Onscreen Offscreen

Memento

• Josh Dietrich

Share episode

Send us a text

Memento

Clarksons farm, Pax, Michael Vey, Secret Service

** NOW STARING LAUREN SMITH


00:00 - Clarksons Farm

15:22 - Pax

27:12 - Michael Vey Book 8

42:59 - Gordon Ramsey Secret Service

52:49 - Memento



Support the show

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Hey everybody. This is Onscreen Offscreen, a show where we like to talk about shows and media that we intake throughout the week and how it impacts and changes our lives. This week, we've got a super awesome special guest, Lauren, our, uh, cover art artist, uh, amazing animation expert, has a degree in it so nobody can disagree with her. She's an expert in all things. Um, I'm gonna get started with my first topic this week. Um, I feel like it's kind of a shared topic between me and Lauren Clarkson Farm season four, uh, show that I doubt Conlin will ever watch, even though it is absolutely amazing. It is so good. Uh, I think se season four is probably the weakest season. Um, and I think it has a lot to do with. F Jeremy Clarkson's age mixed with just how busy he is. Um, like I didn't know season four was coming. Normally they do a really good job of putting up promotional stuff, but in season four his farm is too hot in the winter and too rainy all summer. So he ended up, um, harvesting late and all this kinds of stuff. And then he just basically put out a video that was like. You're gonna find this out in the show, but production was pushed back because harvesting went late. We didn't have time to film promotional content. So this is how I'm announcing, go watch the show. It's live now. And I think that kind of feeling is felt in the show. Uh, he takes some time away from the farm itself to go do at his restaurant stuff, which is kind of interesting, setting up a business and setting and trying to be unique with it in an industry that is failing, um, plain and simply. Uh, there's. Local politics involved in it. Um, it's got cute animals in it. Like this is a wholesome educational show all the way through. I still love season four, even though I think it's the weakest. I love this show. I love Jeremy Clarkson. I think he's an excellent presenter and you know, it's great. Lauren, do you have any thoughts?

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Gonna say, I can't believe you didn't mention Richard Ham once. Uh.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Well, I mean, you gotta leave something for people to find out.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

It was, uh, a rent pig that they have. Uh, and, uh, Richard Hammond, they always make fun of him being short, so it's really funny that they have, they named their little rent pig. But there's, uh, I think also, um, a part that I really liked about it was having like Harriet come onto the farm

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Oh yeah, she was great.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Yeah. Yeah. And it's just like so funny'cause she's like, he was struggling and then she is TikTok and doing a better job than he was at the same time. And he's like, what? And then like discovers himself on her TikTok. was really fluter.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

How do you think she compared to Caleb?

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

I, I think she was kind of a little bit more, I. Um, able to teach him more than Caleb does because I feel like they just kind of have a thing of Caleb's like, oh, I'll fix it for ya, ya dumb ya dummy. And then

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Your tummy.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

just like fight, like jokingly fight with each other and then, um, but I feel like Harriet was like, yeah, if you want your hedges to look like that, sure you can have big birds come eat all your small birds. That's why you trim your hedges to have like the small birds and'cause he thought he was doing something great by not trimming his hedges. He's like, I have so many birds though. And she's like, yeah, the big ones that are eating your small ones. So she was like very, I felt like she was also very educational and I think she was like at clear at telling him like, this is why we do this.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

I think she's very clearly a better TV personality. Um, so she, she goes on screen better not to say anything bad about Caleb'cause I love Caleb.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

I was gonna say I

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Uh, it's just, I really liked her. I liked that they brought her back and, you know, used her again after Caleb returned. She's great. Uh, show's great. Richard Ham is funny and you know, like if you know and you're in on the joke, it's a great little joke and. When he goes to Richard Hammond's shop to have the tractor painted, which I think was the dumbest thing ever. Uh,'cause the original red was way better than Chrome. Um, and he tells him, he's like, you have been a big part of my show. And Richard Hammond is like, I haven't been on your show yet. He's like, oh, but you have, and it's just like we're all in on this joke with Jeremy Clarkson that. Richard Hammond himself isn't in on yet. Um, it, it's just a nice little touch for the show and

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Um,

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

I, I genuinely love this show.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

yeah, it's very wholesome and like what Jeremy Clarkson's trying to do for like the farming in the UK is like, it's great'cause he's trying with his restaurant, he's trying to get farmers. Stuff in there. And then you run into the problems of that with like supply and demand because he's so popular. but yeah, I've actually had honey from Clarkson Farms.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Oh, that's cool. I've always kind of wanted to order some stuff, but I haven't decided to do that yet. But, uh. It's very, very cool. And what he is doing for the farming industry as a whole, not just in the uk, has been massive. Like he is very clearly,

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

doing?

