Starkid Black Friday Review: This Music Has Been Stuck In My Head For A Month

Watch Black Friday here: • Black Friday
Join me as I spiral down an hour long video reviewing the musical Black Friday. The show consumed all my thoughts throughout the duration of making this... it's like Wiggly's in my head.
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Music used:
Overcast by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: filmmusic.io/standard-license

[@raven_2911]

I consider TGWDLM to be a "comedy-horror", it's more comedic than it is a horror. But Black Friday is a "horror-comedy", first a horror musical, but they also focused on comedy.

[@Apple-Pie-]

I always saw Tom as the “warrior of light” Not that Lex needed to physically wake someone, but that Tom was under Wigglie’s spell and needed to be “woken up” so he could help Lex fight back against the cult

[@Ouexx]

i agree!! Also the term "drowsy town" is used a lot to refer to someone under wiggly's spell. This could include Tom :)

[@Apple-Pie-]

@@Ouexx not to mention after If I Fail You Tom is like “I’m awake”, so I felt like that’s what their intention was

[@RitsuSakuma69]

*Yeah like honestly Tom should’ve shot Linda! No hate towards Becky because I love Kim Whalen but her role in this musical felt so unnecessary… like why give Tom a love interest when his character is already coping with the death of his wife? I thought his son was his #1 priority, why not just focus on that???*

[@Apple-Pie-]

@@RitsuSakuma69 I liked it in the aspect of Becky could help him and Tim move on, Tom especially. Like, not the best idea, but honestly if he didn’t meet up with Becky I feel like Wiggly would’ve had a bigger impact on him

[@lordskull4382]

I’m so happy that people are finally starting to notice starkid

[@doubledamn2599]

With the Apple here and the Watchers in Trail to Oregon along with the fact that the Black and White is 'between worlds', it makes me think the audience IS the Black and White or at least exists there since the audience can see all 'Starkid Worlds'.

[@twiinsiink]

What a cool theory!

[@brandontsosie4514]

It's amazing to see how much has changed since they put more stuff out with nightmare time and looking back, the watchers to oregon trail makes it interesting to see.

[@houselemuellan8756]

The Watcher with a Thousand Eyes 👁️💅

[@knaveofchalices]

The real question is, why is Wiggly in the Black and White? There aren't many sentient cosmic horror plushies out here in the real world, unless you count the furry fandom.

[@Robin_wtwgb]

​@@knaveofchalicesI think wiggly represents consumerist culture in general. After watching NPMD I'm super into the whole Starkid lore again

[@TheLight10269]

My interpretation of "What if Tomorrow", shows the TGWDLM cast in parallel to the current. It's a subtle nod that the Hatchetfield multiverse is reset or breaking into different sections. 'Tomorrow will come' = Wiggly loses and things continue on. 'Tomorrow won't come, Tomorrow come today' = Once midnight happens, time resets to become Black Friday again for another chance for Wiggly to win. Hannah has the powers of clairvoyance, being able to see through the black & white has her see they've done this before. If you notice, Curt is dressed like Joey as Ted Spankoffski in this song, he acts different compared to the returning cast. Ted's mind is broken to Tinky's Time/Space powers of his toy box. He looks down to his pocket before they zoom in to the current cast. Stand alone, it's a dynamic dance of sorts; to regulars, it's a way of expressing Hatchetfield is in a power grab loop of The Lords in Black that echo into Nightmare time, retconning TGWDLM and eventually Nerdy Prudes Must Die.

[@TheLight10269]

I have to correct myself, according to the wiki, Curt is playing Peanuts' Dad. The Squirrel lives in his pocket.

[@SuperBatSpider]

I actually felt this was my favorite even if I agree Paul and Ema were too involved in the beginning. I love it’s songs, plot, characters, jokes, and effects. Respect your opinion though. Edit:Also I don’t think the main character is any survivor. Wiggly is the main character. He has the most impact on the story, he has a clear goal that the survivors need to stop. This is cosmic horror which is built on how tiny and insignificant we are in the vastness of space, so our protagonists are tiny and insignificant for most of the story while Wiggly is such a massive presence.

[@sashathesheep8912]

I have some many things I disagree with in regards to this video, but mainly I'd like to point something about 49:42 because... TGWDLM wasn't technically "the first" musical in the series, nor was it made "without the series in mind." I'm not sure whether it was the "It's alive stream" or the 10-niversary livestream, but Nick Lang spoke about the creation process of the Hatchetfield musicals. The first musical to be written was actually NPMD, then Black Friday and only the TGWDLM. I believe the reason why TGWDLM was produced first was budget issues, but the details are a little foggy for me there. I think it's talked about in that same section. It's why in the opening number of TGWDLM one of the lines is "the last remaining story to tell." It's because it was supposed to wrap up the series. Either way, TGWDLM was already produced with all of the three musicals in mind.

[@undercoverfangirl5491]

That’s interesting, but if that’s the case, then why in the beginning of Black Friday it’s shown that Paul and Emma already know each other and kinda together? I would understand if it was because they met in NPMD and then we get more of them in the beginning. But in TGWDLM they met for the first time (or at actually met because that’s when they introduced themselves to each other). So unless NPMD was happening while TGWDLM was also happening (like that little cameo they did), then I don’t really understand.

