| 1 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ch_infobox.jpg]] |
| 2 | |
| 3 | A Web sitcom that updates approximately once a month starring the cast and crew of WebVideo/LoadingReadyRun as exaggerated versions of themselves in their everyday lives doing odd geeky things in odd geeky ways. The series differs from their regular sketch content by having the same characterizations and continuity, but said continuity is loose enough that one could jump in at the beginning of any season and not worry too hard about references to previous seasons. |
| 4 | |
| 5 | The first season had a plot about the crew trying to make it big, while also dealing with an artist scorned trying to take them down. Episodes ranged from 13 to almost 20 minutes long. [[RealLifeWritesThePlot They also got on the Jay Leno show]]. Following that season the episodes become shorter, in part due to the second season being produced in a partnership with Website/TheEscapist, and the seasons last anywhere from two to four years. Starting with the fifth season each episode premiered as part of ''[=LoadingReadyLive=]'', LRR's monthly live variety show. |
| 6 | |
| 7 | The second season also featured the episode "It's Magic!", focusing on the crew getting back into ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering''. The group's passion for the game and opportunity to connect with representatives from ''Creator/WizardsOfTheCoast'' allowed them to create a full SpinOff. ''Friday Nights'' premiered in 2012, and over eight seasons viewed the growing and changing LRR crew play with each other, comment on the current state of ''Magic'', and get into misadventures around their Local Game Store. In 2019 ''Wizards'' ended their sponsorship, but LRR retained ownership of the series and planned on crowdfunding further episodes the following year. But of course... |
| 8 | |
| 9 | As with many things, the COVID-19 Pandemic threw a wrench into both series--the fifth season of ''[=commodoreHUSTLE=]'' was cut short, and aforementioned plans to fund a ninth season of ''Friday Nights'' had to be postponed. A few years after, Graham Stark's cancer diagnosis and treatment also put him on the sidelines of the company's projects. However, soon enough the team was back on their feet and ''[=cH=]'' made a surprise return in October 2023, with new episodes rolling out every few months as part of ''[=LoadingReadyLive=]''. In January of 2024 a successful Kickstarter was run for the ninth season of ''Friday Nights'', which is set to premier later that year. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | !!These Web Originals contain examples of: |
| 12 | |
| 13 | [[folder: ''[=commodoreHUSTLE=]'' Tropes]] |
| 14 | * AIIsACrapshoot: Paul's run up against this trope a couple times. His Laugh-O-Tron took over one Moonbase, and "Blame James" has the offscreen example of the File-O-Tron which manages to cripple the International Standards Organization (and apparently the entirety of ''Geneva'') when it runs amok. |
| 15 | * BlandNameProduct: In "Toilet's Haunted", the medicine cabinet in the office bathroom is filled with items like Scrunt's Streaming Grease, Heckland's Big Hurt (for all kinds: head, and other), Uh-Oh Brand Whoopsie Fuckos, and Dr. Flonger's Cheese Balm (complete with a Dairy Farmers of Canada logo). |
| 16 | * BottomOfTheBarrelJoke: In-universe. While the show itself rarely reaches for ToiletHumour and the like (despite the ongoing GroinAttack plotline in Season 1), the 'Hustle version of WebVideo/LoadingReadyRun is heavily implied to resort to low-brow humour way too quickly and easily (at one point Graham describes them as the "seventeenth most popular Canadian flatulence-based internet comedy troupe"). |
| 17 | * BuxomBeautyStandard: After her failed attempt at viral fame, Kathleen discovers that D-cups aren't big enough for Website/YouTube. |
| 18 | --> '''Graham:''' It's the internet. Anything smaller than a cantaloupe [[HollywoodThin stapled to a xylophone]] is considered small. |
| 19 | * CallBack: Practically every punchline in the second half of "Mustache You a Question" is a callback to the first half. The biggest stinger is probably the one about YourMom. |
| 20 | * ChristmasEpisode: "Santa Secrets". |
| 21 | * ComedicSociopathy: The huge creepy doll Tally made for Graham as James' Secret Santa present, as Graham is terrified by it. |
| 22 | * ConvenienceStoreGiftShopping: A very specific kind in [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/loadingreadyrun/2564-Santa-Secrets Santa Secrets]], where everybody except James and Morgan buys everybody else a ''Magic: The Gathering'' booster pack. Hilariously, Morgan's gift, the only one which was bought from a convenience store (some glass baubles to use as ''Magic'' counters), was the only gift which was appreciated by its recipient (James). Further played with in that James hadn't bought it himself because he could only find it at the card shop at a huge markup; Morgan got the same thing for a dollar. |
