Ragatha: “Did you learn anything ground shaking that would massively change the setting or the plot?” Pomni: “I learned how to repress my memories of the creepypasta monster in the basement.”
(calls grocery store) "do you have 1000 pomnis in a can?" "yes, we do." "well, get them outta there, they're not very good at holding their breath!" (click)
Love the animation, but not super blown away by the heavy reliance on exposition. It's clear they've got some firm ideas on what's going on with their characters, but they don't really know who the characters are and have to fall back to giving a clear, verbal transcript of their motives. They could have haunted Kinger with visions of his wife throughout the episode, but instead, none of the adventure is relevant, and the big expository revelations are all that matters - but it's weird because they could be saying these things in their rooms, or the main lobby, or anywhere, and it's underutilizing the premise.
@@Dawnsomewhere I thought the mirror of Kinger and Mildenhall was part of the point of the "scary room" parts. You even see Kinger visibly shaken when Midlenhall mentions himself killing his wife. Was it obvious only to me?
@@Dawnsomewhere Dunno about this one. Ragatha, Jax and Zooble were all pretty clearly characterised without going on exposition tirades. Also Kinger's personality of not there but moments of clarity was well represented too, and him giving exposition was also just him showing he clearly still has his wits in certain situations, which I'm not sure if it would have come across well just by alluding to it. As for not knowing who the characters are: We are in episode 3. We have the basics of everybody down, and there clearly is more to them, but exploring that will take time, and I think that's a good way to go about it honestly. Also in disagreement that the adventures don't matter. In episode one, the adventure was contrasted with the abstraction to show what usual daily life in the circus is and what can happen if you try to break out of it. In the second, the whole concept of NPCs is used to put Pomni in Ragatha's situation - someone trying to help somebody else who is completely out of their depth and cannot handle the new situation, planting the seed that Ragatha was just trying to do what Pomni did for Gummygoo. We see that resolve in this episode with Pomni thanking Ragatha. Sure, could have stuck that onto the last one, but the funeral was a nice ending to that one, and more about Pomni accepting her situation rather than Ragatha in particular, so it's fine I think. And finally: The whole horror is about a married couple. One of them went insane, the other stayed a pleasant person throughout, because they care and want to help people even if they themselves are miserable. Killing the "monster" only served to put them deeper into hell, and only when they calmed down and helped each other did they make it out. It's kinda fun what you can get out of the show if you think about it, isn't it?
As someone who kind of "grew up" to prominence in the environment of MLP, I am very familiar with the idea that fans will feel there is basically nothing to criticize and that the whole IP is right-as-rain, no matter what. Given the design of the internet today, there should be a stream of theory content that is, for the intents and purposes of our mortal lives, more endless than we are. I don't worry that much if people agree with me. I just personally think the show isn't hitting emotional beats that well and is frequently circling back to exposition.
I like how the obvious message of the episode, cherish your memories like the people you love because they could always go, is completely lost and Greg got the opposite message of “don’t think about it”
I like this video, but under no circumstances can my friends find out about it. Some of them don't respond well to criticism of things they like and it keeps me from talking about online cartoons with them. I like The Amazing Digital Circus, but man, I really wish it did more showing than telling. I mean, could you imagine how it might flow if it had no dialogue? Sure, then some of my favorite voice actors wouldn't be in it, but that's a sacrifice I'd be willing to make. I think Gooseworx's stuff works best when nobody's talking. It leaves more stuff to the imagination, which can make things more funny or macabre for different audiences. Good show, but more "common denominator" than something like Little Runmo or some episodes of The Pink City.
It struggles most with pacing, I think. In episode 2, it takes them almost five minutes (a fifth of the run time!) just to genuinely start the adventure. During that time, we don't learn anything about Gummygoo. They finally wind up trapped underneath the stage ten minutes in. There is now fifteen minutes to truly introduce us to Gummygoo, walk him through his grief, and establish him as a friend to Pomni, BUT the show chooses to have a B plot with other characters which snatches away small fits of time. What the show winds up doing is just having everyone announce how they feel so that they rapidly go through the motions of what that story is supposed to be, and blow Gummygoo up at the end. Episode 3 is built differently, but has a similar problem of not taking its minutes seriously, only to then have to cram the whole story into a smaller box all at once.
