sfdebris reviews TWOK

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

Kick back and relax, this one's a four-part review and eschews much of the snark that obfuscated whatever legitimate criticisms he had in his TMP review.

Part one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hIV3gLupqU&feature=related

I'm sure you can click on the rest of the review without me having to post each individual link.

 

[RyuRoots]

I usually enjoy SFDebris. He can tear into an ep I like and I'll laugh and be entertained. And if it's one I hate or am neutral on, then so much the better. But this whole review is nothing but the usual wanking that occurs whenever TWOK is brought up, and then some. For someone I usually find entertaining, this review was incredibly boring.

 

[TedShatner10]

Meh, I prefered his recent indepth reviews of Red Dwarf and the stark contrast between crap a VOY episode like "The Q and the Grey" and a decent one like "The Gift". The Wrath of Khan is certainly better than TMP and has an excellent character duel with allusions to older tales, but it was a rather overblown review.

 

[Kegg]

Kick back and relax, this one's a four-part review and eschews much of the snark that obfuscated whatever legitimate criticisms he had in his TMP review.

I thought the snark did nothing of the kind, and I'm a TMP fan. Sfdebris is one of those video reviewers who can be simultaneously snarky and to the point.

This review? Well, the whole wealth of literary quotations and allusions he keeps piling on have a rather transparent purpose by the time his recap comes around: He's arguing for the intelligence of TWOK, especially vis-a-vis TMP.

Good show and all that, but "Q2" next week will be a thoroughly welcome change of pace.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I couldn't make it through Part I of the review.

Really, the fad for l-o-n-g video reviews of movies is assinine for several reasons, not least of which are the adenoidal voices and sing-song deliveries of most non-professionals. He delivers this stuff as if he's reading it off of a page, so why not just put it out there in print and spare our ears?

The virtues of print over video in this regard were enumerated so perfectly by Bradbury in Fahrenheit 451 that they don't need restating. Given that this guy doesn't bring anything particularly new to the table in terms of insight the least he could do is put his stuff out there in a form that enables the audience to scan and evaluate it at their own pace rather than his.

In this case, just start with the fact that he opens with one more interation of all the public stories about the process by which this movie was greenlighted and Nimoy brought aboard. Someone out there hasn't heard all of that and someone is interested, but I'm not that someone. Let me get to the meat - such as it is - of the review without the preamble.

And spare me any ADHD cracks - I can watch and listen to a lengthy and in-depth video piece or read a long analysis just fine. The presenter has to make it worthwhile, and this guy doesn't.

Maybe I'll try out his ST:TMP review on the off chance that it's at least funny.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

Kick back and relax, this one's a four-part review and eschews much of the snark that obfuscated whatever legitimate criticisms he had in his TMP review.

I thought the snark did nothing of the kind, and I'm a TMP fan. Sfdebris is one of those video reviewers who can be simultaneously snarky and to the point.

I enjoy much of his reviews, especially those that examine the evolution of Q in Trek. However, I didn't care too much for his TMP review, and I too am a slight TMP fan, admiring the film for its attempt at cinematic grander. I felt that his jabs in that review were moronic, sophmoric, and to the detriment of his analysis which was on the nose of the problems in the film's overall presentation. In the end, the snark seemed as if he was trying too hard to be witty.

I think his Red Dwarf reviews are spot-on, and hope he gets around to doing other SF-TV shows like Babylon 5 and Firefly.

 

[Kegg]

Maybe I'll try out his ST:TMP review on the off chance that it's at least funny.

His Voyager reviews are his bread and butter. If you want to see him at his best, try one of his earlier videos, like "Parallax".

I think his Red Dwarf reviews are spot-on, and hope he gets around to doing other SF-TV shows like Babylon 5 and Firefly.

Yes, his reviews have done what years of prodding and allusions by nerds have never managed to do, which is make me sort of want to watch Red Dwarf. I suspect I shall do so, then.

More sci-fi show reviews would definitely also be good.

 

[Eyes]

His reviews are usually funny, especially his earlier ones (His review of Threshold is a classic), but this one was 40 minutes of him pointing out all the Moby Dick/ Paradise Lost references in the film. Sure it's interesting if you haven't noticed that before, but sometimes I wish he did something a bit funny. If you've visited his site (www.sfdebris.com), you'll notice that a lot of his recent Voyager reviews (like 'The Q and the Grey') were put up there ages before the video was released, with only minor changes.

At the end, when I got to the score, I let out a groan, as the 10 was sitting there. I'm not one of those fans who considers TWoK to be the best film ever. Pretty good, but nothing outstanding.

His reviews of Red Dwarf are brilliant, however, and when he posted the introductory video to the 10-week look back in August, I decided to watch the series to see what he was talking about (It also sounded right up my street as a sci-fi comedy), and keeping about level with him in his reviews, I am now a big fan of the series.

