Has the Nostalgia Critic jumped the shark?

[PsychedelicDiamond]

Because it really kinda seems that way. I always had a certain appreciation for Doug Walkers work... while his humor is pretty hit and miss for me (very often leaning towards "miss") i always respected him for having some genuine insight into what makes a movie good and what makes it bad. That's what made me sit through some of the more forced humor. But now, after his short hiatus ended i think his show has gone into a rather lackluster direction. Thing is, i don't think his riffing on movies has gotten any worse in particular but i can't help but notice that there's now a much bigger emphasis on what can only be called needlessly drawn out cutaway gags. Really, it feels like he's trying to do two different shows at once: Nostalgia Critic as we know it and some sort of elaborate sketch show that's just awkwardly spliced in. And while i usually just skip the latter parts i still find them mildly irritating.

So... i don't know, what's your opinion?

 

[Nantucket_v1legacy]

I have heard he's doing the 'Family Guy' way and does a little of gags that cut away from the review.
I have not watched any of the Critic's reviews since Scooby-Doo because I thought he was finishing... the fact he came back only told me he had lost visitors to the site and had to pull something out of the hat to bring them back. I.E the Critic.

To be honest I've lost interest in the site all together. I used to watch a few Linkara episodes but then he got stupid with all his narratives and that strange girlfriend he kept dragging in.

 

[piinyouri]

I know what you mean.
I haven't even watched in a long time but when I did it seemed like two shows were competing for the spotlight and it really hurt the show.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

He is trying to justify spending a shit ton of cash on the failure that was Demo Reel. Hence giving the people he hired extended sequences so that they don't lose their income and he doesn't totally concede that the show was a disaster.

 

[SpaceRaptor From Space]

I understand perfectly where you are coming from, its a awkward transition from review to sketch, it does seem like he's trying to hold onto these sketch story sequences way to much, his videos were always better when they had less of this and more of movie reviewing humour, even as much hit and miss as it was.

as fan, i just hope it doesn't get worse, personally i would be put off if it does, but that is just one small fans opinion

 

[JimB]

No. Jumping the shark has three qualities:

1.) The show changes significantly to stay fresh;
2.) The change illustrates how the show's creator is out of ideas; and
3.) The show's quality is on a marked downhill trend.

The first point is objectively true. Doug Walker became so sick of the Nostalgia Critic program that he quit it as publicly as possible to express his disgust with doing the same crap week after week, and when he decided to bring the program back, he had to make changes in order to keep himself interested in doing it. I'm sure he'd say so himself if asked, albeit probably in less blunt language than I did.

The third point is entirely subjective and not worth arguing.

The second point is demonstrably untrue. The show has new jokes, new characters, and new skits with every episodes. In fact, the most common complaint I hear against the program is that it's not enough like the old version, which can only be true if the creators are applying new ideas to it.

The Nostalgia Critic does not display all three symptoms; therefore it does not have this specific disease.

 

[Xelien]

I used to to like some of his videos. I haven't checked up on his newer "sketch' stuff though. I was always more of a Nostalgia Chick fan though, who more or less has kept the same format on her videos. But one the new projects she's starting is going to be epic.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I tried to watch his Pearl Harbor review, but he spent the first few minutes trying to be funny and failing miserably. I spared myself more pain and quit watching before the actual review even began.

When I watch a review, I want to watch a review - Don't waste my time with unnecessary gag intros. If this is the range of his sketch craft, then I'd advise him not to quit his day job.

The only reason I'm still checking in on TGWTG is for NChick, Renegade Cut, and CR.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

No. I actually like his new reviews: The Life of Timothy Green is one of his Best works in my opinion. Yeah, Pearl Harbor dragged and had a few things wrong with it (Like saying it flopped at the Box Office. It was actually the 6th highest grossing film of 2001, and it's the 3rd highest grossing romantic drama of all time [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Harbor_(film)#Reception]). But the Son of the Mask and LoTG Are hilarious.

So, I don't think he's jumped the shark.

 

[ThunderCavalier]

No. I actually like his new reviews: The Life of Timothy Green is one of his Best works in my opinion. Yeah, Pearl Harbor dragged and had a few things wrong with it (Like saying it flopped at the Box Office. It was actually the 6th highest grossing film of 2001, and it's the 3rd highest grossing romantic drama of all time [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Harbor_(film)#Reception]). But the Son of the Mask and LoTG Are hilarious.

So, I don't think he's jumped the shark.

