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
Batman: The Animated Series
Batman The Animated Series
Tires, The Middle, One Tree Hill, Life of Chuck
**Guest STAR - Lauren Smith
00:00 - Tires
05:09 - The Middle
9:06 - One Tree Hill
23:43 - Life of Chuck
30:27 - Batman The Animated Series
everybody. It's onscreen offscreen, and I am super happy. We've got Lauren here with us. She's the one who did our infographic, um, like for the cover art for our podcast. She's fantastic. She's crazy, good at art, and she paints planes and tanks. She's a badass and she's gonna share some topics with us. I'm super, super pumped. Josh, how about we start with yours?
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Uh, so my topic is tires. It's the Shane Gillis office esque show. Uh, this popped up on my TikTok feed and just specifically a couple of scenes from it. And Shane Gillis is either kind of like a hit or missed person for me sometimes. Sometimes I find him very funny. Other times I think he's a dingus who can barely put two sentences together. Uh, but this case, I found him pretty funny. So I decided to give this show a shot, and he's working as a mechanic in a auto shop where they're trying to sell tires. Hence the name tires. Uh. This show kept me going simply because of my work experience. Having worked in that kind of environment. I worked as a service advisor, uh, for a little while and dealt with a lot of mechanics and. This show is very authentic. Unlike the office where you watch it and you go, that guy would get fired in two seconds for saying crap like that, or doing stuff like that. Or you know, parks and rec where it's like the person who's running it literally does nothing all day and is very vocally anti-government. Like he would get. Replaced fairly quickly too. Um, but this one's genuinely like, you wanna see what it's like in a mechanic's garage? This is it. And you think that this humor is very dumb? Well, it's often worse in a, in a shop. Um, 90% of the show is not my kind of humor, and I really don't like it. Uh, but there are scenes in it or parts of scenes. So there's a scene with him doing HR training with an HR lady. The first half of that scene is outright hilarious, and then it kind of like goes back on the same humor again and it gets a little bit tired. Uh, if you work in the auto industry or like construction, if you're a blue collar worker. I bet that a lot of this is gonna be pretty funny to you and feels a lot like just hanging out with your coworkers. If you're, if you're not, it's probably not gonna hit the same because you're gonna sit there and go, why? Why would you do that? Why would you say that? That doesn't, you're just, you're an idiot. And not in the same way You watch Ted and think, this is stupid funny. It's like. A very niche, I feel like kind of humor.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Fair enough. I watch. Three or four episodes of this. I don't know exactly how much, and I, it was okay is really what I would say. It was okay. didn't laugh that much. I was mildly entertained, but it just wasn't worth my time. I was excited for this'cause I, I like Shane Gil standup comedy a lot. I think he's pretty clever. He's pretty funny. Um, he's got a good attitude, but, eh, it was, it was fine.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:That's how most of the show is. It is, it is fine. but like, like I said, if you watch the, with him doing HR training, if you Just watch that scene alone, I.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Just
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Half of it, you're gonna be like, wow, that's really funny. That's really clever. And then halfway through it, you're gonna be like, no, it's, it's not funny anymore. I wish we were done with this. Um, but yeah, it's just okay. I wouldn't like, recommend this show. I won't rewatch this show. I've caught up to where they've. Released, and I don't think I will return to it. There's just too many other things on the list to watch. This was a good, you know, break from the stuff we normally watch and talk about. And it was familiar with, familiar enough being, you know, the office in Parks and Rec esque that it, it was a good little, yeah, I don't, I don't regret watching it.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:So Lauren, what kind of comedy type shows do you like? Are you into? What, what, are you into?
