History WebVideo / WelcomeToTheBasement

** And, in episode fourteen, after discussing ''Film/TheDictator'', Matt receives a surprise visit from none other than SachaBaronCohen!... Which happens to go unseen and unheard, as Tona hadn't been rolling. Hmmm.

* CuteKitten: Matt starts the ''Film/MazesAndMonsters'' episode cradling his new friend, Cici, who he mentions is much more playful than Ernesto; sure enough, she often comes to the couch in subsequent episodes to cuddle. Craig seems a little jealous at first, but admits he can't stay mad at a kitten.

** The host given

* MoodWhiplash: The cold open of episode twenty-five understandably traverses to TearJerker country as the two red-rimmed and damp-eyed cinephiles pay their respects to their fallen brethren, RogerEbert. The somber ambiance left lingering after Matt's profession that they will see him at any theater they pay visit to and remember him performs a 180-degree turn with Craig's follow-up of "If you're not there, we'll ask for our money back."

'''Craig:''' ''(Eyes widening)'' Oh, my God, no. Matt! MATT! NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!\\

* OhCrap: Craig displays this in spades in episode twenty-one, once realization hits him that they are to watch Creator/NormanMailer's cinematic contribution of '87.

** The infamous ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megaforce Megaforce]]'' thumb-kiss. It was even inducted into the website's [[http://welcometothebasementshow.com/hall-of-fame/ Hall of Fame]].

** Doubling as a case of Creature Impersonator, Craig flexes off a surprisingly convincing impression of [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings]] Gollum. Aside from this, his imitation of "spooky-eyed actor extraordinaire" MichaelShannon was at one point requested to be performed once an episode.

* FanBoy: Craig with [[Music/BobDylan the Voice of a Generation]], and the pair's "acting crush" [[Film/{{Armageddon}} the size of Texas]] on frequently mentioned and occasional basement cinema guest[[note]]''My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?''; ''Premium Rush''[[/note]], Michael Shannon, is well-documented. Matt eventually obtains a signed photo of Michael Shannon to hang permanently in the basement, and .

* BadassBeard: Sloan oscillates with sporting a [[BadassMoustache lip liner]]/goatee combo, and Johnson with heavy stubble.

** Doubling as a case of Creature Impersonator, Craig flexes off a surprisingly convincing impression of a certain [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gollum lover of antique jewelry]] during the [[Film/InTheMoodForLove second film viewing]]. Aside from this, his imitation of "spooky-eyed actor extraordinaire" MichaelShannon was at one point requested to be performed once an episode.

* EpicFail: In episode sixteen, there's a scene of ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decline_of_Western_Civilization_Part_II:_The_Metal_Years The Decline of Western Civilization, Part II]]'' depicting a band member of ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_(heavy_metal_band) London]]'' making an unsuccessful attempt to light the [[{{Russia}} Russian]] flag ablaze in protest during a concert.
* EvenTheGuysWantHim: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Bostwick Barry Bostwick]], to Craig, as illustrated through an editorially inserted thought bubble.
* FanBoy: Craig with [[Music/BobDylan the Voice of a Generation]], and the pair's "acting crush" [[Film/{{Armageddon}} the size of Texas]] on frequently mentioned and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Son,_My_Son,_What_Have_Ye_Done%3F one-time basement cinema guest]], Michael Shannon, is well-documented. Case in point:

** Outside of cinema, episode fourteen features Craig treating a [[{{Fangirl}} fan]] to a very provocative HairFlip. And if she thought ''that'' was {{Main/Squee}}-worthy, should she ever see him in ''this'' [[http://m.youtube.com/#/playlist?list=PLA170BF629FAD005B&desktop_uri=%2Fplaylist%3Flist%3DPLA170BF629FAD005B video series]], particularly in [[http://m.youtube.com/#/playlist?list=PLA170BF629FAD005B&desktop_uri=%2Fplaylist%3Flist%3DPLA170BF629FAD005B this installment]]...

* LooksLikeCesare: Though his wardrobe usually consists of brighter color schemes, Johnson looks as if he's never step foot outside the show's setting. His "consumptive" complexion is even {{Lampshaded}} by a fan at one point. His response?