 

[Myasishchev]

SFDebris is a great reviewer. I think he has taste, and presence. I'm puzzled by the sentiment that it sounds like he's reading off of paper--I think he's got great delivery.

He is of course funnier when the show is bad. Also, I expected him to hammer Scotty showing off a dying kid to the bridge instead of taking him to sickbay, but he did not.

 

[Michael]

Also, I expected him to hammer Scotty showing off a dying kid to the bridge instead of taking him to sickbay, but he did not.

Ha, I was waiting for the exact same thing.

As for the review, I enjoyed it quite a bit. It isn't particularly funny, but considering the movie I didn't expect a lot of jokes this time. I found it very insightful and intelligent. I for one never much thought about all the literary allusions and am glad he took the time to point them out.

 

[Kegg]

At the end, when I got to the score, I let out a groan, as the 10 was sitting there. I'm not one of those fans who considers TWoK to be the best film ever. Pretty good, but nothing outstanding.

He's stated that his scores are relative - not only for Star Trek, but for a subsection of Star Trek (a score for a Voyager episode is in relation to all the other Voyager episodes).

And, hey, if you are someone who considers TWOK the best Trek movie and a good movie in general, you're not exactly stating a controversial position here so his mark is understandable. Of his video reviews I think only "Tapestry" has also recieved a 10, which is another obvious and inoffensive pick.

Also, I expected him to hammer Scotty showing off a dying kid to the bridge instead of taking him to sickbay, but he did not.

Ha, I was waiting for the exact same thing.

Since he gets some of his best humour from mercilessly attacking the occasionally nonsense science of Trek, I was expecting him to have a field day on the Genesis device... but I guess putting it in its literary context is fine too.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I'm puzzled by the sentiment that it sounds like he's reading off of paper--I think he's got great delivery.

I don't. That's my observation after bearing with his nasal, sing-song recitation of the production history of ST:TWOK.

 

[exodus]

SFDebris needs to get a life and a real job.
He's a perfect example of why people have a bad image of Trek fans.

 

[Kirk1980]

SFDebris needs to get a life and a real job.
He's a perfect example of why people have a bad image of Trek fans.

.....and you arrive at this conclusion because of...what exactly?

His research? His understanding of actual literary works?

And upon what basis do you assume he has no other job?

I await your groundbreaking details and sharp observations with keen excitement.

 

[TheGodBen]

Of his video reviews I think only "Tapestry" has also recieved a 10, which is another obvious and inoffensive pick.

I think that All Good Things and In the Pale Moonlight also received 10. But you're right, each show's score is relative to the show, so a score of 6 on a TNG episode is not the same as a score of 6 for a Voyager episode. In this case TWOK's score is relative to all the other Trek films, so a 10 was to be expected considering that it is his favourite.

SFDebris needs to get a life and a real job.
He's a perfect example of why people have a bad image of Trek fans.

Since I'm doing practically the same thing as him but to a much smaller audience and on a much nerdier forum, I invite you to say that about me.

 

[exodus]

SFDebris needs to get a life and a real job.
He's a perfect example of why people have a bad image of Trek fans.

.....and you arrive at this conclusion because of...what exactly?

His research? His understanding of actual literary works?

And upon what basis do you assume he has no other job?

I await your groundbreaking details and sharp observations with keen excitement.

..because of replies like this and opinions I'm allowed to have.

What research?
What literary works?

As another poster in another forum pointed out, they aren't even real reviews just parodies. If he can "critique" shows & eps. on YouTube, then he's opened himself up to being critiqued himself.

Godben: Dare me?

 

[TheGodBen]

Double dare.

 

[exodus]

Double dare.

Does that mean I can pour green slime over your head?

 

[Myasishchev]

I'm puzzled by the sentiment that it sounds like he's reading off of paper--I think he's got great delivery.

I don't. That's my observation after bearing with his nasal, sing-song recitation of the production history of ST:TWOK.

Well, diff'rent strokes, I guess. I will say that on some (not all) of the quotes, his delivery faltered--and was absolutely stomped on in one instance by Ricardo Montalban delivering the same line.

Some of his more main-line stuff might be up one's alley, even if the TWOK review was not. But I would hesitate to recommend it to such a one (i.e., you ), as his delivery is basically the same.

For what it's worth, my girlfriend cannot stand his delivery, but I'm puzzled by her reaction too.

SFDebris needs to get a life and a real job.
He's a perfect example of why people have a bad image of Trek fans.

Nah. Dude's got a hobby, and in the process he's entertained several thousand people, including me. I'd be pretty bummed if he stopped doing it.

 

[TheGodBen]

Does that mean I can pour green slime over your head?

Only on St Paddy's Day, otherwise I'll stand out and people will think I'm weird.