Spoiler Warning S5E27: Fish ‘n Chips

By Mumbles Posted Thursday Jun 2, 2011

Filed under: Spoiler Warning 209 comments


Link (YouTube)

What up, everyone. It’s Mumbles. Taking over Chocolate Hammer for the day just wasn’t enough for me. I’m the Doctor Doom of nerd blogs. Actually, as a sidenote, the Fantastic Four is my favorite Marvel series. It’s evolved into a story where Reed Richards has all of the qualities to make him an excellent super villain, but it’s his family and nemesis Doom that keep him doing good. Unfortunately, the movie is a perfect example of Hollywood completely misinterpreting characters. Reed Richards isn’t a shy, bumbling nerd. He’s actually a confident prick. Is it so difficult for people to believe that nerdy guys can have a little bit of swagger because of their intelligence? Do people love Tony Stark because he’s smart or because he’s a charming rich guy in a cool suit?

Anyway, the early issues of Fantastic Four are really worth checking out if you’ve got some time on your hands. My brother says Jack Kirby shines in Thor, but his work in FF is just as impressive. If I could lend all of you my anthologies, I totally would.

Did that sound a little too off topic? You want to know why? Because we can’t stay on topic this week during Spoiler Warning. I don’t know if it’s because Ruts and Shamus haven’t played Dead Money or my own personal resentment for it being a buggy piece of crap on my PC. Or both. Whatever the case may be, we really go off the rails today and tomorrow.

Regarding today’s episode, I just want to apologize in advance. You’ll know when it happens.

 


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209 thoughts on “Spoiler Warning S5E27: Fish ‘n Chips

  1. Sagretti says:

    Ya know, your description of Reed Richards pretty much matches perfectly with how The Venture Brothers depicts him, or at least his doppleganger Richard Impossible. Their version of the character has no archenemy or regard for his family, and thus has free reign to be a jerk to everyone and act worse than most villains in the world, all in the name of science. After that show, I can never look at the Fantastic Four in the same way again.

    …oh wait, there’s a Spoiler Warning attached. Probably should watch that now…

    1. Jeff #3 says:

      Yup. Professor Impossible is the first character I thought of after reading the ‘arrogant prick’. And to para-quote Dr. Venture, who really calls themselves Mr. Incredible anyway? What kind of ego is that?

    2. Hitch says:

      I just wish Reed Richards was enough of a prick to insist on calling Victor von Doom “Mr. Doom.” Victor flunked out of college after he blew up the lab in his own face. Honorary degrees from the University of Latveria do not count after you’ve bought the whole country.

      (I realize some people may feel the need to point out that my version is in some respects at odds with Marvel canon, but I maintain that my story is superior.)

      1. MrWhales says:

        It sounds much better than what ever could possibly have been stretched together by Marvel.

        1. Kavonde says:

          Ehh. That pun was a bit of a reach.

  2. Jibar says:

    Hank Pym is a better scientist, a better husband and a better hero.
    Is he still Scientist Supreme, or did that get swept under the rug at some point?

          1. MrWhales says:

            You have just won. I concede for her..

            1. Aldowyn says:

              I just want to mention…

              Wow, Robin was being a jerk. :D

          2. Mumbles says:

            Doesn’t count! It’s not the real comic strip :P

            http://bit.ly/kt28QR

            idk if that’s even better tho :[

            1. mixmastermind says:

              He is very eloquent for having been slapped in the face.

            2. Hitch says:

              The dialog is fake, but the slap is real.

      1. Deadpool says:

        That scene is taken FAR out of context…

        Btw, Jan is MUCH worse to Hank than otherwise. She used him being under mind control to marry him!

          1. I’m PurePareidolia and that is my favourite website on the internet

      2. Topaz Wolf says:

        Hank Pym’s sudden character derailment into a wife beater is a moment of suck I will never forgive Marvel for.

        1. Jonn says:

          Wasn’t he in the middle, of, y’know, a nervous breakdown? That was supposed to be a one-off event. It’s subsequent writers who couldn’t forget it.

          1. Topaz Wolf says:

            Which is why I won’t forgive marvel for it. They will never let it go. It has literally become one of his defining traits.

            1. CTrees says:

              This.

              So, yes, Sue Storm got a little uppity, too, but Hank just kept at it, because later writers decided he thought it was fun, or something. Reed Richards, I may remember/be reminded about the abuse, but heck, even Superman and Batman had amusing golden age panels of them beating their significant others (Louis/Robin). When I think Hank Pym, I think wifebeating.

              Though I will concede down to “neither Pym nor Richards should be able to be considered the better husband.”

      3. Daemian Lucifer says:

        Oh man,thats awful!What self respecting husband would do that?!Everyone knows that you use a closed fist not the open palm.

    1. Mumbles says:

      He’s also less entertaining.

      I thought the Scientist Supreme thing was retconned? Like they realized Marvel had 3094283509234 other scientists running around and didn’t want to upset the fanboys.

      1. Bobby Archer says:

        So, wait, there was a Scientist Supreme? Like Doctor Strange, but with SCIENCE!?

        1. Jeff says:

          How the heck does that even work? Science doesn’t work that way!

