Dalacos

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/40632364

For those that can't stand this time of the year, my misery seeks company. What does it for you?

---

For me: aside from the usual family stuff:

I worked front-end in a post office back when that meant a line-up before I opened the doors to the end of the day when I had to inform the line-up that was still out the door that, yes, I was going to close on time. (Some didn't take that well. For me it was just another Tuesday...)

It meant a lot of work with little thanks and I had to listen to the same shitty Xmas playlist over and over all day.

---

Edit/PS: The quick downvote sells it. Perfection. chefs kiss

For those that can't stand this time of the year, my misery seeks company. What does it for you?

---

For me: aside from the usual family stuff:

I worked front-end in a post office back when that meant a line-up before I opened the doors to the end of the day when I had to inform the line-up that was still out the door that, yes, I was going to close on time. (Some didn't take that well. For me it was just another Tuesday...)

It meant a lot of work with little thanks and I had to listen to the same shitty Xmas playlist over and over all day.

---

Edit/PS: The quick downvote sells it. Perfection. chefs kiss

Last episode of the season came out early, FYI. Think I'm a day late in fact.

Never watched the Critical Role campaigns myself, just watched most of Vox Mach and now this. (No spoilers for S2 if you've watched the campaign I'm presuming this is based off of, please.)

---

Overall I'd say that while many of my opinions are mixed I still really enjoyed it. (Keep that in mind as you continue if you loved it, I dig into it a fair bit. But it was a good ride.)

I'd say I liked this more than what I've seen of Vox Machina, the characters had greater nuance. Albeit they had a formulaic feel to them. Each has a specific kind of conflict within themselves and a disadvantage of some type to overcome. (Like a phobia.)

It makes for good characterization but they all have "one of each" which makes them a bit too much of the same for me. I like variation in that regard. Particularly when they're all models of comparison to the others it starts to get a bit obvious and as I said, formulaic. Characters don't need a predetermined conflict for character-development.

As if the GM gave them character notes they had to fill in, rather than making a character themselves.

---

Animation was at times stellar and gorgeous, but there were some inconsistencies. The sickle moon having stars in its dark portion in one scene, then being portrayed as a full sphere with no stars visible in it in another is a notable example. (Something I've learned to keep an eye out for in general when gauging animated shows. Sort of an easy "litmus test".)

---

Some of the voice acting, particularly outside the main cast was amazing. I couldn't tell who many of them were. Mark Strong in particular didn't sound like Mark Strong at all to me. Had no clue Felicia Day was in there either until I looked it up.

Nathan Fillion however, was immediately recognizable lol. So was Ming-Na Wen. Felt like a missed opportunity for them to get a bit out-there, oh well.

The party VAs did a pretty good job but there were definitely some, "I am listening to Slightly-Not-Vox-Machina" moments as well. Still, very good voice acting in there. Nott notably.

---

Speaking of Nott, Nott (no comma) the Brave was my favourite by a considerable margin, really loved her. Great character, phenomenal voice acting. And I liked the duo of Caleb/Bren and Nott's friendship. She was a real highlight of the show for me.

---

Bren as a character was alright but only alright. His involvement as a bit of a backbone to the story was more interesting than his characterization to me though. Voice acting was good but not great. (Meant literally, it was good. It just didn't hit "greatness" to me like Nott's did. But entirely alright.)

Thought I'd add here that I found his Volstrucker friends/former-lovers Astrid and Eadwulf great secondary antagonists. They did a lot using fairly little. Weren't over-the-top evil, having some shades of grey to them. As an example, I appreciated that they gave a quick shot of Astrid taking Beauregard's flirtatious compliments to heart in the last ep. Their characters could've been considerably shallower.

---

Fjord, kind of "meh" towards his characterization with his weird squiggly-eyed-Cthulhu providing most of the interest. Didn't have many feelings towards the early Fjord+Jester romance either.

---

Jester: infectious optimism was nice but a bit too much at times.

Traveler mystery was okay as an idea but I mean, she got her powers from somewhere, no? The "imaginary friend" bit felt a tad forced at times as a result.

Jester's literal "leap of faith" in the last ep was great though.

---

The Tiefling Circus performer (of apparently many names) Molly, fun character but having no memory felt a bit too "hand-wavy" at times. Nice tool to use for the GM but, eh... not my personal cup of tea in a character.

Still curious to see where it goes.

Liked him as a character though, it should be said. (Aside from the macguffin.)

