Insights Into Entertainment: Episode 143 “How Not to Cancel Disney”

[INTRO THEME]

[INTRODUCTIONS] (2-3 minutes)
Insights Into Entertainment: Episode 143 “How Not to Cancel Disney”
My rested and rejuvenated co-host Michelle Whalen

[SHOW SUMMARY] (2-3 minutes)
This week on our Disney Detective we’ll learn how NOT to cancel disney.
Then in our Entertainment news we have a disappointing update in the Walking Dead universe
And in our Insightful Picks we’ll talk about Halo the Series

[Show Plugs] (2-3 minutes)
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[TRANSITION]

[SEGMENT 1: Disney Detective] (8-12 minutes)

How Not To Cancel Disney
https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/27/us/reedy-creek-disney-florida/index.html
https://cnn.it/3MBCO74
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/florida-governor-signs-bill-stripping-disney-self-governing-authority-2022-04-22/
https://reut.rs/3OK1v2T
https://www.advocate.com/politics/2022/4/25/florida-taxes-desantis-disney-reedy-creek-improvement-district-explainer
https://bit.ly/3vpIEmd
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/disney-special-district-in-dark-desantis-signs-law
https://fxn.ws/3y69gul

Previously on this podcast we discussed the controversy Bob Chapek and Disney faced over their initial response to the Don’t Say Gay bill, Florida’s HB 1557
After revising their stance Chapek and Disney took a much more liberal approach in support of their staff who demanded action
That stance ran them afoul of the state’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, to whom Disney contributed some $50,000 to his election campaign
DeSantis, in what can best be described as a political stunt decided he was going to go after Disney for daring to exercise their free speech
Despite having declared on multiple occasions that he is an advocate of free speech.
Apparently he only means when it’s speech he agrees with, which seems to be a disturbing trend that’s catching on these days.
In what amounts to an abuse of power DeSantis pushed a bill through the state legislature that would revoke the special self-governing district status that Disney has enjoyed since 1967
Having passed both branches of the legislature in what was a remarkably rapid process DeSantis signed the bill into law on April 22nd

It’s important to understand what the special district status of Reedy Creek Improvement District is and why it was enacted.
The Reedy Creek Improvement District is the governing jurisdiction and special taxing district for the land of Walt Disney World Resort.
The District encompasses approximately 25,000 acres or just under 40 square miles in both Orange and Osceola counties, servicing 19 landowners, including Walt Disney Co.
It acts with the same authority and responsibility as a county government.
It includes the cities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, and unincorporated RCID land.
The district was created in 1967 after the Florida Government passed the Reedy Creek Improvement Act.
The district has the authority of a governmental body, but is not subjected to the constraints of a governmental body.
The District is responsible to oversee land use and environmental protections within the District, and provide essential public services such as fire protection, emergency medical services, potable water production, treatment, storage, pumping & distribution, reclaimed water distribution, chilled and hot water systems, wastewater services, drainage and flood control, electric power generation & distribution, and solid waste and recyclables collection & disposal and operate and maintain all public roadways & bridges.
It funds its operations, services, and capital improvements by assessing taxes and fees to the District’s landowners and lessees, and by issuing ad valorem and utility revenue bonds.

In order to do away with the special district the local counties would have to assume all of the services that are now provided by RCID, including all debt services as well.
This is where it becomes blatantly clear that the powers that be in the Governor’s office neglected to actually think this process through.
Reedy Creek Improvement District says that Florida’s move to dissolve the district next year is not legal unless the state pays off Reedy Creek’s extensive debts.
Reedy Creek currently has about $1 billion in outstanding bond debt
The 1967 law that formed the district states that Florida “will not in any way impair the rights or remedies of the holders … until all such bonds together with interest thereon, and all costs and expenses in connection with any act or proceeding by or on behalf of such holders, are fully met and discharged.”
Apparently the Governor neglected to actually read the original law before deciding to make up a new law

So what’s the bottom line for Florida residents
Reedy Creek has an annual budget of around $355 million
It carries $977 million in debt
Both of these burdens would transfer to residents of these two Florida counties affected.
Currently the district operates at about $5 million to $10 million loss each year, but that is off set by subsidies provided by Disney
We can safely assume Disney won’t be subsidizing that deficit any further so that’s an additional burden on the taxpayers
There’s the question of existing expansion plans including a multi-million dollar solar power project that could be placed on hold indefinitely
Another concern is the districts firefighters union
The union represents nearly half of the 400 district employees
They are looking for assurances that members won’t lose their jobs or lifetime benefits in this transition
Conservative estimates indicate Orange county residents could see a 20% to 25% increase in property taxes

It seems to knee jerk vindictive legislation from DeSantis to get back at political dissenter Disney was poorly thought out with little actual planning for a transition
The new law dissolving the special districts was only two pages long
It avoids any discussion of details on how to unwind the existing deals
It fails to lay out any next steps in the process
And it makes no mention of how the financing of the process, the infrastructure burden or the debt management will be handled or who is responsible for it
It’s almost as poorly written and the original “Don’t Say Gay” bill that started all this
A bill that was described as value and unspecific and likely to result in the threat of parental lawsuits and will likely lead to discrimionation against LGBTQ students
It would seem writing comprehensive and cohesive meaningful law isn’t something the Florida Republicans are concerned with
Their priority is ramming through anything into law that supports their narrow minded conservative viewpoints then sorting out the details after the damage is done

It’s also worth noting that Ron DeSantis is up for reelection this year
In his last election he won office bey a slim margin of about 38,000 votes
Now, with the unprecedented tax increases he’s forcing on Florida residents
The controversial bills he’s supported that rob people of their rights
And the fact that he’s now attacked the single largest employer in the state
Who happens to employ over 75,000 residents (twice the margine of victory in his last election)
It’s hard to imagine how this will turn out well for DeSantis
He’s made clear that he had presidential aspirations, which might be his only course of action if he’s kicked out of office after this term
However, it’s worth noting that the presumptive 2024 Republican candidate for president Donald Trump has indicated his disapproval at DeSantis’ presidential ambitions since they clash with his own
Who knows, maybe there’s a greeter position at the local Walmart in DeSantis future

[AD 1]

[SEGMENT 2: Entertainment News] (8-12 minutes)

Melissa McBride drops out of The Walking Dead Daryl and Carol spin-off
https://ew.com/tv/melissa-mcbride-drops-out-walking-dead-daryl-carol-spin-off/
https://bit.ly/3EVFIkr
https://collider.com/walking-dead-daryl-carol-spinoff-melissa-mcbride-exits/
https://bit.ly/3OCWusS

We’ve talked previously on the podcast about the myriad of Walking Dead Spin Off’s lined up for the near future
The first of these and the one that everyone was sure we’d get might not be happening, or at least not as we though.

What would a Carol and Daryl Spin-off be without Carol?
Melissa McBride has bowed out of the series unexpectedly
The focus of the series will now be just Norman Reedus’ character of Daryl Dixon

The series was set to be filmed in Europe starting this summer with a 2023 premier
The relocation to Europe was something that Melissa wasn’t able to do in the time frame required

Angela Kang, current showrunner of The Walking Dead is expected to continue to run the new series
Kang recently said in an interview “There’s been talk for a long time about a Darryl-Carol spin-off, and so that was something that we were working on well in advance of the news about the ending of the series.”
She added, “They’re going to be off on a different journey. And that show’s going to feel hopefully a little tonally fresh. They’re just in a different stage of their lives and it’s more of a road show, which I think will be really fun.”