          1. Jibar says:

            Have you seen Marvel science?
            I believe he got the title because he was so good at Science! it was essentially magic.

            1. Sumanai says:

              Isn’t that just regular Marvel Science?

        2. drlemaster says:

          Sure, they just compare scores and see who has higher science.

      2. Hitch says:

        I liked that back before they ruined the character, Ralph Dibney’s claim to fame was being the 3rd greatest detective in the DC universe. I don’t know that they ever actually defined who was number 2, but my money is on Detective Chimp.

        1. Drexer says:

          Ted Kord.

          1. Mumbles says:

            :[

            we miss you ted

          2. Hitch says:

            Yes, of course. Sadface that I forgot that.

    2. Squirrel Girl has the best science.

  3. Deadpool says:

    I’m pretty sure Dean is a HORRIBLE judge of character…

    Btw, surely you’re apologizing for bring up Cable & Deadpool (STILL a sore subject!), right?

    PS: X-Force, not X-Men…

    1. Mumbles says:

      I reaaaalllllyy wasn’t in the mood for explaining the difference between x-men and x-force

      1. Deadpool says:

        Cuz the X-Wing went so well ;)

        1. Mumbles says:

          :P I’m not great at speaking, ok.

          1. Deadpool says:

            It’s okay. It’s not like you have a web show where you speak in public or anything…

            PS: Wasn’t a big Thor fan myself until JMS’ run… That thing was awesome.

            1. Mumbles says:

              My brother loves Thor and I can’t totally understand why.

              Although, I think the Jack Kirby stuff is worth reading if you haven’t. A loooooot of the art direction from the movie came from those early comics.

              1. Deadpool says:

                Tell you what, I’ll hunt down Kirby if you try JMS…

                1. Mumbles says:

                  Deal. Leave me a comment on my blog when you’re done and tell me what you think.

                  1. Deadpool says:

                    Likewise… Well, clearly not on MY blog because I don’t have a– Well, you get the point!

                    Now I wonder if there’s some way I could sell you on Kelly’s Deadpool… Cuz Nicieza’s is a travesty…

                    1. Hitch says:

                      Don’t worry, if you did have a blog, she wouldn’t leave a comment there. She’d just take over and post in your place.

              2. krellen says:

                I liked the movie, does that count?

                1. Deadpool says:

                  Movie was Kirby-style and written by JMS so… You’re in the ballpark on BOTH fronts!

                  1. krellen says:

                    I thought the art style was really awesome, because I’m like the only person on the planet that thinks Frank Miller ruined superheroes. I miss the four-colour days.

                    1. krellen says:

                      Yeah, well, I don’t think Frank Miller had a good period, either.

                    2. Deadpool says:

                      To be fair, Man Without Fear was pretty good. I think Dark Knight Returns was god awful though…

                      Then again, I dislike Morrison quite a bit too, so my opinions aren’t exactly popular…

              3. MrWhales says:

                Mumbles, you realize Thor is a viking, so all scenes regarding Asgard/Valhalla are required by Mythos law to include atleast one immortal hot blonde, right?
                Not that I am saying that is the reason
                >.>
                <..>

                1. krellen says:

                  Yeah, but this is Thor, so that immortal hot blond is usually the God of Thunder himself.

    2. Vect says:

      Oh, Josh’s dialogue choices ensure that Dean will be less willing to help him when the time comes.

  4. rrgg says:

    Yeah, this section is getting pretty boring. Not much room for Cuftburt’s usual antics when he has a bomb attached to his neck.

    1. Someone says:

      Yeah, here comes the part when the initial intrigue wanes, most of the immediate questions are answered, companions found and talked to and you have to suffer through two hours of mediocre filler combat set in the samey mediocre filler corridors before it “gets good” again.

  5. Deadpool says:

    Oh yeah, the chips ARE fusion batteries…

      1. Roll-a-Die says:

        NO, the Fallout mythos is that the US have perfected fusion cells, or at least come very close, through the eternal power of SCIENCE! Fission is very rarely used, and almost always in very AGED bombs, mostly because it typically requires fossil fuels to accomplish, and those are horded more than a dragons eggs.

        Basically Fallout is a world where Peak Oil happened and rapidly advancing technology as well as a disparity between first, second and third world nations in the amount of technology used and available, combined, adding in increasingly closed borders between nations, and it finally brought about the end of the world. Wait a second… Oh fuck.

        I remember when Fallout was founded on a realistic premise which made unreal things possible.

  6. Topaz Wolf says:

    I love the Fantastic Four for only one reason. They gave me the Silver surfer.

    In a slightly off topic note, http://ssjlogan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/world_war_hulk_prologue_crop.jpg , best picture of Mr. Fantastic ever.

      1. Topaz Wolf says:

        Not to mention he has to aim it by hand. What exactly does he intend to do with it…

        Doomsday device collection probably.

        1. Deadpool says:

          God, can you IMAGINE what child proofing that house was like?

          1. Topaz Wolf says:

            Child proofing? Reed strikes me as the type to let natural selection have a chance. Remember if it doesn’t kill you, it only makes you stronger. Or something like that.