Oh, man. TADC makes so much more sense as a meandering trpg adventure with Lowery as the main character. You've got the improbable setting, which has been specifically contrived around having exactly six diverse strangers who have no in-character inclination to work together, go on linear, self-contained adventures in random scenarios every week, before returning to their clubhouse totally unharmed. Gamemaster / annoying impish GMPC, who really just wants people to run through the detailed, but very linear and inflexible adventures he spent all week writing. Is open to the concept of player-led games and deeper character stuff, but not really comfortable with it, and doesn't work to encourage it. Role-Player who can't get over how stupid the worldbuilding is, and takes every opportunity to tug on the threads of inconsistency, implications, etc. Instead of engaging with adventures straight-forwardly, goes off on weird tangents to push the limits of the setting. Stays in character in the sense that they react to stuff the way a real person probably would if placed in that situation. Game-Player, who also realizes just how dumb and contrived the setting is, but tries to play along with it on its own level anyway. Reasons that the whole purpose of the setting is as a frame for the adventures, and that the adventures are most fun when you take them seriously. Intentionally takes a support role for less confident players, acting as a low key team leader. Also feels pity for the Gamemaster, and wants to throw him a bone. Class Clown who doesn't take the setting seriously on any level, and instead just uses the adventures as catharsis for his sadistic power fantasies. Usually goes too far, making the other players feel uncomfortable, but the Gamemaster likes him because he tells good jokes. Probably working through some serious emotional issues. Two very inexperienced players who are dipping their toes into role-play for the first time, and made the typical mistake of going way off the deep end. Their idea of playing a character is to have some really bizarre gimmick that totally debilitates their ability to function as an adventurer. Finally, there's the one player who's not really suited to role-playing games, or just too embarrassed to give it a fair shot. Doesn't engage with the game on either a role-playing or a mechanical level. Plays so passively that you forget they're in the room most of the time. Primarily shows up to game night for the free chips and orange crush.
I never noticed how much this show relies on exposition (besides that bloated info dump in episode 1), but watching the episode again made me realize why: I like the exposition. I like it because it's the payoff to the things the show was hinting towards in past episodes. For instance, episode 2 shows us Kinger speaking normally while wearing a bucket on his head, hinting at how the darkness affects his ability to think and remember things clearly. There are also other hints like the door with a crossed-out queen face that looks like Kinger in episode 1. The climax of episode 3 is where he puts it all into words, and it honestly feels earned. I think the main problem is that the events of each episode on its own don't exactly warrant having a big speech as its climactic moment. The moment where Pomni learns to appreciate Ragatha is exactly how I hoped it would go after the first two episodes, but like you said, Ragatha barely does anything in episode 3, so it feels out of place. The show is so focused on painting a bigger picture that the little details fall short. As for the future, I'm keeping my eye on Ragatha. We've seen that she's obsessed with being liked by people and avoids any sort of negativity when she can help it, no matter how she's been wronged. I doubt she means anything bad by it, but it's clearly a coping mechanism. My prediction: now that her kindness has finally begun to pay off, she'll latch onto Pomni even harder than before, and that will lead to another conflict. As long as they don't lose focus like that, I'm all for it.
Personally, I'm watching Jax. Speaking from experience, people whose coping mechanism is being a funny asshole literally 100% of the time are the people who tend to be the most broken inside and the most desperate to keep those walls up.
Did you find out any earth shattering revelations that could possibly alter the way we view or think about our eternal prison and/or warden? Don’t think about it lol 😂
I had some similar thoughts about this episode in regards to the story as a whole. It disappointed me in some regards while also revealing information I had never thought about. In any case, it was an unexpected but pleasant surprise to see a TADC video from you. I liked your Pomni and Ragatha voice
I'm just waiting for the inevitable rug pull that the Circus is actually an ironic punishment where the actual villain transferred a bunch of people's consciousnesses into a digital realm. Because everyone is giving me massive vibes that each could represent a job role at an office. Jax is a manager, Kinger is a programmer/IT technician, etc. Or maybe they all entered the Circus willingly but the process makes them forget everything before joining the Circus so they don't remember they digitised themselves to escape the environmental hellscape of reality.
"If you want to enjoy The Amazing Digital Circus, the first thing you need to do is stop thinking about it." Equally funny and tragic that the show is full of theory bait and obviously wants you to think about its worldbuilding and characterization, but the best way to enjoy it is to turn off your brain and eat it like potato chips
@norsehorse84 Never said you couldn't enjoy it that way. I also enjoy the show despite the mediocre aspects of its writing. It's just easier to have fun if dont put too much thought into it, because the writing flaws become much more obvious when you do lol
@norsehorse84 One of the first things I thought about by the end of episode three was Pomni's characterization and how it conveys the weight of the situation to the audience. Pomni has been consistently depicted as a high-strung bundle of anxiety and nerves, which makes sense considering her situation and the trauma she's experienced. However, when you think about it more deeply from a storytelling perspective, it highlights some flaws with the show. If Pomni is on the verge of a mental breakdown in episode one, the impact of her breakdowns in episode two and three are diminished because the character doesnt have much room to "grow" in that direction. It also fails to properly convey the stakes of a situation when we are watching Pomni react to it, since "anxious wreck about to have a mental breakdown" is her established baseline. If you don't put a lot of thought into it, Pomni is a perfectly adequate protagonist. But I found myself thinking about it too much, and now I can't unsee Pomni's stagnant characterization lol
I like the dynamic between your Kinger and your Pomni, but I'm not really sure what this video is trying to say about Episode 3, or about TADC as a whole.
