Onscreen Offscreen
Josh Dietrich and Konlin Gappmayer discuss their media consumption, new and old. They discuss the good, the bad, and the impact it has on their lives
Onscreen Offscreen
Iron Man Iron Adventures
Iron Man Armored Adventures
Next Level Chef, 24 and 24, Eldest, Repose Book 7, Iron Man Armored Adventures
00:00 - Cooking Shows
30:29 - Eldest
46:25 - Repose
52:01 - Iron Man Armored Adventures
01:02:21 - Join us Next week
Hi guys. This is Onscreen Offscreen, a show where we like to talk about the stuff we've, uh, consumed our media intake for the week. Talk about how it made us feel, how it impacts our lives, um, sometimes even, uh, made it better or made us think it a different way. Uh, this week, uh, Conlin you are, you've got quite a bit more to talk about, so we're gonna get you started with your first topic.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay, I'm gonna do two of them'cause they're kind of combined. I've got 24 and 24 and the end of next level chef. Um, I like cooking shows. I just enjoy them. They're a fun pastime for me. And 24 and 24 is 24 challenges during 24 hours where these cooks have to do things that are progressively harder. Sometimes the gas will be turned off. Sometimes they have to like cook with only one ingredient. Sometimes they have to team up. Sometimes they have to take down a team member. Some like. have all sorts of challenges and it is just a wildly fun show that I honestly think would be better in concept if the show came out in a Netflix style, full show is just released.'cause you're watching these characters for, for, uh, 24 hours that they are cooking. And if you could just watch that episode, I think it would be more compelling because where you get it broken up, you get a lot of the I'm so tired. I'm so tired. Oh did you know that? I'm so tired. We've been cooking for 20 hours and I'm so tired. Well, no shit, Sherlock. Of course you're tired, you've been cooking for 20 hours straight. I would be tired too. I'm pretty sure if you took a navy sill, the Navy sill would call you little bitches, but it would absolutely still be tired.'cause cooking for 24 hours on that level is not an easy thing to do. The show is still wildly creative and, and very, very enjoyable. And I like the winner of this show because you're cooking for 24 hours and you bring in so many guest judges, feels a lot more balanced, where a lot of other shows you're like, well, the last episode, this guy did this thing wrong and this thing wrong and this thing wrong. But he won what? What? And it doesn't make any kind of sense. And that happens with cooking shows all the time. the one, the guy who won this show absolutely deserved it. He kills it from the beginning and like, good for him. Um, I do think it's funny, the guy who is, it's second we've watched on some other cooking shows and he is coming second in five cooking shows in a row. And that just sucks. That sucks so bad. Coming second, multiple different times. But, uh, the show's interesting and I like the idea of maybe I'll cook that, maybe I'll cook that. Fancy food that I've never thought of coming together in any way, shape, or form. I wouldn't have ever thought of coming together in any shape or form, but still just found it really enjoyable. Um, next level chef, have you, have you seen this one at all? the concept of
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I don't like cooking shows.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:know you don't like cooking chefs. Um, next level chef is interesting. They, there's a Netflix show that came out years and years ago, I can't remember what it's called. the idea is that you have this platform that has food on it and the platform slowly falls. And actually, I like the Netflix show. It's an interesting show. It's worth watching, but it's a allegory on society and like. How the people on the bottom only are left with the scraps, which I don't completely agree with, but is a compelling idea that they do well. They took that Netflix show and they applied it to a cooking show. And if you're on the top floor, you get the best stuff. You get the, the, the, uh, the prime rib, you get the lobster, you get the really, really good ingredients and they get to choose first. And then the second level, they get to choose, what's left over from there. And the bottom level is just left with the scraps the bottom level. You have crappy cooking pans and you have ovens that barely work and the middle level's a little bit better. The bottom top level's a little bit better. It's really cool to see these cooks who are used to these highend, really good c uh, kitchens, having to get down, get humble and cook with everything that they have in this bottom kitchen where. They have ovens that sometimes don't work, and they have gas grills that sometimes don't work, and their pans look like they were beat up with a hammer first before they cook on them. And they cook these amazing meals. And a lot of times, season after season, some of the best meals come from this bottom kitchen where they have few ingredients and they have so few ways of cooking, but they just reach inside themselves and they pull something out, they pull out a human spirit and they create something great. And I, it's, it's part of the reason why I love this show as much as I do. Um, if the gimmick doesn't work for you, it doesn't work for you. For me, the psychology aspect of these people being literally in the bottom, but rising to the top is really satisfying and I very much enjoy it. Um, and you've got three different coaches, so you have more of a balanced opinion on. Who goes forward. The thing I don't like about this show is you do have three coaches that have three teams, and each one of the coaches is arguing for their team member to be the one that's able to go forward. Because if they win the entire show, it's beneficial to them. it makes it so it's a little bit unbalanced that way, but the gimmick of the show and the fighting with the human spirit is enough to really grab me in and make me wanna, wanna root for the show, wanna root for the people who are cooking. The last episode of this one was the most disappointing season to me. I, I was good with all three people that we're cooking, but the very last episode, you cook a three course dinner basically, and you have your, your entree or you have your appetizer, you have your entree, and then you have your, your like, main course. Um, and the other two that didn't win, it was like. You made this little teeny mistake, you made this little teeny mistake. The guy who won, he gets to the last mill and he is like, one's not your best and it's not great. These other two that didn't win, that they did a really good job, but you kind of dropped the ball a little bit and he won the show. I don't really understand why. And there's, there's a lot of cooking shows where that happens. And it's frustrating'cause you, you wanna know more. You're like, I wish that there was a VR set up with cooking shows where I was connected to the food and I could taste the food and be like, wrong. That other guy should have won. What are you doing? Stop it. But I, I just don't know enough to say that, you know?
