Want to clarify up front that yes, I too am very sad that Demo Reel was gone. I think it was finally hitting its stride, finally felt like it was getting solid ground under its feet, so it hurts to see the plugged pulled on it.
But that said... I didn't see this as a mean-spirited way of bringing back the Critic. Undoing the awesome ending of To Boldly Flee? Yes, and that's a bummer. But I'm a fan of science fiction and fantasy stories; I'm used to things being undone and, honestly, I thought this was well done. Amazingly shot, loved the funny bits (Nella in the tiny car, LOVE!), and I was glad that he at least connected the end of Demo Reel to the start of the new Critic.
I know a lot of writers. My friends are amateur writers (all of us hoping to get published one day), I have one successfully published author in my family, and I follow a lot of writers online. One thing I notice is that, when people get really passionate about a character, they can describe it as the character taking on a life on its own. That's why I was so hooked on the Critic meeting his writer at the end of TBF, because I have heard writers talk about their characters telling them what to do and making demands on their story. I have not yet felt that way about any of my characters yet but I keep working on them and I hope one will speak back to me one day.
Anyway, my point being that this felt less like Doug being bullied into writing the Critic again and more like a nagging doubt wedged itself into his mind, that he missed the character, and the Critic spoke up to say that he wasn't done yet. At least that's how I'm reading into this.
And a lot of people think this has to do with whiny fans. I don't believe that to be the case at all. For all the people who were sad about the end of the Critic, I don't think many would say they disliked To Boldly Flee's ending. Doug had to know that was a hit and that people praised him. It all comes down to viewing numbers. Even if people weren't actively hating Demo Reel, they weren't watching it. I've talked with people online who dropped off after the second or third episode, and a couple who didn't even give the first episode a chance. Of my real life friends who watch Channel Awesome videos, only one or two were keeping up with Demo Reel. Even if people weren't saying it was horrible, they weren't flocking to it like the Walker brothers had probably hoped.
In the long run, they love what they do but this is still a business for them. They gotta do what makes them money. An author wouldn't keep writing books for a series if the series was bombing. They'd stop and try writing something else, looking for the hit. That's why movies that everyone says sucked but did really well in ticket sales for whatever reason get sequels (Smurfs, Chipmunk movies, Twilight) and stuff with huge fan followings that bombed get nothing (Firefly/Serenity). It's why crappy reality shows that everyone calls 'guilty pleasures' go on for seasons and seasons while actual good shows with compelling drama and characters get canceled after only one season.
Just my thoughts for you. I hope after a night of emotions running high, we can all take a deep breath and see where things go from here.
I remember Doug saying very recently that even if CA bombed, he would never regret quitting Critic when he did. Which you could say is selfish in a different way, but he's got to be aware that in public eyes, this makes him look like a hypocrite.
That I did not hear. But even so, people can put a nice bow on something, proclaim it done, and walk away, only to suddenly want to do more and come rushing back. As it says in the video itself, maybe Doug and Rob were burned out from the crazy schedule, cons, and anniversaries that they thought they were done for good, took a break, and realized they still had more in them for the Critic. Didn't JK Rowling declare herself done with the Harry Potter universe after the last book but she came back to write that Tales of Beedle the Bard book?
But I do agree on one thing. Even if I'm trying to look at this in a positive light, it does look really... weird. Suddenly back-tracking after such a short run with Demo Reel, returning to something comfortable and familiar, especially when it sounds like the other reviewers aren't happy with his decision (why is that even? are they just disappointed that Doug didn't make it with his new direction or are they upset by his execution? that's the one thing I can't figure out). That's why I'm hoping a V-log might come about to explain things.
He was also talking about how Lewis and Lindsay were going to come on as non-tgwtg cameo characters, that he loved writing for the team more and more, and "thank you so much for supporting the show so much I love you all".
JO said it's because he told everyone he hated doing the Critic and now he's backtracking on that, Welshy and co (even though they bashed Demo Reel too) give the correct point that why put all that effort into Donnie missing his mom if it's just going to end up in "oops Critic needed to learn things", Lindsay said they still love him but seems a bit disappointed as is Linkara and Blistered Thumbs reviewers are annoyed because the connection was shit.