So, Angel Hare. Season 1 is a great self-contained mystery that now defines wholesome horror. Season 2 only makes sense for those who watched the Easter episode but was still great. Season 3 was that guy, who wants to shake hands with that other guy, but they take six episodes to do it by playing a video game. No I haven't watched the Circus thingy.
Digital Circus is a wholesome psycho-comedy planned to be told and completed in 9 episodes. The pilot is an exposition dump carried by impressive animation (for such a then-obscure studio) and very funny gags. Episode 2 is a companion piece to the pilot that makes up for its lack of character building while keeping its strengths. Episode 3 and the next three upcoming episodes begin to answer the mysteries about the cast's lives and personalities. The last three episodes are a mystery, but right now, the creator imagines there won't be a second season, even with its smash success.
On the bright side, I'd say episode 3 was better than the first two. On the not so bright side, the bar being set very low probably was what made me enjoy the third episode
Greg God dammit now because of you my recommendations are infested with TADC reviews. Not even episodes, reviews, like "episode X is..." or "such character has done Y". Tell Slick Sam to stop selling me.
One impression I haven't seen anyone make is the idea that the circus's usual palette and lighting might overstimulate his character and make him unable to focus. Also, as always, I refuse to stop thinking about it, as that is my enjoyment.
Your content is always a joy Greg. How do you feel about Murder Drones? I kinda liked it. Although it is kind of a mess and I always felt like I missed an episode. Guess I mostly just like the animation and characters.
I gotta object to calling it "exposition" when its just writing. Like, the core of the series isn't the plot but the interactions between characters, not all of whom will get to have the same focus every episode. It made sense to shit about "the implications" and "the plotholes" and "exposition" before I knew what any of those things meant as a kid but now it feels like that kinda talking and jokes just seem kinda childish and boring like there was no real effort to engage with the media itself, just the nebulous concepts and "implications" that fans often really just drive off into the sunset with. If you tried to put similar complaints onto something like the Babadook(using a horror example that's also based around trauma and the death of a loved one) like "wow nothing happens they just talk and the monster is only there for like a few seconds they could've cut all the scenes of the parents talking and gotten a 30 minute movie" you'd get laughed at the room for missing the point. Dialogue matters. Talking is literally wired into our brains. And sometimes, sitting in a dark room with someone, quietly, calmly, lingering on the feeling and then just, talking for a bit, is therapeutic. I know ya probably don't care but that's just my thoughts as someone who grew up with the same type of logic watching stuff, getting it from all my fav childrens media youtubers, only to realize that way of "criticism" is surface level and misses the forest for the trees, only ever making sense to people who don't know how to engage deeper with what they're seeing.
@@FerinitheBloodHusky lol I sell paintings I make by putting food coloring in my mouth and spit it across the room on a canvas. I make 6figures a year but okay. Go huge your pomni plushy
@@Dawnsomewhere that's cool, I appreciate you responding to my question. I've also been wondering what you think about the comparisons between the main character of haz hotel and this pomne character, they both are white mime characters with red cheeks. Does this have some sort of broad resination with our current Zeitgeist or is it just a coincidence
I reject the mystery of the series. I see the whole trapped in a digital realm as an excuse to have anything the author can think of happen with wacky nonsensical characters, while also pretending to have stakes. Cause *gasp* they might die IRL. The mystery will never be solved, cause then the show is over. In fact I don't believe the show is interested in solving the mystery at all, but its a very clever hook for all the lore theorists out there. The main thing about the setting is a marketing gimmick and it would make no difference if they were just 100% digital, without a pretend real world.