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:I do like, uh, the office and Parks and Rec. I like Parks and Rec better than I like the office.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:And then I know this is of Josh's or at least I saw you type out the middle. I love the middle, but I think that's because of very specific, I can relate to the middle a lot. but yeah, I would probably say that like Parks and Rec is one of my go-to. And then like new girl, I really like New girl.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:New girl's hilarious. And Josh doesn't appreciate how great it. Is,
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:It's not very good.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:you.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Uh,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:it's so
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:she also likes adventure time.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Ooh. Yeah. I
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:time, but I don't know that I would put that in like
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:I don't know what else it would be.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:I,
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:It's not a sitcom. It's not a sitcom. I, agree. but it is a comedy.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Yeah. Uh, I I was meaning like the sitcom comedy. Uh, scene because that's what Conlan asked. But yeah, I, I love Adventure time. Adventure time is more of my comfort series because you really don't have to pay attention to what's going on. It's just, and you don't really have to worry about the logic of anything. You just let it happen. And then there's some funny things that go on. So, was. Not great for me to say. I didn't think it was a comedy, but it's not a sitcom.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:It is different. Those are good options. I actually, I forget about the middle, but the middle is a funny show. I don't know why. I forget about it. But
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Yeah. It's like, I wouldn't say it's like S tier, uh, but I, I like it. I think it's good. I'll usually put it on and like like. Starting value while I, I watch it, so it's not one you have to pay attention to, but it's, it's good. I like
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:she's good in the background. Do you, do you like the middle, Josh? Have you seen
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:No. I had started watching it? but I'm not through a season yet.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay. I didn't finish it, but I, I watched a couple seasons. It was really, it was really funny. I don't know why I stopped it.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:It's a, it's another sit sitcom, dysfunctional family show. Malcolm in The middle. The middle, there's a thousand of'em, whatever. Pick your favorite. Thing. Uh, I think Lauren touched on it. There's just so much relatable to her. Um, I think that my family was just dysfunctional in a different way, so I watch a lot of the hijinks and stuff and I go, this is stupid. I, I don't care about these events happening, and I don't really have that relation to'em.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:I just don't work for you.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:because the relationship between Sue and the older brother was my relationship with my brothers, where they're just always like telling me I'm gross and like, oh, don't look at her and stuff like that when he brings his friends over and stuff. So it's like very much on par to what the sibling relationship was. We didn't have a brick, which is the weird kid that like whispers under his breath. like I think it's kind of like, and maybe that's why you stopped watching.'cause there is kind of like a lull, I feel like in a season. I couldn't tell you which season it was, it is like weird because brick is growing up and so then it just starts getting weird. His quirks that he had as a little kid, which were kind of like funny to then being just like, mm, that's creepy as he gets older.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Shows have such a hard time with that. So my uh, first top is gonna be One Tree Hill, season eight, and one of the parts that I don't like about the show, have you seen it, Lauren, at all?
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:I watched like the first two seasons and I just couldn't get over squinting to gee, boy.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Yeah, he is just like, Hmm, all the time. It's ridiculous. Anyway, you got Jamie, the little kid, and this, he's getting a little bit older and he is got, he's got like braces and they're trying to make him more mature, but he doesn't act like any little boy that I know of. And there's lines where you're riding it, where you're like, you still want him to be that cute little kid. But he's not that cute little kid anymore, and it just doesn't work. And now he has this crush that it's being forced to go through the story. And the crush is, it's just forced. And it feels like a girl wrote it because no little boy is like, I just want to tie my shoe laces with her and we can just like gall through the pony fields or whatever. It's stupid. I don't like it at all.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:You never
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:And uh.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:dreams.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:No, I was never a 10-year-old boy being like, I just wanna tie laces. I'm like, this kid would grow up and be gay. This is stupid. No,
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:I'll have to ask all my gay friends if they had those fantasies,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:absolutely. Like good crime. And he, no, no.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:because I'm wondering if this is just like a, a conland exclusive of like, no, those aren't my fantasies.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Hey Josh, did you have fantasies of frolicking through the forest wearing matching shoe laces with the girl that you had a crush on when you were like 10?
