FRIDAY NIGHTS: Grinding

[Paul]

Graham and James dive into Magic Online Cube draft while Jeremy, Kathleen and Alex play in their store's league!

[Geoff_B]

Another great job - Kathleen's expression right at the end just made the whole thing

[Yaxley]

The Finkel reference and the random box of Breeding Pools were laugh out loud moments for me. Well done.

[hithere69]

fan of friday nights please make more n more n more until i can buy a dvd with a special promo breeding pool :p

[Lord Hosk]

This episode was so much fun!

[professorstaff]

Hi!

I am a major fan of Friday Nights and Loading Ready Run, and I couldn't be more thrilled that you guys are into Season 2 of Friday Nights. I absolutely loved all of Season 1 as well as the premiere "The Return".

I did, however, feel that "Grinding" was somewhat off tonally, and would like to discuss why I feel this is. I hope you will take the following critique as constructive feedback from someone who really loves you guys and what you do, and not some kind of mean-spirited trolling angry-for-no-reason silliness.

Some thoughts on "Grinding"

Between season 1 and season 2 of Friday Nights, we lost the narrative. Season 1 episodes were all connected by Paul's journey into the world of Magic: learning the basics, building decks, trying other formats such as commander, and finally playing at his game shop's Friday Night Magic. The series finale even ends with Paul inquiring about drafting, and we come full circle as Jer "flashes" into play to explain drafting in a manner that mirrors the start of the series. All in all, great stuff.

So far, however, in season 2 there has been no such narrative. We are simply getting snippets into the gang playing different formats. I feel that having a connection between episodes would serve the series well. I don't mean that this needs any sort of intense serialization, but having something akin to Paul's journey in season 1 would benefit the show.

I also felt that "Grinding" gave us very little in the way of Magic: The Gathering. Usually, these episodes (as well as the Hustle episode "It's Magic") actually show us the cards and how they are being played. The show makes jokes about the cards, showing us funny match ups and silly interactions as the gang plays. Some examples: Alex's unbeatable decks, Graham's worrying about the upbringing of a Phyrexian Juggarnaut, Jer's Myr combo, Matt's questionable trading of two Snapcasters for an Angelic Destiny, Kathleen's casting pyroclasm to ethnically cleanse Graham's elves, and on and on. In all these episodes we see the cards being played, and they are being done so in a fun, enjoyable way. Even last week's episode had the brilliantly hilarious juxtaposition of Graham's commons beating some of the best most powerful mythics from other sets.

In this episode, we never actually saw what Graham and James were playing as they played cube. We did not see what was in Alex, Kathleen, and Jer's league decks, nor any amusing card interactions. In a way, there wasn't very much Magic: The Gathering humor in this episode, just an elongated sequence of Graham and James opening multiple online queues, and the rest of the gang running around claiming they were constantly in a 3-way tie. Heck, we didn't even get an explanation of what Cube was (many people don't know), or what League was (again, many people have no idea that their LGS has a league or what it is). While the show should not just be a funny "Learn to play Magic" ad for Wizards, I feel it should dive into more details when it comes to the formats and try and make humor based upon just what the gang is doing in Magic as opposed to them just acting goofy in general.

Anyway, just some food for thought. This is the very first episode (including the Hustle episode "It's Magic" AND all Crapshot episodes involving MTG) that was underwhelming for me, and I thought that I'd try and articulate why that was for anyone that would be interested.

I really hope future episodes continue to explore other formats like highlander, paupers, etc.

What I have always felt was the greatest thing about this series is how likable everyone is, and how their general attitude is that FUN is more important than WINNING. These characters, while competitive and skilled players, are not cruel jerks, and come across as fun people that most of us would likely enjoy hanging out with and getting games with. I hope this show continues for season 3 and 4 and beyond.

[Graham]

Nice feedback!
So you're aware, this season is monthly, not just 4 episodes, so we wanted to ease in with some narrative-free stuff. We're looking at adding some narrative elements, but expect it to stay more sitcom-y for now.

[Master Gunner]

It needs more Paul. But everything does.

[Geoff_B]

Specifically more Cyborg Paul (as per his new DP )

[DSmaster21]

The Quintuple queue is truly the best.

[Dubious_wolf]

So awesome.
"Blake pull up a chair."
I missed the breeding pool joke.

[Mr.Wizard]

Great episode but the stinger was the cherry on the cake for me. I lol'd literally

[aeric90]

I'd be interested in seeing Jer's Orzhov decklist... if it exists...

[Matt0Wolfy0Hegi]

I have really enjoyed all the Friday Nights episodes (and 'Its Magic' and the mtg Crapshots, and even the draft videos) and me and my group of friends regularly quote them to each other if we ever get a situation that is similar to one in a video (I still keep a magikarp in a sleeve in my deckbox )
However I do feel professorstaff has a point about 'Grinding', we got to see very few actual magic cards, not even a close up on the breeding Pools, and very little magic actually being played. Oh and I still dont know what "Cube" is, or the ida of double Queuing or more (I, sadly, dont have access to MTGO)

Saying that I loved some of the jokes and the twist at the end of Kathleen Alex and Jer all tying no matter what was great.

Please don't take this the wrong way as I ADORE you guys and your videos and this is the fist time I have ever felt anything was lacking.

Also, Kathleen needs to do more 'Story Time' Drafts as that ravnica one with fern and cedric as hilarious.

[DSmaster21]

The main Idea I believe is not to play magic but to make jokes about it. I love the double queue joke because I have a friend on MTGO who always plays really short drafts and thus double queues which you are really not supposed to do. I might have to try one-upping LRR and do a quintuple queue.