In light of this change of plans, does this mean that Carol’s fate is sealed in this final season of The Walking Dead?
Everyone’s been putting their score cards in order as to who survives the final episodes based the plethora of spin offs already announced
Carol and Daryl were counted among the chosen ones to survive because of their long talked about spin off
If nothing else it might make the last few episodes even more compelling to watch

This news will no doubt come with great disappointment to many fans
While there has been no announcement as to the title of the new show
I think we can now rule out The Walking Dead “Look at the Flowers” as an option

[AD 2]

[SEGMENT 3: Insightful Picks of the Week] (8-12 minutes)

Halo
Paramount+
https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/23/entertainment/halo-review/index.html
https://cnn.it/3qDUSVA
The official summary:
In its adaptation for Paramount+, HALO takes place in a fictional universe that first came to be in 2001 with the launch of Microsoft Xbox’s first “Halo” game.
Dramatizing an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant, HALO the series weaves deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future.
The series features the Master Chief, Spartan-117; Dr. Halsey, the brilliant, conflicted and inscrutable creator of the Spartan super soldiers; and Cortana, the most advanced AI in human history, and potentially the key to the survival of the human race.
My thoughts
Having experienced all of the Halo video game iterations as well as consuming most if not all of the published novels I approach the show with some decidedly established preconceptions
Most of these are realized in the initial episode much to my through enjoyment
Adapting a first person shooter video game into a successful television series requires certain creative license
So it’s expected that we’d deviate from the original storyline by a significant degree
In fact, one golden rule of the Halo series has always been the helmet
Master Chief never takes off his helmet
This concept is thrown out in episode one, but it’s done in a meaningful and significant story telling experience
And the visage under the helmet doesn’t disappoint
Pablo Schreiber offers the ideal image of an experienced, highly trained and emotionally reserved super soldier and does not disappoint
While there are some interesting twists with other well known characters in the series, the talent playing these well known fictional characters are fantastic
The adrenaline laced action is on par, if a bit graphic at times with what you’d expect for one of the best action games in history
Right down to the fact that Master Chief has to duck for cover while his shields recharge, and they mimicked the sound effects perfectly.
Four episodes in the show has had it’s ups and downs.
We started off with episode one jumping right into the action we all wanted.
The paced slowed down a bit for some plot development and character story
Then it picks right back up again in episode four when you feel like your watching a live action sequence from the latest game in the series
For the most part the characters are proven to be significantly different than how they are presented in other story forms of the genre
This offers some continuity confusion for those who’ve dipped deep into the lore well
But it offers a refreshing take on characters that may have been a little to static in the past, given them more depth
The most significant change is that the story is bigger than just Master Chief even if he’s still one of the most significant cogs in the plot machine
It’s difficult to judge the over story telling when you think you know the direction that the ultimate plot is going and what the big reveal is expected to be while at the same time hoping it’s not exactly as you expect it to be because thankfully there’s enough variety in the characters to offer a glimpse of something you haven’t seen yet.
Another worthy mention that probably should have been a pick of it’s own is the accompanying aftershow Halo The Series: Declassified
Each episode features a behind the scenes after show that’s a mix of interviews, episode recaps, fan testimonials, making of documentaries and sneak peak to next weeks show
It’s added context to the series and has served as a fantastic companion
Seeing the level of detail that goes into the sets, the training, even the Sangheili language really gives me a deep appreciation for the show
There’s so much going on in the show that it’s easy to miss some of the finer details
The aftershow does a great show of highlighting these scenes and supporting the story telling

[TRANSITION]

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[SEGMENT 2: Tales from the Edge of the Galaxy] (8-12 minutes)

[SEGMENT 4: Convention News] (8-12 minutes)

Upcoming Conventions

Recap of FanExpo (Formerly Wizard World)
https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpophiladelphia/
https://bit.ly/32VSRen

Philadelphia Convention Center
April 8-10 2022
Join tens of thousands of fans who are just like you and experience the ultimate playground for comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming.

00:00:01:22 – 00:00:47:29
Michelle
Insightful podcasts by informative host insights into things, a podcast network Welcome to Insights into Entertainment, a podcast series taking a deeper look into entertainment and media. Your hosts Joseph and Michelle Whelan, a husband and wife team of pop culture fanatics, are exploring all things from music and movies to television and fandom.

00:00:51:01 – 00:01:07:03
Joseph
Welcome to Insights into Entertainment. This is episode one 43 How Not to Cancel Disney. I’m your host Joseph Whalen, and my rested and rejuvenated co-host, Michele Rowland. Hi, everyone. How are you doing today, dear?

00:01:07:04 – 00:01:09:13
Michelle
I’m doing well. How are you?

00:01:09:14 – 00:01:34:10
Joseph
I’m doing much better. So we’re back with our first show after quite a long spring break, right? That was unintentional. Right. We had a couple of illnesses. Mm hmm. We had a spring break in there somewhere. Yeah, we did. Four weeks later, three weeks later. I think it was that long. I don’t think it was too well. The week she was sick, we didn’t do it then.

00:01:34:10 – 00:01:48:28
Joseph
I was sick the following week and the next week. And then we didn’t do it then. We didn’t do it the week after that. So it had to have been at least four weeks. I didn’t think it was that long. You know, time flies when you’re having fun. Oh, you’re sick, apparently.

00:01:49:01 – 00:01:56:00
Michelle
Well, yeah, you were pretty sick, but, you know, it was just a really bad cold. And unfortunately, you don’t handle this.

00:01:56:09 – 00:02:02:04
Joseph
Now, I’m a I’m a big baby when it comes to that. Unfortunately, I also missed Fan Expo, which really kind of.

00:02:02:04 – 00:02:10:01
Michelle
Yeah, that that was. And the thing was, you kind of were feeling a little bit better by then.

00:02:10:02 – 00:02:11:14
Joseph
It was nice story, but.

00:02:11:27 – 00:02:15:05
Michelle
Yeah, but I think it would have been too much walking.

00:02:15:05 – 00:02:17:22
Joseph
You would have had a question. I probably would have felt terrible.

00:02:17:25 – 00:02:23:18
Michelle
Right. And then you would have been out sick because you actually missed work, which you normally don’t.

00:02:23:19 – 00:02:39:01
Joseph
So it’s rare. Yeah. But anyway, we’re back. We’re going to get back into the swing of things. We actually had, had prepped the show before the hiatus and kind of had to go through and throw out the article. Yeah. Because.

00:02:39:19 – 00:02:43:03
Michelle
Well, not only did things get sale, but so much a change.

00:02:43:28 – 00:02:46:07
Joseph
Recall. Yes. The one you had. Right.

00:02:46:07 – 00:02:53:24
Michelle
It was kind of the start of everything. Yeah. And now it’s progressed so much more because of course, every day.

00:02:53:26 – 00:02:54:08
Joseph
Yeah.

00:02:54:13 – 00:02:55:01
Michelle
You know, and then.