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

so like 20 years. Um, basically the governments of the UK and largely the US and Canada basically had like. If you use this area of land for this specific crop, we will give you a bonus set of cash.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Okay.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

if we have a bad weather thing, I. Let's say it was this year for the Clarkson's Farm where it was too hot in the winter and too rainy all summer for you to harvest. We will also supplement that so that you have enough finances to get by. Um, the show does a great job of breaking down just how like little farmers actually make, um, and basically just before this show started. One of the reasons this show started is governments all around the world were basically like, we're not gonna give you that supplemental money anymore. And then they went through a terrible, one of the worst farming seasons in like 50 years or something. And basically. Farmers are like, I can't afford to keep farming'cause I have to pay$10 million for a tractor,$20 million for this. And then the government says, you have to use this herbicide and this fertilizer and you can't use a different one and you have to buy it through us and it's gonna cost you another 30 grand. And so like in the first season, uh. Clarkson does absolutely everything he can possibly think of to create revenue, including like farming, unharmed, land, um, adding animals, doing all this kinds of stuff. And he is like, yeah, I, I made like 200 bucks and that's the 200 bucks I have to use to start my next year of farming. So I'm gonna start next year at like negative. 50 grand and like how are farmers supposed to do this and live? How are they supposed to pay for fuel and, and all this kinds of stuff. And he, he, every single season, I think he ends the show with like, I am lucky enough to have the TV industry supplementing my farming.'cause without it, I couldn't do it.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

So it would just become more and more corporatized. Large farms conglomerate kind of a thing.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

And

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Not large farms exporting farms. Literally, it's getting to the point where it's cheaper to import farm products from Ukraine from other countries than it is for farmers to stay in their own countries.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Even if it's a large, like we own 200,000 acres as a conglomerate, kind of a dill. Interesting.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Yeah.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

'cause like this past few years, the weather's been so awful that like you grow the thing but then like you can't harvest it'cause it's too wet. And then by the time the water, like the rain finally stops, like your crop has deteriorated and your harvesting moment has gone by. And so like all of those fields that you planted, you can't do anything with. like

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

screwed.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

have

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

turn it into animal feed or something that sells for less than what you paid for the seed.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Mm-hmm. And so then you have to like. They also have to rotate their fields so that the soil doesn't decay and things like that. Um, and so like

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

That was another government supplement thing. Basically, they said if you farmed it last year and you're, you put nitrogen and lime into it this year and don't plant on that acreage. We will supplement your income as well. But because of Clarkson's farm Show. The UK has introduced new bills and have added that kind of stuff again. The US has done it, Canada has done it. It's still not great, and he is still pushing for more. Um, as well as, uh, they're trying to increase the number of young farmers. Um.'cause the average age of a farmer's like 65 or something. So they're basically saying as soon as they die off, none of their kids are wanting to take over the farm anymore. And they're just selling them. So we're just not gonna be able to farm anymore. And without farming, we're not gonna have food, and food prices are gonna skyrocket and all this kinds of stuff.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Yeah, so it's like, it is very good for like spreading awareness and like. people know.'cause like honestly, I wouldn't have known that, you know, the UK's having record breaking.'cause I think it was like they said in the last 70 years, it hasn't been this bad or something like

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Yeah,

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

in

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

and in the first season they had the worst farming season in, I think it was like 50 years. This one topped it clear and away. They haven't had that much rain in a single year, in like a hundred years, and the record of like least amount harvestable goods is bad. Like there's a scene where he is taking his grain and the ideal thing is to sell it for pasta because that is the most refined, specific kind of, um. Flour. So if it qualifies to be made into pasta, that's how the farmer makes the most amount of money. And he goes, and the pasta maker guy's, like, I wish it qualified because I'm so desperate for the grains, but it doesn't qualify, so I can't do it. And so you've got an industry desperate for it. You've got a farmer desperate to sell it, but it, it just doesn't meet the standards. Um, another way that's expertly shown is, uh, Carson also does pigs. And in the last five years since they started the show, they went from 70 in the UK of like, uh, pig butchers to seven.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Wow.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

So he basically, there was a, a part of an episode where Clarkson's like, I don't even know how, like I'm not gonna drive across the UK to sell my pigs. It wouldn't pay for it. What am I gonna do with these pigs? And basically a group of farmers decided, let's all go in on a big semi so that we only have to do one trip instead of. 10,000 small trips and we'll all pay for it together, and we'll all take it to the one of the seven remaining

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Butcher.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

butchers. And it's like that's, that's crazy.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

That is crazy.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Well guys, you made that co sound way more interesting than I ever was thinking it would be. I might even try it'cause I was ready to be like, fun of Lauren A. Little bit and be like, yeah, my idea of hell would be watching that show and playing some star new valley, being bored at double speed. Again,

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

No, it's, it's genuinely a really, really great show and I think that that's largely to do with Jeremy Clarkson. Like him being the personality makes it a lot more interesting. I don't even do something on the side of that show. I literally just am engaged with that show.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Same.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Um. It, it's a show that's good enough. It doesn't make me feel like I need to be on my phone or doing other things. I just, I watch it and I absolutely devour and enjoy it.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Also, the

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

cool.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

is just so hopeful and good.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Oh, yeah. Positivity through, through and through. It's so good.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Yeah.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

All right.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

So

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

With

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

rating for both of you guys on the show?

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

if the show is a general or this season.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Uh, both, both.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Uh, for me, this shows a nine out 10.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Yeah.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

this season is like an eight.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Okay, Lauren.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

I would say like 8.5. Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Okay, cool. Cool.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

All right. Uh, let's move on to Lauren. What is your topic for this episode?

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Let's see what my topic is.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Pax

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Thanks.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

have written down.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

I have my little book here. It's great. I loved it. Um, it's kind of in the realm of Hatchet and touching Spirit Bear. I don't know if you guys read those in high school or middle school.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

High school. I read those in elementary school.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

okay. Okay, fine.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

That was like fourth and fifth grade for me.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Okay, good. But you, so you've read'em. You haven't gone, Lynn,

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

No, I haven't.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

I

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

I'm not all big and mighty like Josh,

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Hey, if you have not read Touching Spirit Bed like side note, hatchet sucks, but touching Spirit Bear. If you have not read it, it is a fantastic book. It is phenomenally good. That book was so good. Private story time. I hated reading as a child. My mom bribed me with a book to read or bribed me with a bike. To read that book and I read it and I loved it, and I got a bike. It was red. Go ahead, get back on it. What's Pax?

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Spirit bike. Um, it's, uh, I would say it's like in the same realm and I think, I wish I would've read this book read like Hatchet and Touching Spirit Bear this is, it follows a boy in his box and it starts off like the very first chapter. The dad's forcing the boy to give up his box to like. Ah, make it go back into the, the world, uh,'cause war's coming and you're gonna go live with your grandpa and your grandpa is kicking in you. He's not gonna take in you and a fox. So the boy gets shipped off to his grandparents and like immediately, uh, uh, the fox is like confused'cause it's in the Fox's perspective at first and it's like, okay, uh, my boy is gonna come back.'cause like the boy raised him from a kit and so. He's like, my boy will come back. I'll just wait. And so you're following the journey of the fox learning how to be a fox because raised by humans. And then the boy, as soon as he like gets to his grandpa's house, he basically waits until that night and then he starts hiking to try to find his fox'cause he is like, that was the wrong thing to do, to leave to aban a abandon my fox. And so he's like, this feels right. I'm going after, after him. Very ill prepared as he's going to go find this fox. And, uh, he ends up on this girl's farm who's like this old veteran who had her leg blown off. And like, at first you think she's like crazy and stuff, but it's just that she hadn't been around people for a while. And uh, she just kinda like lives on her own, doesn't really have any electricity or anything. And it comes to. The point where like, he finds, she finds him in her barn because he broke his leg and he's like, no, I'm gonna get my fox. And she's like, no, you're not. We're gonna like set your foot. And he's like, don't touch it. But like, she was a war medic. And so she's like able to like fix it up and she's like, now you're going home. And he's like, no, I can't go home. And so then she like kind of touches into like, are you a runaway? What are you doing? And then they kind of have like this understanding of where he's like, okay, you're gonna send me back to my grandpa, but I'm just gonna hobble my way back over here. So she's like, okay, so like, this feels good to you. This is what you need to do. And he's like, yes, you get it. gonna do it. This is what I need to do in my core. This is what I feel. And so she's like, okay, you're not gonna make it because you still have like 200 miles to go from where you left this box. So she's like, I'm gonna help you, but you like three conditions. And so, uh, she's like, you're gonna tell me why you have that bracelet. You're gonna tell me you're gonna, um, learn, stop it anyway. You're gonna, uh, you're going to tell me what that's for, and like, you're gonna tell me the truth on everything. And. So like, it's just like this journey of this boy, like learning, um, about himself and then like realizing,'cause the woman that he's with tells him that she's out there to try to remember who she is. And so it's like this journey of this boy figuring out who he is, what he, he needs, and like it's definitely a found family book and I love that. And I'm a sucker for found family. I did not like how this book ended. However, I was very mad at how it ended because it's talking about, um, it also explores the cost of war with environment people and, um, animals basically.'cause as you're following the foxes thing, you're seeing like all of these, um, army trucks rolling in, laying down wire, and like. Basically, uh, how they're blowing up and like destroying these environments. So it's, they had one of the villages be, what's that called? Um, they like take everybody out of the village, they left like all of their pets and things like that. And so like.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

They evacuated.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Evacuated. Yeah. So it goes off about how like so many people like it upturns their lives in so many more ways than you think.'cause like, yes, people are dying and, but there's like, everything is dying, everything is being affected. I liked that how, um, there was a part where. boy was like, oh, let me guess you're anti-war now. And she's like, she's like, I'm not necessarily anti-war, but I am for telling you the true cost of war. She's like, cost me my identity, it cost me my leg, it cost you your fox, it costs like this and stuff. So I really liked bit of it.'cause I feel like in high school I was like reading so many books that were like Fahrenheit. what's Fahrenheit?

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

51.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Yeah, and like, um, the giver and stuff, it was a lot of that things that felt kind of like you against government where this book, it was like you versus yourself and like trying to figure out what was true to you and what um, you wanted. And that's why I hated the ending because the boy was like. The fox and me, that's my core. It's for me and my fox. I have to do this thing to feel good like about myself. Me and my fox are family and then spoiler alert finds the fox and like saves the fox from like a coyote. And then he's like, you're wild. You're supposed to be here. Goodbye. Like leave. He like crossed a war zone. All these things immediately saves his fox and he's like, I understand. By and leaves. And I'm like, why don't you get your fox out of the war zone first? Like,

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Like, let's do what we came here for.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

yeah. I was like, you can. I'm like, you can let him stay a wild fox on that farm. Farm that you, that you found your found family at. I was so mad. but um. I do think it, it's like a good read for, um, there's, uh, I really like him being with the girl on the farm Vola, where like she's explaining how she like eats life and stuff.'cause it's, and it also talks a little bit about like breaking generational trauma because the boy feels like he has to be like his father or that he is his father. And so he can't be angry. And she's like, no, you are angry. And she's like, I'm not angry. She's like, you are, but you need to express that in the right way and what's good for you. so it has like a lot of things that are good about it. I do think some of them fell flat. Um, and I did not like the ending because I feel like the found family got ripped up and I was like, no.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Betrayed the whole point of the story.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Yeah. Um, it had like a little chapters at the end explaining like, uh, what was like going on in their lives afterwards. And he did end up going back to the girl on the farm and they kind of like still had their found family. I don't know. I, I just, I, I hate it. It's the same reason I hate how to train your Dragon three. But yeah, so I, I'd give it. I'd give it a a, hmm, a seven probably just'cause

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Okay.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

didn't like the ending. But everything else in there was good and it made me cry several times. So

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

If the ending was more fulfilling, what would it be?

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

an eight,

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Okay. Okay.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

But.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Do you think it's good enough? It should go along with those titles like Hatchet and Touching Spear Bearer. Those are very common elementary like Mandatory Reads. Do you think people of that age should be asked to read this book as well?

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Yeah, I wish I had read it when I was that age, honestly. Um, I think, yeah,'cause it, like it touched on. think Spirit Bear does a better job of it. And I would rank Spirit Bear above Pax. Um, but it's kind of like, along that, it touched on generational trauma enough for me that I feel like Spirit Bear doesn't touch that. I don't think that that was like a, theme on there. But I like that that was a theme in this one. And like he literally like has a little note on the end.'cause like the grandpa kept saying, oh, apple doesn't fall far from the tree. And then he makes his own little postcard that says like, the apple rolls far from the tree though. And it's like, oh yeah, you can roll away from that if it's something that you shouldn't continue. So,

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Okay, so not, not replace one of those books, but in addition to, it sounds like, okay.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Cool.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Conlin, are you gonna read this book?

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Um, I'm gonna read Touching Spirit Bear First. I actually literally just ordered it while we were talking.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Good

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

fair. Uh, this has made it to my read list as soon as I finish my book. This is the next one up, I think.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Cool.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Yeah. Very, very cool. All right, Conlin, what do you have for us?

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Okay. My book is not as deep and fulfilling as Lawrence. Mine is more just awesome. Um, Michael Vay, I books one through seven. I really, really love the story. I like the characters. They do have a major problem. I'm reviewing book eight. It is kind of the start of a next phase. They're out of high school, they're into college. All the main characters, the premise of the book is you have Michael Vay who. Has these electric powers that you find out about, and you figure out why he has these powers. And along the way, he finds other people that were born on the same day as him that all have different electrical powers. These would make fantastic movies. make movies out of this because it is unique. It has a lot of great ideas. The way that they get the powers is really cool. The way they express the powers is super cool. stories unfortunately, have a major problem that Josh let me know about. That is a problem also in book eight, where it's like Michael said, Taylor said Austin. Said Austin asked. said, and that's

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

I saw there's that.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

there's that and if, if he would add a couple other words, I'm not even asking for that much. Be like Austin theorized. Austin's a really smart character, like that's his thing is that he's just a very smart guy who absorbs information, but he's kind of socially weird and it's written really well. The character is written very well, but. Austin would theorize about something like that is something Austin would do. But instead it's Austin said, Austin said, Austin did. And then Austin said, and it takes away from a lot of the, a lot of what's so great here, and that's part of the reason why I think a movie would do really well. Because you have all, all the good story elements. It's all there. The powers are cool, the characters are, are all interesting. They all have their own personalities. They all develop. where the story goes is really cool and it feels authentic. It's, it's just well done. And in a movie you wouldn't have, Michael said, Michael would just say the dang thing and move on. that's, that's a little aspect of the story as a whole. I kept kept reading these because the good aspects to me are overshadow the negatives in the writing that could just be cleaned up with a little bit of editing. A few little tweaks, like it really wouldn't take that much and it would improve the story significantly. Book Eight takes off with him college, everybody's college age. They've gone to different colleges, which I also highly appreciated. They all didn't go to the local community college, or they all didn't go to Vanderbilt or whatever. They went to different colleges, and that's okay. That's what people do. I, I liked that. And while they're at college, each character develops in a way that feels authentic. Taylor develops in a way that feels authentic. She becomes a party girl. And like I can see that being the case with the character that we know beforehand. It works. People change when they go to college.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

What a cheerleader became part of the girl insane.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Nuts. It's just, I, it works with the characters and he, he thought about that. Austin goes to MIT and he is a little bit of a. a snot about it a little bit without knowing that he's being a sno about it, like it works with the character. And they do. He does a good job of making that all feel authentic. You have a problem that arises like any good book does, and the problem feels well, it's actually done with new aspects of their powers that are starting to grow, and he does a good job of. Expanding your universe with that. The villain is the, it's the villain that's behind the villain in the original series, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. That's a trope that's been done before, but the villain is very compelling. Like it's well written. Um, a lot of tropes there, but he's, he's got enough, done enough well with the tropes to make you invested in this villain and understand his motivations, what he's trying to do, and. Be intimidating, like he's a different kind of villain and he's extremely well written. They do an aspect of the story where they take bats and they electrify the bats. So the bats get some kind of electric powers, kinda like they did the with the rats earlier in the book series, Josh. But they use those bats and they breed so many of them that they'll train them to on a city and you have this electric. Torrent that goes over the city and causes massive damage. So you have this global weapon that these people are able to control that they can use wherever they want to, and it was a cool idea that they accomplished very well. Um, so you have all these different aspects that are, that are put together in a smart way. You have this negative of the writing and does the negative of the writing overtake the story? I think if you like the earlier Michael Vay books and they don't bug you, you will like this book. I'm excited for the next book if the negatives of the writing overtake their story. This book is not gonna save anything. It's not gonna change anything, and you might as well just move on.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