I mean they've stated there's a set number of episodes (8, if I remember correctly) so it really doesn't seen like they're gonna drag it on forever. Glitch seems to understand that shows need to end
@@Pro8500A I have a lot of respect for the production team behind Digital Circus, mostly because they've stated their ideals and seem to be following them, and it genuinely seems like they're trying to put better media out into the world. that being said, the "they're digital but the danger is REAL" plotline has been used before, and not everyone really vibes with it, and that's fair
Pretty sure the "stakes" are not dying IRL, but abstracting and going insane in an eternal dark prison cellar. With those stakes in mind, the mystery of what the circus is doesn't actually matter that much compared to how the characters react and deal with their situation. Considering the direct inspiration is "I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream", which also had a setting with barely any plot relevance compared to how the characters we followed reacted to their situation, I'm not sure what trouble you're having here.
I think that tadc has some nice heart to it I do agree that it's lost in execution But I feel like it can be better and i hope it does get better I anyways appreciate that you can find humor in this show because should be exempted from criticism or comedy I like the wife bit where kinger shares too much
I know sardonic and cynical is your preferred flavor of analysis Greg, but lately it feels more like someone either trying to put down others who enjoy a property you aren't a fan of, or because this particular piece of media didn't grasp you exactly the way you wished it to, it's "low-brow" and not worth enjoying. I felt this way about your much later Mentally Advanced negative series. Maybe it's me looking into it with too much emotional investment, but it seems like the general critique from this parody is "too much explaining things" and "the only way you could like this is to turn your brain off".
well yea, thats probably because people dont enjoy a show talking down to them or see greater potential in a work that doesn't spell everything out to its viewers
It definitely hits differently when the act is only deconstructing the target. Yes, you knocked down a sandcastle, but now what? You proved you can knock over a tower of sand. Cool, I guess? The catharsis is fine, but it's a finite high. Parody can be constructive too, and typically lasts a bit longer.
I feel you man. Don't mind NorseHorse, they've been on a crusade to defend TADC across multiple vids. They'll pretty much say anything to discredit any negative comment or criticism of TADC.
I've come to the point where I've shackled myself to a small but definit subset of popular media from a decade ago so that I am incapable, both by choice and compulsion, to consume new media created in this decade. Unless of course it is derived from the original subset. From the sounds of this little summary I feel my behavior vindicated.
It's way easier to go back and binge watch King of the Hill Beavis and butt-head, home movies, and mission Hill.. shows that are actually good. Rather than the " think tank least common denominator " stuff produced these days @@Lorkhanable
It sounds more like you're just against the unknowability of newer media that hasn't been fully agreed upon as good by basically everyone due to the filtering of time. Which is definitely a choice you can make. Don't act like you can make a strong assessment on newer media though if you literally admit you don't watch any.
"Eventually you're no longer making love to the flesh, you're making love to the person" goes extremely hard idec
Ragatha: “Did you learn anything ground shaking that would massively change the setting or the plot?”
Pomni: “I learned how to repress my memories of the creepypasta monster in the basement.”
Kinger has a sanity meter that works in the opposite way to sanity meters in all of the video games.
I understood that reference.
"Have you seen Ranma 1/2? Was that before your time?"
Have I got news for you.
:)
Back to back TADC episode and Ranma 1/2 remake premiere was the best weekend ever
I love that youre not even trying with the voices.
And that aggressive drumming.
What do you mean, theyre spot on. I felt like i was just rewatching episode 3 again
Mmmmmm condensed, like a thousand pomni plushes pressed into a can
Or jar, even.
(calls grocery store)
"do you have 1000 pomnis in a can?"
"yes, we do."
"well, get them outta there, they're not very good at holding their breath!"
(click)
Damn this is hilarious lol i can't stop thinking Rarity is Kinger 😂
I’m not mentally advanced enough to know if you like the show or not
Love the animation, but not super blown away by the heavy reliance on exposition. It's clear they've got some firm ideas on what's going on with their characters, but they don't really know who the characters are and have to fall back to giving a clear, verbal transcript of their motives. They could have haunted Kinger with visions of his wife throughout the episode, but instead, none of the adventure is relevant, and the big expository revelations are all that matters - but it's weird because they could be saying these things in their rooms, or the main lobby, or anywhere, and it's underutilizing the premise.
@@Dawnsomewhere I thought the mirror of Kinger and Mildenhall was part of the point of the "scary room" parts. You even see Kinger visibly shaken when Midlenhall mentions himself killing his wife. Was it obvious only to me?
@@Dawnsomewhere theses words. I know some of theses words. Show funny, me think good.
@@Dawnsomewhere Dunno about this one. Ragatha, Jax and Zooble were all pretty clearly characterised without going on exposition tirades. Also Kinger's personality of not there but moments of clarity was well represented too, and him giving exposition was also just him showing he clearly still has his wits in certain situations, which I'm not sure if it would have come across well just by alluding to it. As for not knowing who the characters are: We are in episode 3. We have the basics of everybody down, and there clearly is more to them, but exploring that will take time, and I think that's a good way to go about it honestly.