| 23 | * ConversationCut: Used aplenty as a means to transition between side plots in an episode. |
| 24 | -->'''Alex:''' You want to talk about bad beats? I'll tell you about bad beats. Are we hungry?\ |
| 25 | '''Cameron:''' ...A little?\ |
| 26 | '''Alex:''' Then I guess we should...\ |
| 27 | ''[cut to Alex's Magic: the Gathering match]''\ |
| 28 | '''Alex's opponent:''' Feed the Clan, Ferocious off Siege Rhino, I gain 10 life. |
| 29 | * CreditsGag: Occasionally, such as with "Sir James von Landlord" in "The Arms Race", and Kathleen as "Anchor-Wrangling Technician" in "Sickness", both referencing events from the episode. |
| 30 | * CuteKitten: Subverted. Kathleen's plan to make money of her cats didn't work out. They are still cute. |
| 31 | * DeusExMachina: In the [[https://youtu.be/g_qt8Xd2TXY "Giving Up"]] episode, after a string of episodes about how the crew is desperate for money and can't afford rent on the moonbase, it turns out Beej is independently wealthy and offers them an unused office in one of his properties. Even Graham calls this out. |
| 32 | * DidNotThinkThisThrough: |
| 33 | ** The fictional version of the crew stopped making sketches the same time the real crew did. Then they realized that unlike the real crew they didn't do any other shows and had no other marketable skills. |
| 34 | ** In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkRt_cvCT74 "Workplace"]] the crew pulls off pretending to be a group of super-consultants hired to help IBS, only to realize that the only fake part was their qualifications - now they have to actually complete the task of bringing a new paradigm to ''beige''. |
| 35 | * EarlyBirdCameo: Ian inexplicably appears as a team member for one brief cut during the scene of Graham, James, and Alex rifling through the costume rack in ''Free Candy'', several episodes before they meet him. Some viewers like to theorize that he's actually one of the other three in costume. |
| 36 | * EvenNerdsHaveStandards: Graham's explanation of [=LARPers=]. |
| 37 | --> '''Graham''': It's like what Jer does with the dice and the bits of paper, except that the people Jer hangs out with look down on these guys. |
| 38 | * ForScience: Why did Paul invent the [[spoiler: ball-kicking robot]]? "Because I could". |
| 39 | -->'''Jer:''' Isn't that the kind of thinking that lead to the nuclear bomb?\ |
| 40 | '''Paul:''' Gee, I hope so. |
| 41 | ** Also his explanation for why they are watching ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''. Quotes the trope name verbatim, in fact. |
| 42 | * TheFriendsWhoNeverHang: In the episode [[https://youtu.be/bBy4DuCTt-s Discovery]] it becomes a plot point that Beej and Heather have somehow never interacted in the years both have been involved in the channel and were completely unaware of each others' presence. As in real life the two are ''married''; they just never put together that their work stories were about the same people. |
| 43 | * GilliganCut: Many times. |
| 44 | -->'''Matt:''' I think that's the trick with customer service. You just need to know what to say.\ |
| 45 | ''(cut)''\ |
| 46 | '''James:''' Screw you too! Asshole! |
| 47 | * GroinAttack: Played straight and played with during the first season, where Geoff's objection to WebVideo/LoadingReadyRun is their reliance on this in their comedy. |
| 48 | * HalloweenEpisode: "Roll For Treats" and "Free Candy". |
| 49 | * HandWave: Why was there such a long gap between "The Quest" and "Back from the Past"? The crew took an extended vacation in the Dinosaur Past. |
| 50 | * HammerSpace: Paul has goggles and cookies in hammerspace. |
| 51 | ** James apparently keeps a copy of ''Bad Dudes'' for the NES... in his collar. |
| 52 | ** Alex apparently keeps a bunch of ''Magic'' cards concealed on his person, and a [[ItMakesSenseInContext bandoleer or two of soda cans.]] |
| 53 | * HeavySleeper: Both Bill and Morgan. The only reliable way to wake Morgan is to uncap a sharpie in his presence. The only non-ninja-related way to wake Bill is to hold his nose. |
| 54 | * HurricaneOfEuphemisms: Testicular trauma. Scrotal assault. Reproductive carnage. Wang misery. Dong distress. |
| 55 | -->'''Bill:''' You put way too much thought into this!\ |
| 56 | '''Morgan:''' Oh no, it just comes naturally. [[HehHehYouSaidX Ha.]] ''Comes''. |
| 57 | * IHaveMyWays: Heather's typical method of accomplishing ''anything.'' |
| 58 | -->'''Beej:''' Where did you get that?\ |
| 59 | '''Heather:''' Do you ''really'' wanna know? |
| 60 | * ImaginedInnuendo: Alex invokes this in "Bros Clubbing Bros". |