[@sashathesheep8912]

@@undercoverfangirl5491 It’s heavily implied in all of the shows as well as nightmare time that there are multiple timelines/dimensions of Hatchetfield, not just one. That’s got nothing to do with when the musicals were written, because neither TGWDLM nor Black Friday nor NPMD take place in the same timeline. Nick Lang has states that in regards to Paul and Emma specifically - they find each other in every single version of Hatchetfield. But yeah, that’s got nothing to do with what order the musicals were conceptualized in.

[@something-about-sunflowers]

@@undercoverfangirl5491 Original commenter gave a good explanation for this but I'd also like to suggest that, with the way the shows were written/conceived being NPMD > BF > TGWDLM, the progression of Paul and Emma's involvement in the *_overarching_* Hatchetfield mythos makes a good bit *_more_* sense. They had the least involvement in NPMD (being pretty strictly background characters), then in BF they get a bit more depth (we're introduced to Emma's family struggles and Paul's distaste for musicals, also the 'first' mention of Hidgens), then TGWDLM is *_their_* story and it hits all of the beats that were set up for them in the 'previous' two shows.

[@Ballin4Vengeance]

@@undercoverfangirl5491It’s a multiverse and you worry about chronological order of events. Probably a “Oh so that’s how they met”

[@corrine2168]

This was such a good analysis! I could never pin point what irked me about Black Friday when I otherwised enjoyed it but you nailed it. Have you seen Starkid's Nightmare Time? If so do you plan on making an analysis on them, if at all?

[@twiinsiink]

Thank you so much! I haven't really gotten into Nightmare Time (I'm not a huge fan of the format) but I'll probably get around to watching it eventually, probably before the next show airs.

[@TheYellowSignal]

@@twiinsiink It took me a bit of time to get use to the Nightmare Time format as well, but after a couple of episodes, it starts to feel similar to a radio show from the early to mid 1990's, only with some visual effects and costumes for refences. I highly recommend it if you want to know more about the Hatchetfield universe. It has a "Tales From The Crypt" kind of story telling, but they're all the same characters form alternate timelines/dimensions/universes. Also, you did point out a few glaring issues I felt while watching Black Friday. The death of Ethan felt too short. He should have had more stage time, and his death should have had a bigger impact on the characters. The parts with the President should have been entwined with the mall story. Perhaps The general should had been on a recon mission in the mall with direct contact with Oval Office? Anyways, this was a very good video, and you made great points. Watch Nightmare Time, it's worth it.

[@user-bz6mn3tu8k]

The “Hatchetfield Theatric Universe” (HTU) sort of took the opposite approach from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). In the MCU they make a movie about each character and then bring them together. The HTU uses Black Friday to introduce a ton of interesting characters, and then builds on many of them with individual stories in the Nightmare Time series’ and also introduce more. And if you learn all the lore that’s laid out in TGWDLM, BF, and NT, then Nerdy Prudes Must Die is a 9/10. Watching Nerdy Prudes with no context at all, it’s still a 6+/10

[@jettjitt]

So we reviewing musicals now? I can get behind this!

[@rattyxoxo7397]

I think this video is particularly interesting when looked at after Nerdy Prudes Must Die has been released, because it’s so clear that many of the issues with Black Friday had been recognised and responded too but some of those same issues still exist. Staples of the Hatchetfield saga thus far play much less of a role, with MacNamara not existing and Paul and Emma being minor comic relief in a scene that holds its own without them, which allows far greater focus on the group of nerds - who for much of the show are together, unlike how BF splits everyone up. The main issues that prevail however also come from Black Friday: a lack of focus on a lot of the characters and a plot that relies too much on the audience having seen prior material. NPMD gives the most depth to Pete and Grace, which makes sense as they are the characters who drive the plot along most, with Richie and Ruth having less but still getting moments of development before they’re killed. The real issue is Steph, who despite her relationship with her father being the inciting incident gets virtually no development whatsoever outside of being Pete’s love interest imo. The reliance on prior material is perhaps even more egregious here because it’s not used primarily for comedy, with BF and the Nightmare Times being fairly essential to have any understanding of the Lords in Black, a vital plot point. I think overall NPMD is a better show with its greater focus on a core cast allowing more audience investment in those characters, but there are absolutely some issues that remain from BF.

[@theshire9173]

Yay! An hour long video about Starkid. They're the best but I didn't like this musical as much as their other ones. It felt a lot like the middle of a trilogy, too focused on setting up the next installment and referencing the first one. Plus there were too many likeable characters that I wanted to spend more time with. The music is still excellent, though

[@theshire9173]

After watching, I totally agree with everything you said. I didn't notice the colors that much when I first watched it. They're so cool now that I see it. I'd love if you reviewed the other Starkid musicals if that's what you want to do. Don't feel obligated, though.

[@magicquill4260]

I think my one complaint is that Tim should have been played by someone else just so that he could have shown up at the end and died with the others instead of alone in the car. Tim felt integral to Tom and had a single scene. Not having him at the very end makes it feel like Tom's story isnt quite finished because Tim didnt get to hear "If I Fail You" or get any closure which would be what Tom needs for his own arc to feel more natural. I would have liked more Tim in general but his absense is especially noticable in the closing scene.