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Now.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Mm. Fakeness.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:think so.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:my, my 10-year-old crushes were like way far out there. I was like, how cool would it be to be a spy and saving her life from danger or being a superhero and like catching her as she's about to hit the ground and, you know, somehow decelerating in enough time not to split her into three equal pieces and. Mostly spy stuff, action, spy stuff. That was me
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Mine. I, I had one that I specifically remember, so I, I love the alien movies and in aliens there, uh, Ridley Scott has, has the main character be like, get away from Her You Bitch, and is in the big mech. Like takes down the robot. I imagined that I was that guy and I was like, ah, and I was gonna take down the alien and then I was gonna run away with the girl because I was a freaking badass. That is what this kid should be thinking about. He's into baseball. He like dreams of hitting a home run, and she's like, I love you. That would be way more realistic. Way more realistic, way better writing. Um. Anyway, this is, uh, I'll, I'll go into mine, but season eight of One Tree Hill is by far the worst season by miles. the Jamie stuff I kind of went over, it's not very good. None of it connected with me. The whole, at the very beginning of the season, there's a character named Quinn and Clay, and they, in the season before get shot and then all of a sudden they're totally fine and you find out it's all a dream and really it's a crisis and they're barely surviving and it's stupid drama dumbness. The entire season. I don't like it at all. And you know, neither of them is gonna die. So you're just wasting time. And that's how I felt like this whole entire season was, was wasting a lot of my time. I don't recommend it'cause it's stupid. you have, there's just so many dumb things. There's Brooke and you know, Josh, the part where Brooke sells off her company.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Yeah.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:crap. It's stupid. You have the father who comes and he's like, my girl. My girl can't go to college now because I put all my money in your company and it failed. And I was like, you're a moron. You put all your money in one basket and you deserve to not have any money because you're an idiot. And guess what?
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Also, she. sold the company. It didn't fail, so he would've gotten a buyout.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Also that I was gonna get into that too. Like it's ridiculous. Um, like everything about her selling her company makes no sense. Okay. You had one clothing line that you lied and ind sure you shouldn't have done that. Would that mean that close over bros, which is a separate entity, would also be completely failing and underwater? No, that is not the way business works. You stupid writers use stupid show. Um, the. The father thing was dumb. Her pan, her selling off all of her assets so she can cover the losses of all of these investors. No, she's selling her company. You usually sell companies for a giant markup. They would probably make a ton of money, but even, let's say the case that they don't make a ton of money and they lost it. When you put money into the market. You risk that money. That's the way it works. That's the way people who do it know that it works. If you get, if you make a bad bet, you made the bad bet. That sucks for you. That is not Brooke's problem. And the show tried. I really appreciate when shows take nuanced points of view. one was obviously like, this is what we think is right. So we're gonna shove this thought down your throat the thought. It's stupid on every angle. It's dumb. then you have the mother who goes to prison for, for bluffing these accounts. And from everything that I can tell, the mother was supposed to be in jail for years and she was in jail for like maybe 30 days because it is October when she goes to jail and then she gets outta jail and it's Thanksgiving. stupid. It's bad Riding the season sucks. Um. There's a lot of other timely things that just don't make any sense. You have the, Brooke is getting married and the mother-in-law is, wants to control the entire wedding, and I hate that trope. It's a entire trope. I've never met anybody where the mother-in-law is like, I want to control absolutely everything, but it's in so many shows and
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:It depends on the mother-in-law.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:I've met a
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Mother of the bride does, can and often do, get hyper involved. Mother of the, uh, husband to be, usually wants to be involved, but plays this game of chicken where they're like, how involved can I get and how can I ask to be involved without actually saying I want to be involved. Um. I've seen that a lot too.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Also depends on like how many kids they have. Like if that's their only kid, sometimes they're very helicoptery.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Have you seen? I just haven't with any of my friends
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:I've seen, it with many friend.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:seen I've
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Many,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:involved and maybe involved too much, but never. A point where it's like I'm taking over absolutely everything with this wedding. You've seen that many times. Have
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:yeah.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Mm-hmm. I've been involved in a, a lot of weddings and a lot of the times it's usually like the mother of the bride
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:again. Uh, that will get a little bit too into it. Um. Yeah. Uh, it's
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:The trope. Yeah, the trope where the mother of the bride comes in and says. Or the, the bride to be is like, well, my mom didn't get to have the wedding she wanted'cause she was pregnant. So I, I'm just trying to, I have literally heard that more than once.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:In real life.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Yeah.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Wow. Okay. Maybe I'm just an uncultured swine, like
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Uh, just exposure.'cause like I grew up with a wedding business that's, my family had a wedding business, so I was hyper involved in setting up weddings. We'd go set up these receptions and churches and outside and wherever, and the mother of the bride would always be, I want this, this, this way. And like you can see it on the bride's face of like, Oh. I actually wanted it different. But I'm not gonna say anything. Or like sometimes even tries to speak up and the mother of the bride's like, Nope, this is the way, it's gonna be so good. Just trust me. And it's like, this isn't your wedding lady. I'm not here to listen to you. I know that your husband is paying the bill, but I don't care. I'm here to please the wedding couple. That's my job. And.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Yeah, I've been a bridesmaid so many times and usually my job is to like make sure the mom doesn't overstep. That's like one of my
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Wow.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:things. So.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay. you, do you guys think of a, does this trope bug you at all? And
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:No,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:time where you think it's done actually really well that you can think of?