| 61 | -->'''Alex:''' Hey James, you wanna play Bros Twisting Bros?\ |
| 62 | '''James:''' (backs away) Is this another trick question? |
| 63 | * ImmuneToMindControl: After being cured of his Paul-induced compulsion to speak only in memes Beej is the only one able to resist Cameron's mind-control app in "Improvements". |
| 64 | * KlatchianCoffee: the Coffee of Life/caffeinated super-serum/caffeine ichor from "Coffee Time". |
| 65 | * LowerDeckEpisode: "The Bee Team" mainly stars Tally, Kate, and Cameron (the latter having not even appeared in the series yet and the former two only appearing occasionally as minor roles) while the rest of the crew is away. The only main crew members to actually appear are Graham, James, and Matt, and Matt doesn't even have any lines. |
| 66 | * MistakenForGay: Graham, apparently: in "Street", he explains that Matt won't give him a lift anywhere in his car, because when he does, people mistake them for a gay couple. He uses the same rationale for why he won't take Morgan to the hospital anymore. |
| 67 | ** The hospital bit, according to a story told on [[WebVideo/DesertBusForHope Desert Bus]] is [[TruthInTelevision based on actual events.]] |
| 68 | * MundaneUtility: Beej suggests summoning a wizard as a solution to several common problems. It turns out he's serious; he employs a wizard he summoned as a construction contractor. |
| 69 | * NerdsAreSexy: Pretty much played straight. Almost all are in stable relationships. It helps that their partners are often just as nerdy as they are. |
| 70 | * NoFourthWall: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMlJnSCfYns Graham following up]] eleven cups of coffee with what Heather calls "The Coffee of Life" causes this to occur, resulting in the second RecursiveReality moment below, along with a brief break into the Loading Ready Live stream. |
| 71 | * NoodleIncident: |
| 72 | ** Cameron's word choice over Beej using VR to "merge" with the parking lot complex in "Stake Out" implies that Beej has done something similar ([[Film/TheLawnmowerMan "gone full Lawnmower Man"]]) before. |
| 73 | ** "Coffee Time" establishes that Beej did... things before dropping the coffee habit. He refuses to elaborate and apparently went to some lengths to erase all mention from the internet. It's not ''explicitly'' connected to how the the same episode established that his wife knows how to distill [[KlatchianCoffee The Coffee of Life]] but the odds seem high. |
| 74 | * NotSoAboveItAll: James being this is a plot point in "Kitted Out", when he forces everyone but Graham, Paul and Beej to undergo a series of ridiculous tests to see if they can go to [=PAX=]. |
| 75 | * OffscreenTeleportation: PlayedForLaughs when Paul crosses the room, presents a slideshow in a labcoat and goggles, then reappears next to Kathleen in his normal clothing with no transition or explanation. |
| 76 | ** Reappears in "Pony Time" and similar videos where Paul's manic energy allows him to shatter physical laws. |
| 77 | * OneHourWorkWeek: Beej makes his money by renting out properties, which explicitly doesn't take up much of his time and is why he can hang around with the crew instead of working. Presumably, he does his actual work during ''Friday Nights'' episodes, since he doesn't play ''Magic'' and at most appears in cameos in them. Ian's storyline is based on this; his job is nebulous and leaves him a lot of free time during the day (it apparently mostly involves presenting at industry conventions), but by his third appearance it's a plot point that he's been neglecting his job to hang around with the crew. |
| 78 | * OneSteveLimit: Used in [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/loadingreadyrun/1877-The-Arms-Race The Arms Race]]: |
| 79 | -->'''Graham:''' Oh, hey, Landlord James.\ |
| 80 | '''Landlord:''' [[LampshadeHanging Why do you guys always have to call me that?]]\ |
| 81 | '''Paul:''' We already have a James, so...\ |
| 82 | '''Landlord:''' Well, how about "Sir James von Landlord"? |
| 83 | ** Which [[BrickJoke comes back]] as a CreditsGag. |
| 84 | ** There's also a specific, extremely odd single case aversion in that there's now apparently a ''second Beej'' running around in the Commodore Hustle continuity. First appearing in the stinger of "Coffee Time" ostensibly as a result of Graham's coffee-induced shenanigans, he goes on to be the [[EvilTwin villain behind the parking complex issues]] that Beej is having in "Stake Out". |
| 85 | * OnlySaneMan: Most often applies to James, who is variously credited as "The Fixer" and "A sensible guy". |
| 86 | * PortmanteauCoupleName: "Stake Out" has Cameron invoke this by calling for "Kathlian"(Kathleen and Ian) when Beej goes full [[Film/TheLawnmowerMan Lawnmower Man.]] Kathleen isn't overly pleased with this. |