[@rottenappple3716]

I'm not a huge musical person, but I found this video very well constructed and entertaining, gold star!

[@dysenteryworld]

Thank you for talking about the clear problems Black Friday had. There were a lot of little issues that rubbed me the wrong way in that show, but I feel like no one else ever acknowledges them... I only ever hear immense praise for this show and it confuses me because while it's good, I always thought it was very lacking compared to other Starkid shows, especially Twisted.

[@seanmcmurphy4744]

Black Friday is my fave SK musical, so here's why. I like that it is darker, more adult, and addresses important social issues; there is more at stake. I loved Twisted, it was wonderfully creative. But Disney musicals are the most watched musicals in the world, everyone watches them as a child, as cartoons they are a broad safe target for satire, so Twisted was bound to be popular. The Langs are trying something more ambitious here. Everything about BF; the worldbuilding, the backstories, the characters, the music, was bigger, more subtle, and more risky. It is the Langs' first real ensemble show, and I agree with most of the criticisms in this review, the integration of storylines leaves a lot to be desired. But theater groups have to grow, or die. In spite of its faults it is the best thing SK has done. And O...M...G... that finale! A group of flawed, damaged people come together to face what may be the end of the world . . . and all they have is the touch of each others hands. It blows away anything SK has done before except maybe the AVPSY finale.

[@amdete8254]

Damn where u been going all I see about Black Friday is ppl complaining about how it’s mid

[@seanmcmurphy4744]

Thank you for your insightful analysis! I agree with a lot of your criticisms. I just disagree on one point: you say 30:16 Tom doesn't play a real role in the real plot. MacNamara's instruction to Lex 40:49 to wake a warrior of light was about Tom, not Becky. Lex with her soliloquy 41:10 "wakes" Tom from his guilt-ridden obsession with getting a doll for Tim, and he realizes the danger of Linda's cult. Tom does play a crucial role in defeating Wiggly; 42:53 he brings Lex's gun to capture Linda. She jerks away, but it is only Becky finding the gun that allows her to shoot Linda, which prevented Wiggly from being born. Tom, Becky, and Lex's collective efforts were all necessary to stop Wiggly.

[@twiinsiink]

I believe MacNamara is speaking more literally than that. I think he's telling Lex to literally wake the warrior of light, as Becky is still unconscious. While Tom does help a bit during the final encounter, theoretically Lex could have stormed Linda's cult on her own (she already had the gun) and gotten the firearm to Becky, the warrior of light who shoots Linda. Interesting hearing your interpretation though!

[@karenkleiner4945]

@@twiinsiink I always assumed he was referring to Tom. It's established that Tom is a Veteran so he is a literal warrior. Though I admit I don't know where 'of the light' comes in. Maybe it refers to both Tom and Becky? Tom is the Warrior and Becky is the light.

[@liliespetals19]

Iirc it's been confirmed that Tom is the warrior and Becky is just really a good person who would have helped when not under wigglys influence

[@sspence3195]

I’m listening to you talk about Curt and Kim’s characters not holding much significance to the show but wanting to see them in the Hatchetfield world, I think you would really enjoy the Nightmare Time episodes “Witch in the Web” and “Killer Track”. They both feature Curt and Kim as more established characters with clear purpose. I know you had mentioned a hesitation with the format, but these are great for enjoying their acting (and Kim’s singing in Killer Track!).

[@zerotohero1483]

Dude, an hour-long video? Fucking nice!

[@forgetmenotjimmy]

This is such a great review! You brought up so many things I'd never thought about or noticed before. They were definitely more ambitious and I think this has the biggest cast of any Starkid show with every element turned up to 11. Your comments on the lighting were especially good. Also, I loved the little Firebringer bit, arguably the most controversial show concerning plot, lol Warning: a really long ramble incoming! Your suggestions of how to tidy up the plot are really interesting. I have thought before the whole president/PEIP line should have been cut, instead MacNamera could have alluded to it when appearing to Lex, however, the idea that Tom or Lex could have gone into the Black and White themselves works a lot better. I also agree with cutting Becky altogether. I love her too, but her presence does detract from the more important Tom&Lex partnership (it's Lex who convinces Tom to give up the Wiggly after all). They could have found Ethan and Tom could have saved Lex by dragging her away as the mob descends; helping Lex work through her initial grief could have been helpful for Tom as well. The more I think about it, the less 'Becky's-story-about-murdering-her-abusive-husband-helps-Tom-turn-a-corner-in-his-guilt' makes sense. Their situations are not really comparable and seeing Lex soldier on to prioritise finding and saving Hannah could have been significant for Tom. (Small thing but it low-key bothers me Tom's military past doesn't ever come into play, he has a short fight but that's about it. They make a big deal in Act 1 about how he has PTSD, mentioning it 3 times I think?, but then he has no problems dealing with the stressful events of Act 2. MacNamera conscripting him to going into the Black and White would have been a great pay-off for that character element, they even could have thrown in a line about 'redblooded Americans' for the fans! And also Wiggly could have used his PTSD against him or shown him flashbacks or something, to symbolise him being brought under Wiggly's control). Lastly, I feel like Hannah's premonitions/supernatural knowledge are a wasted element. They're fun foreshadowing but I would have been more satisfied if Hannah could have used her powers somehow. Maybe Hannah could have seen Lex being killed and MacNamera could have appeared to her instead. She helps out with her powers, strengthening the sister's bond and developing her from a passive to an active character. If she appears in later shows/material, I'd love for her to take an active role in searching for answers or using her powers.