So for the context there, uh, this. Series was almost the series that got me into writing or into reading a lot earlier in my life. Um, I read the first book and read it in a week, and for me that was a big record. As I mentioned earlier, I was not a big reader. I absolutely hate it. Uh, but this book, the first one was so good. I was very highly invested. I immediately got the second book. My mom was very excited for me because I was into reading, so she went right away and got the second book and then got the third book. And I was about halfway through and I was at a family reunion talking to my brother, and my brother said, oh yeah, I love that series. If only it wasn't written the way it is. And I was like, what? So to be fair. I think that the writing problem is only the thing you notice when you notice it.'cause I didn't notice it originally, but I was unable to finish the third book once that was called out to me. So that's, that's the caveat I would put on it, is like, because because you've listened to us say it, you're probably gonna notice it now. That's really unfortunate for you.'cause otherwise, I think Collin's exactly right. Like. I would be way more into, uh, Disney making a live action version of this in a show than Avatar the last Airbender or even Percy Jackson. Um,

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

this would be better than Percy Jackson.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

it, it just, it's a little bit more unique and isn't a story as well known, and I think it would elevate it a lot. Whereas everybody's gonna be comparing Percy Jackson to the books. But when your book is really full of great ideas and characters and concepts and your only problem is your writing, then uh, that's a good time for a show to step in. Animated or live action I think would be really, really good. I think movies would really struggle with this. Um, but you could do a lot with a show.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

I weirdly would love to see like a, the new Netflix Scott Pilgrim, way they animated that.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Oh yeah,

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

them to do this, like that. I think that'd be cool.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

yeah. I'm fully on board with that.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

the series, kind of like in the line of like Alex Rider.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Uh. I guess kind of, but not really. No.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

okay.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

uh.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

that. I don't know that at all. What's Alex Rider?

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Alex Ryder's like a kid spy, um, series, so I can't remember how it's been so long since I. Read those, but like all I remember is the jellyfish tank, him getting like dunked into this jellyfish tank as like this trap for him to get killed. And he somehow got out'cause he had like this pen that could cut through glass or something,

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

It's not as.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

It's not early. It's, it is a middle grade book.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

It is a middle grade book, but they do a good job of making all the characters feel, feel well flushed out more

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Absolutely.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

other middle grade books, you understand why they are the ones who have to do this journey, where a lot of other middle grade books I'm like. not an adult that's like gonna help you or there's not organization or something. This one feels like, okay, I get why Michael has to be Michael and has to be in this story. It

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Yeah. Um, the other thing I would let, I would say about this series, uh, from the two and a half books I was able to get through, um, Michael V very clearly has the best powers. All of the other ones are very compelling, and I think they're all really well written, but it's like. Michael V is Superman and the rest of'em are the guardians of the galaxy. Like he's very clearly the most powerful, best one, has the best powers, and it's not even close. That being said,

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

that.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

there is also great concepts and villain arcs that, uh. Change the uses. So while Michael vay very clearly is the best one suited, the most powerful in 99% of situations, there's enough nuance to this book where Taylor or Austin are actually the best suited for a specific situation, and I do appreciate that as well.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Me too. And you have, I don't know know if you got to this point, but the main bad guy, he knows about these super kids and how they were originally created. And so he, he adopted, he had, he took some of these super kids

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

That's in the first book.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Is that all the way in the first book? I can't

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Mm-hmm.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Um. Raise them. So that's all that they've ever known, and the way that he deals with psychology of growing up in this environment is very, very interesting. these, these characters, they have villain aspects to them. They have good aspects to them, they do, he does a smart way of making everything feel logical as far as the power sets go. And you have con, you have power sets that do go against, um, all of your heroes, including Michael. Michael just does a couple things that are creative or honestly, sometimes lucky. But lucky in a way that makes sense with the rest of the story. Like

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

where he gets fed to electric rats, but he absorbs electricity. So does he get lucky that he kind of just is able to fry and becomes super powered by these rats? Yes. Does it work with the whole entire story in a way that's very logically sound also? Yes.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Yeah. Um, I, it's the second book that's the redemption arc of one of those kids. Um, uh, Michael is basically just. Trying to reason with them and saying like, no, you're, you're abused. It's like, no, this is not a regular situation. You can get out of this. And they're just like, I don't know. Anything else, you know, it's not that bad kind of thing. Uh, that might be in the third book, but I'm pretty sure it's the second one. Um,

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

blend them. I can't remember, it's been

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

what would you rate this series on a scale of one to 10? Conlin.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

I really love the original seven books, and I would give them, like, I'd probably still give'em an eight. Even with the writing problems, like I, I really, really like them. They. A lot of good stuff. This book is a little bit lower, 7.5 ish,

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Okay.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

but still saw. It's still very enjoyable.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

I would've given it a nine before the writing was pointed out to me, and now I will give it like a four.'cause it was bad enough. I stopped. Rating it, uh, Lauren, from what you've learned today, are you at all compelled to look these, look into these at all?

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

Not really.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Okay. Totally fair.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

yeah, it's not because of like the the said things. I think I could maybe look over that. It's, I have the opposite thing of when try to be too wordy with the saids or whatever, that they like use weird words, which I keep calling. Um, but.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Don't have to convince me she's a terrible author.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

br Brandon Sanderson talks about having about 80 20 and I think 80 20. Sure. That seems great. Brandon Sanderson has the ability to write I'll take that advice. Cool. This guy is like, I can't think of a time in this book where it is not at all or asked like, I can't think of another word that he uses. And if he added 10%, it would increase the book so much. It would, it would make such a big difference.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

he like pair anything like he said quietly or like

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Nope.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

okay. That alright? Okay. No, no. I'm not gonna look him up.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Yeah. Uh, so for me it's actually not that he uses the word said and asks so much. It's, it's, that's how it's written. It's very to the point blank non emotive. I saw this, I did that. There goes that. Here I am. I, I said this, I thought that I asked this.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

flow

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

It's

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

was touching a metal pipe and sent a signal and they said that, and I did that. That's the how it's all written to me.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

you not to write when you're in elementary school. Like

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

where you just don't, you don't do that. And people usually go through a amateur writing aspect where they go way too into the details. He, I don't, whatever where you wanna use. Devoted himself to the language of art and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Whatever you wanna talk about. You just, they go over exaggerated with that and then you tone it down and he like never got past the first part to get to where you have a good balance. And the it,

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

Yeah,

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

the book so much.

lauren--she-her-_2_06-18-2025_171555:

yeah,

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

well it's, it's totally fair for conlin the problem's, the word, so you can get past it. For me, it's the entire flow of how it kind of feels when you read it. So I wasn't able to get beyond it, but,

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Fair enough.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

all right. I've got one more topic. Um, Gordon Ramsey's Secret Service, his new show where he infiltrates, um. Restaurants because everybody knows his face, so he has to spy on the restaurants and then go criticize them and try and save them and do better. Uh, previously on the show, uh, Conlin and I were talking about Gordon Ramsey show and his leadership style. And for three of the four episodes, I was prepared to come on this podcast and say, Conlin, I was dead wrong.

konlin-gappmayer_2_06-18-2025_171557:

Really. Okay.

josh-dietrich_2_06-18-2025_131559:

for three out of the four episodes he had exceptional, uh, leadership skills. He did something that's not really my style, but I understand where he matches the volume and tone of somebody and then brings it down himself in order to have them also come down.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

It's a totally valid way of dealing with difficult people and, uh, leading them and, you know, deescalation. Uh, but in the fourth episode, he just goes in and starts yelling at somebody he doesn't know and just verbally abuses this person. And there was a person in the third episode who I would say absolutely deserved to be abused. If anybody was gonna be abused in the show because they're a scum human and this person in episode four, not so much. Um, so I am still kind of right, but Conlan I was generally wrong. He, and I will admit he is far better than he used to be.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

Okay.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Uh, that being said, talking about the show itself, um. This is an instance that I think me being an editor or director would add to a show. Um, basically an element of the show is there's somebody undercover feeding Gordon Ramsey information and they build it up, but they don't establish them as a person. So I don't care. So Gordon Ramsey, he goes into the restaurant after having a chef friend of his or student of his go in and actually taste the food without being recognized. And then Gordon Ramsey storms in, he kicks out all the customers and he gives his spiel about how terrible the restaurant is and how it's failing, and about how people need to change. And oh, by the way, one of you is a trader. One of you is my inside man. And then he leaves for no reason. It's like a weird, like, why did you just walk out of the restaurant there? Um, but he goes back to his super secret fan and he observes them, kind of deal with that news. And it's like, I get that you're trying to build this up. And they, they're very clearly instructed to be like, who's the person who, who betrayed us all? Who was it? Oh my gosh. I, and you know, it cuts to them individually. It's not me, and it's, it's kind of stupid. Uh, and then it gets to the end of the episode and it cuts to commercial because they're about to announce who it is. And I'm like, there's not enough suspense behind this because there's no established who this person is or what kind of information Gordon Ramsey was getting from them. So like I would open the episode with him getting like a modified prompt of basically what, how this person reached out to Gordon Ramsey and how they talked about the problems. So like in an episode, there's one girl who bought the restaurant off of her mentor and basically refused to get rid of any of his stuff. So I would lay that out for, you know, have somebody narrate it and be like. Our insider gave us this information and explained that this is the problem and here's why. And this is how Gordon Ramsey's going to accept, you know, be really cheesy with it, uh, this mission, should you choose to accept it. Uh, and then cut to Gordon Ramsey, you know, breaking into the restaurant at night and doing the blacklight stuff. And then anytime Gordon Ramsey like gets information throughout this process, he. You know, you obviously change it, so it's not calling out names or anything specific that would let you identify it, and then you would actually be like, well, who is it? Why does this thing matter? I. But it never matters. And the beginning of the show is all episode is always like, who betrayed? They're So, I can't believe they, they did that without my trust. And then the end of the episode, which is like 20 minutes of our time, is like, I'm so grateful they did this. They're amazing. And I am not even mad at them at all. Literally, every single episode is that way. I was like, okay. You know, if we're gonna play up the spy thing, let's play up the spy thing a little bit more creatively, I think. Um, all that being said, I do actually really like this show. Um, I do think it's really clever. Uh, everybody does know Gordon Ramsey now, so obviously he can't just go in and try food without getting the best service and. Recognized and pictures and all this kinds of stuff. So him doing this in a way that's, um, more covert. So it's, he's able to actually get real feedback about these kind of places, I think is a good angle. And he does a lot of good for people. Like there's a, uh. Fried chicken restaurant that's been open for 60 years and the grandma still goes in every morning. She's 101 and she works in the kitchen and. The son who took over the managing of the business had basically run it into the ground. So they were so far in debt, they couldn't buy new ovens and the oven that they had, you had to use pliers to turn on and off. So basically it was on all the time and. It was a giant fire hazard and all this kind of stuff, and Gordon Ramsey goes in and he replaces all that for him. And he says that, but I don't think he embellishes it, which makes me feel like it's genuine service and not just like, I'm doing this nice thing so I can get the reputation of doing the nice things. Um, and like he has a whole team that goes in and like cleans these kitchens and stuff. So. I, I'm a big fan of it. I like positive content. I like people doing things for the better. With these kinds of shows, you always have to ask yourself like, are they really changing or are they just doing it for the show and like next week if I were to go to that restaurant, they'd be just the way it was. I don't know. But it's still positive. It's still good. I know you were kind of interested in this show, Conlin. I recommend you watch it.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

Okay. Yeah, I'll give it a shot. I like, I've talked about it already. I like Gordon Ramsey and yeah, he can be an asshole sometimes, but I like Gordon Ramsey. I would be interested in the show. I've liked. Sounds a lot like kitchen nightmares if you watch that show. Very similar premise.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

I haven't watched that show.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

but I like that one, probably like this one. Sounds good.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Yeah. Um, I will say this though, uh, they set up cameras and stuff under the premise that they're gonna be on this kitchen renovation show. That's the, uh, excuse that they're given. And one of the lines that Gordon Ramsey is, is that's a lie. That's not what's happening here. But then he goes on to renovate their kitchen. So I'm like. Was it really a lie or was it just kind of a fib because Gordon Ramsey's renovating your kitchen rather than this random show? I don't, I don't really know, but yeah.

lauren--she-her-_3_06-18-2025_180010:

We're a renovation scream at your face, so

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

Gordon

lauren--she-her-_3_06-18-2025_180010:

totally different.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

scream at me for like an hour. Just renovate my kitchen. I'd be totally fine with that.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Yeah,

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

Gordon,

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

me too. I'll get yelled at for a new kitchen. Sure.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

I really want some hex clad cookware so bad. That stuff is awesome.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

I've been curious about it because of this show

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

Oh,

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

of

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

good. My, I've got friends that have it and the pans are amazing. Legitimately a fantastic.

lauren--she-her-_3_06-18-2025_180010:

Right,

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Yeah, but like how. How great could they be? It's a pan.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

It's so much better,

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

I love my pan,

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

I

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

my pan's from Walmart like.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

Dude. Dude, dude, I understand. Like I get the spec, the like not completely gidding or understanding or believing that it would be that much better. It doesn't. Nothing sticks. Nothing. You can scrape it with a freaking fork. I can be like, and nothing scratches this pen. It's

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Nothing sticks to my pan.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

it's fantastic. The cook is so even. It's wonderful. I love this pen. I want one, I want so bad. Gordon

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

All right.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

come scream at me and give me a pan.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

I am sure he'll take you up on that top of this list. All right, uh, let's jump into our shared topic today. The show is Memento Conlan. You're kind of the experience person here. Why don't you go first?

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

So I hadn't seen Memento in years, but I would've literally, before I watched it again, said this was one of Nolan's best movies. Um, I loved this movie I rewatched it. I've never, I, I can't think of another time where I've had such a complete different opinion on a movie ever. Um,

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Dark Night

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

was,

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

for me. Go ahead.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

okay, I, uh, was so bored. I barely got through this movie. Um, the idea of everything getting. Getting filmed backwards.'cause you have this guy who's trying to figure out who murdered his wife and you're basically going in backwards events with him through the memory problems. The idea is still super interesting, upon rewatching it, it didn't work for me. Like it did work last time. I got to the end of the movie you find out that the main character, probably most likely is the one that killed his wife. He can't get new memories. So if he lost all his memories, then how did he get the new memory where he implanted this other person to be the one that killed their wife instead of him being the one that killed his wife? And you're not actually completely sure if that's even what really happened. So you're left with this like, I guess that's what happened. I don't. I don't really know. And before it worked for me, but then I thought about it and I'm like, if you can't get new memories, this whole show doesn't make sense. And I am, we, I don't know if we've talked about it on, the podcast, but Inception has the top that doesn't fall at the end. And I hate the ending of that movie. I think the ending of that movie is stupid. I think. I'm pretty sure Josh completely disagrees with me on that, movie.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

I agree with you,

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

Okay.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

I think in concept's an incredibly overrated Joe in general.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

I like the

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Go ahead.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

movie, but I hate, I hate the ending of that movie. Um, this one didn't feel satisfying to me where the first time it did, and maybe I was just not paying enough attention. Maybe I was dumber. I don't know. but this time was bored. events coming together didn't completely make sense to me and wasn't satisfying at the end. The, it felt a lot older. I haven't watched this in. 10 years, but this time it felt like a really old movie, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but in this one it kind of was. And I don't know even how to completely explain that. And I'm, I'm, I'm really disappointed. I'm really disappointed because I loved this movie and this time I, I really, I really didn't.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Fair enough. All right. For me, I, it didn't work for me. This is my first time ever watching it. Um, I. I had heard it existed, but it wasn't like a prominent thing. So like if you said, Hey, have you seen Memento? I probably would've responded with What, what's Memento like? What are we even talking about here? Um, I was so bored. Um, and the repetitive repetitiveness of the first and the slowness of like the first half of the movie is I think the main contributor there. I mean, I literally got on my phone and played through a speed round of chess and chess, and then got back on and I was like, we're still in the same part of this movie and nothing has changed and I don't need to have watched that 10 minutes because it didn't play any kind of role, uh, in what, what's happening. Um. However, there was enough of this, uh, enough substance to the late latter half of this show that I wish this was the Fight Club that we live in. Like if people talked about the show, the way people talk about Fight Club, I would understand. I'd be like, not my show, but I get it. But people talk about Fight Club, like it's a piece of genius when it's not. And this show is like, it's there, it's just not my thing. Um, and it's dated and like, could probably be, be done better now. Uh, so that's where I'm at. Uh, Conlin. What would,

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

are both Brad Pit.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

yeah, uh, Conlin, what would you have rated this show before your rewatch?