            1. Deadpool says:

              Now thinking about it, Sue probably just put force fields EVERYWHERE…

              1. Topaz Wolf says:

                Well seeing as how he keeps his enemies weapons when he defeats them, and his main enemy is Doctor Doom, every single spot in his place of residence (think he is in the tower, but I haven’t been keeping up as well as I do other comics) must have weapons, or be made of them. The legs on all his chairs are probably made of death rays.

                1. NonEuclideanCat says:

                  Wow, that sounds like simultaneously the best and worst Bond villain ever. All the furniture in his lair is made out of death rays, the floors are made of buzz-saws, the walls are just hundreds of intersecting lasers…

                  1. Deadpool says:

                    He probably just uses them for mundane tasks. That Class 4 Desintegrator? His paper shredder…

              2. Raygereio says:

                Well, if I recall right their kid Franklin can eat reality itself like pudding, so I’m not really sure if child proofing the place would have had any use to it.

                Also, I love how when I type in “Reed Richards” in google, google’s auto-complete-your-input-feature-thingie immediatly suggests “Reed Richards is useless”

                1. Drexer says:

                  Ah TVtropes, how we love how you guide our geekness.

                2. Deadpool says:

                  Franklin spent most of his baby time with his grandfather in the future, who had an armor that made him immune to the kid’s power…

                  Still, they didn’t know that BEFORE the kid was born, which is when most parents DO that stuff…

  7. Eärlindor says:

    Oh gosh…. All the chip jokes… the horrorrrrrrrrr….

    1. Grag says:

      I think this episode would be better appreciated with some oreo cookies.

      1. Adam P says:

        I think I’d rather watch it with some Chips Ahoy.

        1. Groboclown says:

          Personally, I just listened to it while watching an old Disney cartoon. Starring Chip and Dale.

          1. Eärlindor says:

            Please stop chipping away at my brain.

            1. Someone says:

              Tired of chip puns? Well, I guess you’re… chip out of luck!

              1. MrWhales says:

                I have a few, may i chip in on the torment?

                1. Kavonde says:

                  I think he’s suffered enough. Here, Eärlindor, have some ribs. I marinated them in chipotle sauce.

                  1. Von Krieger says:

                    We better stop before he goes mad and stuffs us into a wood chipper.

                    1. Sara Pickell says:

                      But we’ve already got a chip in the big game. Maybe he’ll forgive us, after all he’s got such a chipper disposition.

                    2. Kavonde says:

                      Well, another suggestion, on the off chance that he likes this sort of thing: we COULD hire some Chippendale dancers.

                    3. Someone says:

                      Yeah, you can always count on chipmunks to brighten your day.

    2. Exasperation says:

      If you really can’t take it, you should send out an SOS. That’s the distress call, not the type of food (which is actually pretty good – I could really go for some creamed chipped beef on toast right now).

  8. Littlefinger says:

    Shamus may have been slow on the uptake re: unintentional punning, but I still don’t get it? I also have no idea what radical is.

    1. Deadpool says:

      Rad is short fo radical.

      He confused a roach with a scorpion though, which is FAR more worrisome to me than accidental punning… Seriously, how bad IS that stream?

      1. Skan says:

        Huh I thought the joke was that he said that it was a “Radical change of pace” as Josh got the perk for having his leg crippled…It works on so many levels!!

        1. Littlefinger says:

          Oh, so that’s what he said? I thought he said remarkable change of pace.

          Okay, mystery solved. Moving on.

      2. Hitch says:

        Well, seeing any enemy other than a Ghost Fill-in-the-blank in Dead Money is a pretty disconcerting turn of events.

  9. kanodin says:

    I move that we all stringently avoid chip puns in order to troll rutskarn back.

    1. Deadpool says:

      We were doing that pretty well by focusing mostly on comic talk…

    2. Jonn says:

      I dunno. He might think something’s fishy.

      1. Peter H. Coffin says:

        Nah, that’d be a complete fluke.

        1. Scott (Duneyrr) says:

          No, not this again!

          1. Kavonde says:

            Yeah, it’s only a matter of time before we run out of puns and start to flounder.

            1. MrWhales says:

              I bass get to google and look up a whole catch of them then.

            2. Ramsus says:

              Everything seems chip shape to me. Puns as far as the eye can sea.

              1. Kavonde says:

                You know, maybe if we stop punning, we can get Josh to stop bunny-hopping. Maybe scratch his back so he scratches ours.

                You know. Squid pro quo.

                1. Winter says:

                  No! FPSes just don’t look right without bunny-hopping. I’d have to stop watching the show :(

    3. Daemian Lucifer says:

      Ill toss my chips in with you.

      Oh…Wait…I screwed up…

  10. Dovius says:

    Ya know, I remember a SW episode from Season 2 where Shamus called Rock Climbing on it.
    I think it’d be more appropriate here, since it’s really starting to chip at my enjoyment.

    1. kanodin says:

      Well that didn’t last long. Also I prefer Saaaaandstooooorm myself. clooouuudstoooorm?

    2. krellen says:

      No, bad Dovius! Don’t encourage Rutskarn.

      I want you to write on the board 100 times:

      I will not encourage the Rutskarn.