[@twiinsiink]

Thank you so much! I wasn't bothered by how little Hannah does (I guess I was just excited to catch onto the hints she drops in a second viewing) but now that you mention it, it would have been nice to see her do a little more. I don't know if we'll ever see Hannah again, but I'm certain Webby at least will be mentioned or will even show up physically in more shows, which could retroactively help Hannah out in terms of characterization. Hopefully Hannah does get to return and like, ends up being the only one powerful enough to save Hatchetfield from it's time loop (if it IS in a time loop, lol).

[@mariasolenardelli3745]

In the end I think the main problem is that Starkid went back to the level of full their earlier musicals were, without remembering that those were parodies, and people already knew the story and the characters, so it worked. Black Friday deserved to be longer, and that definitely couldn't be done on stage, so it deserved to be some sort of series

[@imthreeracoonsinatrenchcoat]

Oh boy ur going to LOVE nightmare time

[@houselemuellan8756]

I'm surprised that you didn't use the part in Monsters and Men that showcased the whole point of the song and the fight against the elder gods. "It is the monsters that should live in dread!"

[@TuxedoCreep2]

Idk shit about musicals but the weird camera work has me interested. I wonder how the audience feels seeing someone get on stage and get in the way of certain parts of the choreo just to film it for people who watch at home. Great video!

[@twiinsiink]

Most of the filming was done with the cameras situated off to the side, basically in the crowd. For the "fancy" camera work that includes panning across the stage or otherwise "being in the way" those were done separately and the audience were invited by explicitly telling them they'll be seeing the show as the filming did it's thing- the camera wasn't going on stage during a normal run of the show. :)

[@TuxedoCreep2]

@@twiinsiink Ohhh that makes sense. And since most of the filming's done off to the side they just use that audio like you said. Cool!

[@TindraSan]

As I understood it, the reason fans hate Sherman is bc of the voice Jaime Lyn Beatty puts on when playing him even during songs and how it deprives us of her true singing voice.

[@giraffe6856]

Please do Nerdy Prudes Must Die review too! It is considered a last musical for Hatchetfield universe. And I think they improved a lot with the story since then.

[@echenexcetera5702]

Another reason for green being used is to represent the musicals themes of capitalism and greed

[@princesssparrow4530]

Aaaaaw heeeeeeell yeaaaaah! Starkid needs more reviews and analysis

[@princesssparrow4530]

Also the like counter was such a cool detail

[@A_wild_pumpkin_appears]

While I do understand stand from a viewing experience why it would of been nice to have macnamara send one of the main four in, I think it’s only fair to point out that logistically it wouldn’t really make sense in world. John macnamara is the head of a secret military unit dealing with what is currently a country wide crisis so of course he would bring this to the president and not some random citizen on a small island town, national security is part of his job. As he also pointed out the president is the official representative of the USA which is important both because it makes him (in theory at least) the ideal person to negotiate and because I assume they don’t want to give wiggly any leverage against them (for example: “I’m insulted you didn’t think me important enough to send your best representative” is a very easy grab) and given how the negotiations went I don’t blame them for trying to be cautious. On top of this it doesn’t make sense that John macnamara would be anywhere near Hatchetfield because if you actually stop to think about it there’s no reason why he would know that’s where the portals going to open until after he enters the black and white. There are riots all over the country (most likely a ploy to hide where the actual ritual was taking place) and the fact is that if John knew where the ritual was taking place he wouldn’t have needed to send someone to talk to wiggly in the first place because he could of just raided the store and shot the followers, the negotiate plan only makes sense if he didn’t know where the ritual was. It isn’t until he becomes part of the black and white (a sea of psychic energy) where he figures out where the ritual is and reaches out to Lex. Not that I disagree with you on principle, I absolutely agree that the amount of time we had with the president detracts from the main character’s, I’m just pointing out that the fix for this that you suggested isn’t necessarily a viable option unless you ignore the in world logistics.

[@princesssparrow4530]

I didn't even knew Becky killed her husband?! That should've been a way bigger reveal! Think about it, the whole show she's a friendly nurse with a terrible husband. But when she kills Linda, there could be a really ominous moment where they're like: "oh uh.. wow Becky I didn't knew you could handle a gun haha" "My husband didn't either" friendly nurse with a *body* *count* Instantly favorite character.