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah. Uh, it's not just cooking shows, it's competition shows
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:and like, that really gets to me too. Uh, the voice comes to mind. Um, they have their boxing matches, right, where they sing one-on-one and then the judges pick the winner. And there was quite literally one where they were like, well, come, dude, I'm sorry, person A, this was your worst performance of the show, person B, this was your best performance of the show, and you absolutely did better than person a. But overall person A has done better throughout the show. So person A wins because one bad performance shouldn't ruin their whole thing. And I'm sitting there like, then what is the boxing match? Even for,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah.'cause you
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:right?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:who you're gonna push forward anyway.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah. Like person B clearly did better and the judges even directly set that. And you picked person A because historically they've done better. No, they, They messed up. They, they lost. their out. And to me that would be like getting to the NFL playoffs, having a giant upset game where the Cowboys beat the Kansas City and them being like, well, Kansas City had the better record, so they're still gonna go to the Super Bowl anyway. That's what it feels like to me. And I'm sitting there like, no, they lost. They lost that performance, they lost their history. doesn't matter, they lost. And so many cooking shows do it. But basically any competition show has these moments. And that's why one of the reasons why I don't like them is'cause
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:feel like it's actually a competition. It feels like it's
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah, well it's a, competition. It's, it's just like the judges let their human bias thing do it. And it's like, this individual competition didn't really matter, you know? Um, so you wasted my time with 45 minutes of all of this stuff, giving these critiques just to be like, yes, person B was better, but we're gonna let person one win because they did better before this performance of theirs. I was like, no, that's, that's not how competitions work. That's not. Ethically correct. Like could you imagine being sent home from one of these competitions being told you did the better job in the competition we're actually having?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:so
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:yeah. I would be like, no, I feel cheated. I didn't feel like I actually lost. I did better. I should be moving forward. That's
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:be an upset right now
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I was the underdog. Let's go. What are you
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah, Uh, so it is unfortunate that that's how these shows work and it's really unfortunate that the judges do that and that just sucks.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:yeah. That's something that I appreciate about British Bake Off, which I know you don't like that show either, but there have been multiple times where I've been like, this girl has been better the entire show. But that last one, she fumbled the ball and the person who didn't fumble the ball actually won,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Well, interestingly, I don't like the British Bake off because it doesn't feel like enough of a competition. That's my criticism of it. But, um, yeah, I mean to say I don't like cooking shows. That's not entirely accurate. I have gotten into them. I am actually very interested in Gordon Ramsey's new cooking show.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:So I was going to talk about Gordon Ramsey after this, but what's the new one?
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:uh, he's going? undercover using hidden cameras to basically criticize a bunch of restaurants and their cooking methods and everything.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:That's cool.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:So
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:that.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:think Gordon Ramsey gets way, way, way too much hate, and I was gonna talk about that. Um, I like much all of Gordon Ramsey's shows that I've seen. I think they're all good. he did something with
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I don't like Hell's Kitchen.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I, I like Hell's Kitchen. Um, there's a kid who gets sent home probably like fifth, but the, the guy is working really hard. He takes instruction really well. Like he, he wants it. He's 22 ish years old. He's got a wife and a kid, and he is just like fighting for a chance. And Gordon, who has a lot of restaurants, he has a lot of pool in the industry. He's like, I'm gonna help you. I'm gonna give you an opportunity. I'm gonna set you up with one of my restaurants and I'm gonna, I'm gonna talk to my head chef and see if we can fit a spot for you. And I've watched enough of his shows to see that he does this over and over and over again for people that show that they're willing to fight for something who people, that people who are coachable. And when Gordon Ramsey wa needs to be an asshole to get somebody moving and get somebody in gear, he's an asshole. when Gordon Ramsey can be kind, he's kind. I think that that's a good boss. I think that's, I, I think he's a good dude and I think he gets way too much hate he genuinely just wants people to succeed and perform. And I,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Gordon Ramsey.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:disagree with that, but Okay. I'm glad you do. Uh, I love how he treats kids.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah, me too.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Uh, everything I see with him treating kids, he treats them very well, and there are times that he treats people well.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:But just because you treat somebody well sometimes doesn't mean you should be able to treat'em like crap. Before that. That's where I disagree with saying he's a good dude. I think he is. overheated, but he does treat and actually abuse a lot of people.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I think he's very militaristic in the way that he acts and like he, he demands a certain standard and I don't think you get to a place where you have Michelin star restaurants like that
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:insults are not militaristic or
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:certain standard,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:making somebody,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:he,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:it's belittling somebody and it's tearing them down. It's nothing more than that.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:He used to do more of the betting belittling stuff. I don't really see that anymore. I still see him yell at people, but it's not like insulting the way you look or whatever. He's being like, this is, this is just not up to the standard. What are you guys doing? What, like, he, he, he freaks out about that you're gonna feed this food to those people. No, this doesn't count like that. That kind of thing. I,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:He slips into
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:don't think