      You can stop once you’ve learned your lesson.

      1. Dovius says:

        Well, are you sure? That many lines might start chipping into the board.

        1. krellen says:

          If Mumbles doesn’t destroy you, I will.

          1. Dovius says:

            You’ll never even take a chip off my defenses!

            1. Kavonde says:

              Curses! My pun was ninja’d by Dovius below. I guess I’ll assuage my failure with some Chipotle.

              1. Von Krieger says:

                They’re not being very chipper, are they?

                1. Sumanai says:

                  No they’re not. But I’d say they’re a chip off the old block, no doubt.

      2. X2-Eliah says:

        You need not encourage Rutskarn, he is, by now, a complete chipster, combining the chippy hipsterness that normally is Mumbles into a more refined, finely-chipped pun-factory.

        1. Dovius says:

          Well aren’t you in a chipper state of mind.

        2. Yeah, I definitely chip Rutskarn/Mumbles at this point.

  11. Dudecon says:

    Just wanted to say that I enjoy the show the most when you do the least talking about the game. I’ve never played any of these games, and all you do is complain about them anyhow. Much more interesting to listen to the witty banter. Or puns, I like puns too.

  12. Drexer says:

    Mumbles you called yourself Doom and you didn’t end the post with ‘RICHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARDS!’

    Shameful.

    Or ‘RUTSKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARN!’ maybe. Arch-villains have always had slight romantic tensions with the heroes so not much would change in-universe.

  13. Starkos says:

    Shamus, everytime Mumbles and Rutskarn start bantering off each other, I keep expecting to hear you say, “Okay, you kids just keep flirting while the grownups focus on the boring brown brouhaha.”

    1. X2-Eliah says:

      Shamus doesn’t say it, but really you can actually hear him thinking, nay, subvocalizing exactly that.

  14. Christopher M says:

    When I hear “Domino” I think “Hurley.” I guess some things just ingrain themselves into your subconscious.

    1. X2-Eliah says:

      When I hear Domino, I think, of, well, domino blocks with little dots on them..

      God, I feel so old.

      1. MrWhales says:

        Quit chipping away at memories of my childhood.

    2. Littlefinger says:

      TELL ME YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT GRIM FANDANGO!

      Come to think of it, Dean even looks a bit like him. I mean, sure, the cartoony looks make it easy to see anyone in there, but those sunglasses aren’t a coincidence.

      1. Christopher M says:

        Yep.

        Sure, Dean’s got the glasses, but if they were trying for a sneaky reference, a set of false teeth would’ve done wonders.

      2. Vect says:

        Unfortunately, Dean has a stuffy British accent rather than a Hispanic one. He’s like the anti-Desmond (the Ghoul from Point Lookout).

    3. Someone says:

      I think of Dean Venture. Dunno why, there is no resemblance at all.

  15. Don Alsafi says:

    My favorite Kirby picture of Doom may be this one. It’s just so damn goofy!

    For any readers who may be interested, my Silver Age Marvel blog has lots more. Check it out at MarvelGenesis.com, if you like!

    1. MrWhales says:

      I read “Kirby” and thought of the little pink puffball who I would like to read a comic of instead of all this FF stuff. I never found them interesting.

      1. Jarenth says:

        I have pretty much the same problem.

    2. Jarenth says:

      It looks like Doom is doing his best robot impression.

      I can almost hear him go BEEP BOOP, INITIATE PROGRAM: RICHAAAAAARDS.

  16. Irridium says:

    This episode chipped away at my psyche. One pun at a time.

    1. Jakale says:

      Rutskarn seemed pretty chipper about it though, and isn’t that what really matters?

      1. MrWhales says:

        I just fish he can keep all this punning going..

  17. Sekundaari says:

    I wonder about this thing… almost every time Rutskarn makes one of his puns, Shamus replies with a frustrated sigh or something. Is it hard to remember to press the button so others hear it?

  18. Slothful says:

    Rutskarn is younger than me? That’s crazy, right there. Go back into your mom’s uterus, you snapperwhipper! Snapwhipple? Snap…whip…whip the snap? Go snap a whip…

    I’m not good at being old. Get offa my lawn!

    Also, now I want fish and chips. DAMN YOU RUTSKARN!!

    1. Entropy says:

      It’s not hard to be older than a 12 year old.

      1. Someone says:

        Now I have the theme tune from that “Smarter than a 10 year old” show stuck in my head. Thanks.

    1. MrWhales says:

      So, i read your link before i chipped into it. I was thinking of a Marvel reference.. But i will never be able to find out what it was.

      1. kanodin says:

        It was a short chip of South Park that he was referencing. Yeah I’m putting my chips in with the punners, they chipped away all my resistance groan by groan.

  19. Kelly says:

    I can see why you guys usually insist on doing things all or most of you have played, because these Dead Money episodes are utterly awful, what with everyone but Josh basically not knowing what’s going on to begin with and completely ignoring or talking over 75% of it when it happens on screen.