[@twiinsiink]

(around 1:12:36 into Black Friday) "That night I fought back. He chased me out of the house. He was the one who brought the knife.... it's funny... Stanley's the one that made me go to nursing school. That's why I knew where his femoral artery was. Not sure if I hit it, but I left him out there. Maybe he crawled somewhere for help. Maybe he died in those woods. You say you killed your family, I HOPE I killed mine." I mean, it's pretty explicitly stated. Becky's literally the only one talking for the whole scene, I don't see how you missed it? (your one liner also doesn't work because Becky details how she stabbed him with a knife in the monologue dedicated exclusively to her talking about the incident that you apparently just jumped over?)

[@princesssparrow4530]

@@twiinsiink Huh, somehow I just completely forgot about that part of her monologue. You're right,It does make more sense with the knife, I just thought it would fit more in the narrative that she killed both with the same weapon.

[@Crow453]

There's a few things that I disagree with you on, but I'm definitely with you on the president subplot being superfluous. Also yeah, Tom and Lex should have been the dual protagonists, with Hannah and Becky being the next most important, and all four of them interacting more. I think you're right in that Monsters and Men being the only time we see the president, then McNamara goes to the mall and the portal's there (with something explaining that Wiggly can't come through without Linda getting a doll), and Tom is the one who goes through, but like you said, his interaction with Wiggly is what allows Wiggly to get a proper grip on him. Then, when Lex is trying to talk Tom down, Tim appears earlier, and that's what snaps Tom out of it, with If I Fail You being sung directly to his son ('cause that would make the song hit EVEN HARDER and have the audience even more in tears, I think). Tom then tells Tim to go with Paul and Emma and get to safety for the rest of the show to play out. In fact, now that you've put the idea in my head, the writer in me wants to properly map out a tighter version of the story!

[@justlukeunlimited1545]

I just watched Black Friday yesterday and you drop this, awesome.

[@wwadfh9528]

Sherman is one of my favorite characters in the musical.

[@cutiepie120048]

LOVING THIS REVIEW 💕💕💕 I never noticed the clothing and lighting 👏 Everything you said are things I've noted in my mind when watching it and I love the alternate takes you suggested 💕💕💕

[@twiinsiink]

Thank you so much!

[@smittens8701]

okay so i know this review is a year old or so but!! i just really really had to comment because i keep coming back to this review for your top tier analysis + all the little things you notice and point out and put into words so damn well + The Color Analysis because that part made me go a lil bit insane the first time i watched this vid!! though there’s one thing in particular that i wanted to… idk throw in my own two cents about?? while i do agree that black friday feels too unfocused and bloated with all the subplots and characters it attempts to cover, i do like the fact that goodman was the one chosen to confront wiggly. for me it wasn’t too weird that the main characters(?) we do have aren’t the ones who went into the black and white. personally, the beauty and message of black friday is that backdrop of systemic capitalism they’re facing (and having the president step up to address it), while our main cast is lower- to middle-class people struggling with the manifestations of it (specifically consumerism, but y'know) in their daily, everyday lives. for me, that’s why it had to be the government literally battling the embodiment of consumerism. that’s why, despite all the character development the main cast had throughout the musical, they still die at the end (or i’m assuming they did), because the system failed them. when it’s a systemic issue, there’s not much individual change can do. it was out of their control from the start, in a way - the same way paul in the guy who didn't like musicals couldn’t singlehandedly wipe out the hivemind. all in all i think black friday would’ve really benefited from just having a longer runtime. i know it’s already a long musical but i think they could’ve fleshed everything out a lot better if they had more time to work with. i still have no clue what birthing wiggly means.

[@im9550]

Pointing out the use of Christmas foil strands as the face of wrigley and how much you enjoyed it is the sole reason I decided to watch this musical. I have to agree with your general reception of it. It had a lot of good moments but felt kind of awkward. I’ve also not watched anything from star kid ( except a very potter musical which I think they made?) so the references did nothing for me

[@annaxxxx99]

If you enjoyed A Very Potter Musical, the sequel to it is just as hilarious if not better. Also consider watching their clever, well-directed more professional show, Twisted, which parodies Aladdin and other Disney stories.

[@nerdcastproductions5778]

I agree overall that Black Friday is darker than TGWDLM, but i think TGWDLM's ending is the most horrific thing from either shows

[@dez6529]

Great content! I admit that I am biased because this is my second favorite show, but you pointed out some things I haven't critically examined. Love it!

[@ms.fukawa-hanamura3754]

Random fun fact: the fanon name for Man In A Hurry is Jeremiah

[@QuikVidGuy]

If you want some amazing Angela moments, you should check her out at her other job at Smosh. She's a professional and a genius onstage, but when the bows are done she is WILD Also I think Kim was the only one who didn't have a cold when they filmed this I didn't notice til NPMD that Corey usually plays very meek characters. Bill, Cletus, Grandpa, the store manager, Yaxley. It was so refreshing to see him play Pokotho and the mayor, people very confident and powerful. He's got the range and finally got to flex being intimidating without it being a joke. "Green light feels wrong" Jay Gatsby has entered chat Jeff definitely likes pushing his range. It works in TGWDLM and TTO but Black Friday he wasn't being as funny and it just clashed with the emotional tone

[@kennethfajardo9102]

I love this review, I just got interested in Starkid, and that's mainly cause of you. I just finished this musical, and I immediately went to this video. I realize now why I had a hard time watching this one: because the main characters were barely important. I also realize that the problems with this specific musical are really familiar. Like: we have four main characters, all having a good chunk of ways to develop, and they could have, but the runtime, for some reason, focuses on one side character saving the day. Not to mention doing too much fanservice.

