I kid, I kid.

So, BadassDigest has joined the ranks of web video shows, and I think the result is pretty slick: Faraci, Amy Nicholson and Jeremy Smith breaking down the overall pretty-meh Summer 2012 offerings. Check it out:

It could’ve been worse.

“Intermission” is about retail stories.

Below, the trailer for “42,” a biopic of Jackie Robinson (why haven’t there been at least sixty of these by now??) with newcomer Chadwick Boseman in the lead and Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey. It looks good. The only thing worrying is the April release date – the pedigree (biopic, issue-oriented, aging legend playing historical figure in showy supporting part) practically screams “Oscar movie!!!;” so why is it opening after this years show and so long before next years.

In any case, the film is due in April and they’re already running trailers starting today; which means I will be called about 10 to 15 times between now and then by my dad to ask if I’ve seen this yet and if it’s any good.

Our newest episode is now showing for all audiences on The Other Site and also on ScrewAttack!

In EPISODE 75: “EASY DOES IT”, we examine the modern controversy over “Easy Modes”: do they really – as the lead designer of “Assassin’s Creed III” recently claimed – “ruin games,” or is there a vital place for them? In addition, we proudly announce that the next episode will be “Ask Ivan!” – wherein Ivan the Intern will answer questions to posted to the comments sections under the video itself or to this blog post (see episode for details, no anonymous questions please.)

ALSO! You’ll see The OverThinker’s favorite watering hole, discover the history of The OmegaThinker, witness the shocking origin of RoboThinker, learn something new about Ivan the Intern and watch ME gradually figure out how to properly use my new green-screen! (in all sincerity, I know some folks run hot or cold on the skits, but I’m pretty psyched with how the “ending” bookend for this one turned out tone, FX and timing-wise.)

Embedded episode and spoiler-y discussion after the jump!

*NOTE: QUESTIONS FOR “ASK IVAN” SHOULD BE POSTED EITHER TO THE COMMENTS UNDER THE VIDEO AT SCREWATTACK OR TO THIS POST AT THE “OVERTHINKER” BLOG; *NOT* TO THIS BLOG.

http://www.springboardplatform.com/mediaplayer/springboard/video/scre004/711/552713/

Yeah, I’m proud of this one. The Hutchinson quote kind of fell into my lap as a perfect sort of topic-starter for my little niche here, and it gave me some room to A.) flesh out exactly what it is Ivan is supposed to be doing most of the time and B.) bring RetroThinker back into the picture and try out what might become his new status-quo as “resident old-timey expert guy.” He’s a fun “voice” to write for, and his “costume” isn’t as cumbersome as some others…

As to RoboThinker’s origin? I really like how it came out, overall, but it was a winding road to get here.

When I sat down during the “planning stages” for the revamped show as the AntiThinker business was coming to an end, a robot villain named “RoboThinker” was the very first thing I wrote down after deciding to continue the “____Thinker” naming-scheme schtick, but for the longest time that was all I had for him. (FYI, you have been spared the appearance of non-starter ideas like an enviro-terrorist called “Eco-Thinker,” a white or yellow ninja tagged as “ElectroThinker” and a flatulence-powered one-off villain named “OverStinker.”)

Believe it or not, for a long time my plan was for him to either resemble Robocop or The Borg – which would’ve been highly unfortunate since this is hitting so soon after “To Boldly Flee.” Ultimately, I wanted him to look like a less specific parody, and the final concept (“Super-Sentai Terminator,” basically) turned out to be best within my budget/abilities AND to fit best with OmegaThinker’s DBZ/Trunks angle (that being DBZ’s “Terminator” spoof and all.)

In any case, I hope everyone enjoys this one; and I’m already enjoying seeing people getting into the spirit of “Ask Ivan.” If all goes well, you’ll get those answers, an explanation of WHY OmegaThinker doesn’t want OverThinker doing the fighting and your first taste of RoboThinker’s voice and personality next time. Until then, let’s hear those questions for Ivan!

*NOTE: QUESTIONS FOR “ASK IVAN” SHOULD BE POSTED EITHER TO THE COMMENTS UNDER THE VIDEO AT SCREWATTACK OR TO THIS POST AT THE “OVERTHINKER” BLOG; *NOT* TO THIS BLOG.

This was the “sillier” of the two Q&A shows, featuring Graham making balloon animals and the now-infamous Gangnam Style dance you might’ve seen on YouTube and Graham making a balloon-animal:

Mr. Sterling, Mr. Croshaw, Mr. Saunders, Dr. Mark and Mr. Me on the Escapist Expo’s “Fanboyism” panel…

It’s almost October, after all…

Another vid from The Escapist Expo, this was a straight-up Q&A panel featuring myself, “Miracle of Sound’s” Gavin, LRR’s Graham & Paul, Jim Sterling, Yahtzee, Dr. Mark Kline, “Critical Miss” artist Cory Rydell and Chris Pranger.

There was actually another of these, not sure when that’s going up.

For the record: Here’s the way that schticky “local sports humor” bit is supposed to work: 1.) Learn whatever the main “historic local sports rivalry” is. 2.) Do shout-outs to BOTH groups of fans, seperately. 3.) Do a cross-armed-finger-point in two directions and mischeviously-intone “Oh, I’m from [your home state here] so I don’t give a damn – I just wanted wanted YOU ALL to know where eachother were sitting.” What you’re not seeing in the video is that hardly anyone had hands-up for the Blue Devils, which kinda kills the bit (though not so much as my delivery did…)

It’s fittingly humbling that the first panel (that I know of) from the now-concluded Escapist Expo to hit in full-length video is “The Hour of Love;” which is one of the BEST panels (the premise: me, Yahtzee and Jim Sterling are forbidden from saying anything negative about anything the audience brings up, with Dr. Mark Kline onhand to keep us in line)  but also about the least “professional” I managed to come off during the entire show.

Despite what certain seemingly-incriminating photos may have suggested, my reasoning for showing up late was neither colorful or especially excusable: I mis-programed one of the multiple alarms required to get my lazy ass up before noon.

Literally everything else went smoothly (hopefully more videos will be up of the other stuff) and it was a terrific show overall. Looking forward to telling/sharing more about it with y’all: