'Friday Nights' (New LRR Series)

[zfubarz]

I've enjoyed the magic videos they've done so far and I haven't touched a card since I was like 11 which basically means I don't know shit about how magic works, it's all in the ratio of entertainment to knowledge to advertising.

[Metcarfre]

Yeah, same.

Here's the thing. Watching someone playing MtG. Is. Not. Funny. I'm sure WOTC has other venues to explain how the mechanics of game work and etc. LRR does comedy. Yes, I'm sure some specific examples will only work for you if you know Magic, but I'm pretty sure LRR can make paint drying funny. Or, say, reading a phone book aloud.

So, I'll check this out. Even though I gave the Magic pack I got in my swag bag at PAX to Jer.

[zfubarz]

exarctly, if people are being entertained, they won't mind that they're being sold to, and they won't realize that they're learning a thing or two as well.

[Ottoman]

Yes, I'm sure some specific examples will only work for you if you know Magic, but I'm pretty sure LRR can make paint drying funny.

I think that perhaps you're missing my point. I'm not worried about it being funny to noobs and civilians; after all, I'm not one of them.

I'm worried about it being funny to players. If there are only a few in-jokes or references that only knowledgeable players will get (among plenty of comedy that's accessible to anybody), then those players are less likely to be entertained.

If this were (hypothetically) made to be a series for only players, then the point would be to use the most obscure and Magic-specific humour possible, because comedy usually gets funnier as the appropriate audience for it gets narrower and more niche.

In a series about Magic menat for casual watchers from a broad audience, not all of that potential is being used, which will inherently make it disappointing for the hardcore Magic fans.

Of course, I don't mean to say that this series will be bad, but it seems like it won't be all that it could be. Seems, anyway; maybe I'll be proven wrong.

[Vigafre]

Well, you basically proved why narrowing the audience would be detrimental to the series; it won't expand their market. Sure, making it extremely niche would probably make the humor scale rate higher, but what would Wizards really accomplish by having a series like that? This a business venture, so they don't want to only make stuff for their fans. You're already a customer; they don't need to sell themselves to you. That really won't help them out, business-wise. They want to expand their market, and if that means the series won't be as funny as possible, whatever.

[Rikadyn]

/dickjoke

[Metcarfre]

I don't think your hipster-based humour theory is correct there, Otto.

[Ottoman]

Well, you basically proved why narrowing the audience would be detrimental to the series; it won't expand their market.

Yes yes, I know why they're doing it this way, and it makes perfect sense - that's why I addressed the other scenario as 'hypothetically', because such a thing would never happen.

[theDreamer]

Honestly, how forced and canned and lame would a show that was just every obscure magic joke even be?

My guess? A lot.

Let it flow naturally.

Based on the name, and Graham's description of "cHustle crew's Friday nights" I think it will just be about silly shenanigans that happen around a magic table, not so much ON a magic table.

[Elomin Sha]

Let's not judge until we see what they produce. Remember: "In LRR We Trust."

[Wolfenbarg]

So THIS is the big project you were talking about unveiling in that Ask LRR those many weeks ago. Color me excited. Questions ahead:

1. Is this going to be a longform sitcom like season 1 of Hustle? Or are the episodes going to be short and self contained like the new Hustle format?

2. How much time is being put into production of an episode compared to your other series? About as much as a weekly video? More than Hustle?

3. How much of a spinoff is this? Are you all still playing yourselves? If so, are you playing versions of yourselves similar to your Hustle characters, or are you retailoring your characters to fit the new story?

4. Will you be stuffing your face with another food item Matt can not have? The integrity of your series may depend on it.

[Tycherin]

Let's not judge until we see what they produce. Remember: "In LRR We Trust."

Someone needs to write a pledge of aLRRgiance.

[Lord Chrusher]

3. How much of a spinoff is this? Are you all still playing yourselves? If so, are you playing versions of yourselves similar to your Hustle characters, or are you retailoring your characters to fit the new story?

Specifically does this happen in the regular cH universe? Will you reference things from the normal cH in Friday Nights and vice versa?