[@kennethfajardo9102]

I realize, looking back at what I said in this comment, it's a little mean-spirited. Overall, it's an amazing musical, it just has flaws that, when you look at, makes it a little weak.

[@shakeybakey5849]

This video was amazing. Really well thought out and entertaining. Thanks so much for putting some of the issues with this show into words.

[@twiinsiink]

Thank you so much!

[@im9550]

Ooo I hope musical reviews become a mainstay. I don’t watch very many but the ones I do watch I really enjoy. I’d say the comet of 1812 is my favorite musical

[@SchoolhouseTechno]

I wonder if MacNamara knew about Lex and Hannah before he was being dissolved in the black and white.

[@Jakeabe]

I really hope you do a Nerdy Prudes Must Die review!!! This was soooo good and I saw so much I had missed!!

[@roosajarvinen5698]

Not to act like im a writer but i feel like maybe the start would have worked better if it started with the add as Tom is picking Emma and Paul from the airport or their house (from the airport since there could have been a callback about them coming from colorado. There could still be all the conflict that exists in the original like Emma being upset that they're there for babysitting, Tom explains his motives, Paul mentions how much he dislikes the wigglysong and once they get to Tom's there can still be a scene of Tom's kid(can't remember his name) being upset that his dad is fucking off on their late thanksgiving It would set the expectations for the show better and i don't think it would be unbelievable that a student/barista and a low level office worker don't have a car

[@Scaring-Crows]

Well I guess I got three musicals to go watch before I can come back to this and the video you did on the other musical. Thanks for bringing them to my attention, from the little comedy I got from the beginning of the vid I'm getting "A Very Potter Musical" vibes

[@twiinsiink]

Well, seeing as it's the same company that made A Very Potter Musical, that does make sense...

[@ajmalaika1287]

Great review I loved all the points you made especially Lex/Tom going into the b&w Also Newises has some fun camera working giving a lot more space to the INSANE COREORAPHY I'd also like an analysis on the plot because it feel a little loss and your points on this make me wonder what your points on Newsies would be. It's available on Disney plus and based on a failed Christian Bale movie

[@lilymanders5178]

You need to compare nerdy prudes must die now that it's out. I feel like it's so much better lol. My biggest pet peeve with black friday was that the songs just went on for too long (at least for my adhd ass) to the point where the length kind of took me out if the action. Now I'm sitting here going "wow, I am actually so happy I wish some of the npmd songs are longer" cuz I wish I had more of some of the individual songs and that is a GOOD thing. The songs don't need to go on long enough that it just gets old. If you still want more, it's done its job.

[@begaydocrime5719]

I just realised that you're absolutely right, the show does switch focus a lot, but I think I just. Have too much ADHD to notice until now xD I find it captivating and lovely, some aspects of it are better than any starkid show, but at the end of the day it still isn't my favourite.

[@Dragiare]

Didn't know you were a fan. Can't wait to hear your opinion.

[@ramcams]

great video! are you gonna review Nerdy Prudes Must Die?

[@SarahJo]

I respect your takes but I will fight you over how much I love Deck the Halls lol

[@thomasrdiehl]

(Bit late, I know) I think the show just doesn't have a protagonist. This is from a school of theater that cares more about the story than characters. That mindset might also be why the president fails - because he is a single person fighting against something beyond individual struggle, hopeless to be any better than anybody else, no matter what title he carries. In the end, the important events are systemic, with people just being parts of the world. Frankly, I find this refreshing. While the classic protagonist/antagonist thing is popular, it's far from the only way to tell a story.

[@T-Jex]

WW3 starting because of black friday seems about right to be honest

[@lillylane1698]

This seems really fun to watch. I am just a tad terrified of dolls (chucky ruined a good 4 years of my childhood lol )

[@twiinsiink]

Yo, Chucky basically made my entire childhood a nightmare, so I feel that. Luckily the Wiggly doll specifically can't hurt anyone, so there's nothing to fear! (It helps that he's also significantly cuter than chucky, lol)

[@Annuii.i]

I think the reason they have all the references is to solidify that these are in fact a set story. Like how many movies are preparing to make a series instead of just a simple sequel.

[@whatok3273]

Lex would’ve been the best choice to be the main character, so much potential wasted here

[@QuikVidGuy]

I was kind of lukewarm on Black Friday. I didn't like as much of the music, and if it had come out after Nightmare time maybe the story wouldn't feel so crowded. I'm interested to see if my mind changes during this video

[@nerdcastproductions5778]

I understand the wish for more of our protagonists getting to do things, but the President being the one to go to the Black and White and the bombing of Moscow are important to the ending, and the themes of societal responsibility, individualism, and the political commentary overall. Loved the vid tho

[@curliart2500]

Takeaway: Christmas is dangerous and unnatural.