00:02:55:14 – 00:02:59:20
Joseph
And the good thing about being off for four weeks is we don’t have to talk about Will Smith anymore.

00:02:59:28 – 00:03:01:03
Michelle
Right. Because he’s kind of like.

00:03:01:12 – 00:03:26:22
Joseph
Yeah, it’s such yesterdays. Yeah, exactly. So this week in our Disney detective, we will learn how not to cancel Disney. And then in our entertainment news, we’ll have a disappointing update in The Walking Dead universe. And then in our insightful picks, we’ll talk about the Halo series. And so we’ll get back in with a fairly easy show. We’re not too demanding at this point in time.

00:03:26:24 – 00:03:28:08
Michelle
Well, thank you. That’s so nice of you.

00:03:28:13 – 00:03:51:25
Joseph
That’s just trying to keep the pacing and get us back in the more rhythm here, you know? There you go. Before we do get into all that stuff, I would want to encourage our listening and viewing audience to subscribe to the podcast. You can find audio versions of this podcast listed as insights and entertaining in video and audio versions of the podcast can be found listed as insights into things.

00:03:52:18 – 00:04:16:19
Joseph
And we can be found anywhere. We can get a podcast, Google, Apple, Spotify, etc., etc. I would also encourage you to write in and give us your feedback. Tell us how you’re doing, how we’re doing, too. We’d love to know how you’re doing I was feeling really good today. Thanks for asking. Give us your suggestions for local conventions that we can plug for you and so forth.

00:04:17:11 – 00:04:37:13
Joseph
You can email us at comments and insights into things dot com. We’re on Twitter and insights underscore things. We also do stream on Twitter now. So all of our live streams, thanks to our reflector service re stream, not IO go out on our Twitter feed. Now So we’re live now on Twitter. Wow.

00:04:37:14 – 00:04:38:06
Michelle
We’re high tech.

00:04:38:06 – 00:04:58:11
Joseph
Man. We are. We’re also on Facebook at Facebook.com Slash Insights into Things podcast you can find us on Instagram and Instagram dot com slash insights into things. And as always, you can find all these and much more on our official website and insights into things dot com. Are we ready? Sure. All right.

00:05:03:18 – 00:05:36:18
Joseph
So previously on this podcast, we discussed the controversy. Bob Chapek or Bob, the latter as I like to call them, and Disney faced over their initial response to the Don’t Say Okay Bill Florida’s HB 1557 into revising their stance topic and Disney took a much more liberal approach in their support of their staff who demanded action that stance random afoul of the state’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, to whom Disney actually contributed some $50,000 to his election campaign.

00:05:37:14 – 00:06:03:27
Joseph
Full disclosure DeSantis is in what can be best described as a political stunt, decided he was going to go after Disney for daring to exercise their free speech despite having declared on multiple occasions that he’s an advocate of free speech. Apparently, he only means when it’s speech that agrees with him, and which seems to be a disturbing trend these days in what amounts to an abuse of power.

00:06:04:07 – 00:06:27:00
Joseph
DeSantis pushed a bill through the state legislature that would revoke the special self-care governing district status that Disney has enjoyed since 1967. Having passed both branches of the legislature in what was a remarkably rapid process, especially for government. DeSantis signed the bill into law on April 22nd.

00:06:27:23 – 00:07:02:19
Michelle
So it’s important to understand what the special district status of Reedy Creek Improvement District is and why it was enacted. So the Reedy Creek Improvement District is the governing jurisdiction and special taxing district for the land of Walt Disney World Resort. The district encompasses approximately 25,000 acres or just under 40 square miles in both Orange and Osceola counties, servicing 19 landowners, including Walt Disney Company.

00:07:03:20 – 00:07:18:26
Michelle
It acts with the same authority and responsibility as a county government. It includes the cities of Windsor, of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista and and and in.

00:07:19:03 – 00:07:19:25
Joseph
Unincorporated.

00:07:19:27 – 00:08:22:03
Michelle
Thank you. And unincorporated RCD land. The district was created in 1967 after the Florida government passed the Reedy Creek Improvement Act. The district has the authority of a government of a governmental body but is not subject to the constraints of a governmental body. So the district is responsible to oversee land use and environmental protections within the district and provide essential public services such as fire protection, emergency medical services, potable water production treatment, storage, pumping and distribution, reclaiming land, water distribution, chilled and hot water services, wastewater services, drainage and flood control, electrical power generation and distribution and solid waste and recyclable collection, and disposal and operate and maintain all public roadways and bridges.

00:08:22:20 – 00:08:38:17
Michelle
It funds its operations, services and capital improvements by assessing taxes and fees to the districts, landowners and leases, and by issuing ad valorem and utility revenue bonds.

00:08:39:10 – 00:09:12:25
Joseph
So in order to do away with the special district, the local counties would have to assume all the services that are now provided by Reedy Creek, including all debt services as well. This is where it becomes blatantly clear that the powers that be in the governor’s office neglected to actually think. This process through Reedy Creek Improvement District says that Florida’s move to dissolve the district next year is not legal unless the state pays Reed’s Creek extensive debts, which currently amount to about $1,000,000,000 in outstanding bond.

00:09:14:15 – 00:09:44:04
Joseph
The 1967 law that formed the district states that Florida, quote will not in any way impair the rights or remedies of the holders until all such bonds together with interest thereon and all costs and expenses in connection with any act or proceeding by or on behalf of such holders are fully met and discharged. Apparently, the Governor neglected to read the original law before deciding to make up a new law.

00:09:44:29 – 00:10:18:01
Michelle
So what’s the bottom line for Florida residents? Reedy Creek has an annual budget of about $355 million. It carries, as we mentioned, a $977 million in debt. So both of these burdens would then transfer to residents of these two Florida counties affected. Currently, the district operates at about 5 million to $10 million in a loss each year. But it is offset by subsidies provided by Disney.

00:10:18:19 – 00:10:21:26
Michelle
We can safely assume Disney won’t be subsidizing that.

00:10:23:18 – 00:10:24:16
Joseph
Net to.

00:10:24:16 – 00:11:13:19
Michelle
Bleed that deficit any further. So that’s an additional burden on the taxpayers. There’s the question of existing expansion plans, including a milk mill that the wow multi million you add in too many too many words today. So the question then goes about the expansion which includes multimillion dollar solar power project that could be placed on hold indefinitely. Other concerns is that the district’s firefighters union where the union represents nearly half of the 400 district employees, they are looking for reassurance that members won’t lose their jobs or their lifetime benefits in this transition.

00:11:14:04 – 00:11:48:17
Michelle
Conservative estimates indicate that Orange County residents could see a 20 to 25% increase in their property taxes So it seems the knee jerk vindictive legislation from DeSantis to get back at political dissenters. Disney was poorly thought out with little actual planning for a transition. The new law dissolving the special districts was only two pages long. It avoids any discussion of details on how to unwind the existing deal.

00:11:48:27 – 00:12:26:01
Michelle
It fails to lay out any next steps in the process. And it makes no mention of how financing the process, the infrastructure burden or the debt management will be handed handled and who is responsible for it? It’s almost as poorly written as the original Don’t Say Gay bill that started this whole thing. The bill that was described as value unspecific and likely to insult the threat of a parental lawsuit will likely lead to discrimination against the LGBTQ students.