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:criticizing them as a person, and I do think that there's a problem with that
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:and what they're doing, which I,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:by attacking them as a person. Like I've seen it in clips from his actual stuff
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:so I've watched
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:where he talks about them being from a place or their hairstyle or if they've got something done, if their brain works properly.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I've seen that with their, with the old Hell's Kitchen. I still see the brain stuff sometimes. Like, what the hell did you do today? What are you thinking? What? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Can you think how, what are you talking about? This steak is rare. you ever cooked before? That kind of a thing, but I don't, it's fine. I don't really have a problem with that.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Uh, I do. It's not like, I'll take your word for it. He's gotten better, but I still don't think that that. makes it okay. And I would not say that that makes him a good boss.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Like that to me is the most ridiculous claim you've made.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:really
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah. You can hold a standard and you can have somebody, you can have them live up to that criticizing and ridiculing them into that standard is not being a good boss.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I think. Demanding a higher result and being pissed off when you know that they're capable of it. Like most of the time when I see him yell in the, in the newer shows, the newer shows, he's done the training with them. He's down to a smaller group. There's like eight people left. He knows these people can cook. He's seen it before and they're just dropping the ball and he's like, what the hell guys? Get it together. What are you doing? Kind of a thing, which I think is
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Not a good boss. An employer should not be yelling at an employee
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:You ever,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:ever.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:okay.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I agree with you, you should have high standards. You should hold people accountable for those high, high standards. But it is not a sign of a good boss when they are yelling at an employee. It makes an employee and another person defensive and it makes them feel targeted or, or anything like that. It's unacceptable. Yeah, you can be frustrated. You can express that frustration by saying, Hey guys, I'm really frustrated, but you still have to treat them like an adult, treating them small and like a kid because you have a higher rank than them. I do not find that acceptable anywhere for any reason.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I think there's times where you can be militaristic and have it be okay, and I think he does it pretty well
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I think
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:was,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:in the military. When life and death is actually on the line. Yeah. But unless you have one of Joe Rogan's real jobs or whoever it was, I don't actually know if it was Joe Rogan, But
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:talking about.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:oh, uh, somebody famous said, there's only four real jobs in the world and everybody else needs to chill. And it's like army, military, or, sorry, military police officer, doctor or engineer.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay. I don't know if that was Joe Rogan either. I don't know.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I, I don't remember who exactly it was, But like, yeah, if you actually have life and death in your hands and somebody screws up causing life, yeah, you need to be more forceful with that. But everybody else needs to calm down.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I think something is obviously working for him. He's created a lot of good things. you demand excellence, you'll get excellence and you'll have more excellent people
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Why does demanding excellence have to raise your voice?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I don't think it has to, but I think there are different
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:You're just, you just said that makes it him a good boss because he demands excellence.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:so I was saying I don't think you have to raise your voice, but I do think that is a way of training and that is a way of leading. I don't necessarily think that a military person who yells is not a good leader. He's, uh, he is yelling and are the drills that you're doing right now going to save your life later on? That's the idea. Yes. are the drills that you're doing right now saving anyone's life because you're running in, in, in South Carolina and you're running 20 miles and you did a pushup wrong, so you get screamed at for 20 minutes. No, it's probably not, but it's all about. Excellence and a standard. I don't necessarily think it's a bad idea to hold that standard. It's a different type of leadership, but I don't think that means it's a bad leadership style.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Again, we agree. Having high standards of excellence is good.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:If you have a high bar, they people will tend to achieve it.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay. But the way Gordon Ramsey goes about doing it is not good. And even in military, like you're talking about it being militaristic and good. Look at all the best military leaders in history, and most of them, if not all of them, did not lead that way. Yes, they had high standards, But they were known for being somebody who fights for the uh, soldiers, not somebody who fights with the soldiers.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:But what about if one of the soldiers is failing the rest of the troop, rest of the company?
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:You inspire them, you build them up, you believe in them. You don't belittle them, you don't attack them, and you don't make them defensive and possibly worse.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:There are some people that need to be broken down before they'll be lifted up.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:That's what bootcamp is for. That's what you're training in and initially is for, but either way, you're still not building a relationship by yelling at somebody the way he does.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay. See, I'm not a yelling boss either. That's not what I do. But I, I just think it's different kinds of leadership and I don't think one is a bad kind of leadership.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I think it absolutely is. I think
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:obviously
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:it's causing somebody else's life to be killed
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:how many
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:at him, not good,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:does he have?
