“Here’s a small, exciting toy. Now leave.”



<br /><a href="http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&amp;vid=09ca7e47-a094-46b3-ace4-d28658ee76a1" target="_new" title="Season 3 - Episode 6: Newbtastic">Video: Season 3 &#8211; Episode 6: Newbtastic</a>

Look, a new Guild episode! As always, I’ve typed up a few memories from the shoot, and you’re just stuck reading them. Or scrolling past them, if you must.

* I wasn’t on set the day they shot in the office building, so I have no insight on any of those scenes. I know, you’re disappointed.
* Vork’s scenes were filmed at the same big high school where many other scenes were filmed. This is the only time it was necessarily supposed to look like a school, which meant backing the van up on a wide stretch of sidewalk.
* In the apartment, I was quite amused taking down framed religious art, Bible verses, and quotes from hymns, only to replace it with Riley’s decorations. You don’t see them particularly clearly here, but the things in Riley’s room are particularly entertaining, including photographs on the mirror of all the people whose innocence she’s taken…which was pretty much all of the crew.
* I love all of Riley’s scenes, especially after having seen Michele Boyd act in person. She’s incredibly funny and charismatic, which makes her such a fun semi-villain. And, of course, she seemed very sweet in person, and even acted amused by my “I Agree With Dave” shirt.
* Is it intentional that Zaboo’s wearing the Holy Grail T-shirt in the episode released so soon after Python’s 40th anniversary? Probably not, but it’s awesome.
* Some of my favorite moments from this season are still to come. As a fan who got lucky enough to become involved in my own small way, it’s unbelievably exciting to watch it come together.

“So much for enlightenment.”



<br /><a href="http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&amp;vid=f5adff20-445c-474f-89cf-8ed22d2ddb22" target="_new" title="Season 3 - Episode 8: +10 to Bravery">Video: Season 3 &#8211; Episode 8: +10 to Bravery</a>

* Codex and Tink at the basketball court was shot at that high school. This was the location that seemed to be daring us to try and get good audio. Swim lessons at the pool, cheerleading tryouts and joggers on the track next to us, a leafblower nearby, and a single airplane that kept flying overhead over and over, like it was circling around looking for film shoots to disrupt.
* Incidentally, the bit about Codex risking it by going outside was only partially a joke. Whenever Felicia wasn’t on camera, she was under an umbrella. A tan or burn would’ve COMPLETELY wrecked continuity.
* New gag reel!



<br /><a href="http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&amp;vid=58dc04b6-be05-47a7-8296-a61186029f0a" target="_new" title="Season 3: Gag Reel - Episodes 5-8">Video: Season 3: Gag Reel &#8211; Episodes 5-8</a>

“All that lashing out, and that using of a lash…”



<br /><a href="http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&amp;vid=ad9da3c0-f956-4a84-91a0-29281cc13c51" target="_new" title="Season 3 - Episode 7: Coping and Stuff">Video: Season 3 &#8211; Episode 7: Coping and Stuff</a>

* Vork’s van is parked out in front of the apartment complex used extensively throughout the rest of the season. I recall two main takes of his Spanish dialogue: the fumbling version used, and one where he reads more confidently, sans one incredulous glance at the guide book.
* I wish there was a wider shot of Bruiser walking away from Bladezz and his garage, because the suggestive motion he made with his baton was hilarious.
* Today I ran by the FYE at the Trumbull Mall and finally picked up the Season One and Two DVD set, since the lousy Hamden FYE did not seem to carry it. There was something really cool about buying the show in a “real” store. Behind the scenes documentaries also have a whole new layer of awesomeness when you’ve worked with the people featured, but I imagine they would still be fun for anyone who enjoys the show. If you don’t own the DVDs already, pick them up as soon as you can. You’ll be glad you did.

A Long-Delayed Rumination On “High School Musical”

The other week, my sister Lizzy and I felt like watching a movie. We had no idea what movie we wanted to watch, so I looked over our family’s DVD library to see what we had. And that’s when I came across something in on the shelf that Lizzy–and the rest of the universe–had been trying to get me to watch for years, but that I’ve always managed to avoid. However, I was in a riffing mood, and had recently read a recap on it while going through random AgonyBooth articles, so I decided it was now or never.

“Lizzy, I’ve resisted for a long time, but I’m gonna give you one chance before I change my mind…”

Immediately, Lizzy jumped up excitedly, and injured herself. She ran to her computer to brag to Twitter that she was making me watch “High School Musical”.

I love a good musical as much as the next former high school thespian, but I had no real interest in ever seeing any part of the “High School Musical” franchise. But Lizzy had been pushing me to see it for a long time, because she felt it would bring back memories of the fun “rivalry” between our drama department and our basketball team. And it might have done just that, had it been a remotely realistic portrayal of any high school I’ve ever seen. Continue reading