00:12:26:18 – 00:12:48:03
Michelle
It would seem writing a comprehensive and cohesive, meaningful law isn’t something that the Florida Republicans are concerned with. Their priority is ramming through anything, ramming through anything into law that supports their narrow minded conservative viewpoints, then sorting out the details after the damage is done.

00:12:48:22 – 00:13:23:10
Joseph
Now, it’s also worth noting that Ron DeSantis is up for reelection this year. Conveniently enough, in his last election, he won office by a slim margin of about 38,000 votes. Now, with the unprecedented tax increases he’s forcing on Florida residents, the controversial bills he supported that robbed people of the right, and the fact that he’s now attacked the single largest employer in the state who happens to employ over 75,000 residents twice the margin of victory in his last election, it’s hard to imagine how this will turn out well for DeSantis.

00:13:24:03 – 00:13:48:18
Joseph
He’s made it clear that he had presidential aspirations, which might be his only course of action if he’s kicked out of office after this term. However, it’s also worth noting that the presumptive 2024 Republican candidate for president, Donald Trump, has indicated his disapproval of DeSantis, his presidential ambitions since he clashed with his own. Who knows? Maybe there’s a greeter position at the local Walmart in DeSantis, his future.

00:13:49:18 – 00:13:52:15
Joseph
So this is this is a mess and.

00:13:53:01 – 00:13:54:15
Michelle
Absolutely. Absolutely.

00:13:54:22 – 00:14:00:20
Joseph
And it’s a clear it’s a clear case of political power run amok.

00:14:02:09 – 00:14:02:18
Michelle
Amok.

00:14:02:18 – 00:14:29:25
Joseph
Gamma Kamaka make a buck. The Republicans want to tell you that we’re for free speech and we hate cancel culture. So in order to get back at Disney for exercising their free speech, they’re trying to cancel Disney. And it’s not even a cancel culture. Cancel culture is don’t do business with this person or don’t go to this person’s right shows or do their movies or, you know, cancel culture.

00:14:30:03 – 00:14:53:16
Joseph
It’s commonly referred to as cancel culture is you make a choice. And I’m going to try to influence your choice to be in line with mine. So it’s people exercising their free will. It’s not government trying to ram through poorly thought out isolation, which is what this is, which is just an abuse of power at this point. Right.

00:14:54:13 – 00:15:14:24
Joseph
And the people the worst part is the people that are going to suffer for this aren’t Disney. The people are going to suffer for this are the residents of Florida. Right. Can you imagine getting a 25% increase in your property taxes? We’re talking about people that are to a certain extent, retired people down in Florida on fixed incomes and can’t afford that.

00:15:14:25 – 00:15:26:08
Michelle
Or Disney employees themselves that live in those to counties and we know aren’t making a boatload of money working for Disney.

00:15:26:13 – 00:15:41:15
Joseph
Right. Plus, you have to figure that if this goes through the services that you depend on when you’re down there and no fault of the county. Right. And you made a point about absolutely. First responders. What was the point that you would make?

00:15:41:15 – 00:16:26:04
Michelle
Yeah. You know, if I’m hoping, obviously, that the first responders would actually be on site all the time, but what if they’re not? And you have you know, we’ve been to Disney when an accident has happened and how quickly a response team comes in. What if now you have to wait a half hour or what if it’s busy season and, you know, the nearest ambulance can’t get, you know, for an hour right now, you’re going to have somebody that’s possibly going to die on property and now you have a bigger lawsuit coming at you versus if you let Reedy Creek take care of what they’ve been doing for the past.

00:16:26:27 – 00:16:59:15
Joseph
50 something years. Bring people’s lives for a political storm. Yeah. And the premise for this and DeSantis is this numerous times is we want to make sure that Disney pays their fair share of taxes well, it’s documented proof that Disney paid almost $2 billion in taxes last year. Right, right. $975 million Disney’s not skipping out on taxes. Right. Disney is paying a hell of a lot more taxes than Tesla is, or SpaceX access or the boring company or any of Elon Musk’s company.

00:16:59:29 – 00:17:05:11
Joseph
Yep. So I don’t want to hear the let’s make them pay their fair share because they’re paying their taxes.

00:17:05:12 – 00:17:34:28
Michelle
Right? Right. And the other quote that that totally got me were the different Republican congressmen and senators and whatnot. Who, you know, basically said, well, Disney’s been a guest here. Right. Right. No. Okay. I’m sorry if you’ve lived someplace for 55 years, you’re not a guest anymore. Like we’ve, you know, we’ve lived in Deptford for 15 years. We’re not considered guests anymore, you know.

00:17:35:06 – 00:17:37:16
Joseph
And when you’re the single largest land.

00:17:37:16 – 00:17:38:06
Michelle
Exactly.

00:17:38:13 – 00:17:39:17
Joseph
When you right.

00:17:39:17 – 00:17:49:22
Michelle
When you own the majority of the land within the state, your state wouldn’t have tourism. There wouldn’t be a universal there wouldn’t be a sea.

00:17:49:22 – 00:17:50:22
Joseph
Wall swamp, it would.

00:17:50:22 – 00:18:13:14
Michelle
Still be swamp land. Now granted, maybe, you know, Six Flags isn’t coming in and making you know Florida great state. You know, Disney was the start of it all. Granted, yes, maybe something would have happened. But if you go back 55 years, the majority of the people were coming to vacation and they weren’t going anywhere in central Florida.

00:18:13:15 – 00:18:33:26
Michelle
They were going down to Miami, they were going to Key West, they were going to Daytona. Nobody wanted to be in the center of the state. They wanted to be on the coast of the state. So without that mouse, you’d have nothing. And now you’re going to do all of this because you’re mad that they stood up for themselves.

00:18:34:17 – 00:18:43:25
Joseph
And what’s what’s funny is I see Charlie Crist, who’s there, really is the presumptive Democratic opponent down there for for DeSantis.

00:18:43:26 – 00:18:46:24
Michelle
He probably just has to sit back and go, I like Disney.

00:18:46:29 – 00:19:15:07
Joseph
And he’s out on Twitter trying to get $7 donations to his campaign. And yeah. And I posted a message to I basically said, call it Bob Chapek. Bob Chapek is looking to buy himself a new politician out because the last one that he bought didn’t really didn’t really work out for him. Right. There’s a guaranteed $50,000 a do you think do you think that Disney’s going to spend just $50,000 to find someone to replace DeSantis?

00:19:15:08 – 00:19:19:07
Michelle
I have a feeling there might be a little bit more.

00:19:19:22 – 00:19:20:00
Joseph
Yeah.

00:19:20:02 – 00:19:31:29
Michelle
Going into it, you know. But the other thing too is not only, you know, the emergency services and things like that, but if you look at Disney’s infrastructure.

00:19:33:12 – 00:19:35:08
Joseph
It’s them talking about this right?

00:19:35:08 – 00:19:43:14
Michelle
It is amazing that more towns, more cities haven’t.

00:19:43:14 – 00:19:54:18
Joseph
Well, and the reason they haven’t is because Disney Creek operates at a five to $10 billion. Well, yeah, but normal government entities don’t. True. I can understand that. But he picked up that time.

00:19:54:19 – 00:20:12:28
Michelle
Right. But I’m sure there are ways to like, hey, you don’t have to do everything like this, but you could do that. You know, you just look at, you know, because honestly, Disney World is kind of its own marvel, you know, when you you might not realize it when you go there, how much.

00:20:12:28 – 00:20:15:00
Joseph
It’s a self-contained island, although.

00:20:15:00 – 00:20:47:25
Michelle
It’s absolutely. And and what’s so fascinating is when you start watching all these behind the scenes documentaries and if if you’ve never you know, looked at or, you know, watched or whatever, do some research and see, you know, between the whole utility door thing for the magic kingdom and the water treatment and everything. And, you know, they recycle, you know, such a high percentage like, you know, things that every town, every city should be doing.

00:20:47:29 – 00:21:01:07
Michelle
Yes. Granted, you know, they’re there’s other stuff to to have that debt but there’s probably other simple things that they could do. You know, you figure the road repair, if there’s a pothole one day.

00:21:01:12 – 00:21:09:04
Joseph
Well, there is no road repair because the roads never fail. Right. Because they’re constantly they’re not patch. They’re repaved.

00:21:09:05 – 00:21:26:28
Michelle
Right. Right. And what was really funny was a friend of mine actually shared a aerial view where you can see where Osceola, Osceola County and Disney really Creek and it’s like you could see the line in the road.

00:21:26:28 – 00:21:44:16
Joseph
And you can see that when you’re down in Disney, you’re driving around on Disney property. It’s a postcard everywhere you go. And as soon as you drive off literally a foot past Disney’s border, you can see where the transition is. You don’t need to see signs, right? You know, you just.

00:21:44:16 – 00:21:44:29
Michelle
Know.

00:21:45:03 – 00:21:49:27
Joseph
As soon as you drive a Disney property, you know, you’re off Disney property because now it looks like.

00:21:49:27 – 00:22:16:03
Michelle
Now granted, a lot has changed in the past 30 years because I and I still remember to this day I had taken a vacation with my parents. We were staying on Disney property, and we had our own car and we were you know, it was one of those things after being on property for so many days, you know, let’s go see the real world because we knew we were, you know, in Disney World and we drove off property.

00:22:16:04 – 00:22:36:08
Michelle
Now, granted again a lot more of Orlando and the surrounding area has been built up since then. But it was just like we as soon as we got off property, we were maybe ten, 15 minutes driving around and we were like Yeah, I want to go back to the land of Make-Believe.

00:22:36:17 – 00:22:50:19
Joseph
I don’t like this world. And but that’s still the effect. It’s more commercial along down days. Right, right. But that commercialization makes it look more rundown. Makes it right. Dirtier. Right. Makes it look almost industrial compared to being.

00:22:50:19 – 00:23:05:04
Michelle
Right and and that’s honestly why Disney did what he did and bought up so much land because he didn’t want what happened in California to happen because as soon.

00:23:05:04 – 00:23:06:18
Joseph
As he started flying.

00:23:06:24 – 00:23:24:20
Michelle
But it’s it’s gotten better from the time that we went together, versus, you know, 20 years before because Disney’s now started going and buying up more land around it to kind of Disney ify the surrounding area where like back in the day.

00:23:24:21 – 00:23:28:06
Joseph
So engaging in partnerships with the other. Right. With the other. Right.

00:23:28:06 – 00:23:48:25
Michelle
Exactly. You know, so it’s not as much of an eyesore as it was 30 years ago with Disneyland. So that was, you know, a lot of the point of Disney World was, let me buy up as much around it so that, you know, you don’t feel the pressure of that outside world.

00:23:48:28 – 00:24:08:29
Joseph
And that’s the thing, you know, me, I am not a fan of Disney. I will bash Disney for all the faults. And they have many faults. Bob Chapek being chief among them right now, I will bash them for it. But the things that Disney does right, Disney does very right. And Ready Creek is one of the things they do very right.

00:24:09:00 – 00:24:09:24
Michelle
Absolutely.

00:24:10:29 – 00:24:23:11
Joseph
So we’ll see how this goes. Right now, there’s not been any legal challenges, although they are right around the corner. I hope we’re not going to have to keep reporting on this every week. We might give a bit of time to develop, right?

00:24:23:11 – 00:24:27:24
Michelle
Because again, it’s not supposed to go into law until June.

00:24:27:26 – 00:24:28:23
Joseph
Of 20, 24.

00:24:28:23 – 00:24:34:15
Michelle
20 twentieths so we’re talking over a year away. We have his reelection for governor.

00:24:34:24 – 00:24:45:19
Joseph
And that’s coming up. So even if he gets reelected, he’s going to be there another four years maximum, right? It you think Disney’s going somewhere? No, no.

00:24:45:22 – 00:24:50:10
Michelle
And what’s so funny is you also see in the news all these other states that are like Disney. You can.

00:24:50:10 – 00:24:53:11
Joseph
Come here, we’ll take your salary, will gladly take.

00:24:53:11 – 00:25:04:04
Michelle
You, you know, and the other quick little thing that that kind of pissed me off with the whole thing was the fact that this got pushed through so.

00:25:04:04 – 00:25:05:02
Joseph
Quickly.

00:25:05:24 – 00:25:08:01
Michelle
Again to page document.

00:25:08:17 – 00:25:09:18
Joseph
That said nothing, that.

00:25:09:18 – 00:25:30:12
Michelle
Said nothing. And there are probably a laundry list of other laws that benefit the people of Florida and not hurt the people of Florida that I’m sure have been sitting on the books for years and maybe even decades. And this is what got pushed.

00:25:30:12 – 00:25:35:06
Joseph
And the thing to thing that now is Republican governor, Republican legislature.

00:25:35:07 – 00:25:47:08
Michelle
Right. And so if I lived in Florida, I would be living and I would be going to every you know, I would be supporting every person that is up for reelection.

00:25:47:09 – 00:26:11:20
Joseph
It is an election year. Year. Yeah. Get out there. Vote your conscience. Yup. Get rid of the people that are that are basically taking their vendetta out on the people of Florida. Right. Because if this continues to go through and you don’t stop it, your taxes are going up 20 to 25%. If you can afford that more power to get it right, can’t you better elect people in there that are going to watch your back?

00:26:11:20 – 00:26:12:12
Michelle
Absolutely.

00:26:13:01 – 00:26:50:08
Joseph
So we’ll be right back with some entertainment news for over seven years, the Second Sith Empire has been the Premiere Community Guild in the online game Star Wars The Old Republic, with hundreds of friendly and helpful active members. A weekly schedule of nightly events annual guild meet and greets in the community, both on the rim and on Discord.

00:26:51:10 – 00:27:19:07
Joseph
The second season of Empire is more than your typical gaming group. We’re Family. Join us on a Star Forge server for nightly events such as Operations, Flashpoints, World Boss Funds, Star Wars, Trivia Guild, Lottery, and much more Visit us on the web today at WW but the second sip and fire dot com.