---

Beauregard: Eh, not much to say here really. Alright, moved the plot forward a couple times earlier on. Just, pretty basic. Not bad, but not much to say. /shrug

---

Essek and Orphan Maker, both kinda weak to me.

Essek, mommy issues. Meh. Sad you had to kill her, bit odd you had to in the first place. Hoping for more next season but as it stands, low expectations.

Orphan Maker. More curious about the god/being behind her than the character herself so far.

---

S1 as a whole, pretty good. Mind, I'm a bit disinterested in the Beacon as this end-all-be-all overpowered contrivance. Hoping there is indeed more to it than seems. Bit of allusion that it could be so, we'll see?

I thought the Beacon was actually a fake in the last ep there. The one in the glass Nott melted I mean. I noticed it was in a glass-housing instead of on that elaborate tri-bar pedestal and got pretty suspicious that Ikithon had made a dupe. (Until he ordered his Volstrucker duo to capture it. Then when Orphan-maker got zapped it seemed pretty obvious it's the real deal.)

Glad there seems to be an S2 slated albeit doesn't seem confirmed yet?

Quite the bloody cliffhanger.

---

You?

"Kids" in quotations because sometimes "kids" shows aren't really just for children, judging by their nuanced jokes.

---

Could be old, could be new.

I like a lot, two that stand out lately are Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, and Star Trek: Prodigy.

Going back a ways, Reboot and Beast Wars. (Reboot, upon relatively recent revisit earlier this year, has a few jokes that I certainly wouldn't have gotten as a kid nor even as a teen.)

You?

I hate Christmas, I really do. I don't talk to most of my MAGA family and I worked front-end in a post office. So in general it's just all shite to me.

However, in the past couple months I reached out to my aunt who isn't a diehard MAGA for help to get out of a really shitty situation. And surprisingly, she's helped me a tonne.

Now I'm in contact with her at least every couple days and we go out for breakfast and stuff.

Now, usually I spend Xmas alone or with my partner. Don't have a partner right now, and I find myself invited to my aunt's for Xmas.

And I kind of feel the need to go. (I originally was going to cancel saying I'm feeling sick but have decided not to do that.)

I'd like to get them some cheap gifts despite having not a lot of money. I don't just want to show up empty handed even if that'd be okay. I can spare a bit.

So, any ideas?

---

PS:

I have one idea for her, which will probably be a plant since I know she likes plants and gardening. But for the uncle and cousin+ his partner I kind of have no clue.

Under different circumstances I might do some art but I moved with very little and don't have any art supplies which would be more expensive then the gifts at this point. So any art suggestions while appreciated are kind of out for now.

I usually add some useful context in the post-body of the posts I make.

Sometimes, it's rather apparent when someone replies (typically antagonistically) without realizing that I've already addressed their concern in the body of the post that they decided not to read.

---

Strive to be more than a knee-jerk reaction.

• me, 20+ years ago.

You can never really do the same thing twice. Time is always moving forward and cannot be replicated. (Barring futuristic time-travel tech.)

As I am incapable of stuttering, I must conclude that you heard me.

Cracks me up every time.

In a pinch when out of tartar sauce I've mixed green relish with mayo and it's, passable.

For that matter, mayo with hot sauce and ketchup was my accompaniment to some otherwise bland pizza and tater tots this afternoon.

Microwave Hollandaise sauce. Can go wrong easily, but when I wanted it quick it works fairly well. Just have to tend the microwave every 15-20 seconds to mix it before it coagulates. But it's done its job more than once for me.

Honest Trailers

There have been a few times I've started a show and find it so terrible I can't keep going. But I'm still a bit curious about it. Watching the Honest Trailer for it has given me some closure more than a few times.

Occasionally it's interesting to see him try to rip into something he (and I) like too. Star Wars: Andor was an interesting one in that regard, for me.

Haven't watched much (any really) of the content outside of the Honest Trailers though. Can't speak to that end.

If you don't I'm not sure we can be friends.

If you haven't seen it, watch at least the first two episodes. If you just watch the first you're doing yourself a disservice.

---

Boosh.

It's tough picking one.

But that's why I'm asking. It's easy to do a top 3, even easier to a top 5.

But when you have to choose a singular show? When you're forced to pare it down? What sticks above the others for you?

---

Babylon 5 for me.

It's got plenty of issues but it's still my darling and despite all the behind-the-scenes BS it's still the best long-form sci-fi story I've seen onscreen.

---

Edit: Screwed up the title. Bad Dalacos.