But that said... I didn't see this as a mean-spirited way of bringing back the Critic. Undoing the awesome ending of To Boldly Flee? Yes, and that's a bummer. But I'm a fan of science fiction and fantasy stories; I'm used to things being undone and, honestly, I thought this was well done. I disagree there. It'd be one thing if the Critic was coming back and he got spat out of the Plot Hole, or decided to un-merge or whatever from it briefly for reviews and go back to it in-between things, or the Plot Hole stabilized after almost a year and he could return to his show. But no. His heroic sacrifice was made into a joke, "you never believed yourself capable of such a selfless act" and worse, his position of being one with the Plot Hole? That's Douchey McNitpick's job now. Any average joe or internet troll could take that job, no heroics necessary. Ok, he's back ... ok, with view counts and him wanting to get back to a character he loves so much and spent so long playing, I get that. But why undo such a fantastic sendoff and twist a heroic sacrifice into a fake, selfish, bitter joke?
Anyway, my point being that this felt less like Doug being bullied into writing the Critic again and more like a nagging doubt wedged itself into his mind, that he missed the character, and the Critic spoke up to say that he wasn't done yet. At least that's how I'm reading into this. I really hope that was it. It wasn't the whining fans who wouldn't let it go after MONTHS. It wasn't the trolls. It wasn't the low view counts for Demo Reel. And even if some of those things did factor into it, I hope it was more that he wants to go back to the NC.
For all the people who were sad about the end of the Critic, I don't think many would say they disliked To Boldly Flee's ending. That's what's confusing me. I get that some people hated Demo Reel so I guess that's why Doug killed the cast off so brutally (literally making them disappear for the first couple minutes) ... but everyone was impressed with the ending of TBF. So why ruin it? That's what's giving me doubts, this feeling at the back of my mind that he made that video to lash out at all the complainers who wanted Demo Reel gone. "Well, it's gone now! But that heroic end for the Critic? That's gone too! That's what you WANTED, right? Look, I'm back as the NC, are you HAPPY now?" ... it just seems so bitter to me, is all. How can I be happy the NC is back when it comes at such a cost, and in such a mean-spirited sort of way?
Just my thoughts for you. I hope after a night of emotions running high, we can all take a deep breath and see where things go from here. I want to be happy, but all I can think about is Donnie's tragic backstory, his past as a child actor and his mother, him coming back and driving away the SWAG guy all triumphant ... that's all gone now. They were all fakes. Donnie wasn't real, he was the NC in purgatory or something. It's going to take me more than one night to get over this.
It's going to take me more than one night to get over this.
I have Conversion Disorder, an illness where upset translates into physical pain. So this really does fucking hurt, I've thrown up twice and my right side is numb. After having this for two damn years and Doug and co being the only distraction I have, I think I have every right to be pissed beyond belief at him.
He won't turn into Joss Whedon. I think this is a combination of 1) viewcounts and 2) genuinely wanting to go back to the NC after taking a well deserved break. Why he's going about it in such a brutal, bitter way is beyond me, and I'm sad about Demo Reel, but I'm trying to start to rationalize this.
I'm sorry, I just really hate Whedon's later "lampshade but don't fix anything" shtick, and that's exactly what the final Demo Reel scene was. Why have Donnie break down over the cruel asspull? Why have him nearly crying over saying goodbye to his friends? Why be aware that it's terrible but not solve it?
Why have Donnie break down over the cruel asspull? Why have him nearly crying over saying goodbye to his friends? Why be aware that it's terrible but not solve it? Either Doug didn't realize what he was doing there ... or he did and this was a bitter lashing out at everyone who didn't like Demo Reel. "Ok, you hate Demo Reel huh? WELL EVERYONE DISAPPEARS AND THEN DIES! Happy now?! By the way, the NC's back ... just like you all wanted ..." Yeah. That's how it read to me. He loved Demo Reel. He was so excited for it. Brutally killing off all the characters and that world seems to be a kind of bitter and angry backlash of his own. Maybe he got mad at it himself, because it was supposed to be the new big thing and it didn't work out and catch people, so he wrote them out of existence? *shrugs*
Then that's a might big turn-a-round from "every time I write these characters I love them more :D" and "Lewis and Lindsay are going to cameo as non-TGWTG characters in upcoming seasons" and "we've got so much stuff coming for you guys and you're all the best people ever for supporting it so much".