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:what does that matter?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I mean, that's the, that's a show of excellence. You're creating an
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:That's his excellence. But what about, we're talking about his leadership. His Michelin stars speaks nothing towards his leadership. I
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I think it absolutely does. If you
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:No it doesn't,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:you don't create. A excellent environment and Michelin stars are a demonstration of excellence,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:except you can demand that and you can get that in the short term. It's nothing to do with long term
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:doing it for years.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:with different people.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I bet his people stick with him for a pretty long time.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I bet the ones that do are very benefited from it, and they're not people that he yells at and belittles.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I think he sorts through the people that he wants to keep and the ones that he wouldn't yell at by yelling at the people who are below his standard unless they decide to ship up and become part of his standard.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I disagree with that, but that's fine because basically that's how psychology works. People don't rise up by being belittled or. Broken down like that.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:They rise up when you have those moments of kindness, which he is absolutely capable of doing.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah, he is. And I do give him credit for that. I agree. Like there, he has done really good things. I'm just saying that doesn't erase the bad things that he does or has done.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I think it's a good cop, bad cat tied a type of situation and he is breaking'em down and then he is personally lifting them up, which maybe,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:he's not. He's cherry picking a few to pick up. Right? Let's say he picks up one good person and builds up one good person per show that he does. And let's say he's done 30 shows, that's 30 people, he has helped and he's made better
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:of those shows. How many did he tear and make worse and make them feel bad? Possibly even quit? Who could have done something great otherwise? There's, you know, initially like 30 people who join in. So 30 people at 30 shows minus the 30 that he picked out. Oh, well now you're talking about hundreds of people that he has made worse. Right. And that's not to talk about the negative effects that that could have. Outside of that,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:but at the same time, like if we're talking military types, you get broken down and the few of them get through navy sales. Most people flunk out, but they're getting screamed at, they're getting pushed really, really hard. They're, it's very militaristic it, but the few people that do push through become stronger than they, uh, than ever and they become navy sills. Badass bad asses on their, on the planet.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I think you're cherry picking a very specific scenario, and one that I also think that you're misrepresenting. Because in those, that situation where they're getting to the point where they're actually doing the tryout for military
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:is they are being pushed not belittled. And that is a very distinct, important difference to me.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I'm taking this from movies. Um, and in movies, it looks like they're getting belittled pretty much consistently.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:No, they're, it's all about the job itself. They say things like, are you gonna quit? Are you a quitter?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I mean, I'm talking like, uh, um, the Sniper Show with Bradley Cooper.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:He's like, you fat
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:American sniper
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:man. Can you keep doing this? You fat old man. It is literally breaking fun of him as a person.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:in a, where they've built up that rapport already. Existing. And two, that's very, again, he's pushing the person that he's knows how to push that person and not belittling them for stuff in a different way. Like that is a very different thing. Pushing somebody in a military situation versus belittling or attacking personally somebody else, right? Like if you came in and you pushed me based on my job performance and my current job,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Mm-hmm.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:and you said you're not living up to the standard, you're not doing good enough, right?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Mm-hmm.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:gonna be defensive and I'm gonna, that's gonna suck to go through. I think that is not how you manage me fully admit it. But you start attacking me personally and my life, and my life choices and the way I look and the way I smell. Now you're, you're triggering my anxiety and my personal depression, something that Gordon Ramsey does not have the knowledge of or the rapport with a person to know that effect,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Why do you think that the military officer that just met this guy a couple days ago has that
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:because they all know that when you get into the, the Navy SEAL trading, they've got a file on you and everything you went through and how you responded to those things. And a million reports and they talk to your previous commanding officers, like to get, even get into it. They, they know who you are and what you've gone through and what your, your responses to it were and how you've handled situations.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:don't just like, Hey, I've been a Marine for three years. I'm gonna apply to Navy SEAL training.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:It's a lot
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:They say, okay, no. It's like, no, they talked to your previous commanding officer. They get in-person recommendations, they do references, they do this, that the other, right? So they've done that and the Navy Sills have done that and they've gone through that and they've gone through book bootcamp and they are understanding of the situation and they're putting themselves into it. And they know that they're gonna be pushed and they're gonna, they know that they're gonna be told that they're gonna quit and they know that they're gonna be told, push faster, swim faster. You're not good enough, you're not doing enough. Right? That's very different than
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:on the
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:what the other side, is.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:at the very beginning of Gordon Ramsey's show, he doesn't have the reputation, so you're not expecting that. But at this point, when you go onto the show, if you screw up, you are expecting that he's going to scream at you because you know, like you, you, you've probably watched the show before. probably done your homework, right?
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah. I agree that they know that they're, what they're getting into. I'm saying Gordon Ramsey doesn't know them personally.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:He doesn't know them enough to be able to judge how to push them
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:the most effective soldier.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:yeah,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:That's fair enough.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:yeah.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:point.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:So like, I agree with you. He is overheated. He does a lot more good than I have just, you know, made it out to b
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:my opposition is to, is to you saying he's a good boss because A, he's not in the military, he's a chef and a TV personality. He's doing it to create drama. Doesn't care about the effects it has on his quote unquote employees. And I don't think a boss should ever be yelling at their employees, even if it is just for show. I just don't think That's a good boss. I don't like, I think that his mentality of here's my standard, measure up to it or get out, and occasionally he does find somebody who falls short of the line, but shows that they are willing to change and work on it, and they're coachable people.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I think that's an important thing. He can narrow that down sometimes.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Hmm.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:He deserves credit for that. Absolutely. But like saying he's a good boss, that is my opposition. I don't think he's a good boss. I would not want to work for him in any of those environments, and I wouldn't want to work for anybody who treats me the way he treats his employees.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay. Fair enough. Fair enough.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Uh,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Anyway, that is uh, my first two topics. I was not thinking that was going to get that deep at all,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:yeah, uh,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:glad we went into that. That was cool.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:yeah. Psychology of being a leader, being a boss. You and I are both leaders, both bosses. I really hope you're not yelling at your employees, I hope you're holding'em to a high standard, and that's a good thing.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I lift them up, but hold'em up to a good standard What do we got? What do you got next, man?
