Red vs Blue: Great Show?

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Myasishchev, Oct 8, 2011.

  1. Myasishchev

    Myasishchev Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Or greatest?

    Also, probably of the most consistent quality of anything I've ever seen. If I would criticize it at all, it's the self-indulgence of the latest seasons' action set-pieces. I actually wound up seeing parts of Season 9 before I watched Season 8's, and Season 9's interminable "look, Tex is badass" training montages look even more pointless in comparison to the involving set-pieces from Season 8, which is apparently when they got the technology to do that kind of thing. (Even though it kinda makes you nostalgic for the days when the targeting reticle was continually visible, this increase in production value is obviously a very good thing.)

    Even so, I sorta hope it's not the fulfillment of its slow slide from comedy to action-comedy to actioner with quips. Even though they're actually rather good at it, and while the best stuff (Seasons 7 and 8) definitely came as a result of that transformation (it was nice to see our loveable morons do something heroic, let alone correctly, for a change), the prequel stuff is a lot more, I dunno, heartless? Too serious? Involving characters with little history and audience investment? Maybe after having finally caught up I'll care more about all these whiney Freelancers, even though their neuroses are not nearly as funny as the mains.

    Also, you'd think after 8 seasons, Tex would have become a likeable character, but you'd be wrong!

    Also also, Donut's really dead? Bogus.

    Also^3, it's an interesting exercise in long-form storytelling with a deep (if flexible) continuity. It's weird how they successfully mined the goofiness of Season 1 ("I'm a ghost!") as an Anatomy Lesson-style character revealation half a decade later.

    Anyway, I wanna go on record: Red vs. Blue--easily the best science fiction program of the 21st century. And even that's almost too backhanded a compliment...

    It's even funnier when you realize a comedy show based on making Halo characters say "fuck" is gives more of a shit about exploring the concept of artificial, or uploaded human, intelligence than Battlestar Galactica ever did.
     
  2. 6079SmithW

    6079SmithW Vice Admiral Admiral

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  3. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Huge "Red Vs blue" fan and i just recently just discovered it over the spring time and caught up. My favourite character is Tex...she's very popular in the fandom as well, the episode of this season where she returned crashed rooster teeth's website! Caboose is a hilarious idiot, but really when it comes right down to it...Chruch is the man!
     
  4. Roshi

    Roshi Admiral Admiral

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    Same here! I even have downloaded the iPhone app!

    Bow-chicka-bow-wow!
     
  5. Myasishchev

    Myasishchev Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Caboose is probably my easy favorite. :D

    "I'm getting quieter now because I'm further away from you!"

    Tex? Really? Blows my mind. Maybe it's her lack of schtick. I mean, I guess "actually being competent" is a sort of schtick when surrounded by the other mains, but it's not that funny a schtick. And Caboose is right, she's mean all the time.

    I like Church too. He has a schtick! Being the only character in a world of character types, for example. And not being able to shoot things directly in front of his face. But as for the first point, his adventures tend to be wackier than Tex', whereas Tex is this overpowered monstrosity that is more plot device than character. Also, I didn't know she came back. SPOILER?!!!! :p Just kidding, I don't mind.
     
  6. Kegg

    Kegg Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    The Halo machinima, right? I could never sit through more than two or three minutes of it before I got bored. That I never cared much for Halo probably has a point here.
     
  7. Mr Light

    Mr Light Admiral Admiral

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    RVB is the GREATEST :D I can watch it over and over and over and I still laugh. Caboose and Sarge are my favorites. My favorite season is the third one, had a really good story and really good comedy.

    The "Reconstruction Trilogy" started out way too serious, but by the final season I think they found a good blend between comedy and drama. And MAN, those CGI fight scenes in the last season were AMAZING.

    Has the new season started already? If so, I haven't seen any of it. I end up forgetting about the show and then seeing it on the DVD...
     
  8. Myasishchev

    Myasishchev Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    It's in the middle/getting toward the end. I haven't watched a lot of it yet. It takes a while to get caught up.

    From what I have seen, it's waaay more action heavy from what I have seen though. Like, you remember that part where Tex gets a new body and beats up Sarge, Grif, Simmons, and Tucker for no real reason? Well, imagine that, except longer, and without any of the funny parts or beloved characters or any rationale as to why her opponents are so terrible/stupid.

    It's got good parts too. I like the corrupted memory versions of the teams. Although it'd be funnier if Tex was Caboose. I like it when they go into Caboose's head.