Well, that just makes me sadder. I WANT to believe that he's going back to the NC because he truly wants to, but considering he said stuff like that, I'm thinking it was less that he has more ideas for the NC and more that he was forced to make a business decision based on viewcounts and scrap the project he'd wanted to do for years and bought a studio for ... so he could go back to his old shtick. And everyone is commenting about how awesome it is that he's doing that. That's gotta sting worse than any of the bad comments left on Demo Reel videos.
It's mean to hope for, but if he's beaten himself up for others choosing not to wear sunscreen in Kickassia, then surely he's beating himself for having to go back on his DoingItForTheArt word, right?
Considering it was his pet project and he wanted to do it "for years" and he bought a studio, ended a successful show and character in the anniversary video, hired new actors, and started a whole new thing ... I'd guess he's pretty upset right now. At himself, at the fans, at Demo Reel itself ... I don't know,
But that said... I didn't see this as a mean-spirited way of bringing back the Critic. Undoing the awesome ending of To Boldly Flee? Yes, and that's a bummer. But I'm a fan of science fiction and fantasy stories; I'm used to things being undone and, honestly, I thought this was well done. Amazingly shot, loved the funny bits (Nella in the tiny car, LOVE!), and I was glad that he at least connected the end of Demo Reel to the start of the new Critic.
I know a lot of writers. My friends are amateur writers (all of us hoping to get published one day), I have one successfully published author in my family, and I follow a lot of writers online. One thing I notice is that, when people get really passionate about a character, they can describe it as the character taking on a life on its own. That's why I was so hooked on the Critic meeting his writer at the end of TBF, because I have heard writers talk about their characters telling them what to do and making demands on their story. I have not yet felt that way about any of my characters yet but I keep working on them and I hope one will speak back to me one day.
Anyway, my point being that this felt less like Doug being bullied into writing the Critic again and more like a nagging doubt wedged itself into his mind, that he missed the character, and the Critic spoke up to say that he wasn't done yet. At least that's how I'm reading into this.
And a lot of people think this has to do with whiny fans. I don't believe that to be the case at all. For all the people who were sad about the end of the Critic, I don't think many would say they disliked To Boldly Flee's ending. Doug had to know that was a hit and that people praised him. It all comes down to viewing numbers. Even if people weren't actively hating Demo Reel, they weren't watching it. I've talked with people online who dropped off after the second or third episode, and a couple who didn't even give the first episode a chance. Of my real life friends who watch Channel Awesome videos, only one or two were keeping up with Demo Reel. Even if people weren't saying it was horrible, they weren't flocking to it like the Walker brothers had probably hoped.
In the long run, they love what they do but this is still a business for them. They gotta do what makes them money. An author wouldn't keep writing books for a series if the series was bombing. They'd stop and try writing something else, looking for the hit. That's why movies that everyone says sucked but did really well in ticket sales for whatever reason get sequels (Smurfs, Chipmunk movies, Twilight) and stuff with huge fan followings that bombed get nothing (Firefly/Serenity). It's why crappy reality shows that everyone calls 'guilty pleasures' go on for seasons and seasons while actual good shows with compelling drama and characters get canceled after only one season.
Just my thoughts for you. I hope after a night of emotions running high, we can all take a deep breath and see where things go from here.
Reply
Reply
This just gets more awkward with every minute.
Reply
But I do agree on one thing. Even if I'm trying to look at this in a positive light, it does look really... weird. Suddenly back-tracking after such a short run with Demo Reel, returning to something comfortable and familiar, especially when it sounds like the other reviewers aren't happy with his decision (why is that even? are they just disappointed that Doug didn't make it with his new direction or are they upset by his execution? that's the one thing I can't figure out). That's why I'm hoping a V-log might come about to explain things.
Reply
JO said it's because he told everyone he hated doing the Critic and now he's backtracking on that, Welshy and co (even though they bashed Demo Reel too) give the correct point that why put all that effort into Donnie missing his mom if it's just going to end up in "oops Critic needed to learn things", Lindsay said they still love him but seems a bit disappointed as is Linkara and Blistered Thumbs reviewers are annoyed because the connection was shit.