[@QuikVidGuy]

Yeah, Firebringer definitely suffered when the Langs edited Meredith's script. I don't think I'm guessing when I say that Emberly and Grunt's side-scenes were the ones stapled on. Those always felt like a distraction from the Jemilla/Zazallil stuff

[@spinballproduction9678]

Wow KZbin I love clicking the bell icon and not seeing videos and only seeing them by chance 😒

[@twiinsiink]

Glad you found it at least!

[@spinballproduction9678]

@@twiinsiink good video.

[@shelbysteverson4841]

Oof. Her prediction about Black Friday being important later didn't pan out

[@doubledamn2599]

If you're going to watch Nightmare Time, it might be better to treat it as an audio only performance at some point.

[@joseantoniogomezrodriguez1724]

The Ending seemed fine to me, because they all live in hatchetfield, if the mall goers died on the fire it make sense the rest of the people who wasn't shopping aka tgwdlm cast should be seen as survivors, like even people like Papa Ed and Peanuts appear. Is a small town afterall

[@begaydocrime5719]

Apparently, the costuming at the end was partially an issue?

[@AlinaAniretake]

26:54 and now he voices a character in game))

[@twiinsiink]

Which game?

[@AlinaAniretake]

@@twiinsiink "Once upon a Jester". He mentioned it in a "Frog detective 3" stream on twitch) You're welcome)

[@AlinaAniretake]

@@twiinsiink also, really liked two your reviews on Starkid and rant on Cats, can we expect from you review of at least Firebringer? Since, you know, I love to watch your critical content)

[@twiinsiink]

@@AlinaAniretake Thank you, that's so nice to hear!

[@twiinsiink]

@@AlinaAniretake No plans for a review of Firebringer for now, but I'm sure I'll swing back into a musical phase and talk about it eventually!

[@overgrowthj4612]

Nice

[@Acorn905]

46:20 Youre right but i just like references to much T-T

[@echenexcetera5702]

I think this show was more to set up a universe rather than tell a singular story, which kinda sucks that Starkid is going down that route seen as a lot of studios are going down that route after the MCU at least they are doing it through a different medium and are seemingly doing it through an interesting way.

[@thezenlu]

I love Sherman! He was hilarious!

[@PoppyIsMyMetalQueen]

The tgwdlm characters who showed up at the end weren't just fan service. I think they were put there to show, either realistically or artistically, that the time loop is almost over and about to start again and that their story is apart of the same universe as Black Friday. Hannah singing this song is breaking whatever spell the timeloop has on everyone and they start to remember they had previous lives. You can see Black Friday's Paul start to recognize all of his friends from tgwdlm. Everyone is waking up and realizing that they are stuck in time, which is great because they can come together to figure out how to escape. But before they can midnight comes and the timeloop resets, restarting their memories.

[@twiinsiink]

Do you have a source for this or is this just head cannon? Oh wait, you start the comment with "I think", so it's just head cannon. Cool idea but you don't know any more than anyone else what's true or not until more shows come out.

[@accidentalmadness1708]

@@twiinsiink it’s funny how poppy pretty much nailed it at the time of commenting and nightmare time has only given more evidence to what poppy said. Ya know maybe some people just do know more…

[@annaxxxx99]

No, we didn't NEED the entire cast of the previous musical to just show up at the end to suggest the show is a part of the same universe because Paul and Emma were literally in the first ten minutes of the show. It was fan-service, and cheap fan-service at that.

[@RitsuSakuma69]

11:20 12:44 18:40 26:41 31:54 35:30

[@JustinPageSlayer]

35:47 A Leightmotif, if you will?

[@somedragonbastard]

Ok I'm way late to this but I will disagree with your point that we don't know why Wiggly's birth would be bad. We get that from his influence on the shoppers- we see them as relatively normal, gossipy people, and then we see them become violent and obsessive over the doll. We get that this would only be worsened by his coming and we can understand how that would wreck the world. Otherwise I do get what you said, it feels pretty unfocused. Honestly, this is the kind of show I'd love to see as a miniseries.

[@twiinsiink]

I don't remember ever saying "we don't know why Wiggly's birth would be bad"? I think I mentioned not knowing what exactly it would entail, but yeah. Obviously it would be bad.

[@justnojustn3036]

I didn't like this play that much. I felt like too much , too little time . Each scene by itself is great but it feels like just that. A bunch of scenes without alot of meaningful connections and narratives between them. As well as without the characters that i care about.

[@austinthesan-antonian3932]

Black Friday is the magnum opus of socialist storytelling.

[@ivanaviles2389]

I was overall with you until your rude comments to the starkid fans for liking a call-back. The “calm down” comment was unnecessary.

[@daisy954]

ikr, people like their references just let them live, no need to insult people enjoying something they paid to watch

[@punkrocksandsoda]

This might be a bit of a hot take but, I actually really dislike Lex as a main protagonist. I don’t know if it’s just because I try to be optimistic but she really turns me away within the first couple minutes of her being on screen and especially during Cali 4 MIA. granted she does turn around by the end of the show but their willingness to run away from their problems instead of maybe solving them is some thing I just can’t click with.