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:All right, so my topic is the second book in the Aragon series, eldest. Uh, I think you're overly negative towards this book. Um,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:am
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I think that the cultures and traditions and the interactions between the ELs and the dwarfs is actually the most compelling part about this book.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:interesting.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:However, this book still sucks. Um. It is doing the second book thing where it's trying to world build and establish the wor the rules for which we have to follow with our characters. So they're talking a lot about how the magic system works, how their cultures intertwine, how they work together, all this kind of stuff, right? Except it doesn't make sense.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I don't remember it. What? Tell us why it doesn't make sense.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:So like for example, in the first book, uh, grom or Bourne or whoever is teaching him that, like in order to magically attack somebody, you have to open up your mind and you have to speak the words. So you on defense have a chance to counter their magic,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:which is a stupid system. However, in the second book. They're like, yeah, anybody can sry anybody's mind for any reason whatsoever. And you have to be defensive all the time. And also you don't have to say the words. And also they can surprise you with magic and you're just an idiot. And everything you were told was wrong. But they used that explanation of like, but he was just trying to give you the necessary details to get started. And it's like, no, you very clearly just contradicted yourself. And like they also established that like, you can use magic to kill thousands of people with a single word. Okay, so why does anybody go to war for any reason? Because a magic user can just kill you all with a single word. Oh well they usually have other magic users who are putting up words in defense and you know, so they counteract and they usually end up doing magic against each other, trying to break through those barriers. And it's like, Yeah. that's literally how I've been hearing it. And I'm like, Kay, if you don't have a well thought out system, just leave it as kind of vague and let us deal with that.'cause like,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:That's
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:like two thirds of the way through the second book and all of it has been like, the first little part is really interesting. They're talking about the LS in the dwarves and the differences in culture and like why they have the relationship that they do have. And it's like, cool. All that is kind of well thought out. The, the author here put together the political dynamics actually pretty well. His magic system, however, is not thought out well. It's a total con, like convoluted, like intertwined thing that. is either a way too complex for me to understand, or b is So complex you wouldn't question it when he just does things with it. And that's the one I'm kind of leaning towards. Yeah. Um, the second third of this book is all just establishing the magic system and how it all works and everything, and it, it just, either it's going way over my head and I just don't get it, or it's really not that well thought out and he's trying to put it all together as he's writing it and it's not really working, and that's kind of what I'm feeling like. However, he hasn't knocked Aragon unconscious yet, so he deserves credit for that. He did a travel sequence without knocking him unconscious. He deserves credit for that. He's building his ins Sophia's relationship, which I think he is doing a really good job with. Um, he's building the relationship between Aragon and the Elf Chick, uh, that deserves credit as well Uh, Aragon is actually a fleshed out character. All of the sequences with his cousin. I'm really, really liking and I'm excited to see those two worlds clash again, specifically his cousin, finding out that Aragon's the Dragon writer and all that kind of stuff. That's a very exciting piece that I'm looking forward to. Uh, if it wasn't for the cousin, I probably wouldn't still be listening to this book'cause everything else is just not super, super great. So
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:So the cousin is the reason that you'll go to the next book.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I don't know. I still gotta finish this book. Like I said, I'm only two thirds of the way through it.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:We're gonna see, it's not as good as the first book for sure, but it is a second book, so I'm giving it some leniency'cause he does have to do some establishment and a lot of, um, prepositions and establishing of stuff and it's, yeah.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I, uh, hope you like it better. I struggled with book two and three and I know a lot of people hate book four'cause there is some contradictory stuff there, but I like that one better than two and three. but I honestly don't remember that much. Why?'cause I haven't read it since I was in like fourth grade.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah. Yeah. Uh, so far we've established that you have to speak the words for them to work. Then you establish that you don't have to speak the words, and then you establish that wild magic can happen at any point in time and any place for any reason whatsoever.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Oh,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:You know? So that's what I've learned so far. So as I, yeah,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:we'll see. I'm, I'm gonna continue listening to this book. I don't hate it. I, I do wish it was better. The first book did a really good job with establishing these characters in this world. For me to be invested in it, I don't know. But, uh, in terms of like books I've read, this book is so far better than Well of Ascension that. Like, yeah.'cause well of Ascension sucks. That is a terrible, terrible book.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:That book drags on like hell
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:No, it is. Hell, it doesn't. It's not like hell it, it is hell That book is awful. Now I am not a big Brandon Sanderson fan. I think most of the first book is utter crap too. But the ending is so good and it hypes you up so much that you're so excited to move on and then you read Well of Ascension and what a load of turd is. That book,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:that book, that is my second least favorite book of all time.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I just, uh, feel like well of Ascension largely waste your time, which I don't really like.'cause there's like five things that are important that happen in that book and most of them are at the very end.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I will have to take your word for it
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:that is also But that well of ascension's got a lot of, a lot of parts that are really, really slow, really slow
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:and pointless. and terrible and awful. And make you want to claw your eyes out because why are you still reading this garbage?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Fair enough.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I, uh,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:This one's not that bad. It's not as bad.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay. remember a lot of wasted time in the second and third book too, but don't know, I don't have that much to say. I haven't read them in such a long time.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah, I don't,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:time.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I don't feel like it's wasted time. So like, and well of Ascension, you spend three fifths of the book preparing for a battle. That doesn't happen and nothing changes. Whereas in eldest, it is convoluted and very complex, or doesn't make any sense, but they're trying to establish