Reply
I disagree there. It'd be one thing if the Critic was coming back and he got spat out of the Plot Hole, or decided to un-merge or whatever from it briefly for reviews and go back to it in-between things, or the Plot Hole stabilized after almost a year and he could return to his show.
But no. His heroic sacrifice was made into a joke, "you never believed yourself capable of such a selfless act" and worse, his position of being one with the Plot Hole? That's Douchey McNitpick's job now. Any average joe or internet troll could take that job, no heroics necessary.
Ok, he's back ... ok, with view counts and him wanting to get back to a character he loves so much and spent so long playing, I get that. But why undo such a fantastic sendoff and twist a heroic sacrifice into a fake, selfish, bitter joke?
Anyway, my point being that this felt less like Doug being bullied into writing the Critic again and more like a nagging doubt wedged itself into his mind, that he missed the character, and the Critic spoke up to say that he wasn't done yet. At least that's how I'm reading into this.
I really hope that was it. It wasn't the whining fans who wouldn't let it go after MONTHS. It wasn't the trolls. It wasn't the low view counts for Demo Reel. And even if some of those things did factor into it, I hope it was more that he wants to go back to the NC.
For all the people who were sad about the end of the Critic, I don't think many would say they disliked To Boldly Flee's ending.
That's what's confusing me. I get that some people hated Demo Reel so I guess that's why Doug killed the cast off so brutally (literally making them disappear for the first couple minutes) ... but everyone was impressed with the ending of TBF. So why ruin it? That's what's giving me doubts, this feeling at the back of my mind that he made that video to lash out at all the complainers who wanted Demo Reel gone. "Well, it's gone now! But that heroic end for the Critic? That's gone too! That's what you WANTED, right? Look, I'm back as the NC, are you HAPPY now?" ... it just seems so bitter to me, is all. How can I be happy the NC is back when it comes at such a cost, and in such a mean-spirited sort of way?
Just my thoughts for you. I hope after a night of emotions running high, we can all take a deep breath and see where things go from here.
I want to be happy, but all I can think about is Donnie's tragic backstory, his past as a child actor and his mother, him coming back and driving away the SWAG guy all triumphant ... that's all gone now. They were all fakes. Donnie wasn't real, he was the NC in purgatory or something.
It's going to take me more than one night to get over this.
Reply
I have Conversion Disorder, an illness where upset translates into physical pain. So this really does fucking hurt, I've thrown up twice and my right side is numb. After having this for two damn years and Doug and co being the only distraction I have, I think I have every right to be pissed beyond belief at him.
Reply
I wish there was something I could do to help you. Sending good vibes your way.
Reply
Reply
He won't turn into Joss Whedon. I think this is a combination of 1) viewcounts and 2) genuinely wanting to go back to the NC after taking a well deserved break.
Why he's going about it in such a brutal, bitter way is beyond me, and I'm sad about Demo Reel, but I'm trying to start to rationalize this.
Reply
Reply
Either Doug didn't realize what he was doing there ... or he did and this was a bitter lashing out at everyone who didn't like Demo Reel. "Ok, you hate Demo Reel huh? WELL EVERYONE DISAPPEARS AND THEN DIES! Happy now?! By the way, the NC's back ... just like you all wanted ..."
Yeah. That's how it read to me. He loved Demo Reel. He was so excited for it. Brutally killing off all the characters and that world seems to be a kind of bitter and angry backlash of his own. Maybe he got mad at it himself, because it was supposed to be the new big thing and it didn't work out and catch people, so he wrote them out of existence? *shrugs*
Reply
Reply
I WANT to believe that he's going back to the NC because he truly wants to, but considering he said stuff like that, I'm thinking it was less that he has more ideas for the NC and more that he was forced to make a business decision based on viewcounts and scrap the project he'd wanted to do for years and bought a studio for ... so he could go back to his old shtick.
And everyone is commenting about how awesome it is that he's doing that. That's gotta sting worse than any of the bad comments left on Demo Reel videos.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment