Webseries Review: i can’t even

In August I received an email from Wendy, publicist for the “i can’t even” webseries about  “[o]ne apartment, two friends, and an exponential number of fandoms to argue about.”

Um, yes, please.

From the first this series made me laugh.  Louise Cox and Tiana Hogben, who star in the series, have great comedic timing. Every singe episode had me chuckling to myself until their were tears in my eyes.

“I’ve seen you talking to your Benedict poster.”

Their friendship is awesome and that they can live together and still be geeky friends is such a great model. They help each other out, when they can get through the fog of  obsession, and they share an interest in the geekdom while building each other up and supporting that interest.

The subject matter, background production, and sets ring true and add to every scene. I love the set up of all the different fandom posters and paraphernalia in the girl’s apartment.  Even the girls’ wardrobe is geeky. The homages to all the different fandoms are inclusive and wonderful. The lighting and sound production are really good and I thought the sound effects added to the production value of the series.

With 6 episodes on YouTube at only about 5 minutes an episode you can watch the entire series and it will go by as quickly as reading your favorite book on a rainy Saturday afternoon and leave you wanting more. Like, I really really want the second series, now.

Honestly, they had me at the Australian accents. This series is  just… I can’t even.

Ok. I had to do that. 😉

Geek lovers, dorks, and nerdy book worms, or people who love a good roommate comedy should check out this webseries! You can find out more about it by checking out their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts or read an article about the writer  and co-writer Alyce Adams here.   Watch the episode below, you wont be sorry.

 

Webseries Review: Walking in Circles

A barbarian Prince must seek out and slay the dragon who ate his father. He enlists a band of adventurers to help him and finds that the urge to crush his friends might be more tempting than the urge to crush his enemies.

And so begins the antics of a misfit crew in Walking in Circles. The bard who sings while sneaking up on the enemy, the wizard who doesn’t have enough bat poop to throw fireballs, and a druid whose healing biscuits upset the stomach. All led by a barbarian prince with untested leadership skills and a have-hammer-will-smash attitude.

I was contacted by James Rodehaver, creator, writer, and producer of the series with a teaser trailer for season 2. While season 1 is still available on YouTube, it appears they have not yet been picked up to fully produce season 2. Though filmed, the second season is in need of patronage before it can be released. You can check out the teaser trailer for season 2 on YouTube, it looks exciting!

Walking in Circles is a clever concept. The creators wanted to “bring the magic of tabletop RPG’s to the screen.” It is definitely an ambitious undertaking. I watched the first four episodes and each of the characters have some great moments that are fun and sometimes hilarious. I laughed out loud on more than one occasion. Markus, the wizard, is my favorite. He made me laugh the most with his excellent comedic timing. I loved, “My mom named me to get back at my dad for having such a boring last name. Or” a beat,  “she was high. I don’t know. ”

While I enjoyed the characters talking to a camera crew, because I think that’s a fun notion, I wish they had taken the concept of  tabletop RPG to screen a bit further. Perhaps tabletop players could talk about their characters to the camera and then we see the characters as the adventuring misfit crew. This could help explain how the characters are rather modern in speech pattern, interrelationship dramatics, and attempted democratic voting. It would also explain Krag rolling his eyes when his misfit crew does their own thing instead of aiding him. I live with a Viking (close enough to a barbarian prince). Vikings do not role their eyes when disobeyed by the people they are in charge of.

Production value on Walking in Circles is of decent caliber. The background noise and music aided in the story telling and did not detract. The white washing cinematography used was not my favorite, but a choice that I can respect. The acting was also decent, occasionally everyone talking over each other got a bit muddled, but for the most part the scenes play out well. Each episode is about 9 or 10 minutes long and while there is a greater story arc each episode did have its own purposeful story as well.

If you like high fantasy, play a lot of tabletop RPGs, or find misfit crews endearing, check out Walking in Circles. Slayings, demons, and more grace the computer screen as Krag and his crew try to find a common goal in their adventuring.

Television Review: The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead is an American post-apocalyptic horror drama television series developed by Frank Darabont. It is based on the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The series stars Andrew Lincoln as sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes, who awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world dominated by flesh-eating zombies. He sets out to find his family and encounters many other survivors along the way. (Synopsis from Wikipedia)

Well, these zombies are no Hessius Man detective Chakz. They are flesh eating zombies, some in the shape of children. (Which was not a surprise fyi, that first bit was way predictable.) I’ve watched the first four episodes of The Walking Dead, and I’ve yet to be hooked. (Actually, by the time this posts, I may have seen a few more.) I know, I know, season three is this amazing epic season of television and if I can just get through it, I’ll be astounded by the writing and what happens. Awesome. I’m pushing through, but I’m also rolling my eyes a tad.