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Something.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:trying to it, right? You, you're still like trying to piece it together and you're like, okay, so how does this work? How's it work? You know, how's gon doing? How's his cousin doing? How's Aria doing? Right? You still have these elements, well of Ascension. You're sitting there like, oh my gosh, nothing has changed. Literally nothing. You are in the exact same place as you were five hours ago reading this awful, awful, awful book.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I well of Ascension. I'm okay with the side character stories in that book. It's, uh, Vince's story and her completely, constantly complaining about Ellen and like, does Ellen love me? Am I good enough for Ellen? And it's a, a good third of that book is just her being in her head as she complains about whether or not the guy that she liked. her and whether she's good enough for him or she's too bad of a person and all of that, that full third of the book is not enjoyable at all. Maybe even half. Like it's a lot of the book, the other stuff of the book I actually enjoy. But that part of the book, no, that part of the book I do not like.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Literally the first three core three fifths of the book is them preparing for this battle. So it's Vin complaining about not being good enough, but not wanting to talk about it.'cause she needs to prepare for this battle. And Ellen complaining about everything and worrying about everything in this battle. And, oh no, how are we gonna deal with this?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:And then Vin has this like weird dark thing with this weird dude who's stalking her and then she goes and murders a whole tower versus a people and. It's all because she needs to protect Ellen. she needs to be worthy of him or whatever.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:yeah,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:It's, it's dumb. It's
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:yeah. No, there's, anyway, yeah. not the main point that we're talking about today, but yeah, that's just an awful, awful book. It is so boring. I cannot stand it.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Honestly, the third book is awesome. Straight up it, it just is,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah, people say that, but the first book isn't that awesome either. And people say the first book is amazing.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:disagree with completely. I love the first book. I genuinely
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:first book. is the same. It's three-fifths of them trying to establish and work on this grand plan.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah. But I actually like
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Like,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:and I didn't feel like I was stuck in
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:but
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:where they're complaining for
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:you are stuck in her same voice and she is complaining. throughout the entire thing the entire time. She's like, what's the point in this? Why should I do this? Me? Why isn't anybody telling me anything? Me, me, me? Like literally the first three, it's the same thing. it's like a lot of establishment, a lot of buildup, a lot of all the stuff, the payoff I think is so good. It overshadows how bad the first part of that book is.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:and the payoff of the third one is my favorite payoff in any book series of all, like ever. Um,'cause the last of that book blew my mind. But the first book, is questioning herself because these surroundings are bigger than her and she doesn't know how to deal with it. But she's questioning and she's trying to figure out solutions. That is a very, very different thing than the second book where they are just whining about stuff and not trying to figure out any solutions, but just whining. Those are not the same thing.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:But in the first one, she's whining too.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I don't feel like she was white. I felt like she was trying to figure out how to be the person she needs to be. And that's different than just being like, I'm never gonna be good enough here.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:literally what it is. It's her whining and she spends like a ton of time whining. Like go back and reread it. I like genuinely pay attention to the first part and it's unbearable. It's so bad.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:read this book four times. I love the first book.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:And I'm seeing
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:it.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:the latter half of it, I think is just overshadowing how boring the first part is.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay, I'll
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:cause it is
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:it's a great book and
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:boring.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:love to read it again'cause
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:is awesome.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Oh, good for you. Uh,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:guys
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:it's a good book, but whatever.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:this was not on our topics at all. This is completely, but I'm curious what you think. There's a lot of people who, well, of Ascension is their favorite.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I have literally never heard anybody say that ever.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I have, I've
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:It's the lowest rated one.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I don't, it,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:It's one of his lowest rated. It's the one of the lowest rated of him as an author.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:so
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Like it's a low rated Brandon Sanderson book
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:tube type people and there's a lot of people that say it's their favorite bis foreign book. I don't understand that. That makes no sense to me. do I have a point? Is the first one more about challenges that she's trying to overcome in a world she doesn't completely understand and the second one, she's just whining and being annoying?
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah, you're right.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:both ones? Let me know.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:No, you're absolutely right when you phrase it that way. Yeah,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay. Okay.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:I'm saying the establishment, the beginning part of book one,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:right. You have, you introduce her, right? And she's this really sad girl who's poor and Mrs. Her mom, and then she kind of like figures out, she has powers and she's kind of figuring it out. And then there's this middle part. Where she doesn't understand what's going on. She's not really fully invested. She doesn't know if She wants to do it, But Kelsey is so hot, so she just is gone along. She just loves it. And then Ellen is so hot and oh my gosh, these two guys are just so freaking hot. Oh my gosh.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:she's