00:27:27:13 – 00:27:53:11
Michelle
So this just came up yesterday I believe so it seems that Melissa McBride is now dropping out of The Walking Dead. Daryl and Carol. What? So we’ve talked previously on the podcast about the myriad of Walking Dead spinoffs that are lined up for the near future. The first of these and the one that everyone was sure we’d get might not be happening.

00:27:53:11 – 00:28:18:26
Michelle
Well, at least not how we thought it would be. What would a Carol and Daryl spinoff be without Carol? Melissa McBride has bowed out of the series unexpectedly. The focus of the series will now be just Norman Reedus character of Daryl Dixon. The series was set to begin. It was set to be filmed in Europe starting in the summer of 2020 with a 2023 premiere.

00:28:19:19 – 00:28:48:19
Michelle
The relocation to Europe was something that Melissa wasn’t able to do in the time frame required. Angela Kang, the current showrunner of The Walking Dead, is expected to continue to run with the new series. Kang recently said in an interview. There’s been talk for a long time about a Daryl Carol spinoff, and so that was something that we were working on well in advance of the news about the ending of the series, she added.

00:28:48:24 – 00:29:02:05
Michelle
We’re going to be off on a different journey, and that show’s going to feel hopefully a little tonally fresh. They’re just in a different stage of their lives, and it’s more of a road show, which I think will be really fun.

00:29:02:27 – 00:29:30:05
Joseph
So in light of this change of plans, does this mean that Carol’s fate is sealed in this final season of The Walking Dead? Everyone’s been putting their scorecards in order as to who survives the final episode based on the plethora of spinoffs already planned. Carol and Daryl counted among the chosen ones to survive because of their long talked about spinoff If nothing else, it might make the last few episodes more compelling to watch.

00:29:30:27 – 00:29:47:27
Joseph
This news will no doubt come with great disappointment to many fans While there is no announcement as to the title of the new show, I think we can rule out Walking Dead Look at the Flowers as an option. So what are your thoughts? I mean, this just hint. I was kind of surprised at this.

00:29:47:28 – 00:30:10:28
Michelle
Yeah. When I saw the headline pop up, I was kind of like, Okay, well, first off, we know that the current Walking Dead, the original Walking Dead, they have now finished production on that. So that’s done. That’s in the books. So I don’t think they killed her off. I don’t unless they’re going to go back and reshoot something to, you know, to kill her off.

00:30:10:28 – 00:30:15:08
Joseph
Although given the role that she’s been playing in there, she’s been painting a target on her back.

00:30:15:10 – 00:30:43:12
Michelle
True. True. You know, I you could I guess, and, you know, in essence do that. So it seems kind of like, well, why not wait, you know, or push it out? Like, does it have to be something that’s film now? Because the other thing, too, is we really didn’t know the time frame of the show. Is this something that happens like current time?

00:30:43:12 – 00:30:56:19
Michelle
Is it something that’s flashbacks? You know, so we so we really didn’t know where the time place would be. The other thing is you don’t really want to bring in another actor to play.

00:30:56:21 – 00:30:57:24
Joseph
You can’t not. Right.

00:30:57:24 – 00:30:58:25
Michelle
Exactly. What.

00:30:59:13 – 00:31:00:08
Joseph
12, 12.

00:31:00:08 – 00:31:11:26
Michelle
Year. Right. Exactly. That was that was going to be my other thing. It was like, all right, well, are they going to bring in somebody or are they now going to bring in like, is he going to find another companion? And that’s going to be.

00:31:12:08 – 00:31:14:11
Joseph
Well, keeping his ex-girlfriend, right?

00:31:14:11 – 00:31:15:01
Michelle
Because she.

00:31:15:28 – 00:31:16:16
Joseph
She got.

00:31:16:16 – 00:31:20:13
Michelle
A ticket in the end. Yeah. So that and.

00:31:20:13 – 00:31:42:17
Joseph
The other thing that’s really strange about this is the filming was set to be in Europe right now. It’s not unusual to film on location in that location, not be what’s right where you’re really filming for one of the Transformers movies was done at the Bethlehem Steel Mill. Right. And that was in the movie. That was China Right.

00:31:42:19 – 00:31:57:07
Joseph
So we just saw Batman was shot in Eastern Europe as Gotham City. So it’s not that unusual. City isn’t real. I know, but Gotham City, Chicago or is that Metropolis? I forgot. No, Metropolis is I.

00:31:57:07 – 00:31:58:23
Michelle
Was going to say I thought Metropolis was New.

00:31:58:23 – 00:32:01:21
Joseph
York. Metropolis is New York. And Chicago was Gotham City. Oh, I.

00:32:01:21 – 00:32:02:13
Michelle
Never realized that.

00:32:02:13 – 00:32:11:11
Joseph
Chicago’s remodeled long. Oh, okay. But, you know, Gotham City was in the United States. Right. I think we canonically say that right.

00:32:11:12 – 00:32:17:12
Michelle
And I guess if you were doing Europe, maybe you were doing like more countryside, like, hey, they’re going across.

00:32:17:12 – 00:32:41:27
Joseph
And the only thing, you know, like, everyone knows that Walking Dead owns their movie studio, right? Probably in Georgia. Right. So maybe because of all these other spinoffs, that property is booked up for shooting those. Maybe and they needed to shoot somewhere else. Maybe they’re shooting at a location that they couldn’t recreate there. Like, I have no idea how they’re going to recreate New York for the Maggie Negan.

00:32:42:09 – 00:32:45:12
Michelle
Right. I’m sure a lot of that’s going to be CGI, right?

00:32:45:12 – 00:32:54:14
Joseph
You know, so were they supposed to be on some kind of trip, you know, because. Right, Carol, does like both. So, you know, they may have gone to Europe. Maybe they weren’t.

00:32:54:14 – 00:32:55:15
Michelle
Going to Europe. Yeah.

00:32:56:11 – 00:32:56:24
Joseph
Seems like it.

00:32:56:24 – 00:32:57:27
Michelle
Was going to take a long time to get.

00:32:57:27 – 00:33:01:14
Joseph
There. But yes, but then again, yeah, but people.

00:33:01:14 – 00:33:07:20
Michelle
Did come from Europe over here. It’s not like it wasn’t possible before, like electricity and gas.

00:33:07:24 – 00:33:15:13
Joseph
But you make you make a valid point. Is it something where they just push off production until she can do it? Right. Do you find a new location? That’s right.

00:33:15:17 – 00:33:18:16
Michelle
Like or like does the show make sense?

00:33:18:17 – 00:33:27:08
Joseph
Right. Like I can’t see you completely changing the whole premise of the show because she can’t go to Europe to film. Right. That just seems extreme. Right. Right.

00:33:27:08 – 00:33:43:10
Michelle
So it just I don’t know. It seems kind of like you’re almost and granted for a lot of people, Daryl is their favorite character. And everybody has said you better not kill Daryl because as soon as you killed Daryl.

00:33:43:23 – 00:33:47:04
Joseph
I’m done. Who ironically never shows up and never shows up.

00:33:47:05 – 00:34:00:23
Michelle
Right. Right. Which is why, you know, like so many people, that you know, read the comics new Glenn was going to, you know, more than likely was going to die because they you know, there were certain things going on in the comics.