| 87 | -->'''Kathleen:'''First off, ''don't'' ship me with anyone.\ |
| 88 | '''Cameron:'''Sorry. |
| 89 | * RealLifeWritesThePlot: Several times, always exaggerated for laughs. |
| 90 | ** Matt really was actually moving out at the time they filmed "Matt Gets His Groove". |
| 91 | ** They really had to change offices. |
| 92 | ** Geoff used to work at Yo!Video. |
| 93 | ** Graham moved out of Bill's and Morgan's because of an...incident. |
| 94 | ** Graham and Morgan actually had to go to the hospital, and the doctors thought they were a couple. |
| 95 | ** The entire "Fallout" episode was inspired by the results of their viral videos. |
| 96 | ** The group got back into ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' pretty much the same way as depicted in "It's Magic!", which of course spun off into a major pillar of the organization. |
| 97 | ** Tim really had to leave the group, though it was to get married, not due to realizing how terrible they were. |
| 98 | ** During a [=LRRcast=], Graham revealed that the episode probably most based on real life was "The Gay Chicken". Virtually everything in that episode really happened at some point, with the exception of Tally being led to believe that "gay chicken" was Bill's D&D character. Including how Bill eventually won. |
| 99 | ** Penelope (Graham and Kathleen's daughter) was added to the show a few months after her birth, albeit as a prop. Yes, that's right, [[CrossesTheLineTwice a prop baby]]. |
| 100 | * ProperlyParanoid: In the cold open for "Free Candy", Kathleen appreciates the leaves falling off trees because it means people can't ambush her by jumping out of the canopies. Cameron points out that that's never happened to her, but she counters that if she didn't worry about it she'd be under-prepared. As they leave, the camera pans over to show Alex perched in a tree, disappointed that she's figured out his scheme. |
| 101 | * RecursiveReality: In [[https://youtu.be/qYR7EZVW19g?t=3m21s one scene]], Graham reveals that he's editing the very scene he's talking in. He does it [[https://youtu.be/DMlJnSCfYns?t=247 again]] in "Coffee Time", albeit to a somewhat greater degree. |
| 102 | * RedOniBlueOni: Paul and Graham respectively; Graham, while not completely sane, is much more down-to-earth than Paul, who is very separated from reality. Other pairs that form during the course of the first season: Kathleen and Jer, Morgan and Bill, Matt and James. Only the last one transitions into future seasons, as Morgan and Bill stop appearing and Kathleen and Jer don't interact nearly as much. |
| 103 | * RememberTheNewGuy: Cam and Beej both pop up as established members without comment in their intro episodes. The first episode that had Ben as part of the crew (he had previously played several bit parts) claimed that he'd been working there for two years on a night shift and Cam just never noticed. |
| 104 | * RoaringRampageOfRevenge: An extremely low-key version that's PlayedForLaughs in "Kitted Out". James forces almost everyone to undergo a series of ridiculous [[spoiler:(and completely unnecessary)]] tests to see if they're worth taking to [=PAX=] as retribution for the pranks pulled on him in absentia during "Blame James"- having his dayplanner messed with, geting "#[=BlameJames=]" trending on Twitter, being permanently banned from anything involving the [=ISO=] and a ten year ban on being able to enter Switzerland. |
| 105 | * ScoobyStack: |
| 106 | ** At the beginning of "The Gay Chicken", Kathleen, Alex and Kathleen's cat do it to prove that there is no room in Graham's house for another guest. |
| 107 | ** Later, in "The Bee Team", this is done by Tally, Kate, Cameron, and Dale to check on the moonbase to see if [[ItMakesSenseInContext the bees are dead]]. |
| 108 | * SevenMinuteLull: During the gang's fight in the episode ''Street'' where we get this interesting line from |
| 109 | -->'''Matt:''' "And just because Rodamus Prime got the matrix of leadership '''doesn't''' make him the best leader they've ever had!" |
| 110 | * SpeaksInShoutOuts: Thanks to one of Paul's experiments Beej spent several episodes speaking only in internet memes. He was eventually cured by Cameron. |
| 111 | * ShoutOut: In "The Bee Team", Graham's sister Kate remarks that "[[Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire there must always be a Stark]] in the Moonbase". |
| 112 | ** In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQgCqJ-F5r8 Rude Subreddit]]", James mentions that WebVideo/CaptainDisillusion tried and failed to debunk Paul's poorly-photoshopped cryptid. |