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:And then the ending is a really good payoff.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:and the training montage is great in that
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:the, training montage is like two pages.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:and the fight where she's, uh, fighting the the spoil rich girl is. Awesome. Like it's so good. That's not even the end of the book yet, and it's fantastic. That's like the middle of the book.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay. I just think it gives, Brandon Sanderson as a whole gets way more credit than he deserves. That's what I think. But
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:with that too. Especially after book five of the wake of,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:you just said especially ha ha, um.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Especially, I'm trying to change it especially,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah, that's why I called it out. Uh, no, it Is it's just like, yeah, no, I've, I've said my piece. Let's move on.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:yeah. Anyway, anyway,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:What's your next topic?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:um, another book, actually, it's Repose book seven in the narcotic apocalypse series.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Necrotic.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:necrotic, I don't know why I said that. Wrong, uh, apocalypse series, and it is the ending of the series, which I appreciate. A lot of these lit RPGs go on forever and never, and never have an end, which is a mistake for a, a lot of them. Um, this one, he had a plan. He stuck to his plan. He wrote his plan, and it makes for a much better series. Overall, I think the ending is satisfying, is not common. It all of it tied together really well. It made sense. They did a good job using all of the powers they established before and nothing felt like a McGuffin. It felt like this actually was planned and this actually was used. Well, that doesn't happen very often. I give huge credit for that. uh, book series is a lot of fun. It's really enjoyable. Basically you have the main character who's a grave digger, and he comes across something that he's not supposed to. I think this is like the 15 hundreds. 14 hundreds, somewhere like that. Um, and he wakes up and it's modern, daytime, and all of a sudden there are zombies all over the place. And he realizes that he's the zombie and he's the only zombie who has conscience the consciousness. he is able to understand what he's doing, understand his motives, and he has to figure out a mystery of what is this curse? How do I break the curse? there anyone else still alive from my past? Um, the party that I was with, did any of them survive? And the story kind of unfolds from there as a zombie. He can eat other zombies or he can eat humans and be able to, in a very unique way, upgrade his powers. And they did a good job of having a system to be able to upgrade. Understanding that system and having that system feel satisfying so that you can be part of that progression, fantasy, and enjoy the progression. Like they, they, he did a good job with that. It's extremely funny, like you figure out his name is Dig B and because he was a grave digger, his name is Dig B Graves and he's a zombie. And there's a good joke about that. Like he does a good job with it. They, uh, the side characters are really enjoyable. magic is, is well done. The other, there is one other character from his past that is still around and it's one of the main villains. do a good job of establishing the villain. It is a little cartoony, but it's well done. Um. And it, I'm, I'm really satisfied with the way that it ended. I'm really glad I took this ride. If I'd had to rate the books, I would say the first one's probably my favorite. Then the sixth, one second, one seventh, one third, and fifth. But all of them are enjoyable. And if you like lit RPGs, this one's a different one. It's doesn't have a lot of the, the aspects of LIT RPG that I don't really enjoy, it's not overly shoving stats down your throat. It doesn't have the girls that for some reason are just absolutely in love with the main character when there's literally no reason that they should be trope that a lot of lit RPG have. It's just an enjoyable story with good characters, a mission that you can get behind, and a world that's worth exploring.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Cool. What would you rate it on a scale of one to 10
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:This book, I would give a solid eight. The series as a whole 8.2
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:and where would it fall in your lead RPG ranking?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Dungeon crawler is my favorite. Primal Hunters. Number two, new era online is number three. Uh, and this would, this probably is number four.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:completion is Chronicles and then this
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay. And then how lit of an lit RPG would you say it is?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:not super. Uh, so when he collects body parts that he can use to adjust himself.'cause he's a zombie. He is able to do that. That's kind of the power progression. It will go through how much resources he has to be able to progress, but it only, it's really all that it does and it doesn't do it that often.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:so
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:not super
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:in comparison to Dungeon Carl or Carl.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Uh, a little, a little bit higher than 10. Crawler Carl it
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:bit more, but he doesn't ever really go over a full stats page. It's just, I have some of these resources. Should I do the upgrade or should I not do the upgrade? These are what are available to me and then it moves on and it really doesn't readdress it until he has the ability to upgrade something again.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay, cool.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:it's a little bit easier to digest than some of these other ones then.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:yeah, yeah. It does
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Good,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:of the lit RPG which I can understand not working for some people, but if you enjoy that kind of thing, if you enjoy. type tropes. As far as cartoonish goes, I think you would enjoy the series. It's an enjoyable book series.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:All right. With that, let's go ahead and hit our last topic, our shared topic this week. While I'm pretty excited to talk about, honestly.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Iron Man Armored Adventures is an animated, I don't even remember if it was Disney Channel or Cartoon Network Show based on a teenaged Iron Man. What'd you think?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I didn't like it as much as I liked it when I was a kid. Um, rewatching it this time. I watched most of season one is what I got through, but I still really enjoyed it and it has a 6.5 on IMDB and I think it deserves more than that to be honest. Um, is it a pretty like basic Saturday morning cartoon? I think so, but it's a highly enjoyable Saturday morning cartoon. Where they treat all the characters well, everything's voiced well. The animation is solid enough. the action keeps you going. Like you're, you're engaged with the story you want to keep watching. It's just enjoyable and it deserves, I would put it like a 7.2, in there. It's honestly what I would do.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:What did you think?