[@islasullivan3463]

Another issue I would like to point out is that Hannah seems to have an intellectual disability given her very limited vocabulary, and I don't think Starkid handled it well as her superpowers seem to "make up for her disability" and it's kind of implied that she was "cured" after Wiggly was defeated(?? I forgot what happened to him). The "curing" of Hannah and that she doesn't sing until after it happens comes across as ableist (even if that was not the writers intention). Also it doesn't make sense because Lex was also connected to the Black & White yet she doesn't have a disability (as far as we know), so it's unlikely that it was what caused Hannah disability/ies.

[@twiinsiink]

I gotta say, I disagree with your assertions completely. While one could infer Hannah to have a disability, it's not implicitly stated. Choosing to read her as such it completely valid, but not the only option. She may have a disability, she may have trouble opening up, either option is acceptable. But more importantly, nothing is implied to connect Hannah's disability to Webby or the Black and White, they are in no way revealed to be connected. And certainly in no way "makes up for her disability". Being able to talk to Webby doesn't make Hannah behave "normal" (for lack of a better word), and I have no idea how one could come to the conclusion you've made if they actually watched the show? And beyond that, nothing implies she's "cured" at the end of the show. She is not longer distracted or worried, and that's it. Also, Wiggly isn't even defeated by the end of the show. And Wiggly doesn't even have anything to do with Hannah and Lex's powers. Her not singing until the end also has nothing to do with the possibility of her having a disability, fuck the song she sings is still a clear connection to the Black and White, and Webby- offering the same warnings that Hannah has done throughout the show. Her song is centered around her "condition" and how that can prompt her to say ominous advice. It's literally the antithesis of being ableist. It's pretty clear you just want to be offended but clearly don't even understand what you're trying to be offended about. You seemingly haven't even actually watched the show and are just trying to find an excuse to be upset over a non-issue. Your "criticism" is obviously made in bad faith, and is in no way educated, or worth listening to.

[@islasullivan3463]

@@twiinsiink I'm sorry, I don't think I explained my point well in my first post. You are right it could be read as her just being shy or something else and that is valid. Maybe It's just because I have autism but I just saw her as implied to be intellectually disabled. One other reason came to this conclusion (I haven't watched the show since I saw it when it first came out) but I am pretty sure someone insulted Hannah saying that her mom must've dropped her on her head when she was a baby (If I'm wrong, I'm sorry), which is common insult for those with Learning Disabilities and their parents, implying there is something wrong with them, and that if their parents had just taken care of them they wouldn't be like this. Just so you know "making up for one's disability" is giving a person with disability either a superpower or an ability so exceptional it basically is a superpower that makes their disability and the "burden" they place on the people around them worth it. If you wish to learn more about disabilities and disabilities in media then I recommend watching some videos about it from Jessica Kellgren-Fozard's channel, she goes in to more detail on these topics and explains them very well.

[@twiinsiink]

@@islasullivan3463 Thank you, I misunderstood what you meant with "making up for one's disability". However, I still feel your comment is basically you trying to fabricate reasons to call the show ableist without any real evidence to prove that. Especially your out of nowhere idea that Hannah is "cured" at the end of the show. Compounded with the fact that you seemingly can't remember a single thing that happened in the show properly, it may benefit you to rewatch the musical before you start accusing the company of such harsh allegations again. I want to make it clear that I don't think you're trying to be contrarian or malicious, but I truly can't understand how you've come to this "ableist" idea for the show. Perhaps you went in expecting it to be bad and then ended up head-cannoning it to be worse then it really is? Either way, if one choses to read Hannah as having a disability, nothing about the show implies that to be a bad thing. Ethan can be a bit abrasive in their first scene, but it's clear that it's the magical Black and White element that he's struggling with, not Hannah's mannerisms (as evidence with how it's the mention of Webby he snarks about, but then he's able to help Hannah calm down by giving her his hat). I also found the "dropped her on her head" line. It's being said by an antagonist. You know, a bad guy, someone we aren't supposed to like or root for. Him being rude in relation to Hannah is like, clearly NOT what the good characters agree with. You have to actually consider context while watching a show. If a BAD GUY says something bad (homophobic, ableist, racist, ect) then obviously isn't not something the audience or the writers agree with.

[@islasullivan3463]

@@twiinsiink Thank you, I will watch the show again sometime, and I just want to say that I don't believe that Starkid company would ever intentionally portray disability harmfully.

[@LukeBridger]

​@@islasullivan3463Well, if you watch "Yellow Jacket" a Nightmare Time episode about Hannah and Pokey (Main antagonist of TGWDLM), she seems to be more selectively mute. Her head is filled with so much information and the connection to the Black and White she can't fully communicate her thoughts, and when she can or wants to, it's because she's comfortable doing so. Again, that's just what it seems for me seeing her character, and Kendall and Lauren play her very well in that regard. It was stated that she was dropped on her head as a baby but that doesn't necessarily indicate she has a mental disability, it could just imply that she had learned to stay quiet and introverted due to living in a neglectful home, even if Lex did try to help her

[@personperson4571]

UwU

[@cotren8860]

ÔwÔ?

[@shelbysteverson4841]

What do you say is the worst song in any starkid show.

[@notsolong]

I disagree