The eyes rolling bits include: drama because I slept with the person I wasn’t supposed to sleep with, a person is bitten but we don’t kill this person because he/she is one of us so lets go find a cure, and lets through an abusive husband into the mix so we can have all the feels. Though the vibrator bit was funny.

The reasons I’m sticking with it: strong characters with potential for interesting things to happen that aren’t predictable, Glenn (I know that people love Daryl because he’s so…. big strong handsome man, but I would expect nothing less from a McManus brother) because I love when the underdog (pizza delivery guy) is given the opportunity to make something of himself and he shines, and I’m glad I accidentally started watching season 2 episode 2 once, it has relieved some of my general anxiety. But then I’m the girl who reads the end of books before starting them, so that may not be a plus to other people.

*I know I’m behind the band wagon on this tv show, so feel free to post spoilers in the comments (but let’s be nice and mark them so).*

Enjoy some fan art

By semie from DeviantArt

Glen From Walking Dead Commisionby SonKiza

Rick Grimes (The Walking Dead)by lerielos

Sherlock Quips (My Own)

I once watched five seasons of Xena in six days, so I had a hard time computing my slow rewatch of Sherlock. It took me six hours to watch three hours of television. I blame my dryer, it sounds like is going to rattle through the floor, and it gave me a headache. I was forced me into my bedroom for 45 minutes during which time I fought with a website, wrestled with live clothes, and answered Facebook messages.

However slow, I steadily made my way through the first season. Here are some of my quips, where I try to be witty. I had a lot of fun, and I think some other people did too, even if it was just to poke fun -at me.

Episode 1

Me: Martin is crying. Feel a little bit bad I was mad at him in my dream for being drunk.

Me: “Yes, he’s always like that.” Pretty sure people say that about me too. Sigh.

Sara: We do. 😉

Me: What a bachelor’s pad! Yuck. When I was younger I used to make my friends clean their rooms when I came over. #abitocd

@MomaWitchyWitch: Lol! I’m notorious in certain places for disappearing & ta-da! Clean kitchen! Now if they’d just keep it that way.

Me: I do that too. Especially if people are starting to overwhelm me. It’s off to the kitchen to do dishes.

Me: Omg! How did I miss the whole, state of her knees, insennuendo before? (That’s insinuate and innuendos in Jamism.)

Me: Serial killer sponsor, hmm… What I need is a cereal killer sponsor.

Episode 2

Me: Self check out machines are the loudest. I sympathize John.

Sara: That’s why the first thing I do is push the mute button. They’re SO LOUD.

Me: Not every machine has one though.

Sara: Thankfully I have never encountered such a hell-beast.

Me: Don’t you mean hell-hound beast? (I know that’s in the next season, but I couldn’t help myself.)

Me: John takes care of the $ just like Gus in Psych and Leo in The Finder. Another show I wish had lasted longer.

Me: Ok. Momentary brain freeze on quips. Taking an online quiz to get back into the game. http://www.buzzfeed.com/alannaokun/how-much-would-ron-swanson-hate-you?bftw

[I’d get a grudging respect apparently. I suppose this is because I didn’t want to tell where my money goes and I prefer silence to music.]

Me: “He got peckish.” Good word that, feeling peckish myself.

Me: Muddy buddies and sea salt vinegar chips. Not for everyone, but it satisfies my sweet and salty taste buds.

Me: Skinny belts on top of big sweaters. Sooo 2010 or still in vogue?

[Goes to investigate. (This is why the rewatch takes so long.)]

Me: Apparently 2014 is the year of the mid drift. Yes, I’m posting about fashion during the death scene. http://www.glamour.com/fashion/2013/09/most-wearable-spring-2014-trends-from-nyfw#slide=4

Sara: And by that you mean the midriff? Because “mid drift” would be “in the middle of a pile of snow” or “while sliding around a sharp turn in a vehicle.”

Me: Apparently mid drift and midriff are two different things. One is about sliding in the snow, and the one not to be worn near snow. 