    1. Yeah, it is pretty snooze-a-riffic.

    2. Rutskarn says:

      Eh, there’s room for a balance in terms of game-focused and not-game-focused weeks. If I may quote an earlier comment:

      “Just wanted to say that I enjoy the show the most when you do the least talking about the game. I've never played any of these games, and all you do is complain about them anyhow. Much more interesting to listen to the witty banter.”

      Not saying this should be every week, but I don’t see anything wrong with a goofy off-topic week every now and then.

      1. Milos says:

        I agree with this. The main purpose of SW might be to comment on the games you play through but I think anyone here would be lying to say that at least part of the shows appeal doesn’t come from the banter. I personally enjoyed this episode.

        Anyway, just my two chips.

      2. Cerapa says:

        Personally I find this week quite entertaining. Not much is going on, but the banter and puns keep it alive and kicking.

      3. Even says:

        Then perhaps you should rename the show to “Pun Warning” for these off weeks, since the spoiler part does suffer quite a bit here.

        Frankly, when even the hosts are lost most of the time, I can’t imagine most of the audience is going to be doing much better. If not for Josh doing the occasional plot summary, there’d be nothing to be gained in the story department for those who actually care about it.. and even then most of it fits on a Post-It. The banter does thankfully keep it entertaining.. it’s just that if not for the sillyness, there just wouldn’t be much to watch here.

        Goofy episodes are definitely fun now and then, but I’m not sure if a whole week is for the good.

        1. Scott (Duneyrr) says:

          There was story during this episode? I thought they were just trying to get Dean to stand somewhere while they ran around the same area fighting the same enemies they have been for the last two weeks.

          What meaningful contribution to the story can they give that isn’t being given?

          1. Even says:

            Yes, that’s exactly what happened here, but would you even know that if it wasn’t for Josh? For all we know, it could be just an episode about getting a tuxedo wearing ghoul to follow you to some place and doing something somewhere and killing more ghosts while at it. Unless you keep pausing the video to read the dialogue or ignoring the banter completely, chances are you won’t know shit about what’s going on.

            Then again, how would you know you’re missing something when most chances of engaging with a little narrative gets skipped in favor of getting onwards with the DLC? There’s whole lot of backstory and character depth to the Villa, Ghosts, Christine, Dog/God, Dean and Elijah that for most parts is already doomed to get ignored completely if not by some chance getting mentioned by either Josh or Mumbles who’ve actually played the DLC. Add to that the frantic moments of talking to any NPC when there’s some completely unrelated banter, I’m not actually surprised if you don’t notice any story or plot elements at all. It might not all be critical to the main plot, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t give off a rather lackluster feel to the story watching it play out like it does at the moment.

            Still, this is all besides the point I was making in my previous comment, where I wasn’t criticizing today’s episode in particular, but the last few episodes as a whole, as was brought up by Kelly at the top this particular post chain. Just so you know, if that wasn’t particularly clear to you for some reason I can’t fathom right now.

            1. MrWhales says:

              These long comments, I don’t even know where to begin, hopefully they have some good hooks.

              1. Even says:

                I recommend the top.

            2. Klay F. says:

              Since when was it Spoiler Warning’s job to explore every single bit of backstory though?

              The same complaint was made when they criticized Fallout 3 mentally handicapped plot, and is just as incorrect as it is now.

              We’ve known what this first part of the DLC is about since they started it: plot door. That right there is enough for me get the idea (and subsequently swear to never buy it), and no amount of improvement later on will make up for that.

              1. Even says:

                But I never said that they have to do that. I’ve watched the series since Season 2 and fact is, the skipping of plot-related info is just what happens, all the time, and I’ve come to accept it as the status quo. However, if you’re suggesting that one shouldn’t criticize when they clearly go overboard with it, then I’m sorry but I have to disagree.

                You’re free to make your own decisions whether you get the DLC or not, it doesn’t affect me in any way. Plot door or not, it’s still a waste of chance to educate both the audience and the other hosts about the setting and the characters, especially when a lot of it wasn’t even information they’d have to go out of their way to find.

                But life goes on. I was still entertained by the episode(s), which is the only thing that really matters.

            3. Bubble181 says:

              I have to say I agree somewhat.
              I don’t watch all the episodes, but when I do…Well, I do hope to gain some insight into the game they’re playing.
              From these last episodes, as well as some of the regular FNV ones, frankly, I’ve learned absolutely nothing. These episodes are pretty much better listened to as a podcast, than watched.
              If I had nothing but the show to go on, I’d have to conclude FNV is like ME2, but with worse combat and more inventory management. I don’t think that’s the point they want to make, but skipping all kinds of content and story makes for a dull play experience, which leads to banter and jokes about completely unrelated topics.

              Honestly, haven’t watched this episode yet (at work now), but the last episode wouldn’t have been ny different had there not been a game playing in the background.

      4. Tom Davidson says:

        I do think there was an opportunity wasted when you guys bantered right through Dean’s musing about how you didn’t even bring up that your collars were linked when he threatened you with death, even though a) you totally did, and he just didn’t believe it; and b) you guys had just complained about how he was now using the collar threat against you despite not having believed you when you tried it. That you “persuaded” Dean into blurting out paeans to Cuftbert’s essential decency was, IMO, possibly the most laughable part of the episode, and it got talked over. (Of course, the last half of it was obscured by the “fission chips” pun, so maybe it was worth it.)