* SongParody: Sloan's impromptu one concerning Noah Baumbach in episode twenty-four, set to "La Bamba".

* SuddenlyBilingual: At the end of episode 6, Craig translates Matt's newscast riff into Italian, and the two episodes of Foreign Film Month reveal that the latter can speak Swedish and Hindi (although, he may have just learned a few select portions for the occasions, as both times he asks the audience about the quality of its execution).

** And, in episode fourteen, after discussing ''Film/TheDictator'', Sloan receives a surprise visit from none other than SachaBaronCohen!... Which happens to go unseen and unheard, as Tona hadn't been rolling. Hmmm.

** Sloan succumbs to this in the very next episode, when discussing ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Im_Still_Here I'm Still Here]]'':
-->'''Matt:''' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joaquin_Phoenix Joaquin Phoenix attempted to be Creator/AndyKaufman, and it fell flatter than Andy Kaufman's wrestling career. I bailed on this movie thirty minutes in, because it didn't resemble anything approaching entertainment.
-->'''Craig:''' It's not ''{{Film/Borat}}'', it's not ''SpinalTap''-
-->'''Matt:''' It's just a douchey movie star's home movies. And [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Affleck Casey Affleck]], you ought've known better. And Joaquin, too! You know, you could've been content with being an Oscar-nominated, brilliant movie star, but you had to spend a year being a dumb, misanthropic clown, and you fell flat on your face, and you deserve it.

* TitleDrop: Invoked by Sloan in both the opening sequence and the season 1 finale.
* VampiresAreSexGods: Episode thirty-eight's selection bites into this and doesn't let go.

-->'''Matt:''' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joaquin_Phoenix Joaquin Phoenix]] attempted to be Creator/AndyKaufman, and it fell flatter than Andy Kaufman's wrestling career. I bailed on this movie thirty minutes in, because it didn't resemble anything approaching entertainment.

** The ''PutneySwope'' episode shows his patience and sanity thinning like a liposuction junkie with the MindScrew (and TropeMaker/namer listed above) of a film. Come closing credits, he has finally [[SanitySlippage flown off the handle]], even going so far as to demand why they hadn't watched Matt's second-listed ire-inducer instead.

** [[YouWouldntLikeMeWhenImAngry You wouldn't like Craig when he's angry]], as Shia [=LaBeouf=] learns from episode 40's discourse of ''KingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'':

** And, in episode fourteen, after discussing ''TheDictator'', Sloan receives a surprise visit from none other than SachaBaronCohen!... Which happens to go unseen and unheard, as Tona hadn't been rolling. Hmmm.

** Another of Matt's that lives up to the trope's full reputation is just the mere mention of one Creator/PeterJackson's [[MeetTheFeebles earlier works]].

''Welcome to the Basement'' (stylized as ''Welcome To The Basement'' in the video titles) is a VideoReviewShow released under [[http://www.blamesociety.net/ Blame Society Productions]], created by co-founder Matt Sloan. The series stars Sloan as the preponderant host; with close friend and ''ChadVader'' alum Craig Johnson as his SecondBanana; the former's wife, Tona Williams, as the unseen though equally as involved camera operator; and a plethora of thespians and other entertainment industry veterans - both living, dead, B-rated and otherwise. Oh, and Matt's cats.

* PutneySwopePanic
* TalentBomb, as well as the subtrope Talent Grenade

* ActorAllusion: A rare self-inflicted example: in the 2013 Christmas Special, the title card features the two pictured couch spuds bedecked as [[http://www.blamesociety.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85&Itemid=98 the jolly red drug addict and his crotch-thrusting helper]].

* FanService: As with many films, a great deal featured on the show will often offer this to the audience ('''particularly''' ''[[{{Film/Bedazzled 1967}} Bedazzled]]'').
** Outside of cinema, episode fourteen features Craig treating a [[{{Fangirl}} fan]] to a very provocative HairFlip.
*** And if she thought ''that'' was {{Main/Squee}}-worthy, should she ever see him in ''this'' [[http://m.youtube.com/#/playlist?list=PLA170BF629FAD005B&desktop_uri=%2Fplaylist%3Flist%3DPLA170BF629FAD005B video series]], particularly in [[http://m.youtube.com/#/playlist?list=PLA170BF629FAD005B&desktop_uri=%2Fplaylist%3Flist%3DPLA170BF629FAD005B this installment]]...