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:sometimes it's like overplayed a little bit, but it's not like something that bothers me'cause it's something that happens in real life.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Yeah, I hadn't noticed it'cause it didn't bother me.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Well, that's good. I guess it's just me. Drives me freaking crazy. I
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:it
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:don't like it all, I
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Or just not involved enough to know or noticed.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:like I am the guy's side of things, so how much am I really getting into the weeds?
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Yeah,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:a whole lot. Even for my own wedding, you know how much I really did
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:nothing
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:not. Not a
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:showed up.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:I.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:I. forgot that I get a haircut at the last minute.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:I got a haircut. I shaved, I did a few like little like, can you call this person and schedule this? And I was like, sure. Call. I did. That's all I did. That's, that's all I did.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:that you had to get a haircut last minute or.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:No, It's just, uh, the other side of things, the trope of the. The husband to be just like putting everything off till the last minute, while the bride is freaking out. Like, when are you gonna get a haircut? Who's gonna do your haircut? And then you have like, obviously how I met your mother, Marshall. just, like, yeah. okay. My cousin can do it. And then goes all in sync on him and shaves his head. it's it's just another trope, wedding trope. that's in a lot of stuff. Yeah.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Okay.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Yeah.'cause I,
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:like a, a store, an inside scoop.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Oh
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:I actually got my hair cut the day before like a gentleman.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:sure.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Yeah,
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Yeah.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:prepared. I was ready to go. Anyway, back to this show. Um, they just, they do a lot of dumb things. The whole Brooke thing is dumb. The, uh, only episode I really liked was the Female Hangover, where they just rip off the hangover. That one was very funny. really enjoyed that one a lot. they did a good job with it, like. A lot of times when they do the bend the sexes do tell the story. Same storyline. I kind of hate that. this one, this one was done well, they actually put thought into it. The writing was good. my last problem with this season is I just don't like Julian very much. To me, Julian feels like he was written by women and the writing room was full of, of guys that were like, Hey, how about this? And they were like, nah, no.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:you Not get that with like all of the male love interest characters in this show?
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:as Julian, the other ones, I'm like, I can feel like a guy was involved somewhat in this character.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Oh, I don't feel that way at all, but Okay.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:absolute female gaze character to the max and even the
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Yeah.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:he's like. I just need to speak softly and always say things that are so encouraging all the time. And it's like a team of writers just decided to write my super soft dialogue and I just, I don't like it. Um, and then at the end of the show, I'm like, she sold off all of her assets, but sometimes somehow she's still in a mansion and Julian can still do stuff. Julian is like. He, he, he's barely done anything. Where's this money coming from? I don't understand. I don't like it. Don't like it? Um, it's just, I don't know. Brooke was extremely, Brooke is one of my favorite characters in the show, if not my favorite character in the show. And this season was just extremely unsatisfying with Brooke, the entire thing. And at the very end you have this surprise. Oh, she's pregnant. they obviously didn't know they were gonna get another season because they wrap everything up in the last episode. She's, oh, she's pregnant and then all of a suddenly she has the twins in like the next episode. Um, but I