Also in disagreement that the adventures don't matter. In episode one, the adventure was contrasted with the abstraction to show what usual daily life in the circus is and what can happen if you try to break out of it. In the second, the whole concept of NPCs is used to put Pomni in Ragatha's situation - someone trying to help somebody else who is completely out of their depth and cannot handle the new situation, planting the seed that Ragatha was just trying to do what Pomni did for Gummygoo.
We see that resolve in this episode with Pomni thanking Ragatha. Sure, could have stuck that onto the last one, but the funeral was a nice ending to that one, and more about Pomni accepting her situation rather than Ragatha in particular, so it's fine I think.
And finally: The whole horror is about a married couple. One of them went insane, the other stayed a pleasant person throughout, because they care and want to help people even if they themselves are miserable. Killing the "monster" only served to put them deeper into hell, and only when they calmed down and helped each other did they make it out.
It's kinda fun what you can get out of the show if you think about it, isn't it?
As someone who kind of "grew up" to prominence in the environment of MLP, I am very familiar with the idea that fans will feel there is basically nothing to criticize and that the whole IP is right-as-rain, no matter what. Given the design of the internet today, there should be a stream of theory content that is, for the intents and purposes of our mortal lives, more endless than we are.
I don't worry that much if people agree with me. I just personally think the show isn't hitting emotional beats that well and is frequently circling back to exposition.
I like how the obvious message of the episode, cherish your memories like the people you love because they could always go, is completely lost and Greg got the opposite message of “don’t think about it”
what are you talking about?
he would love to his wife.
even in her gross, abstracted form.
because he loves her.
To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand The Amazing Digital Circus.
I dare say this was mentally advanced.
I like this video, but under no circumstances can my friends find out about it. Some of them don't respond well to criticism of things they like and it keeps me from talking about online cartoons with them.
I like The Amazing Digital Circus, but man, I really wish it did more showing than telling. I mean, could you imagine how it might flow if it had no dialogue? Sure, then some of my favorite voice actors wouldn't be in it, but that's a sacrifice I'd be willing to make. I think Gooseworx's stuff works best when nobody's talking. It leaves more stuff to the imagination, which can make things more funny or macabre for different audiences. Good show, but more "common denominator" than something like Little Runmo or some episodes of The Pink City.
It struggles most with pacing, I think. In episode 2, it takes them almost five minutes (a fifth of the run time!) just to genuinely start the adventure. During that time, we don't learn anything about Gummygoo. They finally wind up trapped underneath the stage ten minutes in. There is now fifteen minutes to truly introduce us to Gummygoo, walk him through his grief, and establish him as a friend to Pomni, BUT the show chooses to have a B plot with other characters which snatches away small fits of time.
What the show winds up doing is just having everyone announce how they feel so that they rapidly go through the motions of what that story is supposed to be, and blow Gummygoo up at the end. Episode 3 is built differently, but has a similar problem of not taking its minutes seriously, only to then have to cram the whole story into a smaller box all at once.
They know that internet people are… need their hands held.
Oh, man. TADC makes so much more sense as a meandering trpg adventure with Lowery as the main character.
You've got the improbable setting, which has been specifically contrived around having exactly six diverse strangers who have no in-character inclination to work together, go on linear, self-contained adventures in random scenarios every week, before returning to their clubhouse totally unharmed.
Gamemaster / annoying impish GMPC, who really just wants people to run through the detailed, but very linear and inflexible adventures he spent all week writing. Is open to the concept of player-led games and deeper character stuff, but not really comfortable with it, and doesn't work to encourage it.
Role-Player who can't get over how stupid the worldbuilding is, and takes every opportunity to tug on the threads of inconsistency, implications, etc. Instead of engaging with adventures straight-forwardly, goes off on weird tangents to push the limits of the setting. Stays in character in the sense that they react to stuff the way a real person probably would if placed in that situation.
Game-Player, who also realizes just how dumb and contrived the setting is, but tries to play along with it on its own level anyway. Reasons that the whole purpose of the setting is as a frame for the adventures, and that the adventures are most fun when you take them seriously. Intentionally takes a support role for less confident players, acting as a low key team leader. Also feels pity for the Gamemaster, and wants to throw him a bone.
Class Clown who doesn't take the setting seriously on any level, and instead just uses the adventures as catharsis for his sadistic power fantasies. Usually goes too far, making the other players feel uncomfortable, but the Gamemaster likes him because he tells good jokes. Probably working through some serious emotional issues.