00:34:00:28 – 00:34:14:26
Joseph
Like that’s where we’re at now, where all the people in the comics who get whacked at this point in time aren’t in the show anymore. So right about, you know, let’s roll the dice. Let’s get the Deadpool, who’s going to who doesn’t want to fill these roles. Right. Exactly. So you’re going to be.

00:34:14:28 – 00:34:17:02
Michelle
Yeah. So I don’t know, you know.

00:34:17:19 – 00:34:22:03
Joseph
But that’s the thing. Maggie would fill that role and Rick would have filled.

00:34:22:06 – 00:34:22:19
Michelle
Right.

00:34:22:20 – 00:34:28:04
Joseph
True, true. That dramatic conclusion. That’s that’s one way to get it.

00:34:28:10 – 00:34:34:14
Michelle
Or does Rick, all of a sudden now show up? So instead of doing the Rick movies, because we really haven’t heard anything.

00:34:34:15 – 00:34:40:00
Joseph
And then they’re going to Rick Ross, that was like a good look at you.

00:34:40:18 – 00:34:50:11
Michelle
That was a good one. Yeah. So I don’t know. I don’t know. Like, I don’t know how much of the storyline was already written. Were they still in, like a storyboard?

00:34:50:11 – 00:34:55:16
Joseph
And if they were stories and if they were going to start shooting this summer, something had to have been right. You had to write something.

00:34:55:24 – 00:34:59:23
Michelle
Had to be ready if they wanted to premiere it next year or so.

00:35:00:08 – 00:35:19:14
Joseph
So. Oh, it’s it’s you suck without her. I think she’s a fantastic. Yeah, she her character’s because her character plays such a pivotal role. Right. And in her character, she’s probably the one character next to Daryl that you’ve seen the most character development.

00:35:19:15 – 00:35:27:27
Michelle
Well, and that’s the thing is she and Daryl are the only two original from the first episode. Right on. So you’ve seen.

00:35:27:27 – 00:35:32:11
Joseph
How like their character does development, but she does development offscreen.

00:35:32:12 – 00:35:53:16
Michelle
Right. And that’s the other thing, too, is a lot of, you know, like, Maggie didn’t come on you know, for the first couple of seasons. Plus, you know, she went away for a little while and, you know, came back and and you can definitely see a difference in her from when she was on to when she came back but with Daryl and Carol, you really see, you know, Daryl was a punk.

00:35:53:23 – 00:35:57:07
Michelle
You know, you didn’t think he was going to last or stay with the group.

00:35:57:11 – 00:36:15:02
Joseph
You know, I ran the one. Yeah, the one side show here. So you see the different, you know, action. Yeah. Fortune’s not playing the slideshow in order to win five. Right. But there are some of the very early shots here where. Yeah. Norman Reedus is looks like a kid in some of these. Oh, yeah. She’s, you know.

00:36:15:02 – 00:36:30:29
Michelle
And she kind of you know, had a little bit of the, you know, because she was the abused housewife. Right. And he was the. Yeah. Here, you know, here’s the, the punk who, you know, is going to steal your, your lunch money, right? And, you know, and.

00:36:30:29 – 00:36:32:18
Joseph
Really, he turns into a protector.

00:36:32:18 – 00:36:44:25
Michelle
And it all kind of happened when her daughter goes missing. And that was kind of like the start of their their bonding, really. So, yeah.

00:36:45:05 – 00:36:57:03
Joseph
I would rather see them hold off on the series like whole and not and have her when she can do it rather than not have her in the series. Yeah. Yeah. So that, you know, that’s just my $0.02 on it.

00:36:57:04 – 00:36:59:21
Michelle
No, I’ll, I’ll throw in another $0.02, too.

00:36:59:21 – 00:37:10:23
Joseph
All right. We got $0.04 for this one here. All right. So. All right, that’s all we had for our entertainment news. We’ll be right back with my insightful Pick of the Week.

00:37:18:27 – 00:37:53:19
Michelle
Insights into Teens, a podcast series exploring the issues and challenges of today’s youth talking to real teens about real teen problems explore issues from braces to puberty, social anxiety to financial responsibility, Each week we talk about the topics concerning today’s youth. We look at how the issues affect teens, how to cope with these issues, and how parents, friends and loved ones can help teens handle these challenges.

00:37:56:04 – 00:38:13:27
Michelle
Check out our video episodes on YouTube.com Backslash Insights into things Catch our audio versions on podcast insights into Teen XCOM or on the web at insights into things dot com.

00:38:21:26 – 00:38:53:14
Joseph
So my pick this week is Halo, the series on Paramount+. So the official summary is rather dry. They say it’s in its adaptation for Paramount Plus. Halo takes place in a fictional universe that first came to be in 2001 with the launch of Microsoft Xbox as first Halo game, dramatizing an epic 26th century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant.

00:38:54:05 – 00:39:28:12
Joseph
Halo, the series weaves deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly lost place, richly imagined vision of the future. The series features the master Chief Spartan 117 Dr. Halsey, the brilliant, conflicted and inscrutable creator of the Spartan Super Soldiers and Cortana the most advanced A.I. in human history, and potentially the key to the survival of the human race.

00:39:29:18 – 00:40:03:01
Joseph
So having experienced all of the Halo video iterations, as well as consuming most, if not all of the published novels, I approach the show with a somewhat decidedly established preconception. Most of these preconceptions are realized in the initial episode, much to my thorough enjoyment. Adapting a first person shooter video game into a successful television series requires a certain creative license, so it’s expected that we deviate from the original storyline by a significant degree.

00:40:03:11 – 00:40:16:15
Joseph
In fact, one golden rule of the Halo series has always been the helmet master chief, never takes off his helmet, which early on led you to believe that they were robots and stuff like that.

00:40:16:16 – 00:40:16:26
Michelle
Okay.

00:40:18:08 – 00:40:49:28
Joseph
Well, this concept is thrown out in episode one, but it’s done in a meaningful and significant storytelling experience, and the visage under the helmet doesn’t disappoint. Pablo Schreiber offers the ideal image of an experienced, highly trained and emotionally reserved super soldier and does not disappoint While there are some interesting twists with other well-known characters in the series, the talent playing these well-known fictional characters are fantastic.

00:40:50:27 – 00:41:16:09
Joseph
The adrenaline, the least action is on par, if a bit graphic at times with what you’d expect for one of the best action games in history. Write down to the fact that Master Chief has to duck for cover while his shields recharge. They mimic the sound effects perfectly, so you must feel like you’re in the video with that point four episodes into the show, and it’s had its ups and downs.

00:41:16:22 – 00:41:39:02
Joseph
We start off with episode one jumping right into the action. We all want it. The pace slows down a bit for some plot development and character development, but then it picks right back up again in episode four, where you feel like you’re watching a live action sequence from the latest game in the series. For the most part, the characters are proven to be significantly different than how they’re presented in other story forms of the genre.

00:41:40:00 – 00:42:03:16
Joseph
This offers some continuity confusion for those who dip deep into the lure, but it offers a refreshing take on characters that may have been a little static in the past and giving them more depth. The most significant change is that the story is bigger than just Master Chief, even if he’s still one of the most significant cogs in the plot machine.