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

Uh, I thought this show was genius, like High Eights,

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Okay. And after rewatch.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

four,

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

I would give it like a three because of how absolutely bored I was.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

but

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

I was so bored.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

I, I was so, I was so disappointed rewatching this movie, uh, but I.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Lauren, are you glad you didn't watch this one?

lauren--she-her-_3_06-18-2025_180010:

Yeah, I'm really glad. It was funny when I saw your show notes, I was like, oh.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

Yeah, I don't know. I looked up Best Christopher Nolan films and there's a lot of people that put this at the top, and I would have, I would have been that person and now it would be, is it my bottom? I. From

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

It's not my bottom.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

it is my second from the bottom because I really don't like the third Batman movie, but yeah.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

It is funny you bring that up.'cause like originally I hated the third Batman movie. Like that was my least favorite movie till the last Jedi. And it wasn't till after the last Jedi that I watched it for a second time and I watched it and I was like, oh, that was okay. So it was an absolute flip for me, but the opposite direction. Um,

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

Hm,

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

I don't know what would be my least favorite

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

probably

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

movie.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

or not

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Uh, no inceptions. Good.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

The space one.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Oh, I don't hate interstellar. I just think it's super overrated and it really bothers me when people say it's real science. They based it on real science and I'm like, no, shut up. You don't know what you're talking about. It's not real science. Um, that's what bothers me about it. It's, it's like I hate frozen so much, not because of anything in frozen, but because of the absolutely overwhelming me having to listen to let it go in my store 30 times in eight hours. That's why I hate frozen. It's kind of like that, but like not. Like, I won't watch Frozen because of that song. I can watch Ins or Interstellar and get through it. And I think there's a lot of really boring parts. It's just, it's not my favorite, favorite Nolan, but like, it just bothers me when people come screaming at me and be like, it's real science. Like, like moron. Shut up.

lauren--she-her-_3_06-18-2025_180010:

I'm just imagining like people knocking on your door like missionaries to tell you.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

It is like that. Okay. There are two shows that I have opinions on that I can give stories for. The first one is that right? Interstellar. People come at me and go, it's real science. And I'm like, it's not real science. Open a book, please. Um, and the second one is when I say Harry Potter's badly written in terrible movies. Literally I was in. My old living room with a couple of roommates. One was in his bedroom watching anime and playing a game, and I was talking to the other one and I was like, yeah, I just think the writing is really bad in Harry Potter. And the other one came storming out of his room and was like, you don't like Harry Potter? It's brilliantly written. And I'm like, no, it's garbage writing. The movies are terribly done. Like I admit, they're guilty pleasures, and once every 15 years I'll binge watch all of them. But to say that that's good quality writing, it's just, it's not, um, I'm sure Conlin is right and that the books get better as you go on.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

They

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Even if they improves by two points every book, it still would not get above a six in quality.'cause the first one is just so fricking terrible. I can, I don't know how anybody ever gets through it.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

I

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

And the movie is equally really, really bad. It's not the worst movie, but.

lauren--she-her-_3_06-18-2025_180010:

I.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

oh, the first book and the first movie. I, I literally, the only way I read Harry Potter is by skipping the first book because I think it's terrible. terrible, but it gets better as it goes. What were you gonna say, Lauren?

lauren--she-her-_3_06-18-2025_180010:

I was gonna say I, somebody on the internet said that they wanted to see a parody where. Uh, Harry solves all of his problem with like muggle solutions and like all the wizards are just like minds blown because everybody has like a magical solution and like nobody thinks of like the very easy like,

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Shoot Voldemort with a sniper rifle.

lauren--she-her-_3_06-18-2025_180010:

Have you seen Harry Potter with

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

I love Harry Potter with guns.

lauren--she-her-_3_06-18-2025_180010:

So funny. Sorry.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

Bam. Uh, yeah, no, uh, I think the fourth movie is the worst movie and. Uh, my problems with it are largely the same as, uh, interstellar, where it's people's reaction to the movie and loving the movie and me absolutely knowing it's garbage, uh, is, is a large part of that, I think.'cause the fourth one is a lot of people's favorite Harry Potter,

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

Yeah,

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

I'm just like, no, it's, it's

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

the worst.

josh-dietrich_3_06-18-2025_140013:

dumb. It is so bad. And it came after the best one. What is, anyway? Um. That's a whole separate topic. Uh, thank you for coming to my TED talk. Uh, appreciate you guys listening. Appreciate you guys watching. Thank you so much for your time. Uh, please let us know if there's anything you want us to look check out, and we're looking for that stuff that makes us be better. Hopefully you guys look for stuff to be better too. Um. I recently came across the saying, I'm gonna start saying it now. BTTY. Be better today than yesterday. Thanks everybody.

konlin-gappmayer_3_06-18-2025_180011:

See you guys.

People on this episode

Contributor

Josh Dietrich

Host
Contributor

Konlin Gappmayer

Host
Contributor

Lauren Ashley Smith

Editor