liked the idea that she was somebody who couldn't have kids and had to go through the struggle of not having kids. I. One of my favorite parts of season seven is where she's hoping for that child and then the mother of the child that she's supposed to get the father comes back into the mother's life all of a sudden she says no. And you watch Brooke just get destroyed, absolutely erected because she can't have this kid and it's all she's wanted for years and years and years, is to be able to have this kid. And you've seen this. Progression of the party girl to the rich corporate girl to a little bit more downtown earth. Help your neighbors kind of person. And I would've loved to see her with this struggle, have to overcome it in a way that a lot of people do, instead she just has this miracle, I'm pregnant and then there's the kids. And it was extremely unsatisfying. Didn't like it at all. This season is a big, would not recommend. I'm gonna finish season nine just because I watched the rest of the show. if I, if I were watching this real time, season eight would've been my last dude. It's crap. Anyway,
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:you for being willing to go on.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:dude, I, heard the last season is better. I hope so.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:It is. Very slightly.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:very slightly. Okay. This season. Uh. It's just, it's bad. It's just bad.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Yeah,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:All right. For the first time ever, Lauren, what is your topic? This is great.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Okay. I think, uh, I think I put life of Chuck. I just watched this, uh. Last night and in theaters. So I'm gonna try to avoid spoilers since it is in theaters. But spoiler warning, everybody, life of Chuck, uh, it's, it was Stephen King story, so I was like, I checked before'cause I do not like horror. Uh. Genre. And so like I checked because I've been seeing all of these great reviews of like, oh, this is gonna change like a perspective on life. And I've been kind of, that's kind of the media that I've been consuming is like, uh, look inward type stuff recently. And
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Very cool.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:I checked to make sure it wasn't a horror movie'cause I saw, uh, Stephen King and it wasn't. then, uh, this movie is in three acts and the first act. I was like, I think that the media joked me, and this is a horror movie. And so I went with my friend and we kept like looking over at each other like, is this a worm? I was very unsettling. Um, I don't think other people will have the same experience as that, uh, because I was telling Josh a little bit about it and he's like, so. does have poorer aspects. And I was like, no, I just think I was in my head. So I was freaking out. Um, but yeah, so it has like this first act and then you have no idea what's going on, goes into the second act where instantly like the mood changes and like it's way more lighthearted and upbeat and you're starting to like catch on how it. Loops back to the third act a little bit. but it, like, by the time I was like done with it, I like sat there for a minute and I wasn't sure if I liked the movie, but like the more I think about it, the more I wanna go watch it again. And I think I do really like it.'cause it was like, it's, it's a thinker for sure. I don't. I think I just got hung up on some aspects of the movie that I really don't think to be in there,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay,
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:to portray what I felt was the main message of the movie.'cause there was a lot of messages in the movie, but they don't force feed it to you so you can like, it with a grain of salt.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:cool.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:but one of like the things is like you contain multitudes it was. Very much a movie about like sort out your priorities. Like what does this mean to you? Like, um, there's one part where he's dancing, like the, uh, Chuck wants to dance, and the grandpa's like, okay, but math is more steady like math is. It's always the same. It's constant, like you should just do math. And he's like, but there's like math in everything. So he is like trying to like sell math to the kid. He is like, you should be an accountant because accountants make money. Dancers don't really make money. And so like, it's, without getting too spoilery, it's like talking about, kind of like. And I think, I don't know if everybody would get this, but I got from it like choosing your own reality and like that like really your perception of reality is in your head. So like you should make it, how you can live with it type of a thing.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:With that being said, did you, did it make you want to do anything differently in your life?