00:42:04:26 – 00:42:30:08
Joseph
It’s difficult to judge the storytelling when you think you know the direction that the ultimate plot’s going and what the big reveal is expected to be, while at the same time hoping it’s not exactly as you expect it to be. Because thankfully there’s enough variety in the characters to offer a glimpse of something you haven’t seen yet. Another worthy mention, you know, the show is fantastic.

00:42:30:08 – 00:43:08:29
Joseph
But another worthy mention that probably should have been epic all its own. As the accompanying Aftershow Halo, the series declassified each episode features a behind the scenes show, behind the scenes aftershow. That’s a mix of interviews, episode, recaps, fan testimonials and making of documentaries as well as sneak peeks of next week’s episodes. It adds a context to the series and has served as a fantastic companion seeing the level of detail that goes into the sets, the training and even the saying healing language really gives you a deep appreciation for the show.

00:43:09:25 – 00:43:30:26
Joseph
There’s so much going on in the show that it’s easy to miss some of the finer details. The aftershow does a great job of highlighting these scenes and supporting the storytelling Now, this is one that I suggest that you watch, which you’ve flat-Out ignored me on at this point. I still think you would enjoy it because it’s not.

00:43:30:26 – 00:43:48:29
Joseph
You don’t have to be a fan of the video game, right? To be a fan of the show, because the show’s not just all shoot em up type stuff. There is a certain element of that, but there’s a real plot to it, and it’s taken some of its plot development from some of the more modern sci fi shows like me and Laurie.

00:43:49:05 – 00:44:12:25
Joseph
Hmm. You know, there’s a it’s a serial, so week to week, it’s a building block, right? Right. You have character plot line, side plants that go on, and then you have the overriding plot that is the seasons. Hopefully the season’s finale. Okay. But clearly I look at the look on your face down, and I’m not getting any buy in whatsoever.

00:44:13:11 – 00:44:15:08
Michelle
I have so many other things that I watch.

00:44:15:14 – 00:44:18:13
Joseph
Right. And some of the other things that you try to get me to watch.

00:44:18:21 – 00:44:22:15
Michelle
I’ve given up on getting you to watch certain things, so I just watch them on my own.

00:44:22:16 – 00:44:35:03
Joseph
This is one of those ones that if you liked Expanse, you’ll like this guy. In fact, the bad guy from this guy’s a bad guy guys, too, right? Which just helps tighten even more, right?

00:44:37:07 – 00:44:42:15
Joseph
Anyway, so that’s my fear. Connie thinks, right? Uh huh.

00:44:44:16 – 00:44:47:27
Joseph
Well, see, we didn’t have any afterthoughts this week, right?

00:44:48:10 – 00:44:51:17
Michelle
No, because we were going to do an update.

00:44:51:24 – 00:44:54:08
Joseph
But it was a three week, four week old show you.

00:44:54:08 – 00:45:06:21
Michelle
Know, of Fan Expo. But I will say just, you know, because this was kind of our first convention with the new version of uh.

00:45:07:11 – 00:45:10:18
Joseph
Was our wizard world.

00:45:12:00 – 00:45:34:04
Michelle
And for the most part, it seemed to go well. You know, the one thing that was kind of weird and again, I don’t know if this was a, you know, post-pandemic thing was, you know, if you pre bought your tickets, you, you picked up your badge, but then you had to go to another area to activate your badge.

00:45:34:09 – 00:45:46:26
Michelle
So you had to have a phone that had, you know, a smartphone to do it. So I’m sure if it was something where you didn’t have a phone, they probably had some way of doing it.

00:45:46:27 – 00:45:51:18
Joseph
Help the fans at home. Deal with the living your dilemma.

00:45:51:25 – 00:46:16:21
Michelle
Oh, so that was kind of funny. So whenever we’ve gone to conventions that had any sort of badge or something, usually as soon as you picked up your badge, they had a free lanyard there. So we we pick up our badge. There’s no lanyard. We go over to the section where we have to now and the other thing, too, was you couldn’t scan that.

00:46:16:22 – 00:46:26:20
Michelle
That would be something to to think of. So they had a QR code to scan to get to the website. But then you had to manually enter this ten digit alphanumeric.

00:46:26:29 – 00:46:27:26
Joseph
Painful code.

00:46:28:07 – 00:46:35:17
Michelle
And then you had to like put your email address in with it and then if you had a kid, you had to put your kit. So like if.

00:46:35:17 – 00:46:39:18
Joseph
You had I think given the fact you have a companion app for this, it would all work through the.

00:46:39:19 – 00:46:58:21
Michelle
Right. They or there would have been a QR code here scan your badge, dude, you’re done. Well, then we’re like, all right, well what do we do with this? And they had a table set up with a person with a cash register selling lanyards. And I’m like, Well, I’m not going to buy a lanyard that I’m never going to use again.

00:46:58:21 – 00:47:16:18
Michelle
And, you know, unfortunately, you hadn’t gone. It was just Mattie and I and I said, You know what? We’ll just put it in our pocket because I’m sure as soon as we get onto the floor, we’re not going to have to show it again. And that’s what we did. We put it in our pocket. We go up the escalator, and that’s where the free lanyards were.

00:47:16:18 – 00:47:23:05
Michelle
So they were pulling a Disney, trying to get you to buy $5 a $5 lanyard when.

00:47:23:08 – 00:47:38:23
Joseph
So that’s there. That’s our public service announcement for this podcast for all of you. All you folks out there who are going to go to other fan expos because they’re around the country. Just remember, don’t buy the damn lanyard. Get the one that’s after the laying your thing.

00:47:38:24 – 00:47:49:09
Michelle
Right. Or most people these days have a lanyard of some sort. Bring it with you, you know, just in case. For some reason, they they don’t have it there for you.

00:47:49:09 – 00:48:16:18
Joseph
So you know, that’s disappointing. Yeah. But anyway, I think that’s all we had today for the show. Uh, before we do go, I want to bug our listening and viewing audience one more time. To subscribe to the podcast, you can find audio versions of this podcast listed as insights in the entertainment video and audio versions can be found listed as insights into things anywhere.

00:48:16:18 – 00:48:29:27
Joseph
Can get a podcast, tune in, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Google, etc. I would also invite you to writing, give us your feedback, give us your shows that you’d like us to plug. You can email us at comments and insights into things dot com.

00:48:29:27 – 00:48:35:04
Michelle
You can find us on Twitter at Twitter.com. Backslash insights underscore things.

00:48:35:16 – 00:48:41:20
Joseph
You can get high res versions of all of our videos on YouTube at YouTube.com slash insights into things.

00:48:41:20 – 00:48:47:06
Michelle
You can find us on Facebook at Facebook.com, Backslash Insights into Things podcast.

00:48:47:08 – 00:48:52:14
Joseph
We do stream five days a week on Twitch. At Twitch top TV slash insights into things.

00:48:52:21 – 00:48:58:06
Michelle
You can find us on Instagram at Instagram dot com, backslash insights into things.

00:48:58:08 – 00:49:08:11
Joseph
Or you can find all that and much more on our official website at WW dot insights into things dot com and that’s it. Another one in the book.

00:49:08:13 – 00:49:10:27
Michelle
All right, have a good week. Everyone. Bye bye.