VOTE for a New Series! (And Other News)

Guess what? Today’s my birthday!

And in the spirit of change, growth, and fun, there are a few things I’d like to announce –

 

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about this blog and the direction I want to take it in. Reviewing movies once a month is fine, though I’m sure for some of you the long downtime between each review is annoying. I’d love to do a little bit more, expand my palette, maybe generate a few more views.

As to what I could review, well once again, I’m turning it over to you, the viewers. I’ve handpicked a couple of my favorite series from both television and online that I’d love to do reviews of in addition to my monthly movie ones.

Seeing as I’m counting the months of June and July as the first anniversary of my blog, the deadline to vote for this new series will be June 29. The winner will be announced the 30th, and the first review will be up July 31st, the day my first review was published.

Below are the contenders, a few reasons why they’re worth looking at, and my plans for them if picked.

 

As some of you may remember from my post this past February, Gravity Falls, a truly remarkable Disney series full of mystery, humor, and a ton of heart, came to an end. Few shows with as short a runtime have left such an impact on culture and how we view animation. Gravity Falls pushed the limits of children’s programming and few before or after have measured up to it.

If Gravity Falls is chosen, every episode (and related short) will be reviewed every other week.

 

The Simpsons is one of the most iconic shows in history, breaking boundaries in terms of television and animation. Its catchphrases have entered our lexicon, its spawned countless imitators (as well as merchandise) and it’s shaped America’s sense of humor. Has it overstayed its welcome? Definitely. One can’t deny, however, that in its prime, The Simpsons were brilliant.

If The Simpsons is chosen, I post a Top 10 list of episodes from Seasons 1-10 once a month.

 

Avatar: The Last Airbender, quite possibly one of the last great animated series to come out of Nickelodeon, is a rare show that combines stellar animation and voice acting, and  draws from so many varying cultures and myths while building its own memorable story and characters that it’s not hard to see why it’s so beloved (and why the M. Night Shymalan movie is so hated).

If Avatar: The Last Airbender (or “Legend of Aang” as it’s known in other countries) is chosen, then I will review each episode on a bimonthly basis.

 

Red Dwarf – while some series go out quietly and other refuse to be stamped out, Red Dwarf is that persistent little cockroach that keeps popping up when you least expect it. One of the best examples of sci-fi comedy, we see what happens when the last human alive, the hologram of his rule-bound neurotic roommate, a senile computer, a being evolved from cats and a robot learning to rebel search for what’s left of planet Earth after spending three million years in space .

If Red Dwarf is chosen, I will look at each episode released thus far (including the tv movie “Back to Earth”) on a monthly-to-bimonthly basis.

 

Say what you will about My Little Pony and its fans, it had to do something right to reach six seasons (with a seventh and feature film on the way) and garner the following it has now. Twilight Sparkle is tasked with learning about what friendship is, picking up many friends while learning, teaching – and occasionally ass-kicking – a few things along the way.

If My Little Pony:Friendship is Magic is chosen, I will review each episode AND the Equestria Girls movies at least every other week.

 

Okay, this is something of a departure from what people normally review, but if someone has to give Team Starkid praise, it’s going to be me. Since 2008 they’ve created their own original musicals as well as several parodying popular films (most notably the “Very Potter Musical” trilogy) and have released them all online for the world to enjoy. What’s more amazing is that these “kids” are all around my age; they started this group in college and continue to write, direct, and star in them to this day. Some have gone on to be famous like Darren Criss, others are in pursuit of fame and music and are more worthy of being recognized than certain pop stars I could mention.

If Team Starkid is chosen, then I will review every single one of their musicals (barring the concert tours) at least once a month.

 

“Way back in days of old, there was a legend told, about a hero known as Gaaaalavaaaaant…” Once you get that song in your head, you’re gonna have a hell of a time getting it back out, and that goes for all the songs in this surprise cult hit series as well. Mix equal parts Disney fantasy musical and parody, a healthy dose of Spamalot, a stellar cast and tons of guest stars, and top it off with music penned by none other than the great Alan Menken, and you get Galavant. Serve in small but powerful doses of two mini-seasons, preferably with friends you can sing along with.

If Galavant is chosen, then I will review each episode, culminating in a countdown of the very best songs.

 

And now that that’s out of the way, time for something less pleasant –

 

Much of the myths about the starving artist/writer is true, and since I’m both, that goes double for me. Since I don’t have enough viewers for a full-blown Patreon, I will be adding a PayPal donation link with each future post.

“SELLOUT!! SHE’S A SELLOUT!!!”

Um, no. Let me make this clear for everyone.

1. I’m NOT getting paid by anyone to endorse their creations.
2. I’m certainly NOT trying to make money off of anyone’s intellectual property.
3. I’m DEFINITELY NOT looking to take money from your pockets with every review.

All I ask is a little donation if you can spare it. Any dollar given will be used to keep my bank account from going in the red. Not all artists can survive on experience and dreams, and at the moment the prospect of finding work where I am is very slim. I appreciate any handout I can get. If this blog does well I may upgrade to Patreon and offer all the perks that come with it, but for now PayPal is all I can do.

I’ll see you next week with the Spirited Away review!

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