I think it's rather hit-and-miss. I personally liked Demo Reel and I think that the new NC guys do have some talent with them. I do agree that some of the gags tend to last a bit too long (see: Pearl Harbor's Michael Bay), but some transition pretty well into the review and, imo, make it a bit more humorous (see: Son of the Mask's Satan).

I think it just depends on the movie and the type of skit that goes along with it. imo, the bit with Satan seemed reminiscent of the Loki and Odin sequences in SotM, which made it a bit of a humorous jab at the awkward transitions, and hey, I can so imagine the offspring of Satan being a MLP fan. If he makes them less overtly long, they should be pretty good in overall distribution.

 

[BrotherRool]

Yesterday I planned to create a thread about how much more awesome the Nostaliga Critics reviews have gotten since the restart =D I guess whenever you change something you're always going to get both sides wrong.

But to me the new reviews seem really professional, one of the first internet things that actually looks really high class. I love the new sketches and how they break up the reviews, the Michael Bay Son of Crud was incredible (although I do do not know why he thought Pearl Harbour was a commercial failure, but the joke still works).

Before I'd watch his reviews on or off, they felt a bit samey and going through the motions sometimes and it was pretty freak-out or nothing towards the end, but apart from Son of the Mask (which wasn't a bad review) it's felt a lot meatier this time (maybe because he's stop restricting himself) and he's got a lot to say about what he's reviewing. I was laughing outloud and also felt informed and entertained

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

I haven't watched any of his new ones, but the last few reviews he did before he quite were just awful. I couldn't watch the Scooby-Doo one.

I might give the new ones a go. Opinion seems to be divided at best, regarding their quality.

 

[Dr. Cakey]

I tried to watch his Pearl Harbor review, but he spent the first few minutes trying to be funny and failing miserably. I spared myself more pain and quit watching before the actual review even began.

When I watch a review, I want to watch a review - Don't waste my time with unnecessary gag intros. If this is the range of his sketch craft, then I'd advise him not to quit his day job.

Considering this is his day job...no, he probably shouldn't quit it.

For me, I was iffy on the sketches in Pearl Harbor, but the ones in Son of the Mask - actually that whole review - were excellent. I mean, it had Santa Christ!

 

[Casual Shinji]

I tried to watch his Pearl Harbor review, but he spent the first few minutes trying to be funny and failing miserably. I spared myself more pain and quit watching before the actual review even began.

When I watch a review, I want to watch a review - Don't waste my time with unnecessary gag intros. If this is the range of his sketch craft, then I'd advise him not to quit his day job.

Considering this is his day job...no, he probably shouldn't quit it.

I consider his day job making reviews, not sketches. Those few moments his reviews included a sketch I couldn't hit the mute button fast enough. And now it seems to have increased even.

 

[Terminate421]

Probably not, I found the "odd life of Timothy Green" and "son of the mask" reviews, mostly because they were hysterical. And I hated those movies.

His style changed, but he is not "in denial" or anything along those lines

 

[Doclector]

Personally, I like the new sketch segments. True, they can drag a little, the "Micheal bay, son of schlock" parts in the pearl harbour review in particular, but while I'll admit I'll probably always like his older styled reviews better, I don't have any major problems with the new style. Hell, I watched the son of the mask review this morning, which I thought was one of the funniest NCs for a while.

Plus, I gotta say I kinda feel bad for him. It's clear he wanted so much more from and for demo reel, and then, a few months down the line with almost universal (and, let's face it, kinda deserved) hate for the new project, he's faced with either fading away into obscurity, or going crawling back to the critic. I've little doubt if he truly hated doing NC, he probably wouldn't bother, but I'm damn sure this isn't how he imagined things going.

 

[SonicWaffle]

The only reason I'm still checking in on TGWTG is for NChick, Renegade Cut, and CR.

Pshaw. Todd in the Shadows for life, son!

 

[DiZtAnT]

There has always been some serious conflict between AVGN fans and NC fans.
I watched lots of AVGN When I was little, I still respect James a tonne an love his work, but the fan conflict prompted to to check out NS.
My lord it was painful, it was done in the same fashion as James, however NC humour never evolved beyond "This is FUNNY because It's FUNNY!"
I really wanted to enjoy his content, I REALLY did, I like learning about what he has to say and lots of his content relates to parts of my past. At times he is also really insightful, and genuinely interesting. It's just that his
"Humour" seems to stem from a grade school child's interpretation of a live action family guy. And every moment of it killed me as it dragged on.