      5. Kavonde says:

        This week has been great as a podcast, especially since I haven’t played Dead Money yet (bought it, but haven’t played it) and would rather not have everything spoiled when I finally force myself to do it. I’ve been listening while playing other games, doing chores, whatever.

        I’ve got to hand it to Josh for staying on task and generally being able to navigate what seems like a massive, annoying, orange maze. He’s a real blue-chipper.

      6. Kelly says:

        But here’s the two big problems with that

        1. The point of a Let’s Play, centrally, should ALWAYS be the game. Banter is important, but secondary.

        2. Shamus in particular STILL INSISTS ON CRITICIZING EVERY DAMN THING even though he neither knows anything about this, nor does he make any real effort to learn about about it, which isn’t helped by you all talking over the voice acting, the stream making much of the text visible to commentators (which Josh almost never bothers to clarify for the rest of you), and Josh skipping tons of dialogue and terminals which flesh everything out. Instead, Chip puns.

        Now on the other hand, we’ve got the concurrently running Let’s Play on Something Awful (in which they killed House to go Independent so please don’t kill House to go Independent), where only two of the four commentators have played the game, and they generally try to inform the other two and the viewers of any matters that need clarification. They still skip dialogue and terminals because hey, they drink heavily during recording sessions, but there is still a general central effort to SHOW OFF THE GAME despite this and the one who has played the game to death will usually correct the others should they make an objectively incorrect statement.

        1. Daemian Lucifer says:

          But if spoiler warning was like other lets plays and focused on the game,how would it differ from Shamus rants?Dont get me wrong,I like what he has to say about games,but diversity never hurts.That said,Shamus when is the next long rant coming?Say,about the witcher 2?

          1. Kelly says:

            …It would be showing the game in action? That alone makes it completely different. No matter how many screenshots Shamus adds to his own reviews, it will never be the same as live commentary.

            1. Rutskarn says:

              Saying, “A Let’s Play should always be focused on showing off the game first,” is a needless specification. Criken’s found commendable success–both views-wise and in terms of humor–by just grabbing a similarly demented friend and screwing around. Two Best Friends Play is all about the two friends griefing and raging at each other, and that’s a.) seriously popular and b.) gut-bustingly hilarious. Even the Freelance Astronauts have dozens of episodes where not a lot happens and they make RPG-themed Aristocrats jokes.

              I’m not saying we don’t focus on games at all, and perhaps we’ve been drifting a bit off topic this season, but I think perhaps your vision of a let’s play is a bit too constrained.

              1. Rutskarn says:

                To expand on this further, because for some reason my edit button’s run off: the conceit of Spoiler Warning, which we have stated explicitly down to the title graphic, is that we’re a bunch of cronies sitting around a metaphorical couch and playing a videogame. Often we talk about the game; other times, we screw around and make fun of each other. This is our mission statement.

                I mean, I can easily see why someone wouldn’t like watching that, especially if they’re heavily into the Something Awful mode of Let’s Play. In which case–and I mean this with total sincerity, and not even a little rancor–you might not want to watch this show. And that’s okay. You’ve got plenty of stuff to watch, we’ve got a decent amount of people to watch this. Everyone wins!

                Except, as usual, communists. Capitalism always prevails. All glory to Liberty Prime.

                1. Kelly says:

                  See that’s the thing though: I DO like this show. I liked it the most in season 2 when you all knew the game well and there were only 3 people, but I like it all the same.

                  I’m just saying that these episodes are awful, mainly because only josh really knows what’s going on and the rest of you seem to basically ignore the game.

                  I don’t give a damn about random youtube LPers (except Yogscast, and I still mostly just watch their Minecraft videos), but the Astronauts will still usually talk about the game unless its self-explanatory, like their Lemmings games, and Tipping 40s are drunk off their ass as they play New Vegas, Tales of Symphonia, or what have you, but still make the game entertaining.

                  I guess the central complaint here is less about the game and more that these episodes just. aren’t. FUNNY. And that the actually deconstruction of the game is made off a near non-existent knowledge base, at least as far as the amount of attention any of you are paying can be discerned.

                  1. Veloxyll says:

                    The thing I’ve noticed with Dead Money is that there’s not really a lot actually happening on the stream even when you can read the dialogue – and since this isn’t a 100% run, there’s just not that much to talk about.
                    And given that Dead Money is all 1-shotting the same enemy with the same weapon through samey dark and brown corridors, there’s nothing interesting to happen and discuss. From a gameplay perspective, they’ve already complained about practically everything that’s happening. Thus the radical chip puns.
                    Should they talk about Christine’s interesting dialogue from when you fix her vocal chords if Reginald isn’t going to do that? would it add more to the show or would it just sound like they’re trying to convince everyone that this is a good game where you get something out of having skills even though we can’t see it. (I haven’t played FO3:NV or dead money so I dunno if she can be healed)

                    And could we handle a Spoiler Warning where they say something nice about the game. Is that the future you want?

                    1. krellen says:

                      Christine getting healed is part of the plot.