| 113 | * StylisticSuck: Graham Stark himself mentions on the DVD commentary that the WebVideo/LoadingReadyRun of the WebVideo/CommodoreHustle universe seems to be mostly comprised of fart, poop and ball kick jokes with added pelvic thrusts. Probably also doubles as self-deprecation. However, they seem to be slightly ''less'' obsessed with hats. |
| 114 | * TakeThat: |
| 115 | --> "I'm watching all the good [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Next Gen]] movies." |
| 116 | --> "See you in [[Film/StarTrekFirstContact one hundred and eleven minutes]]." |
| 117 | ** Eternal Sonata has horribly paced cutscenes. |
| 118 | * TheTapeKnewYouWouldSayThat: Episode 10: Judgment does this with Geoff's ransom note on the computer. |
| 119 | * {{Troll}}: Jer during the Bros Clubbing Bros episode, complete with Troll Face just to drive the point home. |
| 120 | * TwistedEchoCut: "Mustache You a Question" has a few of these. |
| 121 | -->'''Kathleen:''' James! Why are you wearing a scarf?\ |
| 122 | (cut to Matt playing with his cell phone, and Paul scolding him for it)\ |
| 123 | '''Matt:''' I'm not!\ |
| 124 | '''Paul:''' Yes you are! You're doing it right now! |
| 125 | ** And later: |
| 126 | -->'''Graham:''' K2 is a harder climb.\ |
| 127 | (cut to Kathleen talking to James, who is reading a magazine)\ |
| 128 | '''Kathleen:''' ''Is'' it?\ |
| 129 | '''James:''' Yup.\ |
| 130 | '''Kathleen:''' ''Really?'' Your favourite magazine? |
| 131 | * TwoLinesNoWaiting: "Mustache You a Question" features two different subplots woven together: one about Matt's Reddit addiction, one about James' mustache. |
| 132 | * {{Understatement}}: When Bill and Morgan discover Jer's "acid pit", their response is uncharacteristic. |
| 133 | -->'''Morgan:''' The landlord lives in the basement, by the way.\ |
| 134 | '''Bill:''' He's not thrilled. |
| 135 | * VerySpecialEpisode: Discussed; proposed as a way to explain how Paul's character in their Warriors of Darkness videos lost his beard. This conversation doubles as a TakeThat at ''Franchise/{{Degrassi}}''. |
| 136 | * VitriolicBestBuds: Type 2, this is the nature of 95% of James and Matt's interactions with each other to the point where James threatens to kill Matt for visiting his home and Matt haunting James's nightmares. |
| 137 | * WhatExactlyIsHisJob: Beej doesn't seem to have a job in the crew; originally he explicitly wasn't a member, just some guy who hung out at the Moon base, but later he started doing odd jobs around the place. After they were driven out of the third base he took the role of TheTeamBenefactor by setting them up in a building he owns. |
| 138 | * WroteTheBook: |
| 139 | -->'''Morgan''': James, please. When it comes to gay chicken, I practically wrote the book. Remember the groundbreaking assault that was International Cup Bill's Balls Week? |
| 140 | * YourMom: Kate's gang called the "West Coast Mother Lovin' G's" not because they love their mothers, but because they love ''your'' mothers. |
| 141 | ** James's first attempt to get a replacement iPhone ended with Apple customer service laughing at him, and making fun of his mom. |
| 142 | ---> '''Graham:''' That's not cool, I like your mom. |
| 143 | ** The subject of a gag or two in "Mustache You a Question." |
| 144 | * XCalledTheyWantTheirYBack: Graham spent $130 on a gadget that makes his cell phone ring just so he can make this joke. |
| 145 | [[/folder]] |
| 146 | |
| 147 | [[folder: ''Friday Nights'' (and "It's Magic!") Tropes]] |
| 148 | * AllForNothing: In "Quizmasters" Cam and Kathleen make their own complicated version of the Ravnica guild quiz after they get guilds they don't identify with. (Boros and Izzet respectively) When they finally finish, however, Cameron gets the same result. |
| 149 | * BackForTheFinale: Every person who has been in the series gets to return for "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM4OpbK-pdI The Gathering]]", the final episode the crew has produced on the [=MtG=] channel. |
| 150 | * BookEnds: The first episode of ''Friday Nights'' original run starts off almost instantly with Paul asking how to play ''Magic: the Gathering'', with Jer running into the room out of nowhere to help out, much to Graham's confusion. The fourth episode -- and conclusion of the arc -- ends similarly, only difference being that Paul asks how to draft. |
| 151 | * CallBack: |
| 152 | ** In "Friday", Alex gets defeated in a Mono-Red MirrorMatch because his opponent sided in Dragon's Claw. He takes this lesson into "Mono-Decent" and wins an mirror match offscreen with the same sideboard tech. |
| 153 | ** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMO8gCWlnPE Brewmaster Showdown]]" is filled with these, including the aftermaths of "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO9OHUGIAhI White Loxodon Exchange]]" and "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQfQH-6GLrk A Very Friday Night]]". |