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:It made me appreciate things in my life and yeah, it
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:I.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:it made me want to do I what I want to do, like. I mean, I was already on that trajectory when I went to that movie. And so it just kinda like solidified like, I feel good about what I'm doing right now because I'm doing the things I want to do on my days off. I go hiking or rollerblading or swimming or whatever. Uh, and just doing things that make me happy. And I don't really have to be like, I'm doing this because of the health reasons that I ask. Screw that. I'm doing this'cause I wanna, so.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:All right, so with that being said, on a scale of one to 10, using the onscreen offscreen. Measuring stick five is the most mediocre thing you can possibly think of for Conlon and I. It's Black Panther? Uh, one is absolute garbage, and 10 is literally saying it's perfect.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Um, say 7.5, like I think. People should go watch this. It is rated R. The only reason it's rated R is because of swearing.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay,
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:let's see.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:I
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:I think that was,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:will go check this out. It looked good to me, honestly. I've watched the trailer twice and it just looks, it looks like something that really could have an impact on people, which I love. And Stephen King, when he is not writing horror, you write some good stuff.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:And some terrible stuff
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:and some terrible stuff.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Yeah, I would say this is not on the terrible side.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay,
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:It's, uh, I would say watch it. I don't think you necessarily need to watch it in theaters, like you could watch it when it comes out
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:cool.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:but like, I'm not mad. I watched it. I do wanna watch it again now that I know. How all the pieces connect from act three to TO one. So
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Cool. Cool, cool, cool.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:yeah.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Well that is Lauren's review. Finally, she's on of life of Chuck. Let's go to our shared topic guys. Uh, Batman, the animated series. We've been going through the old animated superhero shows. my basic thoughts are just, this is fantastic. There's a reason that it is a cult classic. The animation is very much a style, but I really like the style and they stick to it really well. The
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:So hold on. Time out.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:yeah.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:have a resident animation expert here with a bachelor's degree in animation. And Lauren, why don't you talk specifically about the animation of this show.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Uh, it's actually pretty good. I did put in here like,'cause I, not only did I do animation, but I did do fight sequences and, uh, the fighting and everything in this. And like, there was part that I noticed that. Uh, sometimes they'll go behind things and they'll use like the sound to like, um, be like a beat up thing. And I was like, oh my gosh, that was so smart. And probably save them so much time because like, don't think about it. It's like these we would have 0.2 seconds of film of just like this person back flipping or this person doing this and like. The fighting sequences, you knew what was happening. And I was like, oh my gosh, you don't realize how hard that is. So it was really good. Um, and there's, yeah, I just put the animation is solid, especially because this is older animation, so you know that they're doing hand drawn for everything. There's like, no, there was like some little computer stuff in there that I saw. They had like a little bit of 3D like in the opening. Bits, but like most of it was hand drawn and I was like, Bravo. That was a lot of work, especially for a TV series.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:And I felt like they kept the same tone. Throughout the entire thing, like they kept the same artistic, voice. If, if that's a good way of saying it. Do you get what I mean?
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Yeah, the style. Yeah, the style was consistent. I noticed like with water scenes, they kept the same style with the water, where a lot, sometimes you'll see um, do try to do 3D with water, but I was glad they stick with. Two, 2D for the water.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Very cool. So Josh, what did you think about the animation? Because I would love for you not to like it, so I could be like, Josh, you're wrong.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:I think it's great. I mean, it is the part of it that makes it feel the most dated. Um, It's the most recognizable thing to be like, oh yeah, this, this came out in the nineties. Uh. Uh, but like, if you take that into account, it's great. Uh, the timing of the animation is great. They do use a lot. of animation tricks, um, which as I learned them, it's hard not to notice them, like covering the mouse so you don't have to animate their, you know, and like animating them from their back so you don't have to show their facial expressions while they're talking to another character or. Doing those kinds of things, but I didn't know it was hand drawn and like that is super impressive to me. Like I would've assumed there was some sort of tricks, especially for a TV show where they're doing it week in, week out. Uh, season one is, I don't know, 60 episode or, or something like, it's intense. We're only talking about like the first 10 episodes here. And like, not only is it hand drawn. It's when they first started, which means they were taking a big gamble on this show. Uh, it wasn't like Batman Beyond where they had the history of the animated series to say like, yes, this can work. You know? Um, up until this point, I think Marvel was pretty much dominant in the animated space.'cause you had X-Men and this, that, the other at DC was just like, I guess we need to do something here. I think they created the best, if not one of the best ever.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:I completely agree.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:one thing I do have to say though. think it's it. Episode four, there's with, um, scarecrow.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:And he like gets sprayed with it and he's not scared anymore and he just jumps into the alligator tank. I have in my notes Batman, Jesus because he's standing like he, he has like this splash of water and he has like barely water up to his boots. And these huge like alligators like come up and like dive down on him and take him underwater. And I was like. He was just standing on that water and then there's like all the blood that comes up and then Batman pops out. So the blood has alligators, which once again, he didn't have any of his stuff with him. He was Bruce in that moment. It made me chuckle, but.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:That's fair.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:That's no worse than shark repellent.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:It's a little.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:No. Have you, or do you know what I'm talking about? That is Way worse.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Way worse.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Yeah,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:is freaking Bruce Wayne Batman. Alligators wanna attack him, doesn't matter. He is Batman. Sharks wanna attack him, doesn't matter. He is Batman.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Lemme reiterate, he has no superpowers other than being, and I guess yoked, but.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:I know, but like.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:freaking jacked. He's a martial
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Shark repellent
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Freaking
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:martial artist. You know, like I, I think shark repellent is the dumbest thing.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Batman could do it.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Absolutely. Yeah.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:I forgot he went to Australia and learned the waves.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Yep.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:I.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:He actually started by learning from Crocodile Dundee and I was like, this guy's a joke and went, got somebody who was actually good at it.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Got check noise.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:No, Bruce Lee, come on.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Absolutely. That's just how he trained was with alligators. You didn't see that part.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:I missed that episode.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Anyway, I, I think this is fantastic. The voice acting is super famous for a reason. It's extremely well done. The fact that they created a character that is one of the main characters of the hero is insane. That created Harley Quinn, like, that's really cool. Um, for this show, the villains are really well done. The villain of the week are all super interesting. It's just, it deserves its spot in classic animation. It's great. I kind of hogged that a little bit. What else did you guys think? What other, what other thoughts do you have?
