Beats me, but it's the reason I don't pay attention to most of them. I'll accept whatever opinion anyone has on any movie but I don't want to sit through bad attempts at comedy to get to it.
What's with internet critics doing all these lame skits?
- Thread starter Drathnoxis
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To stay relevant, one must attempt new material from time to time. Success or failure both have their lessons, sometimes failure more than success. To say you don't like the material, that's cool. That's a valid opinion. Beyond that, I still give folks credit for attempting to break out of their shells, even if they fail.
Yeah, he posted one of those episodes here on the Escapist right after this year's E3, and I think I got about 10 seconds in before shutting it down to keep my brain from spontaneously combusting.Zontar said:
Any of these reviewers and critics are serviceable at what they do. I particularly enjoy Doug Walker's editorials. He's a really good speaker when on topic and often has pretty good points to make. His reviews... eh, no. I get why people think they're funny, and they honestly are. I just don't care for them, I hate it when he screams. I tend to not like it when anyone screams in rage, in jest or otherwise. It's just annoying.
What bugs me is that these guys all start with reviewing and critiquing. They add in their humour and jokes, put their own personal spin on it and release their videos. This is how they get their audience. Then, with that audience, they start doing these skits. Look I get that they're free to do what they want, that's fine. But they shouldn't get so angry when their audience, the same one that came to them for their reviews and opinions, get's a little salty when those things start taking a back seat to these skits. It's understandable.
I don't like it, it's not my thing. And honestly... lots of these guys are mentally unwell. Like, they have issues and breakdowns in these things where I think they'd be better off seeing a professional than continuing to review media. I mean heck, that one guy from TGWTG committed suicide not too long ago.
What bugs me is that these guys all start with reviewing and critiquing. They add in their humour and jokes, put their own personal spin on it and release their videos. This is how they get their audience. Then, with that audience, they start doing these skits. Look I get that they're free to do what they want, that's fine. But they shouldn't get so angry when their audience, the same one that came to them for their reviews and opinions, get's a little salty when those things start taking a back seat to these skits. It's understandable.
I don't like it, it's not my thing. And honestly... lots of these guys are mentally unwell. Like, they have issues and breakdowns in these things where I think they'd be better off seeing a professional than continuing to review media. I mean heck, that one guy from TGWTG committed suicide not too long ago.
Know what? I can't think of many situations in which something like that, that's clearly marked off as not relating to the review or content being provided, could do anything to improve something in that format.
Putting a sketch in the middle of a review or discussion, that from what I've seen, don't really relate to the review or discussion. Who thought that would be a good idea? Those two needs don't really cross over.
What even. What did that...I don't...
Putting a sketch in the middle of a review or discussion, that from what I've seen, don't really relate to the review or discussion. Who thought that would be a good idea? Those two needs don't really cross over.
I think I saw one in which he was speaking to a fairy which used his voice sped up.Casual Shinji said:
What even. What did that...I don't...
What I want to know is why people feel compelled to view media that they know they won't like, and then complain about it.
If you don't like these skits, just don't watch them. And if you're not giving money to a creator, then at least try to understand why they'll feel more inclined to follow their whims than yours.
If you don't like these skits, just don't watch them. And if you're not giving money to a creator, then at least try to understand why they'll feel more inclined to follow their whims than yours.
Are they lame though? Are they hurting people, making fun of people? Are their videos usually 98% likes 2% dislikes?
They are entertainers. They do skits to make their work original. They want to bring something to the material instead of just reviewing a game like anyone else can.
They are entertainers. They do skits to make their work original. They want to bring something to the material instead of just reviewing a game like anyone else can.
Wait... Bob added skits to TGO? I mean, I dropped that show right after he introduced the AntiThinker. And, when Bob did his recent cross promotion on the Big Picture, it seems he has added more characters. Which makes me glad I never looked back at that show.Leon Declis said:
Here's hoping he doesn't add them to his shows on the Escapist.
Well, it depends on the critic but in general I'm not a fan either. I've always found AVGN's sketches to be tolerable at worst, as James has a way of avoiding coming across as too smug or try-hard. NC, though, completely different story. Doug can make short skits work, I think; the brief interruptions in the After Earth review were genuinely amusing, for example, but lately he tends towards longer ones and these are usually dull, eye-rollingly unfunny affairs.
I think it comes from an inner desire of the creator to make something creative and original of their own. They don't want to just be known for their reflections on someone else's work.
Unfortunately (for them) they know that if they just tried to create original content, nobody, or very few people, would watch it, so they piggyback it on their reviews of other things. Of course whatever they create will naturally be amateurish and hit or miss.
Unfortunately (for them) they know that if they just tried to create original content, nobody, or very few people, would watch it, so they piggyback it on their reviews of other things. Of course whatever they create will naturally be amateurish and hit or miss.
The only person that I think can do skits well is Jontron, but that's because his reviews are so absurd in structure and edited at such a fast pace that they never really get tiring.