| 154 | ** The ultimate example is in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYR7EZVW19g Amon-Cats]]", where Kathleen playing Steppe Lynx on turn 1 gives Alex flashbacks all the way to him getting curb-stomped in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnV2ewAXgvs It's Magic!]]" and he concedes immediately. The episodes are ''7 years apart''. |
| 155 | ** In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGHvPdXVtIs Lockdown]]", not only does Alex finally overcome the turn 1 Steppe Lynx, he's also been using the Time Walk that he got off Jer at the end of "Time Walking" to figure out how. |
| 156 | ** TheStinger of "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JajWO0_6IH8 Allegiances]]" has Ben chewing on some salad he found in the freezer. What's in it? [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUayK_Hu3W0 Lots of things.]] What he ate proceeds to become the focal point of "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=incxTxWJB3Y The Meal]]". |
| 157 | * ContinuityDrift: For most of it's run ''Friday Nights'' was presented as just ''Magic''-related stuff the ''Hustle'' crew got up to on the side. In 2018 they started to drift apart[[note]]very ''early'' in 2018 -- the first 2018 Commodore Hustle mentioned them having bought a door for a gag in Friday Nights[[/note]]; for example, the ''Friday Nights'' version of Ben is just a random player they know instead of part of the crew. However, the effects of Alex disappearing in ''Friday Nights'' stuck in ''Hustle'' as well. |
| 158 | * CouchGag: The ''Friday Nights'' opening sequences features the cast in custom ''Magic: the Gathering'' joke cards with different nonsensical abilities each episode. In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt--dN3uxsQ Unusual]]", an episode focused around official joke set "Unstable", these cards are reasonably balanced and wouldn't look mechanically out of place in an official set. In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0USlyIy8vXQ The Exile Zone]]", an homage to [[Franchise/TheTwilightZone exactly what you're thinking of]], instead of featuring the ''cast'', the opening consists of un-edited cards thematically appropriate to the episode. |
| 159 | * CurbStompBattle: When the crew gets back into ''[[TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering Magic]]'', we get a montage of Jer, Graham, Matt, and James trying to play against Alex. |
| 160 | -->'''Alex''': Swing for 37...\ |
| 161 | '''Alex''': And I mill your whole deck...\ |
| 162 | '''Alex''': Six makes ten poison counters...\ |
| 163 | '''Alex''': Now you can't cast spells, ever. |
| 164 | * ADayInTheLimelight: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKuxFnVlfOE Day in the YJ]]" focuses on Nelson, the shopkeeper of the local game store, and his interactions with the cast in the span of a day. |
| 165 | * EntertaininglyWrong: The main joke whenever Beej shows up is that he knows absolutely nothing about ''Magic''. For instance, he doesn't know about sets so he sorts cards by collection number and then colour (in alphabetical instead of WUBRG order). He also shows up once in a variant of the "phases" shirt, only the phases are replaced by random nonsense. In the final episode, when Graham goes to him for advice, Beej finally shows off his real knowledge of Magic: The Gathering... ''Puzzle Quest''. |
| 166 | * ExactWords: Graham's signature deck ''Bear Force One'' contains only bear spells. That can mean actual bear creatures, 2/2 for 2 creatures (which are referred to as "bears" by players), enchantments that create bears of either type, or just cards that happen to have bears on the art. Cards with just "bear" anywhere in the name are fair game too, as demonstrated when he plays Forebear's Blade: |
| 167 | -->'''Graham''': It's literally four bears, my dude. |
| 168 | * FracturedFairyTale: To match the theme of ''Eldraine'', "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wqQquvJTok Tooth Fairy Tales]]" features meta MTG parodies of fairy tales played by the cast. |
| 169 | * GroundhogDayLoop: In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojrVOgTDUxQ Time Walking]]", Jer obtains a copy of Time Walk for his singleton deck to play against Alex, and whenever he plays it, he finds himself back in his bed at the start of that morning. |
| 170 | ** Years later, in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGHvPdXVtIs Lockdown]]", Alex invokes this trope using the same Time Walk he received from Jer. Turns out he's been stuck trying to beat Kathleen's turn one Steppe Lynx for a while. [[spoiler:He succeeds, and fades out of existence as he's finally freed from his loop.]] |