Episode 3

Me: Episode 3 started while I was typing. I know some people who definitely related to the grammar correction. ::coughsaracough::

Rewatching Sherlock

I’ve decided to rewatch seasons one and two of Sherlock before I watch season threr, which I’ve TiVo’d. And I’ve decided to live tweet as I watch.

This has nothing at all to do with my dream last night. Nothing at all. However, coincidentally, I dreamt last night that I was on a cruise with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Martin was drunk and Benedict was talking about how he wanted to get married. All I could do was sit there and think, ‘Didn’t I just get engaged? Where is Chris? Why am I dealing with trying to get a drunk guy to his cabin (Benedict was no help, he thought it was funny) and listening to a guy tell me way personal stuff I don’t care about. Like the time that 18 year old kid who just got out of the army started talking to me about his virginity.’

I always have strange dreams about celebrities. I once dreamt I shot Josh Hartnett because he was trying to hurt my sister. The only good dream I had was about the Winchester brothers, but it was not the actors in my dream it was the characters.

Suffice to say, I’ve had Sherlock on the brain for a few days, weeks, years. So I’m excited for the rewatch. As I said, I’ll be live tweeting my rewatch, so come find me at @JamiZehr to join in the fun. But no worries if you can’t make it right now, I’ll be compiling all my pithy (hopefully) remarks in a future post.

Sherlock Minions

Best thing ever! 

Sherlock Love

Due to incoming guests and family meals, I haven’t watched Sherlock. Yet. But I will. So, no spoilers. In the mean time, here is some fun Sherlocky spoiler free stuff on the interwebs.

Sherlock cosplay. His grin is the bestest!

Sherlock and John fan art. Though, I think John is quite clever himself.

Sherlock and MGM lion mash up. Because this one made me laugh out loud.

Sherlock and Mary Hopper anime fan art.

Possible Sherlock Legos to be made. It’s currently in the review stage. In the mean time enjoy the concept art work.

A Sherlock and Psych Mashup to Make You Smile

Sew Yourself a Doctor, Ask Austen for a TARDIS, and Follow Bonnie Burton Around the Internets

Illustration of Pride and Prejudice and a TARDIS. “Seeking haven from Mister Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet chances upon a strange blue box.” Austen FTW. A print is only $17.00. [via Pinterest]

You can buy an awesome TARDIS Scarf for $30. This looks like the one I’ve been knitting at for over a year. Now that I have one from my best friend, maybe I should do something with the one I just finished. . . hmmm. [via The Mary Sue]

Or you can sew yourself a Doctor rag doll. Which is cute, but does need some adjustments to make it look better. Check it out on Three Dresses.

Perhaps all this crafting geekery has inspired you to create a TARDIS cardigan like this one? Awesome. The pattern was made up as the knitter went along, so I’ve no pattern to post for you all. Boo.

Check out these cool TARDIS coasters which I saw while watching Bonnie on Vaginal Fantasy and went online and stalked around until I found them. I love that show, it’s on YouTube and led by Felicia Day. These coasters can be found on ThinkGeek. Honestly Bonnie is the coolest, you should check her out on Pinterest and Twitter. (This is where being a fangirl and being a stalker seem like the same thing, but they aren’t. Because. Well, because.) She always has a lot of cool geeky things which seem to revolve around Doctor Who and Benedict Cumberbatch. I like seeing all her cool stuff sitting on her couch while she participates in Vaginal Fantasy.

TARDIS Coasters on ThinkGeek

Nodds & Nends: DIY Rainbow Igloo, Neil Gaimon’s animated story is lovely and scary, and Playing it Safe

With all this snow that we are having recently how about making a DIY rainbow igloo? Start collecting milk jugs now and you might have enough for next winter.

Neil Gaiman wrote and voiced an animated short story. It is both lovely and scary.

I read an interesting article by Gus Sanchez of Out Where the Buses Don’t Run, who asked if a debut novel should play it safe. He points to Ready Player One as a debut novel that didn’t play it safe and the resulting piece of work is excellent. I agree, Ready Player One was one of my 2011 best reads. It’s also interesting to note that:

There’s an adage in the publishing world, […] that both agents and publishers will repeat with writers: your first and second novels should play it safe.

So this is why I generally don’t like a series until the third book.

This Nerd Cross Over from Dork Tower made my day. I love cross overs, but Doctor Who, Sherlock, and Downtown Abby are some of my favorite Nerd Things (think Sound of Music Favorite Things song) and so this cross over is just special to me. [via Nerd Approved]

Two little kids tell a story and these adults act it out. I laughed my head off.