* LineToGod: The mentioned Facebook page and website supply this.

* PromotedFanboy: [[http://waynedorrington.blogspot.com/2013/01/welcome-to-basement.html Wayne Dorrington]], whose creative efforts formed the show's title card shown above.

* TheCameo: An unscheduled one by Aaron Yonda, co-founder of Blame Society and Matt's writing partner, in episode seven. He brings a baguette. Possibly from the trash.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: [[YouWouldntLikeMeWhenImAngry You wouldn't like Craig when he's angry]], as Shia [=LaBeouf=] learns from episode 40's discourse of ''KingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'':

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Matt reveals in the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miaAxqNZFGo Season 1 live broadcast wrap party]] that the original concept behind the series was to invite a different friend over each week, where they would pick a movie from his collection, after which they would share their reactions and views on it; if another friend picked the same film, he would have had to re-watch it and find new points of discussion to bring to the table.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: Ironically, the TropeNamer's defining physical feature is (thankfully) cut from Ed Harris' {{Blackface}} character of ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masked_and_Anonymous Masked and Anonymous]]''.

* ButtMonkey:
** MunroChambers, of the first featured holiday film ''Beethoven's Christmas Adventure'', is vehemently harped about by Sloan for both his appearance and acting capability.
** The audience has long since been made privy to Johnson's less than appreciative opinion of Hawke, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Attenborough Richard Attenborough]], and [=LaBeoufoon=].

** As you may have gathered, the hosts are aware of and intermittently make reference to tropes of this wiki.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Matt reveals in the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miaAxqNZFGo Season 1 live broadcast wrap party]] that the original concept behind the series was to invite a different friend over each week, where they would pick a movie from his collection, after which they would share their reactions and views on it; if another friend picked the same film, he would have had to re-watch it and find new points of discussion to bring to the table.
* WideEyesAndShrunkenIrises: Sloan plays this trope hard for one scene in the series premiere, when both he and Craig bear witness to documentary lead [[Film/NanookOfTheNorth Nanook]]'s rather... foreign method of dealing with captured fish, and again in episode eleven, during the razor scene of ''Film/UnfaithfullyYours''.

* Talent Grenade ({{subtrope}} of the above; Sloan)

* PutneySwopePanic (Sloan-coined)

* TalentBomb (Johnson)

* WideEyesAndShrunkenIrises: Sloan plays this trope hard for one scene in the series premiere, when both he and Craig bear witness to documentary lead [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanook_of_the_North Nanook]]'s rather... foreign method of dealing with captured fish, and again in episode eleven, during the razor scene of ''Film/UnfaithfullyYours''.

* VampiresAreSexGods: Episode thirty-eight's selection gives us all a thorough reminder of this.

-->--'''Matt Sloan, opening narration'''

* FanBoy: Craig with [[BobDylan the Voice of a Generation]], and the pair's "acting crush" [[{{Armageddon}} the size of Texas]] on frequently mentioned and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Son,_My_Son,_What_Have_Ye_Done%3F one-time basement cinema guest]], Michael Shannon, is well-documented. Case in point:

* CriticalResearchFailure: During one of their "warm up talks" before the credits, Matt and Craig were discussing the movie Film/{{Gravity}} when Craig claimed that the title was a misnomer because "there's no gravity in space". After receiving a ton of comments explaining how there ''is'', Craig later apologized in the 2013 New Years special.
* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: Matt's Christmas letter and gift to Craig in the inaugural finale.
--> "Craig, this past year of cinematic exploration has meant a lot to me. The show has exceeded my expectations, transcending its origins as a mere New Year's resolution and becoming a true source of happiness and creative fulfillment for me, and hopefully for the audience that together we have built. Most of that credit goes to the efforts of Tona, our tireless director of photography, and to you. I couldn't ask for better partners in this adventure of ours. For a year of exemplary service as co-host of ''Welcome to the Basement'', here's your gift: for our first episode of season 2, you get to pick the movie, host the show, and sit in the big chair! Here's to the coming year of many more trips to the basement, and hopefully many more years after that."