Two very inexperienced players who are dipping their toes into role-play for the first time, and made the typical mistake of going way off the deep end. Their idea of playing a character is to have some really bizarre gimmick that totally debilitates their ability to function as an adventurer.
Finally, there's the one player who's not really suited to role-playing games, or just too embarrassed to give it a fair shot. Doesn't engage with the game on either a role-playing or a mechanical level. Plays so passively that you forget they're in the room most of the time. Primarily shows up to game night for the free chips and orange crush.
I never noticed how much this show relies on exposition (besides that bloated info dump in episode 1), but watching the episode again made me realize why: I like the exposition. I like it because it's the payoff to the things the show was hinting towards in past episodes.
For instance, episode 2 shows us Kinger speaking normally while wearing a bucket on his head, hinting at how the darkness affects his ability to think and remember things clearly. There are also other hints like the door with a crossed-out queen face that looks like Kinger in episode 1. The climax of episode 3 is where he puts it all into words, and it honestly feels earned.
I think the main problem is that the events of each episode on its own don't exactly warrant having a big speech as its climactic moment. The moment where Pomni learns to appreciate Ragatha is exactly how I hoped it would go after the first two episodes, but like you said, Ragatha barely does anything in episode 3, so it feels out of place. The show is so focused on painting a bigger picture that the little details fall short.
As for the future, I'm keeping my eye on Ragatha. We've seen that she's obsessed with being liked by people and avoids any sort of negativity when she can help it, no matter how she's been wronged. I doubt she means anything bad by it, but it's clearly a coping mechanism. My prediction: now that her kindness has finally begun to pay off, she'll latch onto Pomni even harder than before, and that will lead to another conflict. As long as they don't lose focus like that, I'm all for it.
It's almost like exposition isn't inherently a bad thing.
Personally, I'm watching Jax. Speaking from experience, people whose coping mechanism is being a funny asshole literally 100% of the time are the people who tend to be the most broken inside and the most desperate to keep those walls up.
A little Chekov's derringer is all it takes to satisfy?
The Laury voice coming out of Pomni is funny and pretty fitting
Did you find out any earth shattering revelations that could possibly alter the way we view or think about our eternal prison and/or warden?
Don’t think about it lol 😂
I had some similar thoughts about this episode in regards to the story as a whole. It disappointed me in some regards while also revealing information I had never thought about.
In any case, it was an unexpected but pleasant surprise to see a TADC video from you. I liked your Pomni and Ragatha voice
I'm just waiting for the inevitable rug pull that the Circus is actually an ironic punishment where the actual villain transferred a bunch of people's consciousnesses into a digital realm. Because everyone is giving me massive vibes that each could represent a job role at an office. Jax is a manager, Kinger is a programmer/IT technician, etc.
Or maybe they all entered the Circus willingly but the process makes them forget everything before joining the Circus so they don't remember they digitised themselves to escape the environmental hellscape of reality.
That is almost the plot of…
…Danganronpa.
@@michaelkindt3288 If it is that's a heck of a coincidence because I know 2 degrees shy of bugger all about Dangonrampa.
@@PlebNC-.-I don't know if you're saying you know Danganronpa or don't know Danganronpa. I have never heard this turn of phrase before.
@@michaelkindt3288 Oh God. Now THERE'S a game that can turn a 57-second story into a Greek tragedy.
I used to watch Ranma 1/2 at night on my family's computer around age 6 with my sister. Cherished memory
I hope they put in this whole thing 1 to 1 exactly. (haven't watched it yet)
"If you want to enjoy The Amazing Digital Circus, the first thing you need to do is stop thinking about it." Equally funny and tragic that the show is full of theory bait and obviously wants you to think about its worldbuilding and characterization, but the best way to enjoy it is to turn off your brain and eat it like potato chips
Pretty sure people who *do* think about it still enjoy it...
Funny enough, the creator says the show is very light on lore and worldbuilding and focuses mainly on character interaction.
@norsehorse84 Never said you couldn't enjoy it that way. I also enjoy the show despite the mediocre aspects of its writing. It's just easier to have fun if dont put too much thought into it, because the writing flaws become much more obvious when you do lol
@@heziilah Can you give an example of how thinking more about the show highlights a writing flaw?
@norsehorse84 One of the first things I thought about by the end of episode three was Pomni's characterization and how it conveys the weight of the situation to the audience. Pomni has been consistently depicted as a high-strung bundle of anxiety and nerves, which makes sense considering her situation and the trauma she's experienced. However, when you think about it more deeply from a storytelling perspective, it highlights some flaws with the show. If Pomni is on the verge of a mental breakdown in episode one, the impact of her breakdowns in episode two and three are diminished because the character doesnt have much room to "grow" in that direction. It also fails to properly convey the stakes of a situation when we are watching Pomni react to it, since "anxious wreck about to have a mental breakdown" is her established baseline. If you don't put a lot of thought into it, Pomni is a perfectly adequate protagonist. But I found myself thinking about it too much, and now I can't unsee Pomni's stagnant characterization lol
try not to think about it." Is new words of day folks.