That said I don't really watch comedic reviews anymore. I used to keep up to date with Spoony, Nostalgia Critic and AVGN but it's really just the same thing over and over again. I liked Spoony's "golden era" where his expansive knowledge of gaming and pop culture made his videos really relatable. He was like a friend goofing around with you, making jokes on your level because he'd expect you to understand his level of geek cred. But now he's just a slightly less low-brow version of Nostalgia Critic, Angry Joe and AVGN. His vlogs tend to be better just because he's not trying so hard and it feels more natural. Also his anger feels absolutely genuine when he goes into long rants about how much Transformers is terrible.
I think that's true of most Youtube reviewers. I prefer their direct-to-camera, less polished, less "in-character" videos to their main ones. Doug Walker's Disneycember series was great, for example. It just seems with the advent of HD streaming and monetised videos these guys want to show off their filmmaking skills rather than provide entertaining critique. I mean AVGN made a movie and Doug made a bunch of feature-length specials that were ENTIRELY "skit material".
So yeah. Guys like Jontron, Ashens, Caddicarus, Red Letter Media (Plinkett's reviews and Half in the Bag are both great) and ESPECIALLY Super Bunnyhop (though his videos are more academic but god damn do I love him) are who I watch these days.
That said I don't really watch comedic reviews anymore. I used to keep up to date with Spoony, Nostalgia Critic and AVGN but it's really just the same thing over and over again. I liked Spoony's "golden era" where his expansive knowledge of gaming and pop culture made his videos really relatable. He was like a friend goofing around with you, making jokes on your level because he'd expect you to understand his level of geek cred. But now he's just a slightly less low-brow version of Nostalgia Critic, Angry Joe and AVGN. His vlogs tend to be better just because he's not trying so hard and it feels more natural. Also his anger feels absolutely genuine when he goes into long rants about how much Transformers is terrible.
I think that's true of most Youtube reviewers. I prefer their direct-to-camera, less polished, less "in-character" videos to their main ones. Doug Walker's Disneycember series was great, for example. It just seems with the advent of HD streaming and monetised videos these guys want to show off their filmmaking skills rather than provide entertaining critique. I mean AVGN made a movie and Doug made a bunch of feature-length specials that were ENTIRELY "skit material".
So yeah. Guys like Jontron, Ashens, Caddicarus, Red Letter Media (Plinkett's reviews and Half in the Bag are both great) and ESPECIALLY Super Bunnyhop (though his videos are more academic but god damn do I love him) are who I watch these days.
A theory I heard some time back is that they're amateur film makers trying to get noticed and build experience. It makes some sense. It's doubtful any of these guys and gals want to be in their 40s or 50s with the entirety of their career being making dumb jokes at other movies, so they film skits for fun, but also to practice their desired craft and have a demo reel.
As a general rule I will do what I can to avoid most of them. The best, well, AVGN were often dumb but had an attempt at art, while i think the other extreme is Game Overthinker and Bob's sincere belief that he's funny.
As a general rule I will do what I can to avoid most of them. The best, well, AVGN were often dumb but had an attempt at art, while i think the other extreme is Game Overthinker and Bob's sincere belief that he's funny.
Frankly I hate it when Doug Walker AKA Nostalgia Critic does this. Even if he pulls it off fairly well, you know? I just want the dude do his schtick. I don't want him guest starring his 20 friends who know nothing about acting in his video.
Yahtzee fairs fine I think. But Movie Bob could do worse than lose some of his supposed "witty" comedy routine.
Yahtzee fairs fine I think. But Movie Bob could do worse than lose some of his supposed "witty" comedy routine.
Ugh, yes. The worst part is when they are interspersed throughout the video making it hard to skip.
The problem isn't in the critics. The problem is in calling those videos "reviews".
OT: Not everybody considers those skits lame. In fact, a lot of people like them; that's why they still do them. I consider JonTron too random and illogical for my taste; but a lot of people loves him.
PS Capcha: good work THAT'S what we are debating here, dear Captcha.
OT: Not everybody considers those skits lame. In fact, a lot of people like them; that's why they still do them. I consider JonTron too random and illogical for my taste; but a lot of people loves him.
PS Capcha: good work THAT'S what we are debating here, dear Captcha.
My guess? These people do it because they still want to live the dream of being actors, comedians, and/or script writers. Having a successful review show is a way they can get that material out here.
Frankly, I'm with the majority here in that I hate all of the corny skits too. I rarely watch Doug Walker since his return because of the skits. I don't really like watching Angry Joe or Spoony because of theirs.
If Linkara wasn't the only decent video reviewer I can think of that does comic books, I'd avoid him too, but at least his stuff is at the beginning and end of the review so I can skip if I want to.
Frankly, I'm with the majority here in that I hate all of the corny skits too. I rarely watch Doug Walker since his return because of the skits. I don't really like watching Angry Joe or Spoony because of theirs.
If Linkara wasn't the only decent video reviewer I can think of that does comic books, I'd avoid him too, but at least his stuff is at the beginning and end of the review so I can skip if I want to.