[Tally]

...sometimes you stumble onto a goldmine, and then you realise that you're trying to sell gold to someone who's currency is based around chocolate and strawberry milk.

I just love this analogy.*

Also, Jeremy has stated that while he's setting aside his other LRR commitments for the moment, he will still be involved in the Friday Nights project.*

EDIT: *Ok, I admit it, I sort of read the first page of the thread and responded to stuff posted there without realizing there were more pages. Judge me gently - I've been crafting all evening and may have inhaled a little too much superglue.

[Wolfenbarg]

Did we ever get a rough idea of when this is starting?

[gcninja]

"In LRR We Trust."

Also as a newcomer to magic, though not playing it since I got ditched, I do enjoy watching all the games just for the reaction when somebody plays something that just FUCKS the other person over

[Genghis Ares]

The one thing about LRR lately that I dislike is all the Magic stuff. If there is more to it than that, then great, but right now I'm hesitant about this. This is still a great thing for LRR though, so hopefully I'll enjoy it.

[Mowinckel]

YES, FUCK YES

[Myrph]

The one thing about LRR lately that I dislike is all the Magic stuff. If there is more to it than that, then great, but right now I'm hesitant about this. This is still a great thing for LRR though, so hopefully I'll enjoy it.

I'm not saying this is the case, but if they have what will amount to an official outlet for their magic nerdery, then what will likely happen is all the magic related comedy will get focussed into this and will reduce the amount seeping into the rest of their comedy.


Also, I shouldn't watch LRR right before bed... Ended up having a dream last night in which I watched an episode of this. Can't remember what happened, but I think it was funny! Must be a good sign?

[Graham]

1. Is this going to be a longform sitcom like season 1 of Hustle? Or are the episodes going to be short and self contained like the new Hustle format?

More in line with the new series. 6 or 7 minute episodes, with ongoing continuity, but no great arc.

2. How much time is being put into production of an episode compared to your other series? About as much as a weekly video? More than Hustle?

As much time as any other video, though differently.
Since all four are written, we're going to do any scenes that need to happen at the comic shop all at once, rather than going back for each episode.

3. How much of a spinoff is this? Are you all still playing yourselves? If so, are you playing versions of yourselves similar to your Hustle characters, or are you retailoring your characters to fit the new story?

It's a straight spin-off. Imagine that it's what the cH characters are doing on Fridays nights.

4. Will you be stuffing your face with another food item Matt can not have? The integrity of your series may depend on it.

In as much as we possibly can, yes.

The one thing about LRR lately that I dislike is all the Magic stuff. If there is more to it than that, then great, but right now I'm hesitant about this. This is still a great thing for LRR though, so hopefully I'll enjoy it.

Consider this an outlet for that. It's not that we won't make Magic jokes in cH anymore, but very likely less of it, since we've got this to funnel our "MtG lulz" into. I hope that is a good thing for you.

[Graham]

To touch on Ottoman's point:

We're trying to make the series appeal to both non-players/new players, and existing players.

Now, the trick there, is that even when we make a really obscure joke, give it enough context so people who don't know the specific card can find the joke funny. If we can do that without making it so we've just also explained the joke, then we've done our job.

It's a tough line to walk, but we've done it before.

Take the original Magic episode. A lot of non-players watched it and found it funny, despite there being several (what I would call) "experienced" jokes in there.

I think we can do the job. I hope you like our end result.

[Elomin Sha]

Is Bradley in charge of the theme tune?

[Graham]

Ugh. No offence, but I'll be absolutely amazed if anyone could pull off making a 'series about Magic' that's funny to both players and everyone else.

HA! Whoops, I only just saw this one.

Well, I'll say this, the "cH - Magic" episode did that job already, so there we go. I hope to capture that spirit again.


Or at least Control Magic that spirit again.


Mind Control works too, but it's more expensive.

[Yaxley]

And then someone is like, "Do you have an umbrella? Because the forecast calls for Volition Reins!" and you get to make an obscure joke and a bad pun at the same time.

[Graham]

That was awful.



Thank you.