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Uh, you're good. I, it's funny'cause you mentioned like the villains and I, I have a note where I'm like, holy cow, they don't mess around with their villains because I. What Mr. Freeze is a dick. He's just an a-hole. He was like, Hmm, my life sucks, so I'm gonna take, oh, these bones that you're super proud of. Not anymore. I was like, heck. He was like, goes to Bruce. Bruce. And he is like, oh, you're an orphan. Let me like do that again. Lemme take your father figure from you again. Uh. Then like I put, um, scarecrow, like his design. Okay. Was this meant for kids? Like this series was meant for kids? It's probably why my mom didn't have me watch it.'cause I would've had nightmares about Scarecrow. was creepy. Um, then, and then the Joker has like this exclamation where he says, drown the kids and shoot the. I, I about died. funny, but then I was like, could you imagine like having your kid watch that and then repeat that
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Lin and I did watch that as kids.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Yes, we did.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Did you
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:This was a
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:your
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Saturday morning cartoon for me.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:We like my dad bought it and I watched this thing over and over and over again. I wore out the discs for the show.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Yeah.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:I just like imagine that little piece getting stuck in a little kid's head and then repeating it at like the dinner table. The mom's like, what?
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:What you didn't know is like all the crazy people that are walking around. It's because of this show. It's because of Joker,
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:That's
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Mm-hmm. Yep. That's why
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:show.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Yeah.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:the new Satanic panic. No,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:do you think Josh?
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:uh. I think that was, oh, and then to talk about
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:acting did get better after, like, so like the first few episodes I noticed that it was like a mixing problem for me, where
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Interesting.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:everybody's tone was the same, like the voice acting was fine, but it was like part where, um, Tim was going to the back cave for the first time. And like he thinks he's gonna die. And he's like, oh no. It was like just that, that bit. And I was like, I would be screaming for my life. And then I noticed a, a switch on like one of the clay face ones where like I could actually hear shouting and screaming at like a different volume than like the rest of everything else. And
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Interesting.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:okay. Like I didn't know if I got used to the mixing or if the mixing got better. But.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:I am sure it got better because like I said, this was like a low budget, taking a shot at Marvel kind of project, like DC didn't really have anything to to back it up on, And they tried it. So
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:And
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:I'm sure that
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:park.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:like, I'm sure the animation gets slightly better as you go on as well. Audio mixing, editing, those kinds of things just get better and better as you go on through the show. Uh, I've said this before, going back on the villain thing, I'll die on this, just does villains, Batman. Make sense. And they're not blue bowls of jelly throwing tantrums and uh, you know, they're clever and they say stupid lines sometimes and they're funny and, you know, all that kind of stuff. Uh, for me, the really interesting thing, rewatching it is like how many of those lines. I didn't really like comprehend as a kid, like this show is Mel meant for like 12 year olds, so not like little, little idiots. Um, and there's a line that Lauren just brought up saying, kill the kids. And like, as a kid, didn't comprehend that as being like a notable thing. It was like, Yeah. he's a villain. So you know, that kind of stuff.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:me reiterate. Like I wasn't saying that that was a bad thing. It was
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Yeah.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:it was very much like, that is something Joker would say. and it's also just funny'cause like I'm realizing the difference of kid shows now versus like back then. they definitely, like, he can't say the, like, like on TikTok they always like blur out the whatever. And so it's, it's just a different, thing that I was like, okay. Yeah. I mean what Joker would say. He is that insane. He
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Yeah.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:made me laugh.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:I think it makes the villains a lot better and more compelling than villains. Like, I like the How to Train Italian TV show that Netflix did, and they do a good job with the villain, but at the same time, it's not quite as, uh, pronounced and not quite as impactful because you don't get those things like you do in the show.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:Yeah. They, they softened the villain a little bit. Yeah.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Yeah.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:All right. Well, here's my question, Lauren. This is your first experience with the show. We only asked you to go through the first 10 episodes. Are you compelled enough to continue watching this show or is that kind of like Not for me moving forward.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:No, I think I, I probably will keep watching it. It's not gonna be like my, I'm gonna sit down and binge, but I think it's gonna be my, I'm gonna put this on. While I'm doing like my animation and stuff, so
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Okay.