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Interesting. I love this show. Uh, I think it's so good. Um. I think that it didn't gain popularity because it was more than a Monsters of the Week kind of cartoon show, like a lot of the other ones. So the target audience really couldn't grasp it. That's, that's my current theory. Um,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:All right.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:but because it's more than just a monster of the week kind of show as an adult, I'm getting way more into it.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Interesting because I
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:being like an 8.5 kind of show, I didn't like it as much as I did when I was 15 ish
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay. when it was, when I was younger watching it, 14, 15, whatever, when it was coming out, I was like, I like this show. Right. But it wasn't like a let me plan around this show or anything like that. It was like a, when it, when it's on, let's watch it. Uh. My first argument is what an awesome intro song. it. is.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:intro song is fantastic.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:is so good. And it's short. That's my F1 of my favorite part about it is so many of these shows have such long intro songs that even though they're great, like I love the Attack on Titan intro songs, but they're so long I skip them anyway,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yep.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:this one, it's short, it's to the point and it's awesome. Okay. Uh, the element of him being a teenager I think is really good. So if we compare it to the Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man, I think Robert Downey Jr. Does a better job. And I like that they actually establish the way that the power energy in his chest works a lot better.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:too.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Like, I don't even think they show Tony with the power source in his chest until like the end of season one. I.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Hmm.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:So it's not as impactful that way. On the other side, uh, the villain's capabilities make Iron Man's look less impressive. So like the premise of the show of him really wanting Iron Man suit to steal it. Why all of these villains that you already have access to have suits that are cooler, if not better than Tony's, like, let's be honest, whiplash is freaking awesome. Ghost, are you kidding me? You want Tony's suit when you could take ghosts? Somebody who could phase through solid objects. That's what you're telling me. I don't believe it. Uh, but pro to Ironman armored adventures. Not just Monsters of the week, but sometimes Monsters of the Week, they have establishing characters. Pepper in this show is way better than Pepper. In the movies,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Pepper is really good.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:way better, roadie, way better. Um, at least for me, like roadie in the, in the movie is kind of like this unsupportive friend to me, but kind of still cool in this one. He's just an awesome friend and I love it. I love his character in the show, uh, it's a short, like each episode's like 25 minutes, so it's super digestible. Uh, you've always got good solid fights. I think the animation's really good. I love the different suits having purposes. So like in the movies, he just like upgrades his suit. So now it could do everything it did before.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I do like that
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:The new thing. And in this one he's like, I've got a black and yellow suit because it can go to space and I've got a white suit because it's invulnerable to ice and I've got a big heavy suit and I've got a, you know, and it gives you an excuse to see all these different colors, combinations in suits from the comics. I absolutely love that. And then having them have that extra little purpose on top of it is great. Like I liked the show as a kid, didn't watch it for a very long time because it only ran for two seasons and wasn't a really big show for a lot of people. And is it the best show ever? No. It had a lot. of really good competition. Right? Like would you rather watch Iron Man Armored Adventures or Star Wars? The Clone Wars.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Absolutely.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Wars, Absolutely. Most of the time. There are some episodes that I think Ironman Armored Adventures is better than, but the greater majority right. Of the show. But I think the show's super underrated.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I agree with that completely.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Uh, you said it's got a six point whatever I think it deserves over an eight,
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:you know, somewhere between eight and nine I think is totally fair for just about anybody.'cause I just, I don't see anything in this show to dislike. Right. Any problems rewatching this show?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:No,
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Would you rewatch this show?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:time. Um, it would be like a while from now kind of a show for
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah, that's, that's totally fair.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:but yeah, I'd rewatch it
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah. Uh, it's, It's just enjoyable Like I said, it's really quick, you know, within the last week there's like 20 something episodes of season. You were able to get through most of it. I was easily able to get through it and we watched, uh, another series with six, seven episodes, whatever. And like, I think there's a lot to say about that. Um, yes, if they were longer episodes it probably wouldn't be very good, but like I said, they're 20 minutes and one minute is a theme song and three minutes is credits. So like
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Like 17 minutes or so.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:it's 17 minutes. It's very compact. It's very digestible. And as an adult there's enough of an overarching story that it keeps you actually compelled. Whereas like some of those other shows we used to watch, while I still love them, they're just monster of the week. No episode really impacts the next episode. And you can just enjoy any of the episodes individually. And this one's a little bit more than that.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I would be interested to watch some of my other superhero cartoons and see if I had dropped as much on those as two because this was, uh, Batman. This one, the old Spider-Man and Justice League were kind of my tops with Justice League probably being my favorite of the
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Better than Batman, the animated. series.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Uh, very close. It depends on the season.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Wow.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:I really love, I love both of those.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay. Let's watch Spider-Man this week.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:The nineties Spider-Man.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Yeah.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:All right.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:cause I've never seen it.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:the one that I think is probably gonna fall off the most,'cause I watched the first episode a little while
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Exactly. It's not gonna be as, I picked that one'cause it's not the most nostalgic to you.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:So you'll actually see if it's actually good.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Okay. Yeah, let's do it. That's a good one. There's only like, uh, know how many seasons of that show. We're not gonna watch all of it. Let's see.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:So what's it actually called?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Spider-Man, the animated series. It's, uh, nineties. Oh, there's only 65 episodes.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Not the Amazing Spider-Man or Spectacular Spider-Man.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:No, I watched both
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:the animated series.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Spiderman, Spiderman in the animated series from the nineties was the one that I was obsessed with as a kid.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:the, DVDs and I would watch them over and over and over again. I loved the show
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:Okay.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:little, little kid.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:All right. Well, anybody who's listening. Wants to join along Spider-Man. The animated series, uh, season one is how many episodes?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Season one is one second, 13 episodes, so
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:13 episodes. Uh, they're probably about 20 minute episodes. If you would like to join along with us this week and follow up with us next week when we discuss this show, feel free to do so. Uh, like I said, Spider-Man, the animated series, season one on Disney Plus. Um, looks like that's the only one right now, but if you like, you can join on.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:Yeah, that'd be fun.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:All right. Any last thoughts before we do this?
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:man.
josh-dietrich_4_06-03-2025_142603:right. Thank you anybody for listening and or watching, uh, like subscribe. Give us hints on what we should be watching, um, or what you think about what we have to say. Uh, thoughts on? Well, of Ascension, is it the second worst book of all time? I think so. Um, join us for watching The Amazing Spider-Man. Not The Amazing Spider-Man. That's a different show. The Spider-Man Animated Series this next week. Thanks everybody.
konlin-gappmayer_4_06-03-2025_182559:See you guys. Bye.