Great summary... Now, where's the parody?
The video is the parody ._.
Das da joke.
MAS Fluttershy and MAS Rarity
Rarity and who?
@@sunbirth4795 yer mum
@@sunbirth4795 Joe mama.
@@sunbirth4795The yellow one.
Mentally Advanced skibidi toilet when???
A still image of a real-life camera and toilet tied by a rope, playing tug-of-war and they wear sunglasses for added accuracy.
I like the dynamic between your Kinger and your Pomni, but I'm not really sure what this video is trying to say about Episode 3, or about TADC as a whole.
So, Angel Hare.
Season 1 is a great self-contained mystery that now defines wholesome horror.
Season 2 only makes sense for those who watched the Easter episode but was still great.
Season 3 was that guy, who wants to shake hands with that other guy, but they take six episodes to do it by playing a video game.
No I haven't watched the Circus thingy.
Digital Circus is a wholesome psycho-comedy planned to be told and completed in 9 episodes.
The pilot is an exposition dump carried by impressive animation (for such a then-obscure studio) and very funny gags.
Episode 2 is a companion piece to the pilot that makes up for its lack of character building while keeping its strengths.
Episode 3 and the next three upcoming episodes begin to answer the mysteries about the cast's lives and personalities.
The last three episodes are a mystery, but right now, the creator imagines there won't be a second season, even with its smash success.
On the bright side, I'd say episode 3 was better than the first two. On the not so bright side, the bar being set very low probably was what made me enjoy the third episode
Greg God dammit now because of you my recommendations are infested with TADC reviews. Not even episodes, reviews, like "episode X is..." or "such character has done Y". Tell Slick Sam to stop selling me.
Soul Reaver 1&2 are getting a remaster for their 25th anniversary. Any chance there will be a new Ramble with Rae?
This is awesome ^^^^
This was the first episode of this show that I could sit through.
One impression I haven't seen anyone make is the idea that the circus's usual palette and lighting might overstimulate his character and make him unable to focus. Also, as always, I refuse to stop thinking about it, as that is my enjoyment.
Who hurt you greg?
TADC, I reckon
I love the voices
The youngsters today need that Blatant Exposition. They can barely read.
As for the gratuitous trauma, that’s self explanatory.
Do the other episodes!
... Based
Your content is always a joy Greg. How do you feel about Murder Drones? I kinda liked it. Although it is kind of a mess and I always felt like I missed an episode. Guess I mostly just like the animation and characters.
I gotta object to calling it "exposition" when its just writing. Like, the core of the series isn't the plot but the interactions between characters, not all of whom will get to have the same focus every episode. It made sense to shit about "the implications" and "the plotholes" and "exposition" before I knew what any of those things meant as a kid but now it feels like that kinda talking and jokes just seem kinda childish and boring like there was no real effort to engage with the media itself, just the nebulous concepts and "implications" that fans often really just drive off into the sunset with. If you tried to put similar complaints onto something like the Babadook(using a horror example that's also based around trauma and the death of a loved one) like "wow nothing happens they just talk and the monster is only there for like a few seconds they could've cut all the scenes of the parents talking and gotten a 30 minute movie" you'd get laughed at the room for missing the point. Dialogue matters. Talking is literally wired into our brains. And sometimes, sitting in a dark room with someone, quietly, calmly, lingering on the feeling and then just, talking for a bit, is therapeutic.
I know ya probably don't care but that's just my thoughts as someone who grew up with the same type of logic watching stuff, getting it from all my fav childrens media youtubers, only to realize that way of "criticism" is surface level and misses the forest for the trees, only ever making sense to people who don't know how to engage deeper with what they're seeing.
believe it or not, you're not the demographic. You used to like MLP too
Why are you condensing the amazing industry plant. And not condensing has been hotel? The arguably more popular cringey IP
you will never make art
@@FerinitheBloodHusky lol I sell paintings I make by putting food coloring in my mouth and spit it across the room on a canvas. I make 6figures a year but okay. Go huge your pomni plushy
@@FerinitheBloodHusky womp womp
Because I like the cartoony art direction of TADC and I'm following it more closely.