    I mean, I feel like I'm being too hard on it. For one thing, it hits my self-reflection triggers when I say the only female character of note is my least favorite. (And actually liking Sister, whom I suspect was not well-liked based on being killed off-screen, doesn't make that any better.:lol:) But as much as I'm impressed by the John-Woo-to-11 fight scenes, in the parts I've seen of S9, it's less like they're doing it because they should, and more like they're doing it because they can.

    But maybe everyone else really, really likes the Freelancers. I was never terribly invested in their mythos, outside of how it impacted the stories of Church and to a (significantly) lesser degree Tex and Wash. The concept seemed more like an antagonist-generator, even as it became interesting in its own right through Alpha and the AI program. Maybe I should watch the whole thing and still see if I think it's a slide. :p

    I haven't watched seasons 1-3 in a while. 3 is the one where Church is going through time, right? That one was pretty great, even though I liked S8 the best because Sarge was serious for a second, and it was the best-earned speech in cinema history. (And really, it's more like nine feature-length films than nine seasons of a show.)
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2011
  9. 6079SmithW

    6079SmithW Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I watched the first 8 seasons in one week and I did notice a shift in the show from mostly humor with some loose plot to very serious and over the top action. I think I liked the show better when it was just two teams of incompetent morons with crappy graphics, basic plot, and hilarious dialogue.
     
  10. Mr Light

    Mr Light Admiral Admiral

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    Season Three: first half is the two teams working together in pairs on different planets trying to find O'Malley, middle of the season climaxes with the move to Halo 2, second half is them going after O'Malley at Zanzibar.
     
  11. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    It took me about four episodes to get into the show but once I did I was hooked and now am a huge fan. The Freelancer prequel stuff has been more interesting to me so far than the Blood Gulch sector stuff with the corrupted memories and Church's struggle to restore them which seems to be delayed. I feel like this season has been mostly fillers concerning our heroes with more of the focus on the Freelancers. It's been cool to see some of them take off their helmets.
     
  12. SPCTRE

    SPCTRE Badass Admiral

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  13. Myasishchev

    Myasishchev Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I thought that was neat, too, but I never ever, wanna see Sarge or Grif's face.
     
  14. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Heh. I don't think they'll reveal the faces of the Red and Blues, although we've kind of seen Church (Alpha's face). I think one my favorite moments this season (aside from Tex's return "What a bunch of idiots" sorry Myasischev but I'm a huge Tex mark!! was the conversation that Church had with Alpha two episodes ago foreshadowing stuff that would eventually take place).
     
  15. David cgc

    David cgc Admiral Premium Member

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    I rather like Luke McKay's drawings, but the proper 3D animation has been getting away from the roots of the show, so I wouldn't want it on-screen, just because it'd feel like the final step to seriousifying RvB.
     
  16. Brikar99

    Brikar99 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I remember really liking this show about seven or eight years ago, but I had no idea that it's still ongoing.
     
  17. Myasishchev

    Myasishchev Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I know, right? I guess I was vaguely aware of it but I went like four or five years without watching it. I'd recommend checking out. Rooster Teeth's got pretty much everything streaming now. Is ad-supported. That means they get money but I don't have to pay them. But it also means I want a Goddamned Arby's sandwich that my political beliefs prevent me from ever enjoying. How about a soy Philly, you murderous fucks?

    And this isn't directed at anybody in particular, but people who use ad-blocking software to circumvent Blip are kind of evil. I mean, steal only what you can't afford, you know? You can afford thirty seconds being tempted by delicious genocide.
     
  18. watermelony2k

    watermelony2k Vice Admiral Admiral

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    The look and feel of the show has evolved a LOT since its inception, especially the latest season. DAT ANIMATED ACTION SCENES.
     
  19. Lindley

    Lindley Moderator with a Soul Premium Member

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    I still feel that Reconstruction was the best season they've done, although Revelation was a close second.

    I'm okay with the current format, although I'm really not sure what to make of the corrupted-memory Blood Gulch. It doesn't seem to have much of a point. And I'm hoping we get back to the "real" Reds and Blues next season.
     
  20. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    ^ That is if a season ten is announced :) Although given the announced Halo projects, Burnie and company should have enough material for a couple more seasons if they wanted. It still remains to be seen if Church will be successful in his attempt to restore the corrupted simulation.