| 171 | * KillerRabbit: In "It's Magic!", Kathleen isn't interested in playing until Graham tells her she can make an all-cats deck. By the end of the episode she's assembled a very fast and aggressive deck that curbstomps Alex as quickly as he's beaten the other guys. |
| 172 | * InsaneTrollLogic: The Friday Nights episode "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYdKMzXiiAg Jeskai Mysteries]]" has Kathleen try to find Cam's missing deck by, after first making sure he hasn't left it in his bag again, following a series of "clues" that start with looking for it at the Victoria Bug Zoo because it had [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=386589 Mantis Riders]] in it. Somehow this does lead her to the "culprit" who's been calling Cam all day - but he left his phone in the bag. |
| 173 | --> '''Kathleen:''' Don't you see? [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=386689 Swiftwater Cliffs!]] A clue! To the beach! |
| 174 | * KlingonPromotion: In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WWfKhjIbGk Monarch]]", the crew plays with the monarch mechanic, but take it quite a bit farther by having the winner roleplay their monarch status and keeping at it beyond games. The status gets passed from person to person as each member challenges and defeats the crown holder. |
| 175 | * LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: Done in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=incxTxWJB3Y The Meal]]" when the ominous "Exile Zone" music starts up and Cam yells at Graham to change his ringtone. |
| 176 | * LocalReference: The crew heavily favors the Canadian Highlander format of ''Magic'', which is pretty much exclusive to Victoria and to the Yellow Jacket store specifically. |
| 177 | * TheLoonie: Adam's Commander deck in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA-izEO-v8c Hold Priority]]" is designed solely to disrupt everyone else's strategies and combat. He openly admits he doesn't even know how it could win. |
| 178 | * {{Malaproper}}: Gibb constantly wrongly announces the names of his cards and game terminology as he plays. |
| 179 | -->'''Gibb:''' End of your time, I'm going to zip in [[https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=595153 Pesterman]], and when I unturn, I'm going to cast [[https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=397816 Splinter Tom]], targeting Pesterman. |
| 180 | * MushroomSamba: In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bnUtkiLVEQ The Next Day]]", James returns to the Moonbase to find it in shambles and everyone else completely disoriented. Flashbacks to what really happened don't match up and make about as much sense in context as out, making it seem like they were exposed to a hallucinogen. Turns out it's the fault of a pest fumigation taking place next door. |
| 181 | * TheOner: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW9ykWkJfj4 Commandeered]]" comprises a shot panning around a gridlocked Commander game as Paul, Kathleen, Cameron and Graham try to maneuver through it to finish the game. |
| 182 | * OrphanedSetup: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAQgdPnXdrY Throwback]]" opens with Graham telling Paul that mentioning ''Zendikar'' too much and too loudly will cause Jer to show up at the Moonbase and crack packs before anyone can draft. It then cuts to Jer reacting to the word at a faraway place and jumping on the nearest train to the Moonbase. [[spoiler:By the end of the episode, the crew manages to draft ''Zendikar'' properly with no further appearance of Jer anywhere.]] |
| 183 | * OverlyLongName: Each time the crew gathers for a game of Commander, they introduce their deck's Commander and its name. Some silly ones tend to crop up. |
| 184 | -->'''Alex:''' My commander is Sheoldred. ...The name of my deck is "I'm Not Saying She's a Gravedigger, But She Certainly Pulls Creatures Out of the Graveyard With Startling Efficiency."\ |
| 185 | '''Graham:''' My commander is Ezuri, he's an elf, the deck is full of elves, elves that go looking for other elves, I call the deck "Seriously You Guys, Look at All These Friggin' Elves." |
| 186 | * OverworkedSleep: In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzUKA0yLUVg Merfolk Surprise]]", Cam gets over-excited over fine-tuning his Merfolk deck, looking very disheveled and sleep-deprived the next day. When he realizes that he's overly skewed the deck towards control to the exclusion of any Merfolk[[note]]"This isn't Merfolk, it's Turbo-Fog!"[[/note]], he crashes immediately. |
| 187 | * RealLifeWritesThePlot: Alex wanted to step out of LRR projects to focus on his own work, and thus asked to be written out. Thus, in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGHvPdXVtIs Lockdown]]", he is written out by [[spoiler:fading from existence after spending a GroundhogDayLoop trying to beat the turn 1 Steppe Lynx that defeated him at the beginning.]] |