@@Dawnsomewhere that's cool, I appreciate you responding to my question. I've also been wondering what you think about the comparisons between the main character of haz hotel and this pomne character, they both are white mime characters with red cheeks. Does this have some sort of broad resination with our current Zeitgeist or is it just a coincidence
I reject the mystery of the series. I see the whole trapped in a digital realm as an excuse to have anything the author can think of happen with wacky nonsensical characters, while also pretending to have stakes. Cause *gasp* they might die IRL.
The mystery will never be solved, cause then the show is over. In fact I don't believe the show is interested in solving the mystery at all, but its a very clever hook for all the lore theorists out there.
The main thing about the setting is a marketing gimmick and it would make no difference if they were just 100% digital, without a pretend real world.
I mean they've stated there's a set number of episodes (8, if I remember correctly) so it really doesn't seen like they're gonna drag it on forever. Glitch seems to understand that shows need to end
@@friedhegg1994 I admit, I did not know that. In a world of never ending sequels, I respect that a lot.
@@Pro8500A I have a lot of respect for the production team behind Digital Circus, mostly because they've stated their ideals and seem to be following them, and it genuinely seems like they're trying to put better media out into the world.
that being said, the "they're digital but the danger is REAL" plotline has been used before, and not everyone really vibes with it, and that's fair
Pretty sure the "stakes" are not dying IRL, but abstracting and going insane in an eternal dark prison cellar.
With those stakes in mind, the mystery of what the circus is doesn't actually matter that much compared to how the characters react and deal with their situation.
Considering the direct inspiration is "I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream", which also had a setting with barely any plot relevance compared to how the characters we followed reacted to their situation, I'm not sure what trouble you're having here.
@@friedhegg1994 Nine episodes, actually (so six to go). One of the scripts got so big that they decided to split it.
I think that tadc has some nice heart to it
I do agree that it's lost in execution
But I feel like it can be better and i hope it does get better
I anyways appreciate that you can find humor in this show because should be exempted from criticism or comedy
I like the wife bit where kinger shares too much
Pretty sure Kinger is representing Dementia or Alzheimers.
I know sardonic and cynical is your preferred flavor of analysis Greg, but lately it feels more like someone either trying to put down others who enjoy a property you aren't a fan of, or because this particular piece of media didn't grasp you exactly the way you wished it to, it's "low-brow" and not worth enjoying. I felt this way about your much later Mentally Advanced negative series.
Maybe it's me looking into it with too much emotional investment, but it seems like the general critique from this parody is "too much explaining things" and "the only way you could like this is to turn your brain off".
well yea, thats probably because people dont enjoy a show talking down to them or see greater potential in a work that doesn't spell everything out to its viewers
@@midoriasakusa The show does neither of those... what are you on about?
It definitely hits differently when the act is only deconstructing the target. Yes, you knocked down a sandcastle, but now what? You proved you can knock over a tower of sand.
Cool, I guess? The catharsis is fine, but it's a finite high.
Parody can be constructive too, and typically lasts a bit longer.
I feel you man.
Don't mind NorseHorse, they've been on a crusade to defend TADC across multiple vids. They'll pretty much say anything to discredit any negative comment or criticism of TADC.
@@valentinecure329 I haven't though. I'm only bringing up how Greg's points of contention make very little sense.
meh out of tanlines
This is good because I refuse to learn what the fuck The Digital Circus is.
Honestly Greg deserves a reward for his sacrifice.
It's a UA-cam cartoon by the studio that made Murder Drones.
I've come to the point where I've shackled myself to a small but definit subset of popular media from a decade ago so that I am incapable, both by choice and compulsion, to consume new media created in this decade. Unless of course it is derived from the original subset. From the sounds of this little summary I feel my behavior vindicated.
That just sounds incredibly restrictive and limiting
nerd
@@Pinka13 I don't feel that way. There's so much old media and content from the past that new trend chasing media doesn't feel very enticing.
It's way easier to go back and binge watch King of the Hill Beavis and butt-head, home movies, and mission Hill.. shows that are actually good. Rather than the " think tank least common denominator " stuff produced these days @@Lorkhanable
It sounds more like you're just against the unknowability of newer media that hasn't been fully agreed upon as good by basically everyone due to the filtering of time. Which is definitely a choice you can make.
Don't act like you can make a strong assessment on newer media though if you literally admit you don't watch any.
I promised myself i wouldn't watch TADC
Thanks to you, i can cheat
im gay
Why are you gay?
How Gay we talkin
Did I just have bad taste when I was younger, or did this guy stop being funny?
@sleepyote nah all this guys podcasts are hysterical. This one was just the biggest miss he's ever made. Check out his podcasts.