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:gonna be my,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Conlin
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:one through 10 rating. What's your rating?
lauren--she-her-_1_06-18-2025_162716:I would say, I would say six or seven,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Okay. What were you gonna
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Conlin,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:off.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:I, oh, I was just gonna go around your turn one through 10.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Oh eight solid.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Okay. I'm also at a solid eight. I mean, my. One knock against this show is that my favorite things from this show are the spinoffs from this show IE Batman. Dark Knight Rises, no, dark Knight Returns, part One, part Two. And, uh, return Joker. Like those movies that were spun off because of this show are, I think, better than this show, and I love them more than this show. Uh,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:That's fair.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:it's a solid eight because yes, it falls into that range where it's like, Yeah, I would rewatch this show. Um, so it's, it's a higher than a seven for that reason. And, you know, nostalgia and just loving it. But at the end of the day, like I said, if, if I were to just wanna watch something Batman or Batman, the animated series, I'd probably still just go to those movies. Uh,'cause I just, I love them so much.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Yeah, they're. Some of those are damn near perfect. Like they're just, they're just incredible.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Yeah,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Under the red hood, returns one and two masculine fantasm are just, they're just so good.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:yeah,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:um, yeah, I think everything is done really well in the show and I would absolutely re watch it so solid for me. Solid.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Uh, how does it compare to your memory of Batman Beyond?
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Uh, I still thought this was better from what I can remember,
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Okay.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:could, we could, we could do Batman beyond. That would be a good topic for us.'cause I, I haven't watched that one since I was a kid.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Yeah, I'm just on the exact opposite. I would put Batman Beyond as like an 8.5. Um, I know it's a spinoff of this show, and you don't get Batman Beyond Without, uh, Batman, the animated series, uh. But it was all futuristic and interesting and took that kind of cyberpunk theme that I think is really cool for that environment of Batman. Um, and it's just a lot more unique, right? You think you don't, you don't get Batman Beyond today anymore. It's all just traditional Batman stuff.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Yeah, Batman Beyond is definitely different than basically every other superhero. Anything really.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Well, you've got Blade, you've got, you've got cyberpunk heroes and stuff.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:It's
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:I,
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:than Blade like it's not, it is just, it's just different.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:I know, but I mean, I.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:it did, my memory, they did a good job of having the old man, Bruce, which is that more recently they've done more and more where you have the old mentor from the original series that's, that's now old. I feel like they did a better job with that, Bruce, from what I can remember than what they've done with a lot of the newer, modern stuff where they kind of screwed that up.
josh-dietrich_1_06-18-2025_122719:Yeah, I would agree with that, but.
konlin-gappmayer_1_06-18-2025_162717:Anyway, that's gonna be our episode. We are crazy, crazy grateful that Lauren is here. She is the absolute best. Josh is the master of all things except for being right, I am just grateful you guys are watching. see you guys again in the next episode. We appreciate you. I like subscribe, all that good stuff. Peace out. Bye.
