent seasons if that helps as you're watching. )
Please latch away! I love how queer Dropout is and love talking about it. Watching Ally grow in their identity is so great. I can definitely see there being a lot of overt sexuality for some folks, "hello I'm fifty" is a meme for a reason. But once again that consent is great.
Make Some Noise should remain great and Play it by Ear and SmartyPants!
Game Changer episodes you might like (just scroll through for names) Don't Cry, the Secret Samta episodes, Name a Number and Beat the Buzzer (the last two are competitive but not cringey IMO) . I'll think about more.
Most of the Breaking News episodes are safe if weird (a few have some eating challenges or involve torturing Sam because he's the boss, so if you want to see some revenge for Brennan, the Dropout America episodes will appeal)
Up to Episode 4 of Agatha and I'm really just here for this queer Halloween witchy ride of a show.
I started watching Buffy last week or so... and I'm jacked in.
Its a fun show overall. I feel for all of the families who had their children murdered by the new girl, though. Mind you, nobody seems to care -- so I guess all is right.
I've decided to give up on The Penguin. The performances are mostly good, but I just don't care about the story. I want to see more classic Penguin stuff instead of Tony Soprano's House of Cards.