I just want to say that I’m loving the Synthia’s Selects vault picks. It’s such a cool way of adding a bit of fun and extra value to that side of things, and it’s great to see more of Synthia. She’s such a background character in the main show, but this gives Rebecca a chance to shine. All of the little bits with her and Mary Jo are fantastic (it’s weird how alike they look!), but now she’s got her own little playground where we can see more of her personality and how she interacts with the crew on the SoL.
I love the silly little intro and the credits. They seem to fit her character, a megalomaniacal clone who was raised Evil but doesn’t quite get it (or does she? See her causing Emily’s mini-breakdown in Killer Shrews (?)), really well. The extra sequences on the SoL are meaty little morsels, and I like the idea of them being a glimpse of daily life for the crew. There’s some real gems in there, like Servo wanting a hobgoblin as his emotional support animal because the chaos it causes will make all of his other anxieties look minor.
It’s a really great incentive to watch the Vault Picks every month, and I’ll probably even watch episodes I’m not that into (looking at you, Fu Manchu) just to see what’s been added.
It is cool, and it gave me an excuse to rewatch Pod People, which I haven’t seen for a while, despite it being a favorite. Considering all the extra bits they’re doing for the selects, to wrap around the tribute streams, and for the Madvertisements, I’m amazed they’re all really well put-together and would fit well into an episode. Like- none of it feels like lazy “Let’s crank something out” writing.
I “cheated” and watched all the new content by fast forwarding to it a few days ago. Worth it, and definitely recommended this time around if you don’t have time or desire to rewatch these episodes right now.
I think my favorite was Beginning of the End(?) where Crow and Servo decided to become critter exterminators. I lost it at Jonah’s creepy house voice, and even more at the final line.
I haven’t watched any of the new month’s episodes yet but so far, all of the supplemental material they’ve filmed (the sponsor ads, previous Selects segments, Emily’s extra segments on Munchie…) has been gold. The writers and performers really seem to be having fun with it.
Ooh, a good discussion about fantasy weapons in the beginning of Magic Sword, appropriately enough. I have a new respect for the boomerang. “Almost everything is magic if you don’t understand physics.”
I would absolutely jump right into The Castle of Fu Manchu if they gave that the Synthia’s Selects treatment, and that’s the only episode of the series that I don’t like.
(I will absolutely howl-laugh, however, if they ever pick that for a Turkey Day Marathon.)