                      Your skills can come into play in Dead Money. There’s actually a lot of things you can get out of some good skill checks, but Josh is woefully underlevelled to make any of them, even on the skills he actually has invested in (and it’s not like Stealth, Unarmed and Melee have many dialogue options to start with.)

                    2. Kelly says:

                      See the thing is that the whole “20 or higher” level suggestion isn’t really about combat so much as it is skill checks. Josh, presumably hoping to show off as little as the game as possible (see also: killing Caeser without speaking to him), decided to go in and punch things when the rest of the cast hadn’t played it.

                      In other words, the reason there’s so little going on in the game is because they’re SKIPPING EVERYTHING. There’s all sorts of conversations you can have with the three companions (4 counting Dog, who we haven’t really met) and Elijah at the start, but NOPE, let’s skip all that and just punch things, then have the main complaint be that the DLC is nothing but punching things. GREAT PLAN!

                    3. Deadpool says:

                      If they DIDN’T skip things we’d be here all damned year…

                2. rrgg says:

                  You definitely don’t need to devote the whole or even most of the show to just the game, but a little explanation of the strategy and mechanics every now and again is extremely helpful for viewers who haven’t played the game before.

                  One thing that I hope is coming up soon is a total plot recap because I am completely lost. Some random delivery boy got shot came back to life then went to Las Vegas and now is the only one who can save the world because they are being bossed around by a computer?

                  1. krellen says:

                    Only if “the world” equal “Las Vegas”, because that’s all you’re deciding the fate of.

                  2. Veloxyll says:

                    Strategy: Activate VATS, punch ghost, loot. Rinse. Repeat?

                    1. Jarenth says:

                      Profit.

                  3. Vect says:

                    Plot Recap:

                    You got shot by Chandler in a stupid suit. Through the miracles of plot medicine, you are saved. You’re supposed to go to Vegas so you can complete job/CUFTBERT PAWNCH Chandler. From thereon you decide whether you help the NCR, Caesar’s Legion (out of the question), Mr. House get Vegas or decide Fuck’em All and get Yes Man (happy smiley robot) to help you kick all their asses.

                3. Sekundaari says:

                  The last domino falls here!

        2. I see where this is going and I agree. I should absolutely join the cast for at least the duration of Dead Money and perhaps Honest hearts because unlike everyone but Josh I have played both. I’ve also played far more New Vegas than is reasonable so don’t think I’ll stop there.

        3. Harry says:

          Are you seriously trying to say that Tipping Forties stay on-topic about New Vegas any more than the Spoiler Warning crew do? I’ve watched both, and it seems to me that Spoiler Warning is WAY more concerned with talking about the game (usually). Tipping Forties spend much more time telling personal anecdotes, skipping all the dialogue, running around lost, getting into arguments, etc.

          Not to say that Tipping Forties isn’t great – it’s my second favourite New Vegas Let’s Play! Out of the two that I watch. Wow, that compliment was meant to sound much more sincere.

    3. Littlefinger says:

      I think it’ll get better when they’re in the villa and the story finally takes off.

    4. Halfling says:

      Personally I think these Dead Money episodes are amongst the most hilarious and best of Spoiler Warning.

    5. Dovius says:

      To be honest, things like this can be expected, because isn’t the idea of the show to create a situation like playing a game on a couch with a bunch of friends? Not all of your friends might’ve played the game (or part thereof), but it can still be fun.

  20. TraderRager says:

    I guess I have to ante up on my share of the puns…

  21. Nasikabatrachus says:

    Shamus, how would you kill Rutskarn? I’d throw him in a wood chipper.

    1. Halfling says:

      You are a bad person. All of these puns are beginning to chip away at my cool.

      1. Tzeneth says:

        And we wouldn’t that. Halfling is known to be a chipper fellow.

    2. Scott (Duneyrr) says:

      I’m only about an hour away from Rutskarn… I could ‘deliver a package’ for you, Shamus.

      1. Ramsus says:

        I’d like to chip in (but with hugs, they take up the same space anyway right?).

  22. Littlefinger says:

    *reads posts*

    Well played Rutsgarn, well played.

    1. Milos says:

      Indeed his plan worked beautifully. Half of us chipped in… but the rest went cold fish on us.

      1. Littlefinger says:

        Urge to kill … rising

        1. Chuck says:

          Ah, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.

          1. X2-Eliah says:

            Stop angling for the puns, all the big ones have been chipped off already.

            1. Chuck says:

              Sorry, guess I’m just a chip off the old block.

              Although I’m older than Rutskarn…

  23. MrWhales says:

    I like that earlier in the season, and probably a lot of other places, Shamus said that games shouldn’t good/better/the good part, halfway(or so) in. And I think everyone agreed. Now we are just suffering through it using taht as the promise to finish this DLC.

    Also, I tried my hardest to give net up all the spots I could pun regarding fish/fishing/chips.

  24. krellen says:

    Shamus, Mumbles, you’re totally down for teaming up with me to destroy all the punsters, right?

    1. Sekundaari says:

      It’s too late! They’ve got Mumbles, she’s one of them!

      1. Dovius says:

        She has ‘chipped in’ with us, so to say.
        It’s a Worldwide Punomenon!

        1. littlefinger says:

          You’ll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.

          1. Dovius says:

            Now that’s not very chipper of you, now is it?

            1. Chuck says:

              He doesn’t like Rutskarn’s new perch of punning power.

    2. GTRichey says:

      I don’t know about them but I’ll definitely help. I don’t think there’s anything that grates me more than bad puns (which is all puns… no matter how many times you say it I will not believe that puns are witty/funny). The puns aren’t quite enough to make me stop watching but I will definitely do my part to keep them out of the comments.

      The only thing left to be said is RutSKAAAAAARN!!.

    3. Deadpool says:

      You know what? I’m with you! I got the equipment for it too… Half a dozen rusty knices, a witch’s chair, a chalk board, an Edwards Scissorhands costume, twenty pounds of honey and a fire ant colony…

      Come you damned punners! There is doom enough for all!

      1. Milos says:

        Bring it on! Soon enough you’ll be sleeping with the fishes.

    4. Jarenth says:

      Hey, I’ll join your team. Assuming I can pass the tryouts.

  25. Zanmatoer says:

    It’s perfectly possible to walk around the balcony (at 8.42). Just act as though you’re walking on the rim, pushing up against the outside. That’s what I did, without even trying the alternative.

  26. ehlijen says:

    Just to note:

    I like puns and if the show becomes nothing but puns over videogame footage, while not as interesting, I’d still watch it :D

  27. Ramsus says:

    I have to say, I am definitely one of the people who loved this episode. The trolling, counter trolling, puns, and then teamwork on puns (Shamus even chipped in despite complaining about it) was great, heck there was even a bit of singing! (Something I always request more of. Which reminds me, isn’t the musical episode due sometime soon?) This episode made my day. Honestly, it was a good thing it turned out this way. The early parts of Dead Money are tedious and there really isn’t a whole lot of the game to talk about.

    For those that didn’t like it as much as I did, ask yourself, what would you rather they be doing? Skip Dead Money entirely just because at certain points there isn’t much to talk about and end up skipped out on all the later interesting stuff to comment on? Would you prefer dead silence? Basically everything to say about the current situation has already been said. Or is it just the punning you didn’t like? Because that’d just be asking them to change their sense of humor to suit yours.

    On a complete tangent….are you guys going to do Honest Hearts too? On one hand I can see doing it because there’s a good amount to talk about with some of the characters. On the other hand after the intro bit it felt a bit blandly familiar. I certainly enjoyed Dead Money more. Though I kinda hope you guys do cover it if nothing else just to see what you have to say about HH’s version of inventory control. Though I suppose it would balance out with Dead Money on what weapons are good to be using. I think I sniped more than 50% of the enemies in Honest Hearts and I can recall a few situations where it would probably get very painful to try to punch everything to death.

    Hmm. I ended up doing three minirants where I’d only meant to do a quick note of patting Ruts on the back. Ah well, that’s how the chips fall sometimes.

    1. Halfling says:

      Great post.

      It was totally worth fishing through all the other comments.

      1. kanodin says:

        You could say this post was a real blue chip. He chose an opportune moment to cash in his rants to and instead of a short straight to the point one we got a royal flush.

    2. Peter H. Coffin says:

      (Something I always request more of. Which reminds me, isn't the musical episode due sometime soon?)

      Musical episode comes someplace between the beach/summer vacation episode and the class trip to the hot springs.

      1. Halfling says:

        When do they solve a mystery with Schooby Doo and the Harlem Globetrotters?

    3. Bubble181 says:

      How about skipping an hour or two of gameplay?
      If you’re really going to be pretty much playing a part of the game as if it’s Doom (walk into room, kill everything, pick up health kit, move on, walk into room, kill everything, etc), just skip forward an hour or two.

      Either
      a) This part of Dead Money can’t be skipped because the story later on won’t make sense – in which case, sorry, but since nobody’s paying attention to the story, that’s already lost – just recap the lot and move forward
      or
      b) This part of Dead Money is utterly unimportant and just time-killing combat, in which case, skip it.

      The only reason this sort of content shouldn’t be skipped over or speeded through is if you’re going to be talking about interesting things about the game. You can’t tell me the same puns wouldn’t be better when combined with, you know, game commentary.

  28. Aldowyn says:

    One of the best closings ever. Shamus suddenly realizing the pun he made… :D Of course, the “radical” was barely understandable, but still.

  29. Dante says:

    This is like the best week ever for this show

  30. CalDazar says:

    This is getting a little bit of a drag. You get inside the casino soon so not much more, but still. That said I can’t be displeased with anything that ends like that.

  31. Kel'Thuzad says:

    I honestly don’t think I would be watching this season if it weren’t for Rutskarn. The gameplay’s been really boring. This is the best episode ever though. :)

  32. Jarenth says:

    Spoiler Warning is such a beautiful symbiosis sometimes. When the game is actually doing good and interesting to watch, that’s cool; and when the game sags and the onscreen action becomes boring, the trolling, punning and general random banter swells to fill the gap and still keep things entertaining.

    It’s the perfect self-balancing equillibrium, except with game-breaking and puns.

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