| 188 | * RecursiveReality: One shot of "Amon-Cats" has Graham editing the very shot he's in. Happens again in "Coffee Time". |
| 189 | * SerialEscalation: |
| 190 | ** Alex's sleight of hand in "It's Magic!" starts out realistic (using real card tricks), then gets increasingly ridiculous until he is somehow able to replace his entire ''[[TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering Magic]]'' deck with a red one. |
| 191 | --->'''Graham:''' I need you to be straight with me. Is magic real, and are you a wizard?\ |
| 192 | '''Alex:''' Of course Graham, there's magic everywhere in this bitch.\ |
| 193 | '''Graham:''' I believe you.\ |
| 194 | '''Alex:''' Just kidding, it's mostly done with magnets.\ |
| 195 | '''Graham:''' Well how do they work?\ |
| 196 | '''Alex:''' A good magician never reveals his secrets.\ |
| 197 | '''Graham:''' Well, you still cheated at ''Magic''. The game.\ |
| 198 | '''Alex:''' ''*reading a book; all cards have vanished from the table*'' Did I? |
| 199 | ** James pulls some similar maneuvers in his conversation with Jer about the spending limit, opening a large pile of boosters and sending a text message to Matt, each in the space of a few seconds while the camera is pointed at Jer. |
| 200 | ** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0qQoWdjnms Speechless]]" opens with Graham losing his voice across several back-and-forth cuts in less than a minute, with his problem worsening with each cut. |
| 201 | ** "Monarch" starts with the crown holder losing their status after being bested in different formats of ''Magic'', but then as the episode progresses, each successive monarch loses their status in simpler games, until the crown ends up being literally stolen. |
| 202 | * SeriousBusiness: The after-credits scene of "[[https://youtu.be/ewmGGRCRKlE?t=8m42s Strange Brew]]" has a woman none of them have met before [[note]]Alison Luhrs, Wizards of the Coast's Senior Narrative Designer; in reality, she had been invited to take part in one of LRR's Pre-Prerelease events)[[/note]] come in and give them a ''Magic'' version of Blake's speech from ''Film/GlengarryGlenRoss'' about them not preparing enough for an upcoming prerelease (which is about as non-competitive as ''Magic'' gets). |
| 203 | -->'''Alison:''' Ya see this deck? Do you ''see'' this deck?\ |
| 204 | '''Graham, nervous:''' ...yes?\ |
| 205 | '''Alison:''' These sleeves are more valuable than your entire Sealed pool.\ |
| 206 | '''Graham, confused:''' ...where are you buying your sleeves? |
| 207 | * TerribleIntervieweesMontage: |
| 208 | ** In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewr__ROzVNY Two Heads are Better]]", Graham is looking for a partner for the Two-Headed Giant prerelease for ''Oath of the Gatewatch''. This ensues as he interviews every player he knows who hasn't partnered up yet. |
| 209 | ** In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqbrXiaQCIk Assortment]]", Graham goes looking for a partner for the ''Battlebond'' prerelease, only this time it's framed like a SpeedDating program. This is also how they introduce newcomers Ben and Adam. |
| 210 | * TheseusShipParadox: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA-izEO-v8c Hold Priority]]" starts with Paul ducking out of a Commander game to tinker with his deck. When he returns at the end of the episode, he explains all of the changes he made, only to find nobody wants to play against it. He then pulls out his backup deck... which is exactly the same as his original deck, having swapped out every single card over the course of tinkering. |
| 211 | * ThisIsGonnaSuck: In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JajWO0_6IH8 Allegiances]]", Paul declares he has no preference for a guild and will make his decision based on the skew of his Sealed Pool. He discovers his first pack's contents are perfectly balanced across all five guilds in Ravnica Allegiance. Resolving this ensuing conundrum comprises half the episode. |
| 212 | -->'''Paul:''' Uh oh. |
| 213 | * YouDoNotWantToKnow: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7l0pRm-VRU Politics]]" combines this trope with NoodleIncident. It then becomes a BrickJoke in TheStinger of that episode. |
| 214 | -->'''Graham:''' Don't go in the Moonbase, it's being fumigated.\ |
| 215 | '''James:''' What? Why?\ |
| 216 | '''Graham:''' ...You don't want to know.\ |
| 217 | ...\ |
| 218 | '''James:''' ...I went in the Moonbase.\ |
| 219 | '''Graham:''' (sighs) And...?\ |
| 220 | '''James:''' I didn't want to know. |
| 221 | [[/folder]] |
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/context.php
FollowingContext WebVideo / CommodoreHustle
Go To
- Show Spoilers
- Night Vision
